Another Way to Grow Your Virtual Assistant Business

We, as virtual assistants (Vas), generally attempt to grow our business by obtaining more clients or contracts. Now the new strategy is to enlarge our small business by creating a multi-virtual assistant company or organizing a team of Vas to subcontract or outsource projects to. These Vas provide services, which will complement your services rather than compete with them.

More and more virtual assistants are creating multi-virtual assistant companies, while others are subcontracting to other Vas. Normally, virtual assistants who work with multi-virtual assistant organizations or work on a subcontract basis are entrepreneurs themselves. On the other hand, Vas who are in the beginning stages of their business can gain experience and knowledge as business owners while at the same time establish their companies, as well as earn money. Operating a small business requires much more than just knowing how to type or perform any other administrative task.

However, it is a win-win concept because an established virtual assistant (va) can offer more services without having to be skilled in that particular area, as well as have the assistance of up-and-coming Vas. In some cases, a virtual assistant needs a va to help them with administrative tasks. In addition, you have a backup in case of your absence for any reason. Whether you operate a multi-virtual assistant establishment or subcontract to other Vas, you can offer their services in addition to yours.

For example, in an attempt to grow my virtual assistant business and expand my services, I'm applying the subcontracting strategy. I recently organized a team of three Vas with varying skills to subcontract projects to. My core service is word processing services, and the team services include bookkeeping, Real Estate Virtual Assistant (REVA) services, transcription, and website and graphic design. Their services complement mine rather than compete with them. Now I can offer their services in addition to my current offerings. If for any reason I am absent or need assistance with my administrative tasks, every member of the team is able to perform word processing services and provide administrative assistance.

If you are a virtual assistant who is in the process of growing your business or increasing your list of services, consider organizing a team of virtual assistants with various skills. As the virtual assistant industry grows so does the level of available skilled virtual assistants. It is a win-win situation for established virtual assistant companies, up-and-coming virtual assistants, and our clients.

Article Writing: Can It Help My Virtual Assistant Business?

Question: I’m a Virtual Assistant. Can I use articles to promote my business?
Signed, Eager VA

Dear Eager VA,
Virtual Assistants are springing up all around the internet. It’s a very viable business option and more work at home moms are jumping on the bandwagon every day. The real go-getters will whip up a “business card” website right away with their contact information, ‘about me’ information, and their rates and services offered.

But, then that website sits and collects dust while they wait for the traffic to roll in. So, what’s a Virtual Assistant to do to generate traffic to their website?

Oftentimes VAs overlook one of the best methods of marketing their websites – article writing. Virtual Assistants can write about all kinds of topics – how to organize emails, customer service, hiring or firing a VA, ways a VA can benefit a business, or accounting among other things. Then, they can share the articles, just like any other website owner to drive traffic to their websites and establish an expert status in their field.

If you’re a VA who’s new to article sharing, it’s actually quite easy. You write a helpful article and include your author bio at the end. (See the end of this article as an example.) Then, you submit your article to Article Directories where hungry website owners, blog owners and ezine publishers eagerly grab your article to publish it on their sites.

Now, there is stiff competition so it’s not quite that easy, but that’s the gist of how article sharing works. And, you know it works because you’re reading my article that I’ve written and shared with article directories. There’s my URL in the author bio and you’ve found my article because someone has published it on their website, blog or in their newsletter. If it works for me, it can work for you, too.

Article sharing is underutilized in the Virtual Assistant field and I hope to see that change in the coming year. Go grab that free traffic and grow your VA business. Not only will your VA business grow, but you can share this method of marketing with your clients and blow them away with your knowledge of internet marketing. Best wishes.