Virtual Assistant Start Up Checklist

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2 Copyright Notice: All material in this document is, unless otherwise stated, the property of Susan Mershon, The Techie Mentor. Copyright and other intellectual property laws protect these materials. Reproduction or retransmission of the materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, is a violation of copyright law. A single copy of the materials available through this document may be made, solely for personal, noncommercial use. Individuals must preserve any copyright or other notices contained in or associated with them. Users may not distribute such copies to others, whether or not in electronic form, whether or not for a charge or other consideration, without prior written consent of the copyright holder of the materials. Contact information for requests for permission to reproduce or distribute materials available through this document are listed below: Susan Mershon The Techie Mentor Info@TheTechieMentor.com The Techie Mentor 2 All Rights Reserved

3 VA Startup Checklist Determine your why. Your why is what keeps you going. Do the research! Understand the amount of work it takes & don t get stuck in analysis paralysis; set a deadline! Determine your Target Market. Ask yourself what industries are you drawn to, who do you want to help? Write it down. Since all businesses can use the services of a Virtual Assistant it is important that you decide who you want to work with. Make a list of your strengths & skill set. Take time to brainstorm; write down everything that comes to mind. Review your list of strengths & skills then remove EVERYTHING you do not like to do. Trust me - don t offer tasks you do not enjoy! Create your list of services. These are the tasks you enjoy! What do you like to do? Determine your niche. Review your list of services what are you passionate about doing? Determine how much you need to earn. You need to know how much you need to bring in hourly or monthly. Research rates of other VAs who offer similar services. You need to know what the average rate is for your type of services. The Techie Mentor 3 All Rights Reserved

4 Set your rates. Don t under value what you offer. Setup Home Office. Bare minimum: reliable internet connection, reliable computer, office software, printer, cell phone *See Home Office Checklist Setup technology tools. Task Management System, Skype, DropBox, EchoSign *See Technology Checklist Choose a business name. Set a deadline! Check to see if it s trademarked first! Determine your business structure. (LLC, Sole Proprietorship, etc.) Each state and/or country will have different requirements do your research and talk to an attorney! Check your local, state & country requirements for registering a Virtual Assistant business. Each state & country will have different requirements do your research! **Data Protection Act for UK** Get required licenses or permits. Based on country, state, etc. File business documents if necessary. For example LLC requires special documents. Optional: Apply for business EIN in US ONLY. EIN = Employee Identification Number that can be used in place of a Social Security Number. Talk to an attorney or CPA for advice on this option. The Techie Mentor 4 All Rights Reserved

5 Get referrals for professionals such as bookkeeper, CPA, attorney, insurance agent, etc. It s great to form relationships early before you may need their services. Research insurance options. Insurance depends on the types of services you offer and where you are located. Speak to an Insurance Agent for details. Research your tax requirements. Depends on your location and business type. Setup business bank accounts. Checking, savings. Get a business PO Box. Check your local Post Office or UPS Store. Setup PayPal or Intuit Payment Network accounts and link to your business account. PayPal or IPN are just 2 options for payment processing. Have VA contract(s) reviewed by attorney. *See Welcome Packet Templates Determine your start-up budget. There are start-up costs; determine what you can afford. Order business cards. Vistaprint is a great place to get quality cards at an affordable price. Determine & document your business policies. When you invoice, what payments you accept, refund policies, etc. *See Welcome Packet Template The Techie Mentor 5 All Rights Reserved

6 Purchase the domain name. Buy the.com first! Purchase web hosting. Choose a reputable hosting company such as Blue Host or HostGator. Create Logo. Start simple; you can always rebrand! LogoNerds is a great place to get an inexpensive logo. Create a simple website. You need a website and I recommend WordPress. Setup company addresses. I recommend also creating ones for Info@ and Support@. Setup Social Media Profiles. Linked In, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google + Create one page benefits flyer. Use Word to create a flyer with 3 5 bullets of benefits you provide your clients. Use these at all networking events! Create & document business goals for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Goals are important to keep you moving forward. Draft your Marketing Plan. This is a must! No marketing = no clients! Research & join local networking groups. Local marketing is a must! Start blogging! Blogging is a great way to drive traffic to your website! Join Linked In, Facebook Groups, Google+ Communities where your Target Market hang out. The Techie Mentor 6 All Rights Reserved

7 Listen to their issues and provide solutions & valuable information. Join VA organizations. IVAA, virtualassistantforums for instance. Join Virtual Assistant Tips & Tricks on Facebook & Google+ & VA Start Ups on Linked In! Implement Marketing Plan. You will have to try different marketing tactics but don t give up. Volunteer your services. Give time away for free! It s a great way to help others and get noticed. Go to local events. Great way to network and meet potential clients. Track your marketing results! Keep track of what works and what doesn t. The Techie Mentor 7 All Rights Reserved