Virtual assistants often provide administrative support to small business owners. This can cover a large range of tasks from monitoring email accounts and creating documents to making phone calls and mass mailings and a hundred other things.

However, my focusing on specialized work you can reach a specific target market and this allows your marketing to be much more focused. What are some industries a virtual assistant can specialize in?

1. Real Estate - many real estate agents need work done in areas specific to the real estate industry.

2. Accounting - more solo professionals now use Quick Books online and a virtual assistant may choose to focus solely on bookkeeping tasks.

3. Attorney - attorneys need specialized tasks and if you have the skills needed, this could be a very good market to target.

In addition to specific industries, virtual assistants may specialize in specific types of assistance, such as:

1. Social Media Marketing - using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media tools.

2. Article Writing - editing articles for search engine optimization and then posting on various article submission sites.

3. Blogs - creating and maintaining the solo professional's blog.

4. Websites - updating the client's website as needed.

These are just a few of the areas a virtual assistant can specialize in.

What is your specialty?

Now that you have set up shop as a virtual assistant, you need to put it in writing. There are several documents you need to write if you want to have a successful VA practice. Here are some:

1. Business Plan
2. Marketing Plan and Calendar
3. Vision and Mission Statements
4. Client Contract detailing policies and procedures
5. Contract for Sub-Contractors, if you use them

You and your clients should have a clear understanding of what is expected from each party and what deadlines are required. Put it in writing and include your availability by phone and email.

What else do you think you need to have in writing as a virtual assistant?

The Commonsense Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is no longer an employee. A VA is a business owner. The service we offer is virtual assistance. But our title is really Owner.

When you think of yourself as a business owner, your actions will reflect that and your clients will respect you as a business owner.

Excerpted from the Introduction in The Commonsense Virtual Assistant - Becoming an Entrepreneur, Not an Employee.

Learn more about what it takes to be a successful business owner while operating a virtual assistant practice.

The more I spoke with new and aspiring virtual assistants, the more I realized they needed some basic guidance on how to run their practice as a business. So my husband and I have co-authored a book to share some commonsense information to help you run a successful business.

If you are a business owner looking for a dependable virtual assistant, this book will help you know what to expect from a virtual assistant.

Read more and order your copy for only $19.95.

The Commonsense Virtual Assistant

The virtual assistant industry is growing rapidly. You don't want to get lost in the crowd. How can you stand out as different? By becoming the only virtual assistant who.....

What makes your services unique? What is your unique selling position? Perhaps it's that you serve a particular industry - life coaches, or provide a particular type of service - such as bookkeeping. It could be the way you do business - perhaps you are the only virtual assistant that provides a money back guarantee.

Of course there may be other VAs who service life coaches, specialize in bookkeeping, or provide a money back guarantee. But create something that you claim as your own and market your services as such.

Are You the Only Virtual Assistant Who...?