Virtual assistants are the secretaries of the new millennium. Besides providing all the standard administrative support (word processing, copywriting, database management), they can also offer web design and maintenance, proofreading services, event planning, or public relations guidance. The more skills you possess, the more marketable you will be as a VA.
Work assignments are handled through email or overnight shipping, so there’s little to no need for commuting.
Since this is a freelance position, you could charge by the hour or by the project. Pay usually starts around $20/hour, although it can go much higher in large cities.
Small medical offices offer the most employment possibilities, as they may be in need of somebody to handle medical records, and insurance billing or transcriptions, but do not want to hire a full-time secretary.
To market yourself, print and distribute flyers to local businesses. Have business cards printed and hand them out at every opportunity.
Consulting Services
A consultant is an expert in any subject who helps others make the best of an event or a situation. A classic example is the bridal consultant, who’s in charge of planning a wedding to the minimum detail. Other popular areas of consulting: Art, Image, Feng Shui, and Websites & Computers. Event Planners are also consultants with a different name; so are Life Coaches, a very popular and lucrative enterprise nowadays.
Find a niche you can fill –Although there are thousands of Feng Shui consultant, you can differentiate yourself by specializing in Feng Shui for busy people or Feng Shui for the newborn.
Start by picking a field you enjoy and learning as much as you can about it. Find an online class, attend workshops and lectures, or consider a professional certification if one is available on your field.
Build a portfolio. Offer your services for free to friends and family members in exchange for reference letters. Take a few representative photographs of the final product for your portfolio.
Subscribe to online forums or associations. Read what others have to say and ask questions. A good place to get started is The Association of Professional Consultants (CONSULTAPC).