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Virtual Assistants are oftentimes moms, like you and me, who want to work from home. A Virtual Assistant (or VA) can offer clients any number of services from their home-based location, rather than being at a traditional office. VAs can earn a nice income, charging somewhere in the area of $10 to $30 per hour, with specialized or more technical services ranging around $50 per hour.

If you have basic computer skills, a general knowledge of how an office works, or even specific skills that business owners are looking for, you certainly will want to consider starting your very own Virtual Assistant business from home. Your start up costs will include a good computer and home office setting, but the ongoing business expenses are minimal. Here are some tips to help you get started.

What Services Will You Offer: It’s important to know what services you can offer, and how you will offer those services, before you begin. Are you a good typist? Do you feel comfortable speaking on the phone with others? Are you good at making event and travel arrangements for others? Do you have web development skills? These are some of the services that a Virtual Assistant can offer the clients that hire them.

Business Plan: As a Virtual Assistant, your business plan is important in order to map out your marketing plan, your financial goals, as well as putting together an overview of your business with your mission in mind. Once you’ve decided on your services, you can start writing your business plan with help from the resource at the end of this article.

Setting Up Your Home Office: Make sure you have a separate work area, free from background noise, with adequate space to keep your client information secure and organized. You’ll eventually want to invest in a good desk, a separate telephone line with answering machine, and a reliable computer and printer. As your business grows, you may want to expand your office to include a scanner, copier and fax, depending on the type of work you’re doing for clients.

Choosing Your Software: You’ll also need to have all the software required to provide the services you’ve decided to offer. If you’re starting on a budget, at a minimum you need the software required to do the job well. You can always upgrade or get new software as warranted. Networking with other VAs is invaluable in finding out all the best resources for software and support.

Marketing 101: Along with getting business cards, letterhead and address labels professionally prepared, you’ll need to set up a website that will serve as your “virtual office”; a place where potential and current clients can visit you online. Add information about your services, contact information and testimonials once the work starts coming in. To get started, you might offer some services free to a few business owners in return for feedback and to build your portfolio. Your service business will grow best through word of mouth.

You can work from your own home office and happily reap the rewards. It’s true that, in uncertain times, many companies are letting go of full-time employees and are hiring Virtual Assistants on a part-time basis, as needed. This is a growing opportunity for you, as more Virtual Assistants are needed. Whether you’re looking to earn an extra $100 per month or a full-time income, it all starts with the first step.

A Virtual Assistant Business is a fun way to start making money online with a minimum of money and equipment. Get step-by-step help by grabbing the JustAddSweat.com Guide to Making Money with a Virtual Assistant Business.