I know you're excited about becoming a virtual assistant and it's tempting to just throw your hat into the ring and see what happens. However, it's best to do a little planning first in order to make sure you can be successful at this.

Here are some things you should keep in mind:

Create a marketing plan – One of the toughest things to do when you're in business for yourself is figuring out how to promote your services. You're starting from scratch and even though you have excellent skills, nobody knows who you are. A marketing plan will give you a blueprint to follow so you can get the word out.

There are several ways you can market yourself:

*Business Cards

*Brochures

*Articles

*Online Forums

*Local Organizations

*Networking

*Website

What are your start-up costs?

How much money do you need to spend to get the ball rolling?

Make sure you have the basics to get started: computer in good shape, copy/fax machine, filing cabinet, printer, copy paper, printer ink, daily planner, comfortable office chair, etc.

If you need to buy office supplies, look for places where you can get good discounts. Spend as little money as possible. Once your business is making money, you can purchase additional items.

Charge what you're worth

When starting out, you may be tempted to set your rates low in order to attract clients – Don't do it!

Even though virtual assisting is relatively new, most VA's charge between $25-$70 per hour. Charging lower than this will make you look less professional than your competition. Besides, you need to make enough to cover your own expenses, plus any vacation and sick time you need.

Remember, you're the boss now. You're also a professional service provider and deserve to make a good living from your skills.

What's your specialty?

In your career as an office assistant, you've probably picked up many different skills. You will use most of them while virtual assisting. However, when it comes to marketing yourself, it's wise to pick something to specialize in like: desktop publishing, proofreading, legal transcription, writing articles, resume writing, academic research, etc.

Specializing in one area makes you stand out from the crowd. It's also way easier to promote your services this way. You can target clients who want to utilize your unique talents. By the way, you'll still be able to take on clients outside your specialty.

How will you help your clients?

When marketing your services, it's tempting to tell people how great you are. But that's not what they're looking for. Every potential client wants to know WIIFM or What's in it for Me?

Your job is to let them know what your skills can do to help their business run smoother.

Can you save them time?

Can you save them money?

Are you good at problem solving?

Can you meet deadlines?

Is your work mistake free?

Can you communicate with them by phone, email, skype?

Can your work make them look good?

How will you manage your time?

In order for your business to work, you've got to get good at time management. Think of all the things you'll need to keep track of:

*Multiple Client Projects

*Family Responsibilities

*Personal Errands

*Everything Else

How will you manage all of this on a day-to-day basis?

Working out of your home is great, but there can be a lot of distractions. You've got to try to keep your work time separate from your personal time, although this isn't always possible.

Figure out what days and hours you're going to work, then print out a schedule and stick to it. You can always make adjustments as you go along.