List: 25 Things To Do Before Your Virtual Assistant Business Takes Off

The early days of establishing a Virtual Assistant business can be frustrating. You’ve decided to be a VA but you don’t have enough clients yet to fill up your working hours.

So I've created this list of 25 things to ...

• keep yourself busy
• start marketing your VA business
• get prepped for when you DO get super-busy
  
  

>>> Below is a handy list of 25 things to do before your virtual assistant business takes off! ✈️  

Get going on this list and you'll be busy before you know it!

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure.

 

 

About the New Virtual Assistant “To Do” List

Before you get started, here are a few things:

• The items are in an order that makes sense because, for instance, #3 start a website is a LOT easier if you’ve already done #1 create a brand board. They're broken down into groups of 3-5 items for ease of completion.
  
  
• The list assumes that you’ve done the basics to start your Virtual Assistant business such as chosen a name (or decided to use your first/last name), filed basic business paperwork, have a computer or laptop, etc.
  
  
• In parentheses are some suggestions for platforms to use. But you’re more than welcome to use other programs :)

Now let’s get started ✅

25 Things You Can Do Before Your VA Business Takes Off

Start Your Brand

1. Create your brand board and a simple logo (Canva or Visme)
2. Start social media business accounts (check Knowem to see if the site domain and username you want is available across all platforms, to secure your domain)
3. Buy domain and start a simple self-hosted WordPress website - front page, blog, about, contact (Namecheap + MomWebs + Wordpress.org). Invest in a standout WordPress theme (Hello You Designs)
4. Start your email list (ConvertKit, FloDesk, MooSend, or Send In Blue)
5. Decide on your VA niche - tasks, topics, and clients you’ll specialize in
   
   

Hello You Designs has beautiful website themes perfect for a virtual assistant business

Start Getting the Word Out & Planning

1. Write and publish 5-10 blog posts showing expertise in your niche
2. Make Pinterest and Instagram images for those posts (Canva or Visme)
3. Schedule the 5-10 images over the next 30 days for Pinterest/Instagram (Tailwind)
4. Schedule the 5-10 images over the next 30 days for Facebook/Twitter (CrowdFire, SocialPilot, Studiorific)
5. Set up a project tracker (Google Sheet, Trello, Asana) and/or physical planner (Day Designer, Lara Casey, Erin Condren) w/vacations, holidays, goals

Start Establishing Authority

1. Gather links to current articles, videos, and podcasts from your niche (Pocket extension for Chrome)
2. Schedule the articles for Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter (CrowdFire, SocialPilot, Studiorific, Tailwind)
3. Start a quick and easy podcast (Anchor.fm or Podbean < get 1 mo Podbean free with my link)
4. Set up a client scheduling tool and embed in website (Acuity, Book Like A Boss, Dubsado)
5. Start a simple blog on a free platform (Medium)

Start Gathering Content

1. Have the podcast episodes transcribed, edit, and publish as Medium articles
2. Download and resize 50-100 free stock photos for your niche (Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay) and organize into folders by topic (laptop/computer, flat lay, lifestyle, etc.)
3. Research stock photo sites, get on mailing lists for free photos each month, get membership when doable (IvoryMix, PixiStock, and Styled Stock Society)
4. Set up folders and organize your business assets (Drive or DropBox)

Start Getting Legal

1. Check with all your government entities to make sure you’re in compliance
2. Have a free consultation with an attorney specializing in online business in your locality; get advice and quote re: sole proprietorship or LLC
3. Do a free consultation with an accountant specializing in online business in your locality; get advice/quote re: quarterly taxes, write-offs, etc. then start your books (QuickBooks Self-Employed; < this referral link gets you 50% off!)

Start Getting Your Home Ready

1. Get a free consultation with a housekeeper, get an estimate, and hire when your VA rate exceeds her hourly rate
2. Purge and organize your home (minimal home = frees up time to focus on biz)
3. Subscribe to common items - pet food, coffee pods, cleaning supplies, paper products (Amazon Prime) - and grocery delivery (Shipt, Instacart)
4. [Oops, I added a bonus to-do!] Set up a comfortable, organized work space (Overstock, Container Store, Gazelle)
   
   

  

Wouldn't it be a dream to have this home office setup from the Container Store?

Phew! There's your 25 things to do before your virtual assistant business takes off. Hopefully, your marketing efforts will result in plenty of clients soon enough. So make sure and get these things done ... before you get too busy!!