Course overview
Have you always dreamed of having your own business? Do you want to achieve true work/life balance, and be there for your family? Are you sick and tired of the work-day commute? If you have a background in administration, EA or PA roles, then a Virtual Assistant (VA) business could be exactly what you have been looking for.
The VA Institute has a super personalised one-on-one program where participants come away with ALL the tools required to step into a career path as a VA, plus some amazing additional inclusions that are all relevant and critical to setting up a successful home-based VA business.
All our programs are focussed on setting yourself up for absolute excellence from the outset. Delivered by an established Virtual Assistant, we take you beyond the basics and into the realm of what it takes to be ahead of the rest – the top of your game!
Study method
- OnlineOnline delivery - online course content with the exception of assessments and work placement
- BlendedBlended delivery - both online course content and partial face to face requirements
- In-classIn class delivery - predominately face to face course content conducted at a specific location
Duration study load
Your Personalised Training is delivered one-to-one via an online meeting platform (6 hrs in total) and can be structured as follows:
- 1 x 6 hour session, or
- 2 x 3 hour sessions, or
- 4 x 1.5 hour sessions, or
- 6 x 1 hour sessions
Course features
- Customised programs to suit individual requirements
- In conjunction with the Formal Training, we work together for a total of 6 weeks to ensure your business is launched correctly
- 140 Page Course Workbook (PDF)
- Electronic copies of Essential Business Templates
- Valuable Industry ‘insider’ knowledge including:
- The BEST networks to join
- How to price yourself
- Networking strategies to build your business
- Finding clients
- Business Plan set up
- Full Website built for you – and launched!
- Professional email set up
- Logo set up support
- My Book – “Discover the Authentic VA Within – A Journey from EA to VA” – paperback version
- LinkedIn Profile and Social Media review
- Ongoing access to mentoring support beyond the completion of your program at no extra cost
- Quality VA Certification upon completion
Subjects
- DISC Profile
- Greatest Fears
- Your “Why”
- Business Name Research
- Aesthetics
- Key Service Areas
- Identifying Key Connections
- Identifying Local and Online Networks
- Understanding the Virtual Advantage
- Basic Attributes required to be a successful VA
- Collaboration & Outsourcing
- Networks and Associations
- Your Service Offering
- Your Rate/How to Charge
- Your Ideal Client
- Your Strengths, Challenges, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)
- Vision, Mission and Values
- Your Sales & Marketing Strategy
- Your Business Management Strategy
- Your Transition Strategy
- Your Competitors
- Your Business Goals
- Insurances
- Domain Name and Hosting
- Email Address
- Logo
- Website
- Business Cards
- Facebook and other Social Media Platforms
- Professional Profile
- Service Agreement
- Sub-Contractor Agreement
- Guarantee
- Privacy Policy
- Internet/WiFi
- Virus Protection
- Data Backup
- Time Management Software
- File Sharing
- Communication Tools
- Project Management Software
- Accounting Software
- Password Storage
- Hardware
- Furniture
- OH&S Considerations
- Contingency Planning – Mitigating Risk
- Job Lead Sources – How to Get Clients
- How to Pitch
- Onboarding Clients
- Defining Networking – what it is and what it isn’t
- Networking Do’s and Don’ts
- Online vs Offline Networking
- Your Networking Strategy
- It’s All about Attitude
- Developing a Positive Mental Attitude
- Key Competencies for Business
- Business Mindset for VAs
- Training Providers for VAs
- Ongoing Mentoring
- Resources
- Positive Mental Attitude Building Exercise
- Key Competencies Quiz
- Setting and Meeting Expectations
- Etiquette in Communication
- Active Listening in Business
- Dealing with Difficult Clients
- Resource: Communication Checklist
- VARK – Learning, Processing and Communicating Styles
- Resources
- Questionnaire: Learning and Communication Styles
- Communication Skills Quiz
- Time Management Tips and Tricks
- Resources
- Time Management Style Questionnaire
- Identifying Time Guzzlers
About VA Institute
Established in 2017 by Ingrid Bayer, The VA Institute is your go-to resource for education and training, providing hands-on, practical support for you in this exciting stage of your career/business life.
After a career of over 30 years in ‘traditional’ secretarial roles, Ingrid started operating as a Virtual Assistant from her home office in regional New South Wales, Australia in 2008. Within two years, she had grown her business to include managing and overseeing a team of VAs.
Ingrid now devotes her time to working strategically with the Australian VA Industry and its stakeholders, and specialising in working with EAs, Pas and Admin workers from around Australia, and around the world, in making the transition to becoming a successful VA.
Ingrid’s passion and life purpose is to make a tangible difference in the lives of VAs and their clients by uncovering and exposing the ‘elephant in the room’; that is, identifying the missing ingredients in the VA toolbox in a way that empowers, transforms and inspires the VA Industry and its stakeholders to be the best, expect the best, and deliver the best beyond mere technical skills.
