The Tools You Need to Build Your Virtual Assistant Business

The best way to start a business is to just start. When it comes down to it, if you never start then you’ll never have a business. Believe it or not, there’s not a whole lot of overhead that comes along with starting a virtual assistant business, so I’m sharing the tools you need to build your business.   First up, a G-mail account. You CAN use another email platform, but your G-mail account will integrate with so many more tools and it opens up the use of other business tools that you’ll be in daily with your business. So just bite the bullet and sign up for a free account.    Next, you’ll want to sign up for a trial period with a CRM. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (probably a hundred times more) but Dubsado and Honeybook are my favorites. Both have some really great trial periods and training that allow you to slowly but surely get acclimated with their platforms without having to pay in the beginning.   If you choose not to go with either of those platforms, then you’ll also need a scheduler. Something like Calendly or Acuity to get you started and be able to avoid the time suck that is created by trying to set up appointments in your DMs and email.    Honestly, that’s about it to get started. You need a way for people to contact you, a way to keep track of clients and projects, and a way to schedule potential client calls. Are there more tools to become familiar with? Of course, and you can find most of them in my free A-Z of Building a Virtual Assistant Business.    Listen to the full episode to hear some of my favorite bonus tools and to gain more insights on the tools listed above. Keep in mind. You have to start somewhere, so just get started! In This Episode: [00:47] Hey guys, thanks for joining me today! [02:25] Start small so that you will start. [04:04] The first thing you need is a Google or Gmail account. [07:14] Sign up for a trial period for a free CRM, I prefer Dubsado or Honeybook. [11:24] Having a scheduler which you can set up in either Dubsado or Honeybook is the next tool I suggest.  [14:07] The next tool I spent time with was Canva, a collaborative graphics creation suite. [16:50] Trello is the project management tool that I used at first, but I now prefer Clickup. [19:13] You want your “best” goal to feel you could reach it, but right now it feels out of reach. [22:03] Artful Agenda is a bonus tool that I use in my business. [24:45] Flodesk is a great email service provider to use as your business grows. [26:01] I have created a freebie A-Z list of all the tips, tools, tricks that I have learned over the years.   Links and Resources Find Jenn: Success Beyond The Lens @successbeyondthelens Instagram  @successbeyondthelenspodcast Facebook | Picbabun   Grab your Boundaries Resources Editable Welcome Packet Template Pinterest Freebies A-Z of Building a VA Business   Success Beyond the Lens Shop Become a Virtual Assistant for Photographers  ...