“I want to start a virtual assistant business, but I don’t have any skills I could offer as services!”
I hear this a lot! It’s also totally untrue.
Many VAs feel like this when first starting out. But the truth is, you likely have a lot to offer clients.
All you need to do is take a close look at your existing skills and talents and let that lead you to your services and your “magic potion” that will make you a unique and sought-after virtual assistant!
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LET’S DO A LITTLE SKILLS BRAINSTORM, SHALL WE?
Grab a couple of pieces of paper, journal, or the worksheets I created for you (download below) and your favorite pen (the more sparkly, the better). ✨
You’re going to create three different lists:
1) What you enjoy doing. Simply list the things you like to do. Don’t limit yourself to skills you think could be VA services. Get crazy!
List all the things you enjoy doing, even things like traveling, cooking, and walking your dog. It might seem silly, but trust me. I’ll explain later!
2) What you’re good at. We all have things that we’re good at and those that we’re not. List your talents here, even if you don’t see how they could help you as a VA.
Are you great with kids or animals? Do you make a mean tiramisu? Are you an awesome artist? Get it all down!
3) What you want to learn. What do you think you might enjoy doing but don’t have the skillset for (yet)? List them here.
Also, include what you enjoy doing but aren’t so amazing at yet. For example, maybe you’d love to create beautiful digital images, but you don’t know graphic design yet. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to try video editing even though you have no idea where to start. Get giddy! What lights you up?
(Pssst! You can find a big list of service ideas here.)
GOT YOUR LISTS? PERFECT! LET’S TAKE A LOOK!
Now that you have your thoughts on paper, you’ll want to look them over.
1) Circle things that jump out at you, highlight things and take notes in the margins. Is there anything in particular that really lights you up? Take note of that.
Nothing pops out at you? No worries! Skip to the next step.
2) Are there any useful skills that show up more than once on your lists? For example, I have “organizing” under both the “enjoy doing” and “good at” sections. Circle those.
3) Are there any words that show up under “enjoy doing” AND “good at” sections? I have “teaching and mentoring” under “enjoy doing” and “teaching, being patient, and simplifying” under the “good at” section. Those things go hand-in-hand. Highlight or circle any of those on your list too.
4) Now, let’s focus more on the “good at” section. Do you see anything that would do an ideal service?
For me, I have “organizing” and “Pinterest” under things I enjoy. How can I turn these into services? Well, for organizing, I could organize projects, email inboxes, and SOPs for clients (I used to do Online Business Management and used my organization skills in this way). And as far as Pinterest, that can be a service too (which is what I also used to do). (I’ve since switched to mentoring VAs to help them start their own businesses.)
Not sure how to turn something into a service?
Say you have something on your list, like manifesting, and you’re not sure how this could be turned into a service.
You could Google it along with the word “virtual assistant” and see what pops up. Maybe there’s a VA out there who has already figured it out. Don’t copy them, of course. This is to get your creative ideas flowing, not to find people to copy.
You may come up with nothing during your research (speaking of, do you like researching? Add that to the list if you do!), but that’s okay. Don’t give up! Think about what you enjoy doing in a different way.
Could this possibly be part of your “magic potion”? Do you want to focus on working with manifestation coaches (yes! There’s such a thing!) or mention on your About page that you’re a manifesting goddess? Maybe your ideal client would really appreciate working with someone who is woo-woo (I’m woo-woo, and the people I work with are too. We get each other, and it’s great!)
Another example would be cooking. Do you enjoy making healthy recipes for your family? You might want to work with health coaches or bloggers!
Love playing with your dogs? Maybe you want to focus on clients in the canine industry and help shelters, dog groomers, or dog trainers.
Knowing who you want to work for is crucial in your success as a VA because you’ll be so much happier working for people you really like, and the more you know about them, the easier they are to find!
The point is, get creative with this information! When you enjoy something, it comes easier to you. I like to read, talk about, and implement holistic health ideas, which made it easier for me to brainstorm ideas with the health coach I used to work with.
By the way, you don’t have to focus on only one client niche. I’ve worked with business coaches, event planners, graphic designers, etc. Even though they run different businesses, the people behind these businesses are similar.
5) How about the “good at” section? These things can also be turned into creative VA services or ideas for who you want to work with. Take note of what’s there. Circle, make notes, think outside the box.
6) Let’s look at the “want to learn” section. I love this list because it has served me well over the years. No matter what, if I wanted to learn something, I did. I just followed my heart. In doing so, I have a large range of skills and have been a part of some amazing opportunities!
I got into Pinterest strategy and management because I wanted to learn how to use Pinterest to grow my own business. It worked really well for me, so I decided to help others grow their businesses with Pinterest too. When I first started out as a VA, I wanted to learn web design so I could build my own site. I’m now able to help my clients with their websites (it took away the “I might break it” fear when doing website work).
And don’t forget, you’re a unique individual. There’s nobody out there exactly like you. What you bring to the table can be as unique as you are. Follow your passions, and you can’t go wrong!
where to learn new skills
If you need to learn new skills, you’ll find tons of options online.
Here’s a list of ideas:
- Introvert VA Club (Includes a variety of tech tutorials where you can learn new skills, plus a forum where you can ask questions and get support.)
- YouTube
- Skillshare <—-get a free trial with my special link
- Google search
- Online courses, books, ebooks, memberships
- Signing up for a tool and going through their documentation or training
Here are my educational and resource recommendations:
Affiliate Marketing
Online Business Management
Membership Set Up and Management
- Scheduling Shortcuts [Hacks for the New Pinterest Algorithm]
- Quick Pin Template Bundle (50 Pin Templates + Canva Design Hacks)
- Pinterest Management Contract Template
- Pin Description Swipe File
- 10 Canva Pin Templates
Sales Funnels
You’ll also find a list of resources here.
YOU’VE GOT THIS
What do you do now with your lists of “enjoys, good ats, and want to learns”?
You’ll want to organize your thoughts. Grab a fresh sheet of paper and make another list of the VA-related skills you’ve uncovered along with the people you want to work with and the skills you want to learn. (Or just download my VA Service Worksheets). Now you can start mapping out your services or look into some courses to fill in the gaps!
Just remember, you probably have a skill set already that can be turned into a service people want to hire you for. And if not, you can learn the skills you need in order to offer the services you want to offer, based on what you enjoy doing. With a little research, creativity, and training, you’ll have a list of services you can offer that not only pay the bills but make you happy when you do them.
That’s one of the benefits of being your own boss!
Want to dive deeper into the types of services you could offer as a VA (plus how to price your services and who to work with)? I cover it in the Introvert VA Club. Come join us!
RELATED ARTICLES:
How (and Why!) to Define Your Ideal Client
How to Build Your Virtual Assistant Business Before You Have a Website
11 Traits of Highly Successful Virtual Assistants
