Tools & Softwares that Every Virtual Assistant Needs in their Business

Dreaming of spending more time with family at home while working? Considering becoming a Virtual Assistant? Or are you looking to launch a Virtual Assistant business? In order to excel as a Virtual Assistant, you need to learn how to be time-efficient, highly communicative, and impeccably organized.

The virtual assistant industry has been growing steadily since it has begun. The growth and affordability of technology, and the increase in number of solopreneurs, have created a need for virtual support staff. A virtual support business provides an opportunity to apply your administrative support skills to your home-based business. It’s fast, reliable, and affordable to start, especially if you already have the skills, equipment, and software to do the work.

For those entrepreneurs that want to hire a Virtual Assistant, it is important to find the right virtual assistant softwares to facilitate your virtual environment, protect your time, and get the most out of your investment. Remember 5 important things to consider for your preferred softwares:

• They should help you accomplish work tasks more efficiently
• They should help you focus on the core of your business
• Allow for automated repetitive work
• Track your work time and activity
• Organize communication

That being said, check some of these basic softwares or tools that evert Virtual Assistant needs for their startup:  

Communication Tools :

• GMail/GSuite - you can use a plain Gmail account to get your virtual assistant business running, but having a [email protected] address will give your potential clients an impression that you are a legit professional. Tip: All you need is $5 to have that customized domain!
  
• WhatsApp/Slack/Hangouts/Voxer - It’s important to be able to reach your clients whenever necessary. Emailing them is always an option — but it’s not always the best one. Emails can get lost in the shuffle. Consider using quick messaging apps like WhatsApp or Hangouts to easily reach out to your clients. Voxer is a unique voice messaging app where you and your client can send quick walkie-talkie voice memos to one another if what you have to say takes too much time to type!
  
  
• Zoom/Skype/Google Meet - Video conferencing, of course, is an ideal way to meet with your team so you have the fullest possible range of communication and this is the best way to handle more complex conversations. Having a weekly call to catch up and plan ahead on the priorities. 
  

Scheduling and Calendar Tools - In the VA industry, you will have to deal with different client appointments so it is essential to have an appointment scheduling tool to make it organized. Here are some scheduling tools that you may want to try instead of going back and forth over email to get a meeting scheduled. Try Google Calendar, Calendly, or Doodle 

Graphic Design Tools - You can use Canva to create blog graphics, social media images, PDFs and other branded documents, and even logos. Or, if you're more comfortable with going a bit more technical, house favorites such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, and Procreate are amazing edited tools you can utilize.

 Cloud Storage Drive 

• Google Drive / Dropbox - These are just 2 of the many available options for online file storage. Having an online database can save you so much important time and energy wasted on file transfers and locating. Plus, you can also use this awesome feature to collaborate on documents in real-time.

Project management Software – For many startups and entrepreneurs, a good project management tool is all the virtual assistance they need. You can try these: 

• Asana or Trello  - These tools are free but also offer paid premium options. Use these platforms to create checklists, assign tasks to your team, and look at your tasks in different angles (from the day to day or the big picture). You can use both platforms to sync your Google Calendar and integrate them to talk to one another.

Time Tracking Softwares - Tracking time while you work will help both you, as a virtual assistant, and your client, to see how much time a task is performed. Having a higher degree of accuracy in time creates trust for your clients, too, but it also benefits the business. When you know how you spend your time, you can analyze it and make smarter business decisions as a result. Some time tracking tools to consider are Hubstaff, Clockify, Toggl, Timecamp or Toptracker.

Social media management tools - Virtual assistants often help manage social media accounts. Social media management tools can help your virtual assistant schedule social media posts, engage with your followers more easily, and analyze the performance of your social media campaigns. Here are some that you consider: Hootsuite, Planoly, Buffer, Later, or Meetedgar

Payment Gateways - Be sure to have payment procedures in place! Have a policy for when clients need to pay you and hold them to it. Set up a contract and use a payment processing form so that you have the client details on file. Detail your payment policy in your contract. There are many ways you can accept online payments for your services, but a few popular choices are through through Bank transfer (Stripe), Paypal, Payoneer, or Transferwise

Password management - While it's necessary that a VA needs access to multiple accounts, that doesn’t mean you have to always remember your clients' passwords. Password managers are designed to make all of your logins more secure. Try LastPass, a platform to store all your passwords across all the devices you use. It allows you to login to multiple accounts more securely, without ever knowing what the actual password is. 

Website Tools - Having a website is essential for virtual assistants to market their businesses and showcase their work! Here are some of the best website tools for VAs. A business portfolio is vital and potential clients need an easy way to contact you,  see your services, and see what you’ve been able to accomplish. Even if it’s just a one-page website, it can make a huge difference in establishing your credibility. Here are some suggestions that you can build your own website:  WordPress, Wix, Kajabi, or Squarespace

These are just some of thousands of basic startup softwares or tools that Virtual Assistants need to start the business and remember that “getting more done” is always a priority in any business venture, and productivity softwares or tools often have a role to play! Luckily, due to the wide range of internet, these are just some of the cheapest (yet most efficient!) tools or softwares for Virtual Assistants that can help each VA be more productive and efficient!