How to Start a Virtual Assistant Agency

In this lesson, we are going to go over 3 of my favorite sources of team members and how you can get started with them right now.

There are plenty of options out there for finding viable candidates for your agency. However, most of them take too long, require too much of an investment, or simply don’t produce the type of team member that you are looking for.

So how do I find my team members? I find them in three ways. Social media posts, my “fresh connection” method, and my current network of family and friends.

So let’s work backwards through these. I put my current network of family and friends last because it is not something that I rely on and it may not be your favorite method of getting team members. While I am willing to bet that you already know someone that is skilled in virtual assistant type tasks and would love to start working with your agency, it can be tricky working with family and friends for the obvious reasons, so only go this route if you know that you have excellent skills to be able to manage that relationship.

But let’s talk about my favorite way to get team members.

And that is, the “fresh connection” method. This method is something that you can do anywhere online, but I have found that it works best on Linked In. Linked In is a business and employment oriented social site that focuses on networking so it is the perfect place to grow your network and build literally a list of potential team members that you can contact when you need more help in your agency. On linked in, I have a simple chat flow that I go through to connect with and start building a relationship with other VAs. First, my connection message:

Hi NAME! We are both virtual service providers and have 2 mutual connections. Wow! It would be great to connect directly. ~Ari

Adding a message to the connection request helps them know who you are and why you want to connect and is the basis for growing your network fast.

Next, I’ll want to know a little bit about their business journey:

Thanks NAME! How are you? I'd love to hear more about how you got into working in the virtual world when you get the chance! Tell me a little about your journey.

I also ask about their niche, what type of clients they like to work with, their favorite part about working as a VA, and a few more. During this time, I also give them answers to all of these questions about my business so that they can get to know me and what I am about as well. I love connecting with newer VAs on Linked In because it gives me the chance to help them in their business. We’ve all been there before!

And then there’s the post method.

This method is effective only if you have an immediate need for a new hire. If you are gathering potential candidates for when you are ready down the road, use the fresh connection method instead.

It is incredibly simple and straightforward and you can control the settings of who sees the post as well. Share it with everyone on LinkedIn or Facebook or wherever, or just share it with your network.

*Action Steps*

1) Consider reaching out to your current network of family and friends to find team members.

2) Use the "fresh connection method" to connect with at least 20 VAs this week!

3) Write your own hiring post to have when you start looking for team members actively.

4) Move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

Once you get some interest in your position for agency team member, there are a couple ways that you can vet a potential candidate right off the bat.

*Action Steps*

1) Take a look at the ‘Hiring Tracker’ tab of your workbook and add some information for your first potential team member.

2) Move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

It’s time to prepare for your interview with your potential team member.

*Action Steps*

1) Jot down some of these questions to ask your team member durring the interview as well as a few of your own!

2) Move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

There are so many ways to vet team members from referrals to portfolios. However...

*Action Steps*

1) Decide on the terms of your trial period.

2) Move on to the next lesson!

Welcome to my VA agency program!

In the next lesson, you'll be able to download your workbook and resources!

Find out what you are in store for with a few video testimonials from people just like you who have taken and LOVED this VA Agency Program!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

This section is the home of your pricing decisions!

*Action Steps*

1) Complete the 'Pricing, packages, and payments' section of the 'Goals and Decisions tab' in this workbook

2) Move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

First off, let’s get super clear on what profit is...

*Action Steps*

1) Calculate the profitability of your agency plan in the 'profit' tab of your workbook.

2) Then move on to the next lesson!

Get ready to plan for passive income!

We don’t want to make the mistake of creating an agency just to make more work for ourselves.

So it is so important to plan for profit AND passive income when choosing your business setup.

So, what is passive income?

Passive income is income that requires little to no effort to earn and maintain. So as your agency grows, we want it to grow in a way that the work can get done by your team members and you will make income without directly trading your time for it. We want to make sure your agency is set up so that everything gets done and you don’t have to be the one doing everything.

So next up, have a look at the 'Agency Roles' section of the 'Goals and Decisions' tab of your workbook. This is a list to get you started looking at the roles that need to be filled for your agency to run and how much of it you are wanting to do yourself as well as the different types of team members you may consider training in your agency

*Action Steps*

1) Complete the 'Agency Roles' section of the 'Goals and Decisions' tab of your workbook.

2) Then move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

How fast are you hoping to grow?

*Action Steps*

1) Select the growth method that seems right for you and write out why in the “choose your growth method” section of the "Goals and Decisions" tab of this workbook.

2) Move on to the next lesson!

P.S. Are you checking these action steps off in the checklist of you workbook?

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

Is your business an LLC?

*Action Steps*

1) Consider forming an LLC to protect yourself and your assets and Check out your LLC checklist in the 'LLC Checklist' tab of your workbook.

2) Move on to the next lesson!

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

Time to evaluate your copy!

*Action Steps*

1) Fill out the 'changing language from I to We' section of the 'copywriting exercise' tab of your workbook.

2) Fill out the 'Detailed client profile worksheet' section of the 'copywriting exercise' tab of your workbook.

3) Complete the 'core statement worksheet' section of the 'copywriting exercise' tab of your workbook.

4) Move on the the next lesson!

Most of the time, if a client is not interested, they will respond with:

"I love your message and your energy", OR "I love your hustle, thank you for your email." OR "I am not ready for a VA / I already have a VA. OR "I love your video. You definitely made it more personal than most!" OR "No, thank you. I am not interested but I'll keep you in mind when I have that need!"

So if you were worried that people would be upset with you for bothering them, just know that most people that decline, will tell you that they appreciate you reaching out and thinking of them.

The ‘check back later’ section is only for clients who responded specifically asking you to check back at a later date or next year.

I don’t want to waste another second for you. Go ahead and try this out right now. Your first task is to source at least 50 potential clients and send them your initial pitch!

Make sure your pitch email includes a video or a photo of your face if you’re just getting started, and a link to your website where clients can see your packages and some terms of working with you!

P.S. If you’re still feeling unsure about this method, The BONUS Discovery Call Lessons will show you exactly how much each client loves this pitching method and how it helps to sell for me!

In addition to this lesson, check the resource section for 600+ Content Ideas for Your VA Biz!

Now it's time for me to help you jump start your success with these client attraction content ideas!

In this lesson, you are getting access to 600+ content ideas and a bank of 2,000+ Hashtags to get your ideal clients attention and drive sales to your VA business.

Use the prompts and ideas below to show the different aspects and fun facts of you and your business and to ask meaningful questions to your ideal clients. These questions will create conversation and increase engagement. And you will likely find many opportunities to connect with potential clients! However, be sure to not make it all about you. The key here is to use your story to show something about how you work and why they should work with you specifically and always try to relate back to your audience and prompt them to participate!

80 Freebie Ideas To Get Email Addresses

365 Subject Line/Blog Post Title Ideas

150 instagram story ideas to get VA clients

2,000+ Hashtags to Attract VA Clients

50 LinkedIn Post Ideas (These also work great for Facebook!)

In this series, you'll find four examples of what it is like to conduct a discovery call in my agency.

Each recording offers a slightly different experience for you to be able to see. You'll notice that there is a general flow to each of these calls. And with my pitch method, the clients I get on a call with are nearly ready to purchase a package from me already so the main purpose of a call is to meet, be friendly, and get started working together!

Discovery Call with Chris

Chris is a mindset coach looking for help with building her courses and website management.

What was important to Chris: Chris is a good example of a client that was seeking a lot of help organizing her desired tasks. So you will get to see how I asked questions to help her discover her needs and reassured her of how the set up process would help her get organized.

Results: Chris signed her agreement and purchased my 5 hour package that same day and has been a blast to work with!

**These private recordings are the intellectual property of Matron Virtual Solutions LLC. No part of these videos, including screenshots and clips, may be reproduced, repurposed, shared, downloaded, or used in any other way. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE. Thank you!**

Discovery Call with Korin

Korin is a vegan fitness coach looking for help with outreach and customer service.

What was important to Korin: Korin is a good example of a client that respects professionalism and fast service. So you will get to see how I reassured him that he was in good hands.

Results: Korin signed his agreement and purchased my 5 hour package 26 hours after our call and has seen great benefits from working with us!

**These private recordings are the intellectual property of Matron Virtual Solutions LLC. No part of these videos, including screenshots and clips, may be reproduced, repurposed, shared, downloaded, or used in any other way. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE. Thank you!**

Discovery Call with Vella

Vella is a holistic wellness coach and postpartum support coach looking for help with building her online courses and eventually social media management.

What was important to Vella: Vella is a good example of a client that values a good energetic and personality fit with a VA. So you will get to see how I shared a little bit about myself in a way that was relevant to her values and put her at ease.

Results: Vella signed her agreement and purchased my 5 hour package the following day. We are so thrilled to help her with all that she is doing!

**These private recordings are the intellectual property of Matron Virtual Solutions LLC. No part of these videos, including screenshots and clips, may be reproduced, repurposed, shared, downloaded, or used in any other way. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE. Thank you!**

Discovery Call with Jill

Jill is an online fitness coach looking for help with social media management and marketing plan execution.

What was important to Jill: Jill is a good example of a client that was NOT a good fit. She was seeking too low of an hourly rate and perhaps needed a marketing specialist rather than a VA. So you will get to see how I shared the benefits of working with my agency so that she could make the best decision and promised to follow up via email.

Results: We did not end up working with Jill and we wish her all the best in her search for an apprentice or intern rather than a VA!

**These private recordings are the intellectual property of Matron Virtual Solutions LLC. No part of these videos, including screenshots and clips, may be reproduced, repurposed, shared, downloaded, or used in any other way. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE. Thank you!**

(You can find a transcript of this video in the downloads section)

Hiring an independent contractor comes with a lot of benefits! Let's explore those in this lesson.

*Action Steps*

1) Check out the 'Hiring Checklist' in the 'Team Members' tab of your workbook.

2) Move on to the next lesson!

These 15 commitments are just the outline of the book and I have pulled them from worksheets that are publicly available via this link: https://conscious.is/resources/

Up next you are going to get a look at 4 of my favorite worksheets related to these commitments.

Enjoy these conflict resolution audio lessons and refer back to these along your agency journey when you need clarity and guidance in potential conflicts.

Further Reading

Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

Conventional accounting uses the logical (albeit, flawed) formula: Sales - Expenses = Profit. The problem is, businesses are run by humans, and humans aren't always logical. Serial entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz has developed a behavioral approach to accounting to flip the formula: Sales - Profit = Expenses. Just as the most effective weight loss strategy is to limit portions by using smaller plates, Michalowicz shows that by taking profit first and apportioning only what remains for expenses, entrepreneurs will transform their businesses from cash-eating monsters to profitable cash cows.

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success

You’ll never see leadership the same way again after reading this book.These fifteen commitments are a distillation of decades of work with CEOs and other leaders. They are radical or provocative for many. They have been game changers for us and for our clients. We trust that they will be for you too.Our experience is that unconscious leadership is not sustainable. It won’t work for you, your team or your organization in the long term. Unconscious leadership can deliver short term results, but the costs of living and leading unconsciously are great.Fear drives most leaders to make choices that are at odds with healthy relationships, vitality and balance.

The Big Leap

In The Big Leap, Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming barriers to happiness and fulfillment, presented in a way that engages both the mind and heart. Working closely with more than 1,000 extraordinary achievers in business and the arts, from rock stars to Fortune 500 executives, whose stories are featured in these pages, the book describes the four hidden fears that are at the root of the Upper Limit Problem.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This beloved classic presents a principle-centered approach for solving both personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and practical anecdotes, Stephen R. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity—principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.