When you set up your own business, or have a dramatic change of career, many people feel the need to put themselves on a course or training programme in order to improve their knowledge and skillset so that they can carry out their new role more effectively; you wouldn’t rock up to a building site in a new job as a bricklayer without having completed a range of specific construction courses, and you wouldn’t just rent a chair in a hairdressing salon without having completed hairdressing courses – so what makes the VA/OBM industry different?
The fact is that many of the skills we use as VAs and OBMs are transferrable from other roles that we may have had; we may have worked in an employed administrative position before, and therefore feel comfortable in offering similar services in our self-employed business. However, despite the fact that anyone can start their own business, the fact is that not everyone can set up and run a successful and long-lasting business, which is where virtual assistant training programmes like VIP VA’s Nurture Programme can be so useful.
So what does our programme cover?
The legal stuff – our nurture programme has a whole module dedicated to your must-have core business setup including legalities, insurance, and data protection requirements (including GDPR and PECR).
The self-care stuff – We know that self-employed life is tough at times, so in our nurture programme we do our best to equip you with self-care strategies and the knowledge of how to deal appropriately and effectively in difficult situations, helping you to be happier and more confident in your VA business. We also talk about escaping ‘employee mindset’ so that your potential isn’t limited by your own beliefs.
The finding clients stuff – we help you to identify your dream client and then learn how to reach out to them via branding, marketing and networking so that you can increase the likelihood of finding (and working successfully with) the kind of people you are passionate about working with!
The building a team stuff – our nurture programme also deals with peer networking and building relationships with fellow VAs. No man is an island, and collaboration with skilled VAs, OBMs and Digital Freelancers helps to provide a business with flexibility, cover and longevity.
Yes, you might have all the skills you need to service your clients to the highest possible standard, but you need the systems and processes around you to ensure that everything works effectively: You need to know that your customer communication is up to scratch and that your invoicing and payment system works so that you are paid on time (and into the right account) and can follow up issues quickly and effectively; You need to be confident that all of your software is GDPR compliant and functional; and you need to know that you are supported appropriately in the event of illness or holiday, without having to drive yourself into the ground. The VA Foundation Course can help with this.
If you’d like more information about our foundation course, please visit our website https://apva.org.uk/va-foundation-course/