Hey there, friends!
Now that you have the basic knowledge for becoming a virtual assistant, I would like to equip you with a breakdown of some of the best (in my opinion) programs and software available for you to use!
Most of these programs are free, meaning it will not cost you an arm and a leg to jumpstart your VA business, but they also have the flexibility of upgrading your systems as you begin to make more money in your VA biz.
My recommended programs for beginners
- Toggl - This is a great time tracking software for when you work with clients.
- Slack - This team messaging software will keep your inbox clear for client emails.
- Trello - A project management software that allows you to use “power-ups” to customize the system to your liking.
- Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar - Obviously this comes as a package deal and we use all capabilities to its fullest.
- Wave Accounting - I used this software when I first started my VA business because not only is it free (yay!) It is super intuitive and easy to learn.
- MailChimp - Start collecting emails early! I didn’t, and wish I would have. Always follow the rules for getting emails legally.
- Loom - Loom is a diverse system for video recording, work communication, and instantly sharing videos. It’s is a good tool to use if you need to record a “how-to” tutorials and send it to a client or team member. If you are a visual learner or teacher, this is the perfect system for you! Also, when your VA biz is booming and you start to bring on team members, this is a great resource to teach others how your systems work!
- Canva - I kick myself for not finding Canva earlier! It makes graphic design so easy with their templates and drag and drop features. It is a MUST!
- Zoom - I can't express how much my clients and I love Zoom. It makes setting up their client meetings so easy and also their webinar feature is a must for coaches.
- LastPass - It is so important to have your clients' passwords secure. As well as yours! I suggest getting a Lastpass when you first are starting out to organize everything securely.
Once you have consistent client work
As your VA business has the opportunity to grow and fill your schedule with client work, it is worth the investment (on some programs) to upgrade to a paid version or different software.
Here are a few systems I have upgraded to, and still use and love!
Freshbooks
I use Freshbooks for my accounting services. It offers cloud-based accounting applications that send invoices to clients to bill for time and expertise. Freshbooks also stores all past invoices, expenses, projects and time tracking in order to make tax season easy peasy! I can invite my accountant for free to my account and she can see all the information needed.
Teamwork PM
Another program I use is Teamwork PM for housing tasks, time logs for clients and subcontractors, chat between my team members, project management and more! I use the Teamwork PM and Teamwork Chat apps on my phone so that I can communicate with clients and team members while I’m traveling and do not have access to my laptop. Teamwork saves me so much time and provides me with the tools I need to have a productive work week.
ConvertKit
Convertkit is a great program for email marketing. You can schedule out weekly emails to all of your subscribers, design forms, new subscriber automation, sequences and track the effectiveness of your email list content. Convertkit tracks the data of your email list growth by reporting back the open rate, click percentage, etc!
Dubsado
I use Dubsado for my contracts, onboarding and automation needs. As I have grown my VA biz, I have tried to automate as much as possible. With a growing client list, you want to be able to give your clients a great first impression and a seamless onboarding process.
Calendly
Calendly is an automated scheduling software made available for clients and potential clients to make appointments with you during times only you have set as “available”. You can set your Calendly with specific boundaries that comply with YOUR workday and working hours. Not to mention saves you the back and forth emails of the, “Well when are you available?”
Elizabeth McCravy Designs
I can’t say enough about how beautiful her websites are! I started off with a Wix website, which I loved! It was super simple to create and allowed me to make money immediately. But as I grow, I wanted to invest in a website that represented me and my company the best. Her templates are so easy and the course that comes along with it made my transition from Wix seamless. She is launching new website templates on Monday and offering special deals so make sure to check them out!
Even though some of the above links are affiliate links, I have personally benefited from each of the above in one way or another and rely on them to keep me organized and continue growing my business! I would never recommend systems that I don’t use and love!
Hopefully, this breakdown of valuable programs, tools and resources were insightful! Go give them a try and see what you think for yourself. Then click reply and tell me all about it!
Until next time,
Meridith