kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract

There is explosive growth in the area of new businesses. Many people are now sole proprietors who are running small businesses from their home offices. As their business grows, they quickly learn that, while there are many tasks that they have to do in the course of a day, completing all of the tasks themselves is not a good use of their time.

They may find that they are writing letters and answering endless e-mails from customers and suppliers. They are using more and more of their valuable work day on tasks that don't bring in more business but that just barely keep the day-to-day operations of their business going.

These businesses need the help of a Virtual Assistant (VA). Virtual Assistants provide administrative, creative, and technical services to small businesses. Most of the time, Virtual Assistants never meet their clients in person.

They work from their own home or office, and they send their work electronically to the person who contracts their services through computers, e-mails, faxes and the phone.

So what do you need to become a successful Virtual Assistant? You need to have strong skills in the areas that you will be contracting your services. Some of the skills that a VA may offer other businesses are:

- Microsoft Office: Most businesses large and small today use Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And everyone who uses these tools knows that, while they save you time, they also take time to use. Many small business owners do not want to spend their days using these tools and are more than happy to farm those tasks out to a VA.

- Editing: The quality of acceptable writing has definitely taken a nose dive on the web. Anyone can now be a publisher of content. But the ubiquitous quality of web content means that poor quality writing abounds. One of the ways that small business owners can distinguish themselves on the web is by holding their communications to a high standard. The VA with sound writing and editing skills will be able to establish a thriving business by helping other businesses provide high quality writing in their business communications.

- Technical Skills: Most businesses use databases to keep track of clients and inventory. Most business owners do not know how to get the kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract

barely keep the day-to-day operations of their business going.

These businesses need the help of a Virtual Assistant (VA). Virtual Assistants provide administrative, creative, and technical services to small businesses. Most of the time, Virtual Assistants never meet their clients in person.

They work from their own home or office, and they send their work electronically to the person who contracts their services through computers, e-mails, faxes and the phone.

So what do you need to become a successful Virtual Assistant? You need to have strong skills in the areas that you will be contracting your services. Some of the skills that a VA may offer other businesses are:

- Microsoft Office: Most businesses large and small today use Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And everyone who uses these tools knows that, while they save you time, they also take time to use. Many small business owners do not want to spend their days using these tools and are more than happy to farm those tasks out to a VA.

- Editing: The quality of acceptable writing has definitely taken a nose dive on the web. Anyone can now be a publisher of content. But the ubiquitous quality of web content means that poor quality writing abounds. One of the ways that small business owners can distinguish themselves on the web is by holding their communications to a high standard. The VA with sound writing and editing skills will be able to establish a thriving business by helping other businesses provide high quality writing in their business communications.

- Technical Skills: Most businesses use databases to keep track of clients and inventory. Most business owners do not know how to get the kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract

skills in the areas that you will be contracting your services. Some of the skills that a VA may offer other businesses are:

- Microsoft Office: Most businesses large and small today use Word, Excel and PowerPoint. And everyone who uses these tools knows that, while they save you time, they also take time to use. Many small business owners do not want to spend their days using these tools and are more than happy to farm those tasks out to a VA.

- Editing: The quality of acceptable writing has definitely taken a nose dive on the web. Anyone can now be a publisher of content. But the ubiquitous quality of web content means that poor quality writing abounds. One of the ways that small business owners can distinguish themselves on the web is by holding their communications to a high standard. The VA with sound writing and editing skills will be able to establish a thriving business by helping other businesses provide high quality writing in their business communications.

- Technical Skills: Most businesses use databases to keep track of clients and inventory. Most business owners do not know how to get the kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract

a publisher of content. But the ubiquitous quality of web content means that poor quality writing abounds. One of the ways that small business owners can distinguish themselves on the web is by holding their communications to a high standard. The VA with sound writing and editing skills will be able to establish a thriving business by helping other businesses provide high quality writing in their business communications.

- Technical Skills: Most businesses use databases to keep track of clients and inventory. Most business owners do not know how to get the kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract

kinds of reports that they need to produce from their databases. A VA with a level of technical and database skills can provide report generation and other computer skills to these business owners.

- Typing: Many VAs can provide typing and data entry services to small businesses. These are among the most time-consuming tasks the small business owner is faced with and most are happy to have these tasks done by someone else.

- SEO Support Skills: As Search Engine Optimization continues to be a major focus for many businesses, these businesses contract with SEO firms to help improve their Search Engine rankings. A lot of the work that these SEO firms must do is time and labor intensive. A VA who understands SEO and the support services that are a part of it can grow a very lucrative business by providing these services.

If you have some of these skills, you have the basic foundation to start your own VA business. You should market your Virtual Assistant skills through services like eLance.com, RentaCoder.com and a new service called www.iGanit.com. iGanit.com is a promising Web 2.0 service that lets you promote your VA business with audio and video. iGanit.com is currently based in Atlanta, Georgia and the surrounding area but looks to branch out internationally.

In part 2 of this article, we will look at how to build a successful VA business.