Cover of How to Become a Virtual Assistant by Laura Briggs, showing a clean modern design representing remote freelance work

Pages

162

Published

2020

Freelancing without experience ✨ New

How to Become a Virtual Assistant

A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Freelance Career with No Prior Experience

Follow a proven roadmap to land your first virtual assistant clients, set your rates, and build a sustainable freelance business from scratch.

L Laura Briggs

Starting a virtual assistant business feels overwhelming when you have no clients, no portfolio, and no idea where to begin. Laura Briggs removes that uncertainty with a structured, beginner-friendly roadmap that covers everything from choosing your services and setting rates to landing your first clients and managing your workload. At 162 pages, this book is direct and actionable — no filler, no theory, just the steps you need to go from zero to a running VA business.

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About this book

Most people who want to become virtual assistants already have the skills. What they lack is a clear path forward. Laura Briggs wrote this book to provide exactly that: a concrete, step-by-step plan that takes you from "I think I could do this" to a functioning freelance business with real clients and real income.

Briggs is a seasoned freelance career coach who has helped hundreds of people launch VA businesses. She draws on that experience to address the fears and missteps that derail most beginners: underpricing services, targeting the wrong clients, wasting time on platforms that never pay off, and skipping the foundational systems that keep a business running smoothly. She also knows that most people starting out have limited time, so every chapter is designed to give you something you can act on immediately.

The book walks you through identifying which services you are best positioned to offer, researching what the market will pay, and presenting yourself to potential clients in a way that builds trust even when you have no portfolio. You will learn how to handle discovery calls, write proposals, onboard new clients, and set boundaries that protect your time and energy as your business grows.

Rather than pointing you toward one specific platform or niche, Briggs shows you how to think through your own situation and make decisions that fit your skills, schedule, and financial goals. The result is a business built on a foundation you understand, not one you copied from someone else's case study.

  • Define the services you can offer immediately, without additional training or certification
  • Research competitor rates and set prices that are fair to clients and profitable for you
  • Build a simple online presence that attracts inbound inquiries
  • Find your first clients using outreach strategies that work even with zero reputation
  • Run a discovery call that converts prospects into paying clients
  • Set up the contracts, invoicing, and communication systems every VA needs from day one
  • Manage multiple clients without burning out or dropping the ball

At 162 pages, this is not a textbook. It is a focused action plan you can read in a weekend and start applying on Monday. If you are serious about building a flexible, remote income as a virtual assistant, this is the place to start.

🎯 What you'll learn

  • Identify the specific services you are ready to sell today, matched to your existing skills
  • Set rates that reflect your value and hold up when clients push back
  • Build a credible online presence that works even before you have testimonials
  • Write outreach messages that get responses from potential clients
  • Conduct discovery calls that turn conversations into signed contracts
  • Create simple onboarding, invoicing, and contract systems that keep your business professional
  • Manage your time across multiple clients without overcommitting or burning out
  • Grow your client roster steadily using referrals and repeat business

👤 Who is this book for?

  • Career changers who want to leave a traditional job and build a remote income on their own terms
  • Stay-at-home parents looking for flexible work that fits around family responsibilities
  • Recent graduates who want freelance income while they figure out their long-term direction
  • Administrative or executive assistants who want to take their existing skills independent
  • Side-hustlers who want a second income stream that can eventually replace their day job
  • Anyone who has considered virtual assistance but felt stuck because they had no clients or portfolio yet

Table of contents

  1. 01

    The VA Opportunity

    Briggs lays out what virtual assistance actually is, what the market looks like, and why the barrier to entry is lower than most people assume. You will leave this chapter with a realistic picture of what is possible and what it takes.

  2. 02

    Choosing Your Services

    You will audit your existing skills and match them to services clients are actively paying for, then narrow your list to a focused offering you can present with confidence.

  3. 03

    Setting Your Rates

    Briggs walks through how to research the market, calculate what you actually need to earn, and arrive at a rate that is sustainable and defensible in client conversations.

  4. 04

    Building Your Online Presence

    You will learn how to create a simple professional presence — whether a website, LinkedIn profile, or both — that positions you as a credible choice before you have a single client reference.

  5. 05

    Finding Your First Clients

    This chapter covers outreach strategies, job boards, and networking approaches that work for beginners, with specific scripts and methods you can use the same day you finish reading.

  6. 06

    The Discovery Call

    Briggs breaks down how to structure a call with a potential client, what questions to ask, how to handle objections, and how to close without sounding pushy or desperate.

  7. 07

    Contracts, Invoicing, and Onboarding

    You will set up the essential business systems — agreements, payment processes, and client onboarding steps — that make you look professional from the very first engagement.

  8. 08

    Managing Clients and Your Time

    Briggs covers the practical side of running multiple client relationships simultaneously, including communication boundaries, task management, and how to flag problems before they become crises.

  9. 09

    Growing Your Business

    You will learn how to use referrals, testimonials, and expanded service offerings to grow your income steadily without constantly chasing cold leads.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any prior freelancing or virtual assistant experience to get value from this book?

No. The book is written specifically for beginners who are starting from zero. Briggs assumes no prior freelance history and builds every concept from the ground up.

Is this book focused on a specific platform or niche?

No. Briggs teaches a process for identifying your own services and finding clients that is not tied to any single platform or industry niche. The approach works regardless of which tools or marketplaces you prefer.

Does the book include templates, contracts, or downloadable resources?

The book provides guidance and frameworks you can adapt, but any specific companion resources would be at the author's discretion. Check Laura Briggs's website for any supplementary materials she may offer.

How long will it take to read and how quickly can I apply what I learn?

At 162 pages, most readers finish the book in a weekend. Each chapter ends with practical steps you can act on immediately, so you can start applying the material before you finish the last page.

Is this book still relevant given how much the freelance market has changed?

Published in December 2020, the core strategies around positioning, outreach, and client management remain sound. Platform-specific details may have evolved, but the fundamentals Briggs teaches are durable.

Who is this book not for?

If you are an experienced VA or established freelancer looking for advanced growth or agency-scaling strategies, this book will feel too introductory. It is aimed squarely at people who have not yet landed their first client.

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