Top 10 Tips for New Virtual Assistants

Mar 30, 2025

5 min read

Updated: Aug 4

Starting the journey of becoming a Virtual Assistant, well, frankly scared the shit out of me. I had to just completely back myself, with no clear idea of how the path in front of me was going to unfold.

With so much to learn and navigate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In this blog post, I’ll share ten essential lessons I’ve learned throughout my VA journey. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your skills, hopefully, these insights and tips will guide you towards a more fulfilling and successful career as a Virtual Assistant.

1. Start before you feel ready

When I first started, I didn't have everything perfectly in place. In fact, I sat there in my first consultation meeting with a potential client thinking *crap why haven't I thought about the how for onboarding!* Now, I'm not saying go in underprepared, but waiting for perfection can delay progress. Get started, take on clients, and refine as you go. I've learnt the most by doing.

2. Know your Value

In the early days, I priced myself too low, put out discounts, and near enough worked for free. As the work became more, it led to overwork and I had to navigate several different awkward conversations about adjusting my rate. Set a rate that reflects your skills and experience — clients who value you will pay for it. I've even told prospective clients that my rate was higher than it was because I didn't want the work, but they accepted it anyway, so I knew I was probably underpricing!

3. Boundaries are essential

One of the hardest lessons I learnt was that without clear working hours and boundaries, clients will assume you’re available anytime. Define your availability, response times, and stick to them. Try not to fall into a trap of being immediately available 24/7 — I realised this too late when one client was messaging me at times like 11 pm on a Friday or 5 am on a Sunday, and even after I had reminded them of my working hours, I got Are we ok?!? type messages when I didn't reply instantly.

Protect your peace, define the hours and expectations from the start, and don't falter.

4. Network with other VAs

Building relationships with other VAs has been one of the most valuable parts of my journey, in fact, it's how it started. Working alongside another VA on her clientele helped me grow faster and build confidence in my own abilities. This is also why I’ve launched The VA Stepping Stone! Whether it be for referrals, advice, or collaboration, having a network of VAs has enabled me to grow both professionally and personally — I even passed a potential client to another VA recently because I knew they were a better fit for the client's needs. I know they'll return the favour when they get a request which is more my skill set than theirs!

5. Clients don’t care about every skill — they want solutions

This leads nicely on from that last point and story. In the beginning, I tried to offer everything. Even those jobs I didn't like to do, I priced higher, and begrudgingly did anyway, taking the higher pay as 'compensation' for a task I didn't really want to do. Ultimately, those jobs were still the ones I avoided the longest, risking a poor review. Instead, I now share how I can solve specific problems (e.g., “I’ll organise your inbox so you never miss an important email again” instead of “I offer email management”), and if I'm reluctant to do the task, I'll push it out to another VA.

6. Test and discover your Ideal Client — and don't be afraid to lose some

Barely two years in, and already I've worked with an array of people who needed a VA. Over time, I realised that the best clients are those who respect my expertise, trust me to do my job, and understand the value I bring. Even the times where I've felt guilty than I've not done as much as I feel they think I could've done, I've been wrong, and they've been happy with the service. If they can't meet the terms you've agreed, don't be afraid to terminate the relationship. Be selective — it makes all the difference to your wellbeing.

Now, instead of getting persistent messages out of hours, I get admonished if I'm replying or caught working outside of the 9-5. Your best clients will have your wellbeing in mind too.

7. Leverage Automation and AI

Using automation tools and AI (like ChatGPT) has saved me *so much* time. Whether scheduling social media, rewording emails, or enhancing a post, the right tools make you more efficient and valuable to clients. I once generated an entire post for a personal trainer based on a three-word equation he gave me — more impressive once you understand how much I hated PE growing up and how I used to avoid exercise at all costs. AI can do so much more than the surface level the public sees, so delve in, ask it the most random thing, and watch it return a fancy formula or a business plan in a fraction of the time it would've taken you to sit down and work it out for yourself.

*I've been told by my IT guy to use Gemini for the most accurate up-to-date AI.

8. Treat people like they're clueless about VAs - they normally are

Helping people understand what a VA does can be a struggle. The use of a tagline - Steph Sorts It - has helped, but having a simple way to describe your work can work wonders.

The professional version: *I help business owners reduce overwhelm by handling their admin so they can focus on growth and generating income.*

The more down-to-earth: *I do all the shit business owners don't want to do, can't be bothered to do, or never get round to*. (Used to explain to friends... mostly!)

Make sure you can confidently talk about what you do, and remember stories sell. If you can explain the 'afters' you create, this will make your value easier to comprehend (e.g. no longer feeling overwhelmed when I sit down to look at my emails - because the VA organised them).

9. Don't forget to work ON your business, not just IN it

This is a balance I often still struggle with, and there's nothing more ironic than a VA who sounds like they need a VA to keep on top of their own admin! It honestly makes me cringe when I know someone has seen through the front and noticed my peaceful swanlike exterior is actually paddling frantically under the water. If you can help it, avoid getting anywhere close to the need to say *do as I say, not as I do*, and become an example of great admin and efficient processes. Your website, branding, and processes need attention too — treat your business like your best client.

(I now also give you full authority to call me out on this if you ever think I sound like I need a VA!)

10. Referrals are gold, remember to be human

My longest client came from Instagram — he said I actually looked like a real person rather than a gimmick type VA. He then referred me on to another person he met on a course, who referred me to both her fiancé and the friend with a business across the road. These four clients came out of me not being afraid to make a tit of myself on Instagram, and then word of mouth referrals. Don't be afraid to follow up with happy clients, ask for testimonials, and remind your network you’re open for business.

Above all, back yourself, you've got this.

Every VA journey is different, but these lessons are ones I wish I'd learnt sooner. If you're only just starting out, I’d love to hear — what’s your biggest challenge right now?

Which Tip was the most useful?