The World Wide Web can be like the Wild Wild West sometimes. So much to learn, so little time to learn it.

But if you are thinking about becoming a VA I can tell you from experience that there are certain skills you need, and certain knowledge of on-line products that you should have. I was blessed with people/clients who were more than willing to teach me, but as I look back to when I started my VA biz, I am embarrassed how darn green I actually was!

SO once again I have teamed up with Thaleia Maher from Somthing2Offer  to continue our What it Takes to be a Virtual Assistant Series and bring you a list of the platforms, tools, and programs for VA’s and work-at-home professionals. We feel it would really be in your best interest to have at least some working knowledge of the items on my list, and hers as well.  The rule of thumb is, the more skills you have as a VA, the more valuable you are to clients.

Skype:

As a VA, I swear Skype is my life line/second home. I love the fact that I can chat and see people in real time like they are sitting right in my office..even when we are states apart. You will find out that you will be on the phone a lot in the early days trying to make deals with just about everyone in the universe. Balance it out so you don’t actually have to pay more for your phone by using a service like skype as often you can…especially if its for regular calls with a client.

Hootsuite:

When juggling multiple social media accounts (yours, or for clients) Hootsuite can be a time and life saver. Design as a dashboard, it allows users to pull in multiple social media accounts and schedule Tweets and updates into the future. The upgraded version (the paid version) allows you to import your list from Twitter and create “streams” on your dashboard for specific hashtag searches or keywords. It really is like mission control.

DropBox:

Drop Box is a great way to pass files and info between clients and workers. All files stay “in the cloud” so if you (or their) computer bombs out, no worries-everything is safe. I like that a client can load a file, I can go in an edit or tweak right within DB. It updates as soon as I hit “save” and the client can see my changes or work instantly. Starts with 2GB for free, and you can easily be upgraded. It’s a great service for sharing large files as well.

Basecamp:

Basecamp is just as it sounds, a central location for Virtual Assistant teams and client to meet, convene, share files, and share information or conversations. With an entire project on one page, nothing gets lost and your team always knows where things are. Messages or issues can be discussed within Basecamp, or if you work with others on a client project, the message can be made private as well. Projects, deadlines, and milestons can be seen by everyone on the internal calendar. “WriteBoards” are like virtual whiteboard to write idea, important links or passwords for easy access. Basecamp has a free trial, but runs about $20/month. Typically your clients will be the ones paying for and using Basecamp. But it’s a good idea to read up on it and at least some idea how it works.

Carbonite: 

Have you seen that creepy commercial where random people that keep ominously saying “you’re about to lose everything..” Carbonite is a back-up safe net that automatically backs up your files and precious information and stores it SAFE “in the cloud.” This means if your computer craps out, your photos, files, and client information remains safe and retrievable. Carbonite is super reasonable ($59/year) and to me the peace-of-mind is priceless. Carbonite does have a free trial, or right now they have a special deal that new sign-ups get a $20 Amazon Gift Card. You can find that offer HERE.

aWeber:

When it comes to Autoresponders, they are a dime a dozen and I’ve tried several of them, but my absolute, hands-down favorite is AWeber. Client is Aweber because they score on price, usability, customization and amazing customer service. Set the dates for client emails and newsletters and walk away. AWeber has 150 easily customizable templates, so that you don’t need to have a Creative Design Degree to create awesome looking email newsletters. And you can produce professional-looking web forms in three simple steps. YUP, I said Aweber is also a favorite for creating opt-in boxes for clients wanting to capture names and emails to grow their list. Again, this program is usually paid for by the client, but having knowledge of Aweber benefits and basics functions is a good thing to know.

PicMonkey:

I love to create “pics” with the Monkey. We are living in such an image-based world right now. Images RULE on social media platforms including blogs. Statistics show that a Facebook update with a striking image or infographic is 84% more likely to get engagement than one without. There are many, many programs to help you create striking images or fun (shareable) images for blogs and websites, but my choice is PicMonkey. Formerly known as Picnik, Picmonkey is a easier to navigate than Photo Shop. PM boasts fun overlays, slick fonts, and ease of sharing your images once complete. PM is free, but only with a limited number of options. The Royale version opens up a treasure trove of options for fonts, overlays, and borders and is around $10 a month. Created striking, branded images for your clients is a great skill to have.

Freshbooks:

Looovvvee my Freshbooks. If you need a good way to track your clients hours and create invoices for payment, I personally prefer Freshbooks because it is easy to understand and can connect to your PayPal account as well. I have the bookkeeping skills of a rock, but Freshbooks makes it easy for even a knucklehead like me. The feature clients will appreciate on Freshbooks is the time tracker. When you start a project you start the timer. Once time is stopped it is automatically tallied for them within FB making billing time accurate and seamless. Freshbooks is free if you have 3 clients or less and after that is $19.99 per month.

Be sure and check out Thaleia’s list HERE. She’s reviewing and revealing interesting programs like Buffer and Ipiccy, and also some good social media info too. Check it out!

Past What It Takes to be a Virtual Assistant Posts:

How You Know it’s Time to Hire a VA

What it Takes to be a Virtual Assistant: An Introduction

BONUSES:

Check out my WAHM Toolbox of more tips, tricks and resources

Curious about the origin of Virtual Assisting? Check out this great article from VirtualAssistants.com

Want a FREE CLASS from Social Media Examiner? (One of the leading authorities on social media and content creation) Go HERE and sign up on the right sidebar. The free class is a $59 value and is called How to Rapidly Grow Your Fans, Your Prestige and Your Small Business. Thanks Michael!