Virtual Assistance Twitter Series

Oyin

Struggling to track clients? Or your client’s clients?

Use Google Sheets. It’s free, simple, and effective. Here’s a simple way to set up a clean, organized database. 👇

Create column headers: Name, Email, Phone, Status, Notes.
Input client details.
Use filters to sort data.

Pro Tips for Organization
📌 Color-code by client type.
📌 Use dropdowns for status (Lead, Active, Inactive).
📌 Freeze the top row for easy navigation.

Oyin

How do you track invoices and payments?

Use Excel or Wave to track them. Stay organized. Get paid on time. Here’s how. 👇

Using Excel
1️⃣ Open a new sheet.
2️⃣ Create columns: Invoice #, Client, Amount, Due Date, Status.
3️⃣ Use color codes for paid/unpaid.
4️⃣ Update regularly.

Using Wave (Free Tool)
✅ Create & send invoices.
✅ Track payments automatically.
✅ Set payment reminders.
✅ View financial reports.

5/ Pro Tips
📌 Set due dates clearly.
📌 Send follow-ups early.
📌 Keep digital records.
📌 Automate where possible.

Oyin

New to virtual assistance? Here’s how you can simulate your first client task:

Schedule Fake Meetings

Use Google Calendar or Notion.
Set up 3 meetings:
✅ Team Check-in (Mon, 10 AM)
✅ Client Presentation (Wed, 2 PM)
✅ Project Review (Fri, 4 PM)
Add descriptions & reminders.

Draft Emails Like a Pro
📩 Meeting Invite:
"Hi [Name], please join [Meeting Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Agenda: [Key Topics]. Join here: [Zoom link]. Let me know if you have conflicts!"

📩 Follow-up Email:
"Hi Team, thanks for attending. Key takeaways: [Summary]. Next steps: [Action items]. Let me know if you have questions!"

Pro tip: Use an AI meeting tool like usebubbles or fathom to automate follow up emails.

Organize a Mock Calendar
🗓️ Color-code events (Blue = internal, Red = clients).
⏳ Block focus hours.
🔔 Set 15-min reminders.

Practice this to sharpen your skills!

Oyin

Want to improve your data entry skills? Try this fake project to test your speed & accuracy

Step 1: Create a Fake Dataset
Use Google Sheets or Excel and set up 5 columns:
✅ Name
✅ Email
✅ Phone Number
✅ Order ID
✅ Payment Status

Now, fill it with 50 fake entries (use a name generator if needed).

Step 2: Data Entry Task
Simulate receiving 50 handwritten or PDF records. Manually enter them into your spreadsheet while tracking:
⏳ Time taken
✅ Error count

Goal: Improve accuracy & reduce time per entry.

Step 3: Double-Check for Errors
Use these quick checks:
🔍 Sort & filter data to find duplicates
🔢 Verify phone numbers & emails for correct formats
📊 Use conditional formatting to highlight missing entries

Step 4: Track Your Speed
⏱️ Record your time for entering 50 records.
🎯 Set a target: 30 minutes with 98% accuracy.
🔁 Repeat the task weekly & track improvements.

Oyin

Want to land your first client as a Virtual Assistant? Start by creating a portfolio showcasing mock tasks!

Here’s how to make a polished one using Canva. 👇

Choose a Clean Template
Use Canva to find a minimalist business portfolio template. Keep it:
🎨 Simple & professional
📌 Organized with clear sections🖼️ Visually appealing but not cluttered

Showcase Your Mock Tasks
Even if you haven’t worked with clients yet, you can include:
✅ Scheduled fake meetings (Google Calendar screenshots)
✅ Drafted professional emails
✅ Organized a mock data entry project (Excel screenshots)
✅ Created task lists & workflows

Add Key Sections
Your portfolio should have:
📌 A short bio (who you are + skills)
📂 Samples of your organized work
📊 Tools you're proficient in (Excel, Notion, Calendly, etc.)
📧 Contact details (email, LinkedIn)

Export & Share
🔹 Save as a PDF or interactive Canva link
🔹 Upload to Google Drive & share with potential clients
🔹 Feature it on LinkedIn or Upwork proposals

Keep Updating It
Your portfolio should evolve as you improve! Add real client work when available & refine the design over time.

Oyin

Want to land more VA clients? Here’s how to write a compelling proposal:

Start with them, not you
Use the client’s name and reference their business. Show you’ve done your homework by mentioning something specific about their company.

Identify Their Pain Points
What challenges do they face? Highlight their needs based on their job posting, website, or social media. Example: "I noticed you're scaling fast and might need help managing emails and scheduling."

Offer a Custom Solution
Don't list random skills. Explain exactly how you’ll solve their problems. Example: "I can organize your inbox, automate scheduling, and streamline client communications to save you 10+ hours a week."

Showcase Relevant Experience
Share past successes that match their needs. Example: "I helped a coach reduce response time by 50% by implementing a CRM and email templates."

Make It Easy to Say Yes
End with a clear next step:
✔ Suggest a quick call
✔ Offer a trial period
✔ Provide a case study

Example Closing:
"I’d love to discuss how I can support you. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call this week?"

Key Takeaway: A great VA proposal is NOT about you — it’s about how you can help them. Personalize, be specific and make it easy for them to decide.

Oyin

Action items to land your first VA job 🧵

Create a Portfolio
Even if you're new, build a portfolio that includes:
✅ Sample work (email management, scheduling, social media posts)
✅ Case studies or testimonials (even from free/volunteer work)
✅ A short bio highlighting your expertise

Publish It Online
Make it easy for potential clients to find you:
🔹 Create a simple website (Carrd, Notion, or Wix)
🔹 Use LinkedIn as a portfolio
🔹 Share work samples on social media

Pitch to Small Businesses & Startups
Many startups and solopreneurs need help but don’t know where to find VAs. Reach out with a simple message:

"Hi [Name], I love what you’re building at [Company]. I specialize in [your skill] and can help you with [specific pain point]. Would you be open to a quick chat?"

Leverage Job Boards & Groups
Check:
✅ Upwork & Fiverr
✅ Facebook groups for entrepreneurs
✅ LinkedIn job postings

Be Consistent
Clients won’t come overnight. Keep sharing your skills, networking, and improving your pitch.

💡 Take Action Today:
✔ Publish your portfolio
✔ Send 3 pitches to small businesses
✔ Engage with potential clients online

Oyin

Every Virtual Assistant should learn how to use Zapier to save hours per week on client work.

1️⃣ Sign Up & Explore
Create a Zapier account and explore the dashboard. Thousands of app integrations are available, including (Gmail, Slack, Notion, Google Sheets, and more).

2️⃣ Understand Zaps
A Zap is an automation with:

Trigger: The event that starts the workflow.
Action: The task Zapier performs after the trigger.

3️⃣ Create Your First Zap
Example: Automate lead collection.

Trigger: New lead in Google Forms.
Action: Add lead info to a Notion database.

4️⃣ Use Filters & Paths

Filters: Run Zaps only when specific conditions are met (e.g., send Slack alerts only for high-priority leads).
Paths: Create if-this-then-that logic to handle different scenarios.

5️⃣ Test & Activate
Run a test to ensure everything works smoothly, then turn on your Zap!

6️⃣ Optimize with Multi-Step Zaps
Go beyond basic automation—string multiple actions together, like:

Auto-send a welcome email
Add the user to your CRM
Notify your team on Slack

7️⃣ Monitor & Improve
Check Zap history for errors and refine workflows as needed.

Start automating today and reclaim your time!

Oyin

Tired of typing the same phrases over and over?

Use a tool like Text Expander

Text expander is a tool that replaces short abbreviations with full sentences, email templates, or code snippets, saving you time and effort.

Set Up Your First Shortcut

Install TextExpander (or alternatives like AutoHotkey, Espanso, or macOS Text Replacements).
Create a new snippet.
Assign a shortcut (e.g., typing ;email expands to your full email signature).

Use Cases for Maximum Efficiency

Email Responses: Shortcut ;ty → “Thanks for reaching out! Let me know how I can help.”
Customer Support: Shortcut ;faq → A full FAQ answer.
Coding: Shortcut ;html → Expands into a full HTML boilerplate.
Sales Outreach: Shortcut ;followup → A pre-written follow-up email.

Organize & Optimize

Use categories (work, personal, coding) to keep snippets organized.
Add placeholders for dynamic text (e.g., today’s date, recipient’s name).

Oyin

As a VA, do you automate?

Have you tried using Trello Butler or ClickUp Automation?

Trello Butler is Trello’s built-in automation tool that can move cards automatically based on due dates, assign team members when a task enters a list, and create recurring tasks without manual effort.

Example:
“If a card is moved to ‘In Progress,’ assign it to @John and set a due date in 3 days.”

ClickUp Automation lets you create automation rules based on triggers and actions. You can auto-assign tasks when a status changes, set reminders for overdue tasks, and create recurring tasks on a schedule.

Example:
“When a new task is added to ‘Client Onboarding,’ assign it to @Sarah and set a priority to High.”

How to Get Started?
In Trello, go to Automation → Create Rule.
In ClickUp, click Automate → Choose Trigger & Action.

Set up your automation today and focus on what truly matters.

« Previous Page