YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE

TO BECOMING AN
AMAZON VIRTUAL
ASSISTANT
TABLE OF CONTENTS

2
INTRODUCTION

Working from home seems to be all the rage nowadays. Nothing compares to the
convenience and flexibility that an online job can offer. This type of employment appeals
to almost everyone — mothers who must take care of their children, people who must take
care of their aging parents, employees are tired of the daily commute, etc.

One of the easiest ways to get an online job is to become a virtual assistant. The skills
and knowledge you need to be a virtual assistant may be acquired through research and
self-study. YouTube and Google are your best friends in this regard. However, if you want
to save time and make sure that you’re learning what you need to know, there are low-
priced paid trainings that are available online.

There are currently thousands of virtual assistants, but they can’t keep up with the
demand for virtual assistant skills. Each year, the number of people with online
businesses just keeps increasing.

Most of the people with online businesses have Amazon stores. As a business, Amazon
just keeps on growing. Its founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, has been named the richest man
in the world. That means the demand for Amazon virtual assistants can only get higher.
But what is an Amazon virtual assistant? What skills do you need to acquire in order to
become one? And how do you get started?

These are some of the questions that this e-book aims to answer. This e-book will serve
as a guide as you take the first few steps towards becoming an Amazon virtual assistant.

You will also learn how to write an effective resume and cover letter. There’s a bonus
chapter at the end of this e-book on how to ace a job interview.

To further help you kick start your career, there’s a list of 25 websites where you can find
thousands of job opportunities for virtual assistants.

Ready to start an exciting and fulfilling career as an Amazon Virtual Assistant? Come on
and jump right in!

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CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS AN
AMAZON VIRTUAL ASSISTANT?

When you hear the term virtual assistant, what comes to mind? Many people think that
virtual assistants are like online secretaries who do only administrative work. But what
does a virtual assistant actually do?

A virtual assistant is someone who is prepared to offer their services in administrative

support, technical support, customer service and other fields. They usually work remotely,
sometimes working in a different country from the clients they cater to, thus the term
“virtual” because they usually work on their computers off-site.

More specifically, another buzzword in the field is “Amazon virtual assistant.” This specific
type of VA has a multitude of tasks to handle. Business owners would be better able to
make their Amazon business flourish by hiring one of these virtual assistants who are
specifically trained for this job.

An Amazon virtual assistant can perform some of these tasks:

Management of Amazon seller's account
Commenting on positive and negative reviews
Locating past orders for replacement or refund
Amazon listing creation and optimization
Order processing
Product sourcing
Amazon Inventory management
Adding tracking for Amazon orders
Customer service (may be answering calls, emails, or chat inquiries)
Amazon competitor analysis and market research
Managing seller metrics and analytics
Product keyword research and optimization for Amazon
Writing product descriptions
Setting up and managing Facebook ads
Social media management
Web content writing (blog posts, articles, etc.)
Copywriting (email copy, landing page and sales page copy, etc.
Search engine optimization (Google, Yahoo, etc.)
Photo editing and re-sizing
Excel work
Online research
Product creation
Graphic design

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 Video production and editing
Technical support

Filipinos are especially ready to take on these tasks because most of them are computer
literate, easy to train, and well-versed in the English language.

WHY FOREIGN CLIENTS TRUST

FILIPINO VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

There is no doubt that foreign clients trust Filipino virtual assistants. There are many
reasons for this. Filipino people are known to be very hospitable, hard-working, and
extremely reliable. These are only some of the general reasons that overseas clients trust
them. Let's look at more specific ones:

1) The world looks to the Philippines when it comes to outsourcing. It is no secret

that when foreign clients need to outsource tasks, the Philippines is at top of their minds.
In the BPO industry, cities including Manila, Baguio, and Cebu are ranked among the top
destinations to find virtual assistants.

2) Filipinos have an almost native mastery of the English language. This is one of the
reasons why the BPO industry is booming in the Philippines. Most clients from English-
speaking countries are amazed by the English language skills of the average Filipino.
Because Filipinos have excellent language skills, it’s easier for clients to give instructions
to Filipino virtual assistants. They make fewer mistakes and avoid misunderstandings
because language barrier isn’t a problem at all.

3) Labor costs are lower in the Philippines. Clients save money because, compared to
VAs in their home countries, VAs in the Philippines charge cheaper rates without
compromising the quality of the work.

This doesn’t mean, however, that Filipino freelancers can’t charge the same rates as U.S.
freelancers. If they invest in proper training, hone their skills, and acquire experience,
Filipino freelancers can compete with freelancers from first world countries and command
the same rates as the latter, if not higher.

4) Filipinos are very hardworking, loyal and have a positive disposition. This reason
is the last but definitely one of the most important. Filipinos tend to work hard, set their
eyes on a goal, and treat their clients’ businesses as if they were their own. They are
courteous, friendly, and fiercely loyal.

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CHAPTER 2: WHAT A VA IS NOT:
SOME MISCONCEPTIONS
SURROUNDING VAS

What is a virtual assistant? Most people already have preconceived notions of what a VA
is. However, most of these ideas are incorrect or only partially right at the very least. If
you want to become a virtual assistant, you must correct the erroneous assumptions
surrounding this kind of work. Let’s get them out of the way:

Misconception #1: VAs are personal assistants. Yes and no. Some virtual assistants
work as personal assistants. They book flights, set appointments, and do other various
tasks for their clients. However, not all VAs do this type of work. Amazon virtual
assistants, for example, help clients with the tasks involved in running an Amazon store.

Misconception #2: VAs should be jacks-of-all-trades (or janes-of-all-trades). Most

general VAs are multi-skilled, but many of them do specialize in one particular niche or
skill. When you’re starting out, it’s good to learn multiple skills, but as you professionally
mature, you need to determine where you’re good at and offer a service that is tailor-fitted
to the needs of your prospective clients.

When a generalist and a specialist compete for a job, guess who usually wins. The
specialist, of course. Why? Because specialists are experts in their field. They know more
about their respective fields of specialty more than the generalists because they are
focused on just one area of expertise. Their attention is not scattered.

Misconception #3: VAs own their time. While VAs do enjoy flexible schedules, they
don’t “own” their time. They have to make sure that they complete their daily tasks, meet
deadlines, and talk to their clients every once in a while. Oftentimes, the amount of time
they spend working from home is just about the same as the time they would spend if they
worked in an office. The only difference is they can choose when to do their tasks.

Misconception #4: VAs are employees. Let’s get this straight. VAs are generally
independent contractors who sell their services to clients who need them. They’re not
employees hired by a business entity. You are an employee if:

The employer has control or the right to control what you do and how you do your job.
The employer controls the business aspects of your job. These include arrangements
such as how you are paid and who provides tools and training.
The employer withholds a certain amount of your pay for income tax, SSS, Phil Health,
Pag-Ibig and other benefits.

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As an independent contractor, you have a say on how you do your job, how you get paid,
and how much you get paid. You negotiate with the client; the client doesn’t dictate how
much you will receive. You are also responsible for your taxes, health insurance, and
other benefits.

Remember, as a VA, you are a self-employed business person and your services are your
commodities.

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CHAPTER 3: 12 DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT JOBS

Many entrepreneurs with small businesses nowadays face the common problem of having
too much on their plate. The main purpose of being a virtual assistant is to be able to help
clients accomplish tasks that they can no longer handle by themselves. Virtual assistants
usually have a variety of expertise. With this wide range of capabilities, there is nothing
under the sun that a virtual assistant cannot do for their client.

Here are some of the tasks that clients can outsource to virtual assistants:

1) Administrative tasks – An administrative virtual assistant is usually like an online

secretary for a business owner. These types of virtual assistants answer emails, take
notes or minutes of meetings, make and return calls on behalf of their clients, and provide
a level of customer service if needed.

2) Personal assistant – This type of virtual assistant is like any kind of PA you would see
following around a very busy businessman. The only difference is they might be halfway
around the world so they won’t be able to get coffee for their boss. An online personal
assistant may book flights for their client, be in charge of making sure that the client
touches base with other people in their team, manage the schedule in the daily calendar,
book travel accommodations and car rental, etc.

3) Marketing support – Virtual assistants in this field help with managing social media
accounts, create presentations, and collaborate with other team members like writers,
designers and graphic artists.

4) Operational tasks –As the term suggests, this field of virtual assistance help with the
operational side of the business. They assist in hiring other virtual assistants and help
build a good team for the tasks at hand, handle the scheduling of daily tasks for their
clients, and also advise about best business practices.

5) Sales support –The main goal of a business is to make sales and make money. Sales
support virtual assistants help with that—generating income. In sales support, virtual
assistants help generate and boost online traffic for virtual stores on websites like
Amazon. They also create ads and promotional campaigns, and ultimately find potential
customers for their clients’ businesses.

6) IT support – IT and technical support requires a certain level of expertise. They handle
software and website issues as well as maintenance updates.

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7) Search Engine Optimization – Search engine optimization is the process of making a
website more visible on search engines when users type certain keywords to run a search.
SEO experts are highly sought after by clients because, for their businesses to thrive
online, their websites need to be found by their target customers on the search engines.

8) Web content writing – As long as the internet exists, web content writers will always
have projects. There will always be a demand for high quality web content such as blog
posts, e-books, etc. Clients need them to build trust and authority by providing their target
market with relevant and useful information.

9) Copywriting – Many people confuse copywriting with web content writing. Web
content writers focus on producing informative and useful content. On the other hand, the
goal of copywriting is to influence readers to take a particular action such as subscribe to
an email list or buy a product or service. Copywriters usually write content for websites,
sales pages, and landing pages as well as email sequences, product descriptions, and
texts for ads. Recently, with the rise of mobile marketing, copywriters are now being hired
to write content for apps.

10) Graphic design – Clients need graphics to build their respective brands and to
capture the attention of their target markets. They need professionals who can produce
graphics that are visually appealing and consistent with their branding.

11) Marketing automation – Clients usually live busy lives and yet they face the
challenge of marketing to their target customers as individuals. Marketing automation
makes it possible for them to successfully meet this challenge. They hire marketing
automation specialists to create and set up marketing and sales funnels.

12) Ad creation and monitoring – Clients need to make sure that they get the “best bang
for their buck” when they pay for ads. They hire professionals who are experts at creating
ads (usually Facebook ads and Adwords) and can monitor the performance of these ads.

Entrepreneurs can hire virtual assistants for anything ranging from making sales reports
and customer service calls, to writing out emails. A business owner should be able to trust
a virtual assistant as he trusts a permanent employee in his office. They just happen to
work remotely, but they are team members who can be part of the success or failure of the
business.

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CHAPTER 4: THE PROS AND CONS OF
BEING A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Most people think that virtual assistants are lucky. They get to stay home and work on rainy
days, have conferences with clients while in their pajamas, and do all the house chores while
being able to maintain a stable income. Virtual assistants do enjoy some advantages, but they
also have to deal with the disadvantages that come with working from home. Let's take a look
at the pros and cons of working as a virtual assistant and analyze each of them:

Let's start with the pros of being a virtual assistant:

1) You are your own boss and can work at your own time. There is really something about a
virtual assistant’s job that screams freedom. Who would not want to be his/her own boss? You
can control your schedule, still have time to be with friends and family, and make a good living
all at the same time. If you don't feel like waking up early that day, just get more work in and
maybe work an extra hour or two. It's really up to you. You can also set your own rates,
because you will be in charge of marketing your services to potential clients.

2) You can choose your workplace. If your back is painful from sitting too long in your
favorite office chair, you can go ahead and finish working on the sofa instead. You also don't
need to wear business attire, and if you are a lady, you don’t have to wear makeup.

3) Work doesn't have to be boring or stressful. Many people get caught up in a routine,
which is why they get bored while they work. As a virtual assistant, you won’t have this
problem because you will be working on various tasks One day you could be organizing your
client’s schedule, then a few days later, you could be booking him a flight, and then later, you
could be implementing marketing strategies for your boss. It never gets monotonous.

4) You set your own rates. While clients often state how much they’re willing to pay for a
virtual assistant’s services in their job postings, the rate is always open to negotiation. You can
always ask for a higher rate if you feel you deserve it. Your rate will always depend on your
competence and confidence as well as the value that you bring to the table.

5) You have a lot of opportunities for learning. Many clients pay for their virtual
assistants’ training. Some of these training courses are worth hundreds of dollars (if not
thousands). As you hone your skills and acquire more knowledge, you become more valuable.
The more valuable you are, the higher the rate you can command.

6) You are not limited to just one company/client. You can take on as many clients as you
want as long as you can meet their expectations and deliver their desired results. This means
more money for you. When you have multiple clients, you don’t have to worry about being
fired by a client because your income comes from multiple sources. In fact, you can “fire” your
client if things don’t work out for the both of you.
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7) You can take care of the people who matter most to you. If you are a parent, a flexible
schedule will allow you to take your kids to school and bring them home after classes. You can
also attend PTA meetings and school programs. You can keep a closer eye on your little ones
and make sure that the yaya is doing her job well. If you have a sick family member or elderly
parents, you can be there to watch over them and be at their side when they need you.

Now let’s take a look at the disadvantages:

1) Distraction is your enemy number one. It can be very hard to stay focused when your
workplace is your home. The line between your home life and professional life may become
practically non-existent. There may be distractions galore in your house, like chores that beg to
be done, phone calls from friends that need to be answered, or simply a pet that you can't
seem to keep away from while working.

2) It can be hard to get things done. You need really good time management skills. This is
the downside of you being able to work on your own schedule. Sometimes it can really be a
challenge to get real work done when you are thinking of everything else that you can do with
your time. Struggling with time management is really something that virtual assistants deal with
on a day to day basis.

3) Sometimes, you have to drag yourself to get out of your house. It’s nice to work from
home, but it’s not healthy to stay home most of the time. The problem is, we all feel like
staying in our comfort zone. If you’re used to being at home where it’s cozy and comfortable, it
can be a challenge to go out for a walk or to exercise in the gym.

That’s why it’s important for you to try to find hobbies and other things to do that will force you
to go out once in a while. For instance, you can go to the bookstore or have coffee with friends
at least once a week. Remember, there’s more to life than working and paying the bills.

4) Working from home can be isolating. Some people who work from home complain that
they usually feel isolated from the rest of the world. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way
anymore. There are now many opportunities to meet and network other virtual assistants both
online and offline.

If you join Facebook and LinkedIn groups for virtual assistants, you will discover that a virtual
assistant’s life doesn’t have to be lonely. Don’t just lurk. Participate in discussions and post
something valuable (like links to useful articles, a piece of advice, etc.) every now and then.
You will soon make a lot of friends.

If you want to meet other VAs in the flesh, you’ll be glad to know that meet-ups and live
seminars are becoming more and more common among virtual assistants nowadays. You can
usually find announcements for meet-ups, seminars, and social events on social media groups.

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5) For some, freelance work can be a feast and famine cycle. Some virtual assistants work
on a project basis. When the project is finished, they must look for clients again. It may take
some time for them to land another project.

Again, it doesn’t have to be that way. Do great work for clients and you will build a strong client
base and encourage repeat business. Whenever your clients need the services you offer, they
will have you at the top of their minds and they are likely to hire you again. Also, satisfied
clients can be an excellent source of referrals. As long as you do great work for them, you
don’t have to be afraid to ask for referrals from your clients.

You should also ask for referrals from other virtual assistants in your network. You might be
worried that other VAs might not be so helpful when you for referrals because they see you as
their competition. But you ’d be surprised that other VAs are actually more than willing to refer
you to their clients.

Why? Many clients build their “dream teams.” That’s because, oftentimes, they can’t rely on
just one VA to perform all the tasks they need to outsource. It’s either because there are too
many tasks or there are some tasks that the VA can’t do well. For example, there are VAs who
are great social media managers, but they suck at graphic design. There are good web content
writers whose copywriting skills are so-so at best. To help their clients, VAs refer other VAs to
them.

6) Working from home can take a toll on your health. Many VAs have put on weight since
they started working from home. Some developed back problems and other health issues. But
that’s only because they weren’t aware of how they can keep themselves healthy while working
from home.

If you take breaks between tasks, make time for exercise, manage your stress properly, and
eat healthy food, you don’t have anything to fear when it comes to your health. Worried about
the harmful effects of prolonged sitting? Just stand up every hour, walk around your room for a
minute, and get back to work. It’s that simple. If you need more info on how to stay healthy
while working from home, here’s an article you can read.

Admittedly, there would be flaws with any kind of employment. However, when it comes to
working from home, the pros outweigh the cons any day, and you can certainly overcome the
cons by following the suggestions mentioned above.

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CHAPTER 5: PRODUCTIVITY TIPS FOR
VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Productivity is one of the traits of a successful virtual assistant. You meet the needs of your
clients by getting things done. Yet, being productive is also the biggest challenge that every
virtual assistant faces. Here are some tips you can follow if you want to be a productivity
superstar:

1) Talk to your family. Let your family know that what you’re doing is serious work. It’s not
any less important than the work you do at the office. Let them know that you need peace and
quiet and that you cannot be disturbed at certain hours of the day or night.

2) Learn to schedule your browsing time. One of the things you absolutely must do when
you become a virtual assistant is controlling your browsing habits. You will be online most of
the time. It’s easy to get distracted while you work. Sometimes, you might find the temptation
to check your Facebook profile or to watch a YouTube video quite hard to resist. If you keep
giving in to this temptation, you will barely get anything done. This isn’t to say that you should
give up Facebook, YouTube, and other distracting sites altogether; you just have to schedule
the time you visit these sites.

Fortunately, there are browser extensions and add-ons you can install to help you control your
browsing habits. You can use StayFocusd for Chrome or LeechBlock for FireFox. Both are free.

3) Develop a system for doing various tasks. As a VA, you need to be systematic. You need
to figure out the steps you need to take to do a task efficiently. Once you have mastered the
system for each task that you need to do for the client, it will be easy for you to meet deadlines
and you will have time for other things besides work.

4) Keep in mind that procrastination is one of your greatest enemies as a VA. You will be
beating deadlines. Make it a point to do things as soon as you can. Don’t wait for the
right time or the right conditions. Don’t worry if you make mistakes along the way or if you
think the work you do can be better if only the conditions were right. Keep in mind that if you
finish way ahead of the deadline, you will have plenty of time to improve your work.

5) Train your focus. If your focus is scattered, your productivity suffers. It takes discipline
to keep your mind on your job. You will get bored at times. You will also get mentally fatigued if
you work long hours. If this is a problem for you, you may want to learn about the Pomodoro
Technique, a time management method that helps you manage your mental energy while you
do focused work. You can read about it here.

6) Control your technology habits. You can’t always put your phone or tablet away while
doing client work. There may be apps you need to use while working. But when your gadget
rings or beeps, you need to resist the temptation to answer the call or reply to the text. The
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trick is to put your phone or tablet in the silent mode and put it out of your sight when you’re
not using it for work. That’s how simple it is.

7) Use a project management software. Some clients use a project management software
such as Asana, Basecamp, or Trello to ensure that tasks are being done and to monitor the
progress of their projects. But you don’t have to wait for your client to do this for you. You can
use any of these project management software applications to create to-do lists, keep track of
your progress, and be reminded of the deadlines that you need to meet. This is very helpful
when you’re working on multiple projects or have multiple clients to serve.

8) Have fun! It’s easy to forget that you have a life to live when you work from home.
However, this is unhealthy. Overworking leads to burnout which hurts productivity. You need to
unwind and recharge every once in a while. Don’t be tied to your workstation! Find time to go
out and be with people. Go to the gym. Walk and commune with nature. Heck, go to the bar
once in a while and socialize with people! Don’t let your job keep you from having a healthy,
satisfying life.

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CHAPTER 6: ESSENTIAL AMAZON VA
SKILLS

The possibilities of what a general virtual assistant can do are fundamentally limitless. If you
have no experience in this field of work or any home-based work per se, you can still land a job
as a VA. The trick is to try to find skills that you already have and find ways to use them to find
lucrative work online.

Here are some of the skills that virtual assistant should possess:

1) Mastery of the English language – An aspiring VA must have good communication skills.
Most of the clients that you will be working for are native speakers of English. There are many
ways to improve your written and spoken English skills. You can talk to your family and/or
friends, explain that you’re trying to develop mastery of the English language, and ask them to
help you by conversing with you in English. You can also watch TV shows and movies produced
in your clients’ country (e.g. the U.S., U.K., and Australia). This will help you pick up words and
idioms that your target clients frequently use.

2) Time management – Time management is a skill that every VA should master. You have
a flexible schedule, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you please. You must
remember that as a VA, you have deadlines to meet and clients to serve. The essence of time
management is scheduling your focus. Where does your attention need to go at certain times
of the day or night? And when you’ve established your schedule, you have to make sure that
your attention stays where it needs to stay.

3) Organization skills – Oftentimes, a client will give you multiple projects that are due at
the same time. This is why you need to organize your time and resources well so that
everything will run smoothly and according to plan.

4) Research skills – In some instances, your client might ask you to dig up on information
about a competitor, new trends that are happening in the market, or a new product. Being able
to quickly search for these bits of information on search engines and being able to respond with
the answer in a timely manner will make you more valuable in your client’s eyes.

5) Proficiency in Software Programs and Online Tools – You will be using software
programs when you work as a VA. Below is a short list of programs you may need to learn how
to use for the job:

MS Office
Google Docs
Dropbox
Canva

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Hootsuite or any other social media scheduler
Boomerang for Gmail (Chrome extension)
Rapportive
Harvest Time Tracker
Fresh Books
Base Camp
Asana
Trello

6) Basic copywriting – You don’t have a copywriting maven to be a VA, but knowing the
basics is a tremendous help. Every Amazon VA should learn the AIDA formula. Mastering the
AIDA formula will not only help you write great copy and ads, but also produce effective blog
posts, product descriptions, and social media posts. You can learn more about the AIDA
formula here.

7) Social media management – One of the most time consuming marketing tasks is social
media management, and most clients want to hire someone to do this for them. Social media
management entails researching what type of content resonates with the client’s target
audience, scheduling social media posts at optimum times of the day, producing simple but
attention-grabbing graphics, and measuring the effectiveness of social media posts by
interpreting analytics data. (Don’t be intimidated by the fancy-schmancy terms. Social media
management is easy enough for you to learn on your own.)

8) Basic graphic design and photo editing – Clients who have Amazon businesses need
images for their blogs, ads, social media profiles, and Amazon product pages. Oftentimes,
there’s no need for them to hire a graphic designer, only someone who can produce
eyecatching images that convert. Here are blog posts from the HubSpot and CIO blogs to help
you start learning graphic design.

9) Blog management – Most clients need their WordPress blogs maintained. You don’t
need to study web development for this. Some of the things you need to learn to manage a
blog are installing plugins, posting entries, uploading pictures, inserting links, and optimizing
blog posts for the search engines. Some knowledge in HTML would also help.

10) Customer Service – You can help clients send or reply to emails, messages, and reviews.
If you have a customer service background, you will find customer service tasks easy to do.
Some of these tasks include answering questions, dealing with negative feedback, cancelling
and refunding orders, etc.

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11) Familiarity with the Amazon Website – If you’re going to be an Amazon VA, you need
to be familiar with the Amazon Storefront and other features of the Amazon website. You need
to observe how product descriptions are written and what images are used and how they are
edited. You also need to know how to add products and their descriptions on the Amazon
website. There are plenty of learning resources online. Just type keywords such as “how to add
products on Amazon” on Google or YouTube and you will get tons of search results.

These are just 11 skills you can easily learn to start becoming an Amazon VA. You can make
yourself even more valuable by adding more to your skillset. Again, you can use Google and
YouTube to do learn these skills. You can also look for blogs about selling on Amazon.
However, if you want to save more time and make sure that you’re learning the right way of
doing things from experts, it make sense to invest in courses, e-books, and other learning
materials. Your investment will pay off in a short period of time.

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CHAPTER 7: THE EQUIPMENT YOU
NEED AS AN AMAZON VA

If you want to work as an Amazon VA, you’ll need to invest in some good equipment that will
run smoothly for the long haul. Don’t worry if the equipment you currently have doesn’t meet
the specifications described here. Just use this chapter as a guideline when you decide to
upgrade or purchase new equipment.

Without further ado, here’s a list of the equipment that every Amazon VA must have along with
their specifications:

Computer – You must have a desktop or a laptop computer to work as an Amazon VA. You
can’t
use your smartphone or a tablet to do your job. However, don’t need to have an expensive or
fancy computer. Just make sure that your computer has, at the very least, the following specs:

• 4GB of RAM
• 128GB of disk space and
• Dual Core, i3, i5, or i7 processor (or the equivalent).

Fast and Stable Internet Connection – Having a stable internet connection is important
because clients expect their VAs to be reliable. Usually, a 3 Mbps connection is good enough,
but if you want to be more efficient and productive, your internet speed must be 5 Mbps or
higher.

Backup Connection – Your ISP may experience technical issues every now and then, so be
sure that you’re well-equipped when that happens. It may make sense to have two internet
subscriptions from different ISPs if your income is more than sufficient, but you can probably
get by with a USB dongle. It would also be good if you have a laptop and you can turn your
phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Power Generator – If you live in a province where power outages are frequent, a gen set is
good to have. If you don’t have one or find it too expensive, you can buy a laptop with a 4-cell
battery, which will allow you to work for about four to six hours during a power outage. Of
course, the battery life will depend on the resources you use on your computer.

Headset – Whether or not you’re going to take customer service calls, you will need a good
headset. Some clients want to interview their prospective VAs via Skype or Zoom. Having a
good headset certainly counts when you want to make a good impression during an interview.
Also, every now and then, your client will ask for a team or a one-on-one meeting just to know
how things are running in his/her business.

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Don’t rely on your laptop or webcam’s built-in microphone, which usually picks up a lot of
noise. A 200-peso headset from CDR King won’t be good enough either. Logitech and
Plantronics are two of the most reliable brands to keep in mind when you’re scouting for a
headset. It may be a little expensive, but it’s worth its price.

Webcam – This isn’t an absolute must, but some clients prefer VAs who have webcams. They
feel that they can trust you more when you’re willing to show your face as you speak with
them. Laptops usually have built-in webcams. If yours doesn’t have one, you can buy a USB
webcam from CDR King or Lazada. Since video isn’t as important as audio, a cheap webcam
will do.

External Hard Drive or Flash Drive – You also don’t need this to work as a VA, but this may
prove valuable to you. Most VAs back up their files using cloud storage such as Google Drive
and Dropbox, but when there’s a problem with your internet connection, this might be next to
impossible. So it’s always good to have an external storage device ready when your internet
connection conks out on you.

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CHAPTER 8: FIVE PITFALLS TO AVOID
WHEN APPLYING FOR AMAZON VA
JOBS

When you apply for jobs, know that you’re likely to be rejected a few times. Nobody likes
rejection, but this is a reality that VAs need to accept. Even the best and the most experienced
VAs get rejected once in a while.

However, there are mistakes that you can avoid so you’ll have greater chances of getting hired.
Below are five major mistakes that you should avoid like the plague:

1) Applying for a job you’re not qualified for. This is the surest way to get rejected. When
you apply for a job, the client will ask questions during the interview. If you’re not qualified for
the job that you’re applying for, you’re bound to fail the interview.

If you do get hired, you are at risk of failing at your job and disappointing the client. You could
get a bad rating especially if you use a freelance site such as Upwork. You could also ruin your
reputation if you consistently disappoint clients.

What you need to do: Get the training and experience you need to qualify for the jobs you want
to apply for. If you have the money, invest it in training. It will one day pay off handsomely.

2) Lying and exaggerating. Be truthful at all times. Don’t puff up your credentials and don’t
make up anything. Clients are smart enough to detect B.S. Again, you may get hired, but if you
get caught in a lie, the client would have a good reason to immediately terminate your working
relationship. This could also hurt your reputation and it would be difficult for you to find clients
in the future.

3) Using an unprofessional email address. Professionalism is a highly-prized trait among

VAs. Emails like sweetgirl123@yahoo.com and handsomedude143@gmail.com scream
unprofessionalism. If you have a similar email address, use it for your personal
communications. But if you want to apply for a job, use an email address that includes your
name (e.g. juan.delacruz@gmail.com).

4) Not doing your research. Applying for a job without doing research is a surefire way to
fail. You need to find out what your prospective clients need by going to his/her website or
blog, social media profiles, and Amazon store. Also, if your client published a job posting on
Upwork, a job board, or any other website, make sure to read it. Doing your research will help
you write an effective resume and cover letter. It will also help you anticipate interview
questions.

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5) Sounding desperate. Two things could happen when you sound desperate. One, the
client could get the upper hand and convince you to work for peanuts. The other thing is the
client could be put off and not hire you at all. Remember this: When you apply for a VA job,
make it about the client and not yourself. Also, when the client tries to convince you to lower
your rate, stand your ground. Don’t be afraid to let go of clients who haggle. Know your worth
and keep in mind that there are plenty of other clients who need you.

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CHAPTER 9:
GETTING PAID
This is probably one of the most interesting parts of this e-book. This section is all about
money!

Ways to Charge Clients

Generally, there are three ways of setting rates:

By the hour – This is self-explanatory; you charge the client by the number of hours you’ve
spent working. You’ll need a time tracker for this.

By project – You and the client agree upon the price of a certain project. This is the best way to
go if you can estimate the time and effort that goes into a project before working on it.

Retainer – You get paid a certain amount for recurring work.

How Often Do VAs Get Paid?

The frequency of payments will really depend on what you’ve agreed upon with your client.
You can get paid weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly. It’s really up to you and your client to
reach an agreement with regard to this.

Invoicing Your Client(s)

Before you get paid, you usually need to send an invoice to your client unless you’re using
Upwork or a similar website. An invoice serves as a reminder to the client that you should get
paid. It usually contains two important pieces of information: how much your client needs to
pay you and when you must get paid.

If you use PayPal, you can simply send your client a PayPal invoice. There are, however, other
invoicing tools online such as Freshbooks and Harvest. Both Freshbooks and Harvest have a
built-in time-tracking feature which makes life a whole lot easier for VAs who charge by the
hour.

Ways to Get Paid

How do clients send you money? There are four ways by which clients can pay you
electronically. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages:

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Paypal – This gets the first mention only because most clients prefer to pay via PayPal. For
some, it’s the easiest way to pay freelancers. All you have to do is sign up for an account,
verify the account by connecting a credit or a debit card to your account (you can get yourself
a Metrobank or a Union Bank debit card), and give the clients the email address that you used
to sign up for a PayPal account.

Some freelancers think that PayPal fees too expensive. They also find the foreign exchange
rate too low. Also, it takes up to three days before you get the money you withdraw from your
PayPal account.

Payoneer – This is, by far, the best way to get paid electronically. You can apply for a debit
card on the Payoneer website. They’ll send it to you via email. That’s it. No requirements. No
hassle. You can withdraw your pay from any local ATM. You can also use the card to verify
your PayPal account. And unlike PayPal, you don’t have to wait up to three days to get your
money. You can withdraw it immediately. Isn’t that sweet?

A 200-peso fee will be deducted from your account for every transaction you make with your
Payoneer card. However, this is a small price to pay. Two-hundred pesos is really nothing
compared to the withdrawal fees that PayPal charges. Plus, Payoneer offers higher foreign
exchange rates than PayPal.

Direct Bank Transfer – This is available on Upwork. Upwork will deposit your pay directly to
your bank account for a minimal fee. This is also ideal if you have local clients. You can ask
them to deposit funds to your account or to use inter-branch bank transfer if you use the same
bank.

Remittance Companies – Clients rarely use remittance companies such as Western Union to
send their payments. These companies charge steep fees so it’s best to stay away from them.

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CHAPTER 10: WRITING A STELLAR RESUME
AND COVER LETTER THAT GETS CLIENTS
INTERESTED IN YOU

Let’s face it. You’re probably up against several other VAs who are eyeing the same job you’re
applying for. That’s why you want your resume and a cover letter to catch the client’s attention
and build the desire to find out more about you.

Before you even write your resume and cover letter, you need to get into the service mindset.
Do your research and ask “What does this client need from a VA?” Visit his/her blog, social
media profiles, and Amazon store. When you’ve learned enough about the field of virtual
assistance that you want to get into, you should be able to see the areas that need
improvement.

Writing Your Resume

Writing your resume isn’t rocket science. It doesn’t have to be complicated. However, there are
some pointers that you need to follow to make sure that your resume doesn’t get ignored or
deleted by your prospective client. If you want to make a good impression on your prospective
clients follow these tips when preparing your resume:

1) Don’t start a resume with an objective. Probably, 90% of resumes that clients receive
start with career objectives. A career objective is usually a two-line opening statement about
what the professional wants to achieve when they bag the job. This is an example of a career
objective: “To establish a long-term relationship with a client as a virtual assistant and to hone
my skills in various areas of internet marketing.”

The problem is, clients care very little about what you want. They only care about what they
want. So why not make the opening statement of your resume about them?

For instance, “As a virtual assistant specializing customer service, I can help you take care of
your customers and keep them happy and loyal to your brand. Your business will benefit from
the skills I have acquired from my five-year experience as a customer service representative.”

2) Emphasize your uniqueness. If you want to stand out, you need to have what marketers
usually call a USP or “unique selling proposition.” This is a statement that tells the client why
you’re different from other virtual assistants and why he/she should hire you. For example, you
can add in your opening statement, “I excel at identifying and solving problems,” if that trait is
what sets you apart from other virtual assistants.

3) Use fresh ideas. You don’t always have to depend on tried-and-true resume formulas.
Your target client may have already seen them before. Later on, when you will work as a virtual
assistant you will constantly need to improvise and innovate. Show the employer that you are

24
equipped with these necessary skills simply by showcasing your creativity in your resume. Think
of your resume as a marketing tool. This is how potential employers see what you’re able to do
for them.

4) Highlight your accomplishments. Don't be shy. This isn’t the time to be modest. You
must show your prospective clients what you have achieved in the past so that they’ll know
what you can do for them in the future when they hire you. Be truthful though and make sure
that those achievements are relevant to the position that you’re applying for.

5) Make your resume concise and easy to understand. Your resume doesn’t have to be
long. In fact, a two-page resume is already lengthy. Leave out unnecessary details. Make sure
that every piece of information you include is relevant.

There are three sections that clients usually look at when they hire virtual assistants:
introductory statement, skills, and experience. In some cases, clients look at education, but
most clients don’t really care where you graduated, what courses you took, or even whether
you have a college degree. Remember, all the clients care about is what you can do for them to
help them achieve their goals. Keep that in mind when you write your resume.

Writing a Good Cover Letter

When you’ve done your research and you’ve read your prospective client’s job description (if
there’s one), writing a winning cover letter is easy. You’ll have a clear basis for selling your
services to the client. You’ll know what he/she needs and how your services will meet those
needs. So this bears repeating: do your research first.

When you’re done with your research, you will need to structure your cover letter in a way that
captures attention, builds interest, and inspires action. If you remember, the AIDA copywriting
formula was mentioned a few chapters back. Again, AIDA stands for attention, interest, desire,
and action.

Believe it or not, this formula is also effective for cover letters!

So here’s how you apply the formula when writing a cover letter:

A – Attention: Since you’re probably applying via email, you need to come up with an
interesting subject line to make sure that your email or message gets opened. It pays to find out
what the client needs so you can base your subject line on those needs.

For instance, if the job description says, “I need a virtual assistant to help me with product
research and negotiating with suppliers. Preferably with experience,” your can email subject
could be “Applicant: VA with Five Years of Experience in Product Sourcing.” (Product research
and negotiation are two of the tasks involved in product sourcing.)

25
Rule of thumb: Keep your email subject line between 60 to 70 characters. Studies show that
emails with subject lines of 60 to 70 characters tend to get read.

Now, sometimes, clients ask applicants to put specific words in the subject line. For instance,
some clients say, “To apply, send an email with the subject line: ‘I’m a Great Virtual Assistant.’”
You have to follow the instruction that clients give, so this means you can’t get creative with
the subject line.

When this happens, don’t worry. You still can capture the client’s attention in the introduction
of your cover letter.

I – Interest: This is the part of the cover where you try to hook the prospective client. You can
both grab the client’s attention and build interest in the introduction of the letter. How? It’s
simple. Tell the client, “I read that you’re looking for a virtual assistant to do this job. I can do
the job.”

Using the example above, you can say, “I read your job posting on this website and I learned
that you need a need a virtual assistant to help you with product research and negotiating with
suppliers. I’m a virtual assistant with a five-year experience in product sourcing.”

D – Desire: This is the part where you tell the client why they should hire you. Again, you must
base the content on your research and the client’s job description. Imply what you can offer by
giving the client a bird’s eye view of your professional experience and your skills. If you have a
portfolio or a blog, make sure that you include the link(s) to them in this section.

Note: If you don’t have any experience as a virtual assistant, a portfolio or a blog is a must. This
is where you can showcase your skills and knowledge and prove to prospective clients that you
can meet their needs.

Also, make sure to include your availability in this section and what the client can expect from
you. For instance, “I can work six hours a day, five days week. I can assure you I will do my best
to make sure that you get the best deal out of every transaction you have with suppliers.”

A – Action: This is where you tell the client the next step they need to take to hire you. Yes, you
must sound as if the client is already interested in hiring you. Clients tend to hire candidates
who are confident. If you’re afraid of sounding presumptuous or overconfident, you can simply
follow this formula, “I’m available for an interview on [day] at [time]. I’m looking forward to
helping you with [what the client needs]. Please contact me if you have any questions.”

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BONUS CHAPTER: ACING THE
JOB INTERVIEW

For some virtual assistants, the most nerve-wracking part of the hiring process is the job
interview. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You simply must be prepared. You build
confidence by preparing well for the job interview. Confidence is important; clients tend to hire
applicants who don’t show any trace of self-doubt or nervousness. They will trust you more if
you are sure of yourself and what you can bring to their table.

So how do you breeze through a job interview with confidence? Here are some tips to follow:

1) Do your research. Never go to a job interview without doing some research first. One
can never overemphasize the importance of research. Find out what your prospective clients
need and let that guide you during the interview. Also, when the client learns that you did your
research before your interview, he/she will have the impression that you really want to work
for him/her and that you truly care about his/her business.

2) Anticipate the most commonly asked questions during the job interview. Here is a list
of the most commonly asked interview questions (courtesy of Monster.com):

What can you tell me about yourself?

Can you list your strengths?
What weaknesses do you have?
Why should I consider hiring you?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Why do you want to work here?
What is your salary expectation?
What motivates you?
What makes a good team player?
Is there anything that you would like to ask me?

3) Rehearse your answers. If you can, ask a family member or a close friend to listen to
you and give some feedback.

4) Check your audio. One of the worst things that can happen during a job interview is
having your audio fail you. Make sure that your headset is in good working order.

5) Take a “bio break” before the interview. Do everything you need in the bathroom. You
don’t want nature to call while you’re talking with a prospective client.

6) Drink some water. This will help stave off nervousness and prevent your voice from
getting hoarse.

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7) Be friendly but stay professional. Striking a balance between friendliness and
professionalism can be a bit of a challenge. Just be polite and speak with warmth. Greet the
client before the start of the interview and sincerely ask how he/she is. Then, during the
interview, stay focused on answering the questions that the client asks. Use humor with
caution.

8) Ask questions. Again, this will show the client that you’re interested in helping him/her
with his/her business. Before the interview, list down the questions that you need to ask. The
questions you ask should help you answer the bigger question, “How can I be of best help to
the client?”

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APPENDIX: 25 JOB SITES
WHERE YOU CAN FIND VA JOBS

Ready to apply for a job? You can find literally thousands of job opportunities online. Here are
25 places on the internet where you can find them:

Upwork
HubStaff
Guru.com
Freelance.com
People Per Hour
OnlineJobs.ph
RemoteStaff.ph
Virtual Staff Finder
Virtual Angel Hub
Virtual Coworker
Remote Workmate – You can browse through the Job Openings page for available positions.
Task Bullet
VirtualStaff.ph
VirtualAssistants.ph
My Out Desk
Virtual Assistant Locator
Worldwide 101
Virtual Gal Friday
NS Virtual Services
Life Bushido
Equivity VA
Assistant Match – You have to apply on the site to get job opportunities.

You may also get jobs from:

LinkedIn – Just follow the instructions on how to search for a particular job.

Facebook Groups – You have to send membership requests from the admins to join. Here are a
few:

Philippine Virtual Assistant Network

Virtual Assistant Philippines
Hiring Virtual Assistant Philippines

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ARE YOU READY TO
BECOME AN AMAZON VA?

Learn the A to Z of becoming a Highly Paid Amazon Virtual

Assistant in Just 8 Weeks!

Click this link to learn more:

https://amazonationph.com/amzonvaeml/

Check our students who have found success in our masterclass.

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