Virtual Assistants (VA's) are Independent Contractors who specialize in helping their clients–often other self-employed people–with basic administrative work or various specialized tasks based on the VA's unique skills and experience. VA's work from their own offices, using their own equipment. VA's and their clients communicate with one another via email, instant messaging, phone, fax, FTP and/or postal mail. With just a little technical savvy on your part, you can work with a VA on the other side of the country just as easily as you work with a VA in your own home town!

Virtual Assistants generally work for other self-employed people (sole proprietors and small business owners), and for professionals (such as authors, consultants, coaches, and realtors), as well as government entities and non-profits, all of whom occasionally need to outsource certain services. Working parents and busy homemakers employ VA's as well.

Many sole proprietors, small business owners, working parents, and busy homemakers could use extra help on occasion, perhaps even on a regular, part-time basis. However, most can't afford to hire a full or part-time assistant. By hiring a Virtual Assistant—who is an Independent Contractor—rather than hiring an employee, you pay for help only when you need it. VA's typically work on an hourly or retainer basis. By hiring a Virtual Assistant, you pay for help only when you need it, and avoid the hassles that go along with hiring a full- or part-time employee. For instance, you:

	Pay no federal and state payroll taxes
	Don't have to provide worker's compensation coverage
	Don't have to provide office space, equipment or supplies
	Don't have to provide employee benefits such as vacation or sick time

The Internet is changing the shopping habits of Americans. To be competitive, virtually all businesses and nonprofits today—no matter how small—must have a well-designed website in addition to the traditional Yellow Page listing, print ads and brochures. Up to 55 percent of small-business owners now use websites as marketing tools.¹

The good news is that to create and maintain a typical small-business website costs far less than the average Yellow Page ad!

1. Marcin Skomial, "Cyberspace Marketing: Small Firms Use Web to Catch Sales," Sacramento Bee, August 25, 2004, pp. D1, D7.