Much of the information in Boot Camp for Virtual Assistants is the same as or similar to what you would find in other VA start-up books, but if you haven’t already read any beginner VA books, read on to see if this is the one that will help you get started. One of the differences with this title is that because it's an eBook, you can click provided links to immediately access more information on topics of interest. The author also includes several files that you can download, such as sample service agreements (along with a discussion on why such agreements are so important) and a list of services you could consider offering in your business.

The author discusses the importance of having your own work area free of distractions and provides an office checklist to help you determine the essentials of getting started. She goes on to provide useful suggestions of online resources for thrifty VAs who are seeking affordable office furniture. Another section of this eBook gets into defining your VA business and mentions pursuing continuing education to increase your skill set and, therefore, your service offerings. As a lifelong learner, I was pleasantly surprised to find a link to a site that offers a multitude of online business development classes for a mere $25 each – in my opinion, this was one of the most valuable resources in the book.

If you haven't completed a business plan yet because the thought is too intimidating (don't feel bad – it's not an uncommon feeling), the author provides you with a few basic questions to help you put together a very simple business plan. Other sections of this book include information on keeping accurate accounting records and marketing your business, including subsections on choosing a good business name, creating an effective website, utilizing search engine optimization, writing and submitting press releases, etc. There are a few interesting marketing techniques that I hadn’t thought of previously but am considering implementing in my own VA business.

I was dismayed to find several grammatical errors and typos, including one sentence that left a word out entirely, leaving the material difficult to follow at times. Also, I felt that the book contained an overabundance of advertising for the owner’s business; it's fine to include a section in the Appendix that lets readers know about the various services offered by her company that could be of use to readers, but I just felt that the blatant advertising that appeared throughout the book was a bit over the top. Finally, I felt that the price of the book was a bit steep considering the amount of information provided.

Do you have any thoughts, queries, or feedback on Boot Camp for Virtual Assistants? Share your comments or questions by replying directly to this thread!

Click here to buy the book!

__________________
Tammi Metzler ~ The Write Associate
Free call: "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention!"

Great review Tammi! I am thinking the Realtors version may possibly resemble this one as well...

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

Tammi, thanks so much for taking the time to share your honest feedback on this ebook with us!

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Excellent Review Tammi!

Thanks,

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Perfecting Assistance Services
www.perfectingassistance.com
Allowing you time to PERFECT your Business!

This review section is a valuable & much needed resource, particularly for new & aspiring VAs like myself that need to make wise choices within our start-up budget.

Thanks Tammi!

Melissa~HVAS

Thanks Tammi- great review :-)
Jen

Thanks, everyone! I'm so glad that you found the review helpful.

__________________
Tammi Metzler ~ The Write Associate
Free call: "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention!"

Tammi, thank you so much for all the great book reviews that you do for this forum. It's really helpful, especially coming from a fellow VA. I love to read books, but I have a tendency to go overboard and spend too much money. While I want to be informed when I start my VA business, I think I'm spending too much time reading and not enough time actually getting my business started. I was thinking about buying this book, but perhaps should hold off for now. While I like to own "real" books, I also like to buy e-books for the following reasons:

1) I get it right away! (When I want something, I want it now.)

2) I like the links that can direct you to other valuable information.

3) Printing sample forms or pages of interest is really quick and simple.

4) They often cost less than the real book.

Thanks again for the book reviews and I look forward to hearing what others have to say about this book.

Leslie

Originally Posted by momtodavid

1) I get it right away! (When I want something, I want it now.)

I hear ya! I'm impatient too, although I must admit that I would prefer a nice, bound, hard copy book over an eBook any day. Guess I'm a bit old-fashioned that way! Thanks for the kind comments; I'm so glad my reviews are helpful to my fellow VA forum members.

__________________
Tammi Metzler ~ The Write Associate
Free call: "How to Write Email Subject Lines That Grab Attention!"

thanks for the review. I was looking at the boot-camp series.