This is a great list. I'm trying to get started and am currently in the research (and hope my brain doesn't explode) phase. I understand the importance of niches, however I'm not sure which niche I want to be in. I know Kylie said that she is a long way from where she started 2 years ago so it is okay to change along the way, but how do I know where to start? I would like to offer general administrative support (i.e. word processing, excel spreadsheets, data entry, databases, invoicing, etc.), but I don't have a specific industry in mind. I'm just not sure how to choose an area in which to offer my services.

I have two suggestions...

(1) to what niche would you have the most existing exposure? "Hey, I know A LOT of real estate agents!" or "Being on PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) has given me a lot of exposure to SAHMs (stay at home mom's)."

(2) have you worked in an industry that you LOVED to be in? "Before I got married and had kids I worked as a sales assistant and loved it!" or "During high school and college I helped out an accountant during tax season..."

Can you answer either of these with a response that resonates in your heart?

Even better if you can respond to both questions with the same answer! For example: My niche is Management Consulting or Executive Coaching...I've worked with a national consulting firm before so I had exposure to many coaches and trainers PLUS I loved the field.

Does this help?

__________________
Sundi D. Hayes
Chief Virtual Officer - My Office Zilla
www.myofficezilla.com

Yes, it does. I've worked in different areas - apartments, commercial rental property, gas and l.p. office, bank, mortgage office, abstract office. I have been fortunate to gain much experience, but it is quite diverse. I guess you could say that I have the most experience in real estate settings. I did love my job at the apartments, but I really haven't hated any of them except the gas and l.p. office. I could gear towards real estate offices, but I have no experience doing a lot of the things that other REVAs are offering such as virtual tours. I do know a lot of real estate agents, but after reading what the other REVAs offer, I'm a little gun-shy. The experience I have is much more general than that and so choosing the area tends to be a little evasive for me.

Just working on setting up my business. My niche will be in the property and casualty insurance area. Have worked in commercial insurance for more years then I want to tell you. Now I want to work on my own.
Looks like some interesting niches. Pattyben

VIRTUAL PARALEGAL SERVICES

I'm "de-limiting" my 3-month-old business, going from transcripts & data entry only to "paralegal services," since that's the best definition I can come up with for work I've been doing for 15+ years (95% in criminal defense, including investigations, admin, legal & tech support).

I'm basing this list on what I'm doing specifically for my main client, a friend & former colleague who encouraged me to "think big"! It allows me to combine my love of criminal law, research, & yummy database geek stuff

* Reading, summarizing, analyzing discovery (already scanned/OCR'd)
* Entering, classifying & cataloging in case management database
* Cross-ref/Linking docs to persons to events to evidence to facts to theories...
* Oh, learn the CMDB so I can train the lawyer - Masterfile. It's SOOOO COOOL! (although to be honest, I only have demo experience w/Casemap, but extensive experience creating case investigation databases in Access.)

I'll also offer the general transcribing, doc prep & filing, etcetera. To start, I'll be concentrating on the local attorneys who need extra help with discovery & trial prep from a really organized, criminal-law savvy, Constitution-loving, database freak. It helps that I've worked the last 8-10 years w/some really good ones, so I've got that proverbial pedal extremity through the portal...

Juliana

Originally Posted by t.brooke

Yes, it does. I've worked in different areas - apartments, commercial rental property, gas and l.p. office, bank, mortgage office, abstract office. I have been fortunate to gain much experience, but it is quite diverse. I guess you could say that I have the most experience in real estate settings. I did love my job at the apartments, but I really haven't hated any of them except the gas and l.p. office. I could gear towards real estate offices, but I have no experience doing a lot of the things that other REVAs are offering such as virtual tours. I do know a lot of real estate agents, but after reading what the other REVAs offer, I'm a little gun-shy. The experience I have is much more general than that and so choosing the area tends to be a little evasive for me.

Thats how I felt about specializing in the legal field. There are VAs out there who do a lot more than I know how to do and it can be both intimidating and discouraging. But don't let that stop you from doing what YOU want to do. There's always going to be someone with more experience or a different set of skills. You also have to keep in mind that a VA needs to be well-suited to the client as far as work methods, personalities, etc.

Pick some of the skills you see other REVAs listing and find out how you can add that skill to your services. Is there a class you can take, webinars you can sign up for...?

__________________
April @ Advantage
Advantage Virtual Assistant

Sorry, forgot to add my own contribution to the niche thread.

I'm also going to be specializing in the legal field but I'm not limiting myself to attorneys. I will be doing general administrative tasks and for lawyers I'll also include the following:

Drafting, proofreading, editing pleadings
Prepare and organize documents in Discovery process
Manage case file and calendar
Legal research
ECF (electronic filing)
Maintain correspondence with clients

I'm also hoping to help attorneys and law firms with marketing. I want to be able to design and maintain their websites and develop newsletters for them to stay in touch with clients, even make sure they send their clients a holiday card. Lawyers are the butt of so many jokes, I'd like to help them promote a more personable image.

__________________
April @ Advantage
Advantage Virtual Assistant

My niche is authors, literary agents, speech writers, speakers, bloggers, internet marketers, eBook authors, and other small businesses needing written assistance.

My dream is to work with romance authors. Gotta love the smutty romance books!

I offer:
Proofreading
Editing
Ghostwriting
Policy and Procedure Creation
Copy Typing
Read and Condense
Web Content
Internet Research

Eventually, I would also love to get my paralegal certificate, and open a whole new branch to my business. But that will be down the line.

It seems my niche is starting to be life coaches, business coaches, and therapists. Probably because one referred the other who referred another and so forth.

I'm also going to start promoting as a niche 'networking follow up'. I recently attended a meetup group where effective business networking was discussed and several attendees said they had difficulty following up with new contacts. So I've offered to put together a program and do the follow up to some extent. We'll see how it goes.

Sue Canfield
Awesome Assistant

HIgh quality administrative, creative and technical business support services are provided to small business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives through secure, web-based technologies from our own office. We are experienced and flexible professionals fully aware of the challenges of running a business to ensure you achieve your desired goals. We assist you in positively and clearly defining your required outcomes at cost effective packages.

Focus on what you do best, increase productivity and profitability and ultimately gain more time to do what you enjoy doing.

Being "virtual" enables us to work with companies and entrepreneurs geographically co-located in the UK and overseas.

- Web Design & Maintenance
- Virtual Assistance
- Events, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibits Management & Organisation
- Document Management
- IT Training

These are the main headings for the services my company offers. I use a workflow process of business and technology assessments to transform my clients' business and mindset to the 21st century.

Best regards,
Grace Long
VA Extraordinaire
Delegate to the Ultimate Technology Specialist and Focus on Growing your Business