A colleague and dear friend, Diana of Virtual World Publishing was recently quoted in Reader’s Digest about the Growing Field of Virtual Assistants (VAs).

I also shared how it is 1 of Top 5 careers in great demand for 2007. Diana is an active and Fellow Expert at my most favorite orgs: HBWM. Anyways, Diana shares great resources her feature to VAs growing their biz.

But, there’s this whole chicken before the egg thing going on, when you’re considering growing your online biz. At this point, I’m only able to hire one VA, and my 2 interns for the past 6-8 weeks were VAs-in-training, at the end of their programs both have already started other careers. So, I find myself starting from scratch again…but, I realize that I get what I pay for…so asking for something for “free” for “free publicity” didn’t work out well.

Therefore, I had to be more creative in getting some administrative, technical and business expertise bartered for free.

This post is submitted to Problogger’s Top 5 Writing Project. Discovered by accident from jumping on to Brian’s Copyblogger: Top 5 New developments at Coyblogger. Haven’t seen the changes, hop over there now! Nice design and layout, Brain…thanks for the tip! (I haven’t had time to “network” and “study” my favorite blogs the past 2 weeks)…and tonight is the deadline…so, as I searched down to share my comment, I found this title of a recent added Friend to MyBlogLog: 5 Ways to Use a VA. But, how can you use one, when you desperately need help, but a bit low on cash. Viola, here are my Ways.) To register for the $1001 in Cash you need to complete this form.

Top 5 Ways to Get a Virtual Assistant for Free

1. Barter administrative service for your consultation fees. Examples: A girl-friend typed 22 page eReport for 3-hours of babysitting. Work-at-home moms yahoo groups, or listservs. For example, average $25/hour vs. average $150/hour coaching. Therefore, you get 5 administrative hours for one-coaching hour/week. Not specific to the work at home community, I’m finding that I could successfully barter with colleagues who have similar hourly rates, but we barter our expertise, mine in online press releases, networking, internet and affiliate marketing, or freelance writing services for technical assistance, and instructional walk-through.
2. Capitalize on spouse’s professional expertise and time. Work in-home and out-of-house agreements. I detail our administrative support, and actually now barter for his technical assistance. He is a engineer in training and heart, but loves to use his knowledge to Web 2.0 our entire house to the wireless, surround-sound home. He never took his technical skills seriously enough to get paid or barter services for. Now, that we “capitalized” on his strengths, first at home he’s consulting business has grown with leaps and bounds. We also barter girls-time, house chores, running errands, and quiet time. We successfully work side-by-side to meet deadlines and motivate one another along the way.
3. Utilizing entrepreneurial spirit of your eager-to-learn and earn children. Make a fun project of of boring adminstrative services. All my girls are less than 7 years old, and they’ve participated in PowerPoint presentation, brainstorming sessions, test new software, review books together. Finding template. Family fun time. You do not hav to be a homeschooling family to tap into the entrepreneurial spirit of your youngons! Empower them to empower you and help out in an empowering environment.
4. Student interns or volunteers. Eager technically-savvy high-school students. Tap into local homeschool community. Search town/city homeschool group, ezines, yahoo group, get one ad for free, nominal fee, all donations $5-15/month. College/community college interns–they’re more serious because they are getting credits (paying for the credit hours) and value your expertise and deadlines. Also, I do *not* release “good grades” just for their interest in interning…they actually have to produce work!
5. Tap into established Virtual Assitant’s ezine/subscriber’s list, and publicize anywhere and everywhere: such as your blog. Post internship opportunity for you, your blog, find eager followers, willing, able and eager to learn and or barter with you. Offer free publicity and giving credit to their work if you have a high-traffic blog, etc.

Interested in learning How to become a VA course, click here for a FREE eCourse

Virtual Assistant Internship/Barter posting samples are pasted below:

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This one post approved my the Communications Director whom I offer the internship to last year at UT (Univ. of Toledo).Professional Experience Class Opportunity (2-6 hours/week)Options: Communication Internship (COMM 4940) and/or Field Study (COMM 4930)Starting date: As soon as possible. Dated March 23, 2006.Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Graphic Design & Web Development

• Public Relations (press releases, article submission, etc.)
• Marketing/PR (direct mail, email, flyers, networking campaign, etc.)
• Platform/Portfolio Development & Diversification
• Writer/Editor for Newsletter/E-zine/Blog
• Community Service
• Promotion/Member-Subscriber Development
• Sponsorship/Ad Development & Placement
• Event Planning & Public Presentations
• News Reporting & Interpretation
• Leadership Development (interpersonal, cultural, nonverbal communication skills)
• Basic administrative assistance (typing, type-setting, etc.)Multiple projects incorporate numerous University of Toledo, Communication Department core and elective courses, such as
• Public Relation Practices
• Media Management
• Information Gathering and Reporting Methods
• Electronic Media Research
• News Writing
• Reporting Methods
• Editing & Graphics
• Feature Writing
• Oral Interpretation of Literature
• Persuasion Theory
• Interpersonal Communications
• Nonverbal Communications
• Media Performance
• Speech & Publicity writing
• Gender, Culture & Communication

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Here’s a sample ad I ran at the local university, and in our local homeschool newsletter:

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High School/College Internship

I have a home-based business and am seeking high school or college students to help. In return for their work, college or community college students can potentially earn school credit. In the past UT approved my experiences for a couple of internship and practicum credit programs. This is also an opportunity for homeschooled students to build their resumes and prepare for future PR, Marketing, Development, and Communications classes. I’m a best-selling author and international-renowned columnist in various women’s websites, newsletters, and blogs.

Top projects include:

1. Platform Development: E-Book processing which includes but not limited to: research, transcription, type-setting, editing, formating, cover design, and product launch.

Participate in the development Toledo women entrepreneurs analogy book.

2. Public Relations/Marketing: article submission, blog optimization, writing & editting press releases, joint venture partnering, radio show publicist.

3. Web development and Search Engine Optimization: graphic design, blog customization and installation, ezine, ecourse, sales page, etc.

4. Query editors for my syndicated column, manage, organize and send-out weekly articles, research, ghostwrite and report news findings.

Most, if not all, can be conducted via email.

I have the list of all UT classes that my experience will prepare students for if you’re interested.

I have one college intern on spring break this week, transcribing my entire ebook from notes!

Remember, its mid-semester, but I enticed her to enroll in summer class for internship and for 6 weeks, I’ll have her dedicated for 8-12 hours each week. Sweet deal, eh?

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2. I bartered with my girl-friend who types Much faster than I. I babysat her 2 boys for 3 hours, and she transcribed my Special e-report, that’s my freebie gift for ezine subscribers.

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3. Where I got VAs-in-training. I have someone just working on article submissions and another on research, to help build some pages for my website.

At your beloved blogjolt.

Here’s my call to action:

I need a VA-intern ASAP [An unusal post]
Posted by: “Ponn M. Sabra” ponnmsabra
Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:39 am (PST)
Hi fellow Bloggers!

Things are moving extremely fast since I came back online last month, and I need your help!

I am in desparate need of one more intern to start immediately. Virtual Assistants are needed everywhere, online, and a great job to get started when you come online.

Here’s a tiny review:
http://empowerwomen now.blogspot. com/2007/ 01/15-top- 5-jobs-in- demand-for- 2007.html

Anyways, I hired the co-author Jennifer Huock to revamp my website, blog, and do extensive SEO, internet marketing for me.

Therefore, the intern would work side-by-side in learning how to jumpstart her VA business.

For the right person, this position should turn into a paid position within 2-4 months.

My immediate needs are:
- article distribution submission
- enroll my new blog in blog directories
- transcription of my (info-products) articles, reports & ebook via voice message, or faxed notes
- solicit podcast and internet talk radio interviews [Or at least manage my schedule, I have one scheduled a week for the next 6 weeks already, and I am not actively seeking interviews yet]
- SEO my blog posts, make all links “target=_blank” , put in Technorati Tags (I see a huge difference wen I put them and don’t put them).
- Post up my articles and ezines with affiliate links to my website.
- Conduct research, etc.

Please email me immediately…

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Posted on May 10th, 2007 by Ponn Sabra
Filed under: Blogging, Internet Marketing, Online Networking