Pricing
The first pricing advice I was ever given as a new VA was to charge less because I was new. I ignored it, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. There was plenty of demand at my rate, and being cheap would only have attracted clients who did not value the work. Here is how to think about pricing properly, without the guesswork.
Clients pay you for the time and stress you take off them, not for a certificate or a number of years. If you undercharge, you burn out faster, you start to resent the work, and you attract people who treat your time as disposable. Price for the value you take off someone's plate, not for how long you have been doing it.
Hourly is simple to start with, but your income is unpredictable and you are quietly penalised for being efficient. Packages, where you offer a set number of hours or a defined scope each month, give you steadier income and give the client clarity. Retainers, where a client books a chunk of your time every month, are the goal for most VAs because they make your income predictable and your relationships deeper. Plenty of VAs start hourly and move towards packages and retainers as they grow.
Decide the monthly income you would like to earn. Work out how many hours a week you can realistically work. Set a rate that gets you there, then sense check it against what VAs in your region actually charge. Do not guess low. Look it up. Rates vary widely by country, niche and experience, so research beats assumption every time.
Your first rate is not your forever rate. As you get faster, more skilled and more in demand, your prices should rise with you. Build rate reviews in, give clients notice, and hold your nerve. The clients who value you will stay.
Inside the course I take you through pricing, packaging and rate rises in detail, with the templates to do it properly.
The VA Office Academy