“How can I create another stream of passive income while working as a virtual assistant?”
Few virtual assistants even know to ask this question.
They don’t realize you can make extra $$ (and sometimes a LOT) from passive income as a virtual assistant just by referring products and software you use to run your business.
It took me years to figure out what I’m about to tell you in one email.
I could have been making affiliate income as soon as I launched my virtual assistant business but I didn’t know how to structure my services correctly.
When virtual assistants start their business they (usually) have no clients, no testimonials and no clear direction on how to get either.
Clients want to see projects you’ve worked on and testimonials for social proof.
As a new virtual assistant, you don’t have either.
Enter your FREE OFFER.
If someone would have told me to create this when I first started my business, I could have scaled and grown at a faster pace.
Your free offer is a single project you do for a business owner for free in exchange for them doing both of these two things:
- Purchasing specific software/program using your affiliate link
- Give you a powerful testimonial
Why would you want to offer a free service in return for signing up to software using your affiliate link?
When someone purchases, for example, an email marketing software using your unique affiliate link, you get a commission.
This commission is either a one-time payment or a recurring monthly payment. As long as that person remains a customer, you will receive a monthly commission.
This free offer isn’t free after all because you’re getting paid, just not from the client.
The company you’re promoting is paying you.
Your free offer needs to match the income potential for the service.
If the most you make from one sale is $50, match the service you offer with that value. Don’t offer more value than the value of the sale.
You don’t want to design someone’s entire website because they purchased software with your link and every month you get $8.90. That’s not a favorable exchange for you.
Offer something specific that takes about an hour, maybe two.
Here are some examples:
ConvertKit account setup
This requires setting up a new form, new sequence, new automation, new tags and perhaps a custom email template for the business owner. The income potential for this is at the very least $106.8 for the year (broken up into 12-month payments)
WordPress website Installation Installing a new WordPress theme on a host and installation of the most widely used plugins.
The income potential here is usually a $40-50 dollar one-time payment)
Quickbooks accounting software setup
They offer a one-time payment in the form of an Amazon gift card for $30.
There are affiliate programs for nearly everything so as a requirement of doing the above-mentioned work, you sign up the person with YOUR affiliate link and they purchase software they need = you make $.
VAs have the ability to earn a sizeable monthly commission on products and services that you already use and recommend to your clients.
You can even make affiliate commissions on products you don’t use (although it’s much easier to sell products you can put your full recommendation behind).
If you’re using software to run your virtual assistant business make sure you’re signed up as an affiliate for that software so you can offer it as a service to clients.
Don’t think there’s anything you’re using that makes sense to offer to prospects and clients?
Here’s the software I use and also promote via my affiliate link:
Zoom for hosting video conferencing and webinars.
GSuite from Google. Yep, they have an affiliate program!
Clickfunnels for landing page and sales funnel creation. Awesome 40% monthly commissions!
ConvertKit for email marketing. Another awesome 40% monthly recurring commissions.
SiteGround for WordPress hosting. This is a big seller with VAs.
Dubsado for customer relationship management and invoicing. If your clients work with clients, they need a CRM. Be there to recommend one.
Astra Theme for WordPress.
Elementor – WP page builder to make beautiful websites quickly that look like you paid thousands.
As you’ll start seeing over the coming months, virtual assistants are tasked with researching software solutions all the time by their clients.
Not too long ago a client was interested in signing up for expense reporting and tracking software so I researched software and when we were ready to purchase, I inquired about an affiliate program to sign up to.
Unfortunately, in this case, there was no program but I always check. One sale could mean a reoccurring monthly commission of up to 40%. That money adds up.
If your client will buy software anyway, doesn’t it make perfect sense for them to buy the product from YOUR affiliate link so you make the commission?
When you do enough of these free offers you’re not only receiving affiliate commissions, you’re also asking for a testimonial.
Here’s the questionnaire I send each client I work with when our project is complete. Use it and send it out to collect powerful testimonials for your business and showcase those testimonials all over your website!
In the VA Lifeline we cover how you can get ideal clients even if you don’t have testimonials or previous work experience as a virtual assistant.
Using my method will ensure you work on the projects that you love the most.
If you’re interested in learning how I make passive income month after month in affiliate commissions, my exclusive course Affiliate Marketing for Virtual Assistants is included as a bonus in the VA Lifeline, my flagship course that is about to hit the digital shelves!
