There is a glamorous side to running your virtual assistant business that includes being creative, working from cozy spaces, being your own boss, working flexible hours - the list goes on and on. And then there is the not so fabulous side that includes stuff like managing finances, chasing down invoice payments and writing contracts. All of these things are equally important to keeping your VA biz running smoothly. But if the legal stuff really isn't your thing, don't worry! It really doesn't have to be! There are several online tools available online to help you with the bookkeeping side of your company, so you can focus on the wonderful client work you're doing! Here are a few tools you can use to make your contract and proposal systems simpler, faster, and more effective:
Bonsai - Hate chasing down late payments? This statistic might get your attention. According to their website: "Freelancers get paid an average of 13 days faster,and have 3x fewer late payments with Bonsai." We're in! Bonsai allows you to create, send and track invoices, as well as gather e-signed contracts, all on one software. But the thing we like most about Bonsai - it's FREE! Awesome right? They do have options for paid plans if you want to get into accepting payments through the site, which is also a great feature worth exploring. Learn more about Bonsai here.
Proposify - This proposal writing tool promises to save you at least 2 hours off every proposal you normally create. The software has pre-written different types of proposal templates that they say can even help you convert your clients. You can import whichever templates you choose into your account, customize them with your own branding and information, and voila, you have a professional proposal written and ready to send to your prospective clients. Pricing starts at $25 a month, but they also have a 30 day free trial that you can sign up for here.
Docracy - Docracy is an open source collection of contracts that include several different industry/professional focuses. There are entire collections for freelancers and small businesses alone. You can use the templates as a starting point and edit them to fit your needs. But one of the best features of this tool is that it allows you to send and receive digital signatures (no more forgetting or dealing with annoying attachments!) The only downside to Docracy is that the contracts are open source, so they can be shared by anyone - meaning you may want to have someone in the legal field review them before using them for your business.
Do you have a great tip for creating business documents or a go-to template site? Share them with us in the comments below!
- Always Try To Be The Best Version Of Yourself - October 29, 2020
- 3 Nifty Apps To Save You Precious Time - October 20, 2020
- Look For Clients Who Respect The Work You Do - October 13, 2020
Great post Katie. You’ve clearly differentiated how a great VA can fully support their clients. Here’s to more entrepreneurs understanding what an asset it is to work with a skilled professional like you!