When starting your venture as an independent virtual assistant, one of the first things you might find challenging is dealing with a prospective client. It's common to ask yourself; what is the right thing to do when a new client is interested in my services?, or how can I gather the information I need to prepare a strong business proposal?. While many people will tell you a discovery call is the first step when onboarding clients, we're here to talk about a perhaps more essential first step; a virtual assistant intake form.
Sending out a client intake form before scheduling a discovery call will not only help you gather basic information such as client name and contact details. It will also help you save time by filtering out those prospects who may not be the right fit or cannot afford your services. So, if you want to create your own intake form, here are some questions you can include to make sure you gather all the information you need.
Note: Bonsai is the ultimate all-in-one product suite your virtual assistant business will ever need! From client onboarding to billing and tax preparation, we help you save time so you can focus on your passion, not your paperwork. Try a 14-day free trial today.
Questions to Ask a Potential Client on Your Intake Form
A well-written client intake form should allow you to learn more about your prospects, their business and the specific type of assistance they need. Aside from gathering their name and contact information, make sure you include these questions (or some version of them) to dig deeper.
- Have you ever worked with a virtual assistant?
- Why did you especially contact me?
- Please describe your expectations and any past experiences when working with a virtual assistant.
- Please provide a brief description of your company.
- How long has your company been in business?
- What are the long- and short-term objectives of your company?
- What software, tools, or internet resources do you utilize for your business? (include social media tools, programs for sharing documents, website hosts, email newsletter service, etc...)
- What kinds of services are you looking for? (administrative support, content or product training, data entry, project support, etc...)
- What are your company's needs?
- What specific tasks do you need help with?
- What is your estimated budget for the services needed? (Project-based, or monthly)
Once your first client sends back the questionnaire, take some time to review the answers, learn about their organization (look it up on LinkedIn, business website, Facebook, etc...), and confirm any final details before your discovery call. Make sure to write down some follow-up questions in case some information is not clear or you need to know more in order to determine whether you're a good fit or not.
If you need help creating your intake form, here's an excellent tool that is sure to help you out.
Create The Perfect Online Intake Form With Bonsai
Bonsai offers virtual assistants running their own business a wide variety of custom forms including client intake, quotes, off-boarding surveys and more. Our forms feature fully-customizable fields so every document can be tailored to fit your business and client's needs. This allows you to standardize your processes and provide a more personalized experience when it's time to onboard clients.
But that's not all. There are many other ways in which Bonsai can help you build a successful business. Here are some great features of this all-in-one administrative solution:
Manage Your Agenda and Track Your Time
From scheduling discovery calls to tracking your work time, Bonsai's project management software allows you to stay on top of every task and every meeting. You can also automate many tasks including sending a welcome email, meeting reminders, and confirmation of availability ahead of time. With integrated time trackers, timesheets and communication channels, this is a must-have tool for every solo professional.
Send Professional Business Proposals & Contracts
If your prospective client is the right fit for you, get the job with a bulletproof virtual assistant proposal and contract. All of our templates are super easy to use (and legally-vetted) allowing you to remove irrelevant sections, personalize details, add your brand colors and logo as well as calculate fees with just a few clicks. Additionally, you will get notifications when your clients receive and accept the proposal or contract, incorporating legally-binding digital signatures to streamline all formalities.
Get Paid For Your Services
Use Bonsai's invoicing software to accurately and professionally bill for your virtual assistant services. Our time tracking features will automatically generate timesheets so you can easily bill for your worked hours, and you can include multiple payment methods on your digital invoices. This means you'll get your money faster and easier. Plus, you can apply for a dedicated bank account and keep all of your business finances in the same place.
Do Your Taxes Like A Pro
Last but not least, Bonsai Tax will keep track of your income and expenses in order to estimate profit, annual and quarterly taxes. With its useful insights, you can make adjustments as you go to guarantee revenue at the end of the year. Our software will also identify potential tax deductions to save you time and money during tax time.
What are you waiting for? Sign up for a free 14-day free trial and discover how Bonsai will take your virtual assistant business to the next level!
