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Thanks Sibin Nair for this questionMuthoot Finance has announced the closure of about 300 of it's branches in Kerala. Would you say trade unionism culture is really letting Kerala down since we have beem really struggling in creating jobs locally?Well, its a fact Muthoot Finance, one of the leading NBFC in Kerala is closing many of its branches in Kerala. The official reason cited is continuing protests by its employees affiliated to CITU for last 15 days.This has sparked a wave of Anti-Union posts on social media primarily due to the usual critical ones against Left parties for spoiling Kerala’s industrial growth. This question in Quora represents that ideology part.I wish to make a detailed understanding of context of both sides in detail. I am in the privy of some information related to Muthoot’s HR data but I don’t intend to disclose here as it isn’t in the public domain so far. So only quoting those in the public domain.Background of the companyMuthoot Finance (Red) is one of Kerala’s oldest NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) founded in 1887. At the time of the founding, it was involved in general trade mainly related to rice and pulses. The founder- Ninani Mathai was primarily a wholesaler in the town of Kozhencherry in Kingdom of Travancore.The nearby Kochi Kingdom’s finances was heavily based on Chits model and the government itself pioneered the concept of Chit funds as one of the official public saving models for the state since the 1850s. This has influenced many Christian families of Travancore to replicate the same business model in Travancore. Ninani Mathai founded Muthoot Chits in 1887 in an informal way as a way to increase public savings and increase a strong cash flow his trade activities.When his son- George Muthoot returned back after a stint in Army service, they formalized the chits funds into a company model, thus one of the first formal corporate Chit fund in 1925. They pioneered the concept of NBFC in Travancore or probably in South India as untill then chits and similar things were mostly done in an informal manner. Muthoot Chits slowly became Muthoot Finance in the year 1939 by diversifying into Gold chits as well as Gold loans.Why 1939? In the 1920s, Travancore was rapidly growing in the Banking sector and more than 50 banks rose into prominence, fuelling the economy, mostly started by the Christian community with heavy royal patronage of Regent Queen- H.H Sethu Lakshmi Bai. However, the power politics in the Palace led to frequent changes in monetary policies and lead to the collapse of many leading banks in Travancore since the 1930s. This lead to a huge financial crunch in the economy. Though this was a very challenging environment, for Muthoot, they saw a huge opportunity by initiating the concept of Gold Loan. Most of the middle-class Malayalees do have gold in their homes as Malayalees are heavily attached to the yellow metal. In times of distress, its often used to meet the ends. Untill 1939, most of the gold loans were handled by local goldsmiths and scrupulous moneylenders. There was no surety about the gold and its safety. Muthoot offered a secured-safe environment for those who want to pledge/mortgage gold which was its key selling point and was first among to offer such quality service.That business clicked and there was no looking back for Muthoot. Today Muthoot finance is India’s largest Gold Loan based NBFC and one of India’s super brand in NBFC sector. Muthoot Finance’s key business is Gold Loans and as per many estimates, its the world’s largest Gold loan focused NBFC with a revenue of more than Rs 30,000 crore (USD 5 Billion). Muthoot Finance holds more than 150 Tonnes of Gold in its kitty.Infact Kerala’s 3 brands (Muthoot-Red, Muthoot Blue and Manapuram) hold more than 47% of India’s Gold loan NBFC business and these companies hold Gold reserves more than the sovereign gold reserves of Australia, Sweden or Singapore. So essentially the bread and butter of these companies is Gold mortgages made by common manThe company rapidly grew in a period of time. Especially in 1970s when Gulf migration started and banks were nationalized in India. Most of the ordinary men who were scouting for a chance to migrate used to pledge/mortgage their family’s little gold at these NBFCs to raise money to obtain visas. As banks were nationalized, most of them became too bureaucratic and very hard for people in lower strata and middle class to secure small personal loans. Thus people had to depend on NBFCs like Muthoot despite of their higher interest rates and the shorter repayment period. The subsequent Gulf boom fuelled a huge growth of these kinds of NBFCs as everyone regularly needs money for various consumerist activities and gold loans became the easiest option. The gulf money fuelled more consumption of Gold and with more accumulated gold wealth, they convert themselves as an easy way to obtain short term loans. That time, to get a personal loan from a bank was almost getting a US Visa of today. So everyone went with these kinds of NBFCs.This pushed a rapid scale of expansion of Muthoot in 80s-90s. The Muthoot family got divided into three business groups and all these three were into these Gold loan business. However, the Red Muthoot became the largest and widespread operations. In a time frame of 20 years, they opened more than 900 branches just in Kerala which shows the scale of operations Muthoot had untill 2000s. Thousands or ten thousands of employees were recruited across various branches and Muthoot almost reached to its zenith.So whats exactly is the problemThe problem here is a very large section of its employees of Muthoot, especially in Mid and lower levels are heavily underpaid.Muthoot, like any Indian NBFC, doesn’t offer even a decent pay to its employees. Practically they don’t bother much on employee welfare or growth etc. Most of its employees are just meant to work for a few years and leave the organization. But even those who have decades of service are never paid according to their experience. And the company has no clear cut HR policies like Promotion policy, appraisal system, training development etc.But that was very much okay when it was operating as a pure single proprietorship entity in past. Muthoot over years became a corporate giant. And in 2008, it got listed in BSE and one of the forerunners among financial companies of India.But this change from a single proprietor entity to a listed company hasn’t been seen in its HR policies. That still remains old fashioned. The last pay revision came almost 15 years backSalary Slip of a Service Assistant (a term used for Customer relationship executive in Muthoot Finance). This person was working for 13 years in the company, yet his pay including all benefits is just 11,000 Rs, far below the official Minimum wage rate fixed by Kerala Govt. A labourer in street earns more than 700 Rs per day, but a white-collar executive earning less than 370 Rs per day.A news report that came recently how the majority of Muthoot employees in Kerala earns very low salaries… There are people who have 27 years work experience in Muthoot, earning just 17K (before all deductions).A Malayalam documentary how Muthoot Employees forced to strike with very low salary and how the employment conditions affected themThis poor pay structure has to lead many senior-long serving employees to feel frustrated. So as part of pushing a collective bargaining system, these employees formed a Union (Muthoot Finance Employees Union) affiliated to CITU to seek collective action.But that hasn’t gone well with Muthoot Management and repulsive action came against those people who formed a union. Last 2 years, they been into active talks with Management to resolve the issues, but nothing much seems to happen. Though they formed HR restructuring plans, it's yet to be implemented.This lead to the strike for the last 2 weeks.Why Muthoot is not implementing any HR restructuring plans?Two simple reasonsIts top management is still ruled by Muthoot family who still runs as an old-styled family enterprise rather than a corporate company with clear cut HR concepts or employee development etc.The biggest reason specific to Kerala- Muthoot sees no future in Kerala operations as it's the market share and revenue share is declining in Kerala Market. Why so?Rapid Growth of Banking activities in KeralaUnlike the growth in the 1990s, things came to a rapid halt since the 2000s. It was a period of increase in Private banks culture with the rise of ICICI, Axis Bank, Yes Bank, Kotak etc at the national level. At Kerala level, many coop banks became modernized and started aggressive expansion operations. This period also saw an extraordinary expansion of nationalized and private banks in Kerala.Kerala’s traditional banking majors- The Federal Bank, CSB, South Indian Bank and Dhanlaxmi also revamped its operations aggressively. For example, Federal Bank was literally on an expansion drive and by now, its one among top 10 Banks of India. South Indian Bank which was once so limited and conservative traditional bank, all of the sudden became a new-gen bank with massive Pan Kerala/South India expansion. So as CSB and Dhanlaxmi.In last 19 years, Kerala achieved an extraordinary banking penetration. Infact Kerala is India’s most banked state with a branch in every remote corner of the state. Its also India’s first Financial literate state nd the first state in India to achieve 91% financial inclusion rate and reaching 100% soon.Now this is the real threat which Muthoot facingUntill 2000s, most of the common man used to depend on Muthoot or similar NBFCs for personal loans. A common man who is in dire needs to pay hospital bills may think of pledging their golden chain or bangle in Muthoot for few days to get a loan. These NBFCs used to provide loan within 24 hours, unlike banks which used to take more than 3–5 working days.But with rapid changes in the banking sector, most of the Banks aggressively ventured into Gold loans. If anyone walks around any bank in Kerala, they always notice huge banners and posters highlighting Quick Gold Loan. Almost all banks have trained their employees in checking the quality of gold and issuing a personal loan. As opening a bank account became so quick these days (unlike huge formalities of 1990s), gold loans from banks became instant.A branch of CSB Bank where one can see the ads of Quick Gold loans highlighted prominently.Federal Bank offers many innovative schemes for faster Gold loans systemsAnd it's damn cheap too. Banks offer gold loans for 10–11% per annum contrary to Muthoot’s 12–26% per month/tenure basis. And the repayment flexibility is very high for banks. They offer upto 1 year and even extendable unlike Muthoot’s shorter period with heavy penalties.In short, most of these NBFCs in Kerala acquired a popular nickname- Blade Companies, due to their higher interest/processing rates which actually slices the financial capacity of people who got loans.This new option of faster, easier and cheaper gold loans thro’ banks and coops pushed Muthoot and similar NBFCs to lose its sheenRise of Competitive NBFCMuthoot Finance is also threatened by rise of many Gold Loan NBFC brands across Kerala. These entities which were once family enterprise also rose to prominence in the last 2 decades following Muthoot’s footsteps. Entities like Kosamattam, KLM Axiva and many such entities are widely expanding across Kerala and these have resulted in heavy competition and eating much of Muthoot’s traditional shareMany of other popular Gold Loan NBFC who are aggressively promoting themselves which has reduced Muthoot’s market base in KeralaRise of new quick finance options.Muthoot Gold loans lost its sheen in the last 2 decades primarily because of the rise of alternate quick loans concept. Be it in the form of credit cards, private personal loans, EMI oriented at-store purchase options like Bajaj Finance etc. This has reduced the demand for Gold Loans as gold is primarily an emotional asset and in most of the families, they prefer to save gold from the mortgage, if other options are available.Loss of other business streamsMuthoot Finance in last one decade tried to reduce the loss of revenue thro’ diversifying into other options like white label ATMs (Private ATMs), money transfer, foreign exchange, housing finance and similar.But none of these pushed their revenue in Kerala primarily because these options are plenty in the state. So essentially it didn’t work out much in favour of Muthoot’s new business options.All these factors reduced Muthoot’s Kerala profitability. The business of Muthoot sharply fell from 10% to 4% in the last 9 years. Remember in the 1990s, Kerala market contributed more than 60%+ for Muthoot group.So as Muthoot sharply expanded its base outside Kerala which has more opportunities today. For example, Muthoot is aggressively focused in NCR belt as much of the rural areas of UP/Haryana area have no much banking access. It's one key reason Muthoot now aggressively uses Amitab Bachan as its brand ambassador and sponsor Delhi based teams in various matches to make a strong connect locally.So as they are aggressively expanding in other markets of South particularly TN, Telangana, AP, Karnataka etc, especially the rural areas where banking penetration is low.Muthoot Finance’s new brand Ambassador- Amithab Bachan with aggressive Hindi ads and Hindi taglines focus the major shift of Muthoot Finance to focus primarily in North Indian markets, particularly the rural belt.Muthoot was the brand sponsor for IPL Delhi Daredevils untill recentlyMuthoot became title sponsors for IPL Chennai Super Kings primarily because of its fan base across South and Central India. Having a person like Dhoni as a brand ambassador helps to expand the brand so widely across India even in rural side.So as they became the title sponsors for Indian Kabbadi League because Kabbadi League was more watched in the rural side than urban areas.Coming to the current crisis in Kerala, I don’t think Muthoot is closing down its business because of trade union problems.Infact Muthoot has trade union only for last 2 years and not any major strike or lockouts. It's now only such a thing happened because of the extreme frustration of its employees.Muthoot Management seems to be playing well for an honourable exit from Kerala. They cannot simply close down the business or reduce business in Kerala overnight as it will affect their ratings as well as their share values in the stock exchange. That would send very wrong signals to the investors.It seems to me, they are using a traditional double game approach as done by textile mill owners to shift a factory by pushing existing employees to strike and appoint new employees who demand right to work, so as to create a clash environment and using that opportunity to project as unsustainable atmosphere for business conduct. This would save them from an image of exiting business due to lack of profitability.It's so evident that Muthoot representatives are refusing any sort of talks with the agitating unions or district labour officials. It's so unrealistic to say nearly 300 offices getting closed down just because of a 15-day strike.Its so suprising, Muthoot even refused to attend a meeting called by Kerala High Court’s Arbitration Council. When the employees did a strike in 2018 Dec, Muthoot group went to court to seek legal means to declare the strike illegal, which the court didn’t oblige. Instead, they referred to Arbitration Council to resolve the crisis and they called a meeting twice which Muthoot refused to participate. So as even a meeting called by State Labour Minister last day was ignored by the management and the meeting postponed to another date in the near future. And the crisis is still going on as no kind of legal deliberations happening between Management and striking employees.Muthoot protest: Truce meeting called by Minister fails as management fails to show upWhy scores of employees of Muthoot Finance in Kerala have risen in protestWhere Employees went wrong?I feel, there is a mistake from the side of employees too. While I don’t condemn their right to strike and their right for collective bargaining, they did a major mistake by forming a union affiliated to a political trade union. Political trade unions work better in organized sector and in the government sector. In a private establishment where the employment engagement is primarily based on hire-fire mode with no permanent job security system, a political oriented trade union makes little effective.The more grave situation is politicization of employees concerns.While employees have a serious set of concerns and issues which they need to get redressed thro’ collective action, by associating with CITU, they almost got a political color. The opponents of CPM in Kerala have heavily used this incident to attack the government and the party to project it as Anti-Industrial etc. If we look social media pages, most of the right-wingers in Kerala are highlighting this matter to such a large extent to taint their political rivals - the left party (which is natural in politics) In short, the topic is now discussed more as an ANTI-LEFT POLITICS rhetorics than a serious HR issue faced by its employees.Screenshots of a fake video (an old dated video) that became viral yesterday heavily circulated and propagated by RSS/BJP leaders. The video shows 2–3 men entering into a branch and dragging a lady in the counter, which was shown as an event happened yesterday in a Muthoot branch by CITU leaders to shut down the office.Even former DGP of Kerala (who recently joined BJP) along with many others were prominent in sharing the fake video to discredit their political opponents. The video and post was removed once they realized it was fake. But it made its purpose as it widely reached many who many not aware, it was a fake video. This kind of politically oriented propaganda has hijacked the professional crisis of its employeesAnother problem is that, once the strike came under CITU’s banners, many party workers got into the strike who are unrelated to the issue. We can see many local CITU leaders who have no direct connection with employees in the agitation. What's more irritating is to see CITU’s headload workers (mostly goons) trying to give a sort of protection to the striking employees? How come Headload workers involved in an agitation associated with NBFC Employees?Headload workers getting involved in a strike associated with a strike of white collar workersAnother problem is that, a lot of petty leaders of CITU got involved in this crisis. They are power-arrogant and works in typical strike pattern as done with government bodies. If you are doing a dharna in a govt office, its very likely you block entry of those who are ready to work and sometimes scuffles etc may happen which public doesn’t care at all. After all, its been a pattern for a long time. But doing the same pattern in a private office gives very WRONG SIGNALS to private investors. If one has to strike in a private enterprise, it needs more creative ways, unlike the 60s-70s style pattern. By doing so, CITU has alienated many middle-class working professionals in supporting the just cause of the employees.Coupled with strong propaganda unleashed by Right-wingers, most of the common middle-class people do think this strike is WRONG without seeing the plight of the employees. So essentially the employees need to be blamed as they literarily gave politics to hijack their professional crisis.Thirdly, I think there should be an understanding of working mode of private enterprises. Employment pattern in Private enterprises cannot be driven in old-styled public employment concepts. Yes, the staff of Muthoot are highly underpaid much like many other NBFCs. But it is something known to all. No one believes Muthoot will pay like State Bank of India or Tata Capital etc. So the primary purpose of employment in companies like Muthoot should be building experience and identify newer avenues of growth, rather believing in old styled employment concept of sticking to one company untill retirement. Its where many senior employees lost the plot. They continued working with Muthoot for years for a pittance and never scouted for opportunities elsewhere (or probably never got so).So essentially doing an old-fashioned lock-down strike only ruined their image as Muthoot who were intending to reduce Kerala operations, got valid excuse at expenses of this strike. In short this strike helped Muthoot Finance more than its employees.Anyways, Muthoot’s reduced operations have not much to do with this strike, but essentially they got a perfect valid cover-up/justification in name of so and thereby created a bad name for Kerala…

75 Ideas for Businesses You Can Launch for Cheap or FreeIt takes courage and dedication to start your own business, but not much cash.NEXT ARTICLE20 Business Ideas for Stay-at-Home ParentsNext ArticleBusiness Ideas You Can Do Cheaply Or For FreeIt takes courage and dedication to start your own business, but not much cash.hMurray Newlands•VIP ContributorToday, many people today are looking to leave the daily grind for something that feeds their passion. People do not want to retire at the age of 60 (or older) to look back on life and feel they have wasted it.Luckily, it is now increasingly easy to start a business from scratch without spending a fortune. Below, I've highlighted 75 varied business ideas you can start cheaply from the comforts of your own home. Some of the business ideas listed require nothing more than an internet connection, while others demand a level of licensing or a specific set of vocational skills...the choice is yours!1. Making ChatbotsI am quoted on Entrepreneur - Start, run and grow your business. as "ChatBot expert Murray Newlands commented that "Where 10 years ago every company needed a website and five years ago every company needed an app, now every company needs to embrace messaging with AI and chatbots." That brings opportunity and jobs. You can learn to make them for free without coding for companies.Chatbots are in and it has reached the point where every business needs one. Chatbots have become a huge opportunity for companies to engage with their customers, gather data, and improve their marketing and customer care efforts. You can start your own chatbot creation business easily and quickly without needing to code. I created the free to use tool Chattypeople.combut there are lots of others out there. All you need to do is:Read about bots and their functionsCreate an accountLearn about the company who needs a chatbotCreate their bot throughLaunch it through Facebook MessengerNo coding or long courses neededThe platform is great, as it:Works with Facebook Messenger and commentsCan push promotions to customers on demandRecognizes variations on trigger wordsCan process orders from FacebookIntegrates with all main payment processing platforms2. Bookkeeping ServicesAre you great with numbers and want to work from the comforts of home? To become a freelance bookkeeper, you do not need to be a Certified Public Accountant, but you do need to be good with numbers. There are lots of free to use online invoicing tools such as Sighted.com and online payments tools like Due.com. Some services you could offer include:Creating balance sheetsProviding income statementsCreating various monthly, quarterly, or annual financial reportsRelated: Looking for a New Payment Company? You're 'Due' for Some Good News.3. Personal or Virtual AssistantAlthough personal and virtual assistant jobs do not sound glamorous, they do pay well. If you have already held this job in an office, you will find the digital version allows for a lot more freedom. Use services like Upwork.com to find clients. You can choose:Your clientsYour hoursYour hourly, daily, or monthly pay rate4. Marketing ServicesMarketing does involve a certain level of background knowledge. That said, if you are not experienced, investing in an online course is not only cheap but will equip you with the adequate tools to start a solo digital marketing agency you could expand in the future. There are lots of new marketing fields opening up such as influencer marketing.Companies are always looking for freelancers able to provide marketing copy that is SEO-friendly and can transform website visitors into leads and, eventually, customers. In addition to offering optimized copy, you could offer to upload the content to their websites and improve their SEO further with:Meta descriptionsThe right titlesThe correct keyword densityTags and categoriesRelevant images with SEO captions and alt tags5. Social Media ConsultantWho doesn’t love Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? Fancy yourself to be a bit of whiz but don’t have any formal training? Twitter and Google, among other platforms, offer complete professional courses with recognized certifications that require little to no money. Social media is also a business that has unlimited potential with a client base that can span across the world. This trend is unlikely to die soon, if ever, and new platforms are being released every year, making the possibilities for expansion limitless. You can use social media management tools to make your job easy.6. 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Daily tasks include:Acting as an account manager on dating sitesWriting profilesOffering telephone updates on their matchmaking status10. Ebay Assistant or SellerAn Ebay assistant or seller is similar to being a marketing affiliate. The key difference is that instead of marketing the product, you are selling it directly to the customer. When selling for others on Ebay or any other platform, you will sell the product and keep a commission as compensation.Unfortunately, this type of job comes with risks. Commonly, scam artists attract Ebay sellers and use fake shipping papers to convince them to send payments. Unfortunately, even if you are scammed, you will be held responsible for your customers not receiving their items. Always remember to:Get to know the distributorKeep all payments in your e-wallet until the customer confirms having received the parcelReport any suspicious activityDo not share any of your banking details11. 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You can either:Create an electronic copy that your client can customizeKeep a copy on file and continue customizing it according to their needsCreate various templates that you can show your customers and how you can customize the templates for them accordingly17. Tax ConsultantCompanies big and small pay good money to have their taxes prepared for them. It gives them a chance to focus on the everyday operations of their business. If you have the appropriate experience, you could set yourself up as a freelancer; however, by starting with a tax preparation franchise, you will receive courses, seminars, and training.18. Blogger or VloggerAre you an expert in a specific field? From travel, fashion, cooking, to DIY, and removal services, if you know how to do something particularly well, why not tell the world through a blog or vlog? All you will need is a computer and a good quality camera. You can make money by offering advertising space and reviews of products on your platform.19. 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Aside from the lack of huge monetary investment and time commitment, the marketing opportunities online are endless. Also, although a storefront is great for branding purposes, it does limit the size and scope of your audience. By setting yourself up with an e-commerce store, you can:Sell to anyone in the worldHave a store that is open 24/7 (meaning you literally make money in your sleep)Run promotions easily, whenever you wantCross-sell between your marketing and social media platforms and your websiteRun marketing campaigns through Google and other platforms30. Survey TakingAlthough you won't get rich doing surveys online, you may make a steady income if you sign up to multiple sites. These surveys take barely any time at all to complete and can normally net you around $150+. Some of the most popular survey-taking platforms include:MySurveysInboxDollarsGlobal Test MarketEarningStationHarris Poll31. Video ProductionThere are a number of ways you can use videography to create your own home-based business. There are so many people wanting to become YouTube celebrities who don't have the skills to upload high-quality, well-edited videos. Other services you could offer include:Vlog editingCreating music videosVoice-oversAdvertsRelated: 4 Tips for Hiring a Great Video Production Company32. Sustainability ConsultantBusinesses of all sizes are trying to find news ways to do their part for the environment by implementing greener practices. Unfortunately, many of the more eco-friendly options available today are also significantly more expensive, so business owners need someone like you who can advise them on how they can change their process without sacrificing their bottom line.33. Call Center RepresentativeMore companies are looking to hire call center representatives that are willing to work from home on customer care issues. All you need to get started is a computer and a phone line. Aside from the fact that you could earn a good base salary, you will not have any commuting expenses and can save money by cooking your meals at home.34. Direct Sales RepresentativeThe term "door-to-door sales" often puts off people because all they picture is getting doors slammed in their faces on a daily basis. That said, by working for companies such as Avon, Mary Kay, and Tupperware in the right areas, you could host very civilized parties in your home, allowing you to make money while meeting new people.35. Travel PlanningWith all the booking platforms available online today, anyone can book a holiday from the comforts of their home. But with so many different factors to compare, it can be overwhelming. Some of these include:FlightsCar rentalsHotelsRestaurantsToursActivitiesIf you have strong organizational skills and the knack for finding a good bargain, you could offer these services to others who have less time on their hands. Find the deals for your customers and add your surcharge for your services.Related: 11 Strategies for More Efficient Business Travel36. Online Custom TailoringPeople are increasingly conscientious about the way they look and with that comes the need for tailored clothing. One size does not fit all, and businessmen and women, in particular, want to look the part when they go into the office every day. The custom clothing industry is still relatively untapped, so starting a business now will offer you a significant potential for growth in the future. In addition to having their pieces delivered directly to their homes, you can offer customization of:FabricPatternsSizeFittingStitchingLining37. Currency TradingOnline currency trading is easier than ever thanks to the number of tutorial videos, online courses, and applications that offer step-by-step guides to becoming a currency trader. All you need is:Technical skillsFundamental analytical skillsA small amount of cash flowA phone, tablet, or computer38. Telemarketing ServicesMore and more companies are outsourcing their marketing efforts, and telemarketing is one of them. As a freelance telemarketer working from home, you will be setting appointments with customers and creating warm leads for companies. The amount you charge will depend on the size of the company you are working for, and the project they want to allocate you.Related: The How-To: Using Chatbots As A Tool For Customer Service39. Referral ServicesAre you the person that all your friends and family call when they're trying to find a good restaurant, lawyer, carpet fitter, or gardener? If that's the case and you love referring them to all the lovely businesses you know of in your neighborhood, you could start a business doing just that. You'll be able to work with individuals and businesses, helping customers find what they want, and businesses gain more clients. To get started, you will need to:Gather a list of businesses you want on your referral listsSell them the benefits of being on your listPlace ads online and in the Yellow Pages to gain customers40. Event and Project PlanningEvent and project planning can be done remotely, but having a hands-on approach and offering your services in your local area will be more beneficial to you from both a quality control and monetary point of view. You can start this business from the comforts of your home and meet with clients in restaurants, cafes, or at their office or home.Related: How Event Management and Analytics Gave This E-Vite Company a Boost41. Professional PhotographyWhether it is a wedding, family event, or a business' marketing materials, people pay good money for professional photography. Unless you feel the need to sign up for an online course, the only monetary investment you will have to make is for a camera. Establish your daily fee and remember to keep into account your travel expenses.42. TutoringHave you worked as a teacher before? Are you proficient in a second language? Have you studied math, science, or any other subject? If so, you could tutor adults and children, provided you have the right paperwork for child protection reasons. It will cost you very little to get setup and you can offer your services at people's homes.43. Computer TrainerThere are a number of seniors wanting to learn how to use computers and the internet, meaning that if you are proficient in both Mac and PC, you could offer your services in your neighborhood. Be warned, most will not be as passionate about computers as you, so they will only want to learn basics, such as emailing and using an internet browser.44. Property ManagerAs a property manager, you will be responsible for ensuring your clients' properties are running smoothly. You will also be the primary contact for tenants and will be responsible for making sure the properties you manage are safe and well-maintained.45. Home InspectorThis job may sound like it is just a matter of looking around people's homes, but it actually requires a high level of expertise. You will need to learn about the new products that are constantly appearing in the market and stay updated with any changing laws. Networking and building positive relationships with your local real estate agents will give you the best chance of success, as they will recommend your services to others in your area.Related: Need a Business Idea? Here are 5546. Courier ServicesYou may be thinking “that is what the mail room is for”, but in actuality, businesses in busy areas often use local courier services, as they can offer more flexible pickup and drop-off times. Because of the specific services you are offering, you will also be able to charge more.47. Life Coaching or MentoringIf you have a proven track record in a particular field, can prove past success, or have trained in matters of the mind, life coaching or mentorship could be for you. People, especially soon to be entrepreneurs, seek guidance through mentorship and life coaches. You can setup your services from the comforts of your home with no monetary investment.48. Massage TherapistThe licensing to become a massage therapist varies according to the state in which you reside, but if you have a passion for health-related activities, you could take a masseuse course and set up a clinic from the comforts of your home. Once you have completed your course and gained your license, you will have to invest in a massage bed as well as the appropriate oils and massage products.49. Personal TrainerFancy yourself as a bit of a fitness fanatic? Then why not channel that energy into a course where nutrition and the anatomy of the body are also covered? With this, you can train novices from the comforts of your home or through your local gym.Related: This Entrepreneur Lives in the Back Room at a Gym While Building His Business50. Personal ChefAs a personal chef, you will spend your days cooking for people who do not have the time to do so themselves but do have the money to pay someone to do it for them. If you want to stand out from the crowd, offer meal plans that suit various dietary requirements, such as:Gluten-free, lactose-free, or egg-free mealsVegan and vegetarian dishesMeals for those with diseases, such as coeliac51. Cleaning ServicesCleaning services are easy to offer and require no training. You can either:Offer discounted services, provided they have the necessary cleaning products onsiteOffer a more expensive service that includes you bringing your own productsAlso, you can take your business in various directions by targeting different clients. Possibilities include:Cleaning offices or shops in the eveningsCleaning restaurants or people's homes during the dayProviding morning housekeeping services for hotels52. Dog Walker/Trainer/GroomerIn some places, dog walking alone can be a very profitable business. Those working from 9 to 5 either do not have time to walk their dogs before leaving the house or just prefer it if someone comes in to let them out of the house for some exercise. Also, dog walking businesses that offer additional services are becoming increasingly popular. Consider also offering:TrainingGroomingDogsitting53. Packing ServicesIf you have an eye for the little details, a packing service business could be your calling. When someone moves out of their home, they pay for removal services to take their belongings from their old house to their new one. But the process of packing all their belongings into boxes in the first place is extremely time-consuming. Why not offer people your time to do this for them while they are at work or busy running errands?Related: How Technology is Infiltrating the Old-School Shipping Industry54. Laundry ServicesIf you are looking for a way to make money at home without the need to learn new skills, home-based laundry services are easy to offer with the possibility for expansion in the future. The most complex part of the process will be establishing whether or not you need licensing to start this business from your home. This will depend on your location and the size to which you plan to grow your empire. Otherwise, all you need to do is:Keep track of your sales, expenses, taxes, and general bookkeepingEstablish how much you will chargeDecide on how the payment process will take place (e.g., before or after you complete the service; in cash, or via card, bank transfer, etc.)Create a website and other marketing materials to get your name out there55. CaregivingTo become a caregiver, you will have to undergo professional training and acquire various certifications and health and safety diplomas. That said, if you've have cared for a parent, sibling, or friend in the past and feel this is something you want to pursue, it is a business you can set up cheaply. You can not only choose your clients but also your working hours. Daily tasks as a caregiver will vary; however, you will often be expected to:CleanWashDo laundryPrepare mealsTake your patients outdoors for fresh airDo their shoppingPotentially dress and feed them56. Landlord or Bed and BreakfastYou do not have to own a huge building with multiple rooms to start your own bed and breakfast. If you have a nice, clean home with a spare room, why not advertise it? Websites such as Airbnb make it easy for people to rent out the spare rooms in their homes. You can even charge more by offering:Food and beveragesCity toursLocal experiencesHousekeeping servicesBy offering your customers something unique, you will find the experience gratifying and profitable.Related: What 70 Airbnb Stays Can Teach Anyone About Running Any Business57. Personal ConciergeYou are probably thinking that being the concierge to the executive of a big company will be a piece of cake, think twice. Although you will make good money being someone's personal concierge, it is a very challenging job in which you will be expected to deliver what has been asked of you, on time, with a smile. That said, you will normally be paid very handsomely for your services.58. Grocery Delivery ServicesBig supermarkets do offer this service, but delivery prices are often very high or the food is warm or bruised when it arrives at the customer's home. If you own a large car, you could become people's personal shopper. Some people do not have time to run errands after a long day at work and others may not have the physical capacity to do so, so why not do it for them? You could also couple this service with others, such as:Being a conciergeOffering cleaning servicesDaily or weekly dog grooming, walking, and training servicesBeing a caregiver59. Lawn Care and GardeningAlthough you will only be able to mow lawns for a limited time of the year, gardening services span throughout the 12 months. You can set up your own business with services, such as:LawnmowingGardeningRakingSnow removalHerb farmingHerb farming can be offered as a service across most parts of the world. Whether you are in an urban or rural area, herb gardens take up very little space.60. Babysitting ServicesBabysitting may not sound like a profitable market to enter, but you'd be surprised how well you can get paid if you have the right experience, certifications, and licenses. Although formal training is not required, this can teach you all the procedures in the case of any emergency. There are also a number of families offering service work as a:BabysitterNannyTutorAu pairRelated: 8 Tips for Anyone Starting a Child-Care Service61. Childproofing ServicesChildproofing is a trade that many do not think of these days. But every family with a newborn baby or small child wants to provide a safe home for them. There are so many areas of a home that can be dangerous, from sharp corners to stairs. A childproofing business is very cheap to startup, but you may be required to follow certain state regulations, depending on your location. To understand all the ins and outs of the industry, you may want to undertake an internship in the field before setting up shop.62. Digital Media ConversionHave you ever thought about what happens to all the old CDs and DVDs we use to use to listen to music and watch films on? Well, the answer is, often nothing. For those who have only just started using the internet to download, purchase, and listen to music, their CDs are wasted. If you know how to transfer this media to a computer, you could be doing the tech-phobic and those with little time on their hands a serious favor. Offer your services on forums, social media, or flyers. You may even end up with customers with more general tech needs on a long-term basis.63. Personal Driver or Taxi ServicesThis is an especially easy business to start if you live in an urban area, as many businessmen and women prefer having a driver to go to and from work in order to make calls, schedule meetings, and generally work on the operational aspects of their companies during that time. On the other hand, if you are looking to start a business that is more like a taxi service, why not become an Uber driver? To become an Uber driver, you need:A decent carA clean driving recordA smartphoneTo be 21 years or olderAt least 3 years' driving experienceA background checkSome of the main benefits of being an Uber driver are:You can create your own scheduleYou don't have a real bossYou will benefit from “surge pricing” regularlyYou'll meet new people every dayRelated: 5 Lessons Learned From the World's Greatest Uber Driver64. Hairdressing or Makeup Artist ServicesIf you have worked in a salon before or just know how to cut hair but do not have the capital to open your own business, you could start one from home. All you need to do is make sure you comply with all your state's requirements for opening a salon in your home. That said, once you've got yourself up and running, you could earn anywhere from $22,500 and up. You could also offer other beauty treatments, such as:Hair coloringHair extensionsManicure and pedicuresMakeupMassages65. Interior DesignerBoth homeowners and business owners look for interior design and home decorating services in order to make the vision for their space come to life. Having a degree or certification will help you understand the different functions of a home or office, but it is not legally required in most places. You will be able to do most of your research from the comforts of your home, but you will need to get to know your client in order to understand how they want to use the space. Consider asking questions like:Is it for adults or children, or both?Does the space need to be pet-friendly?What is the purpose of the room?66. Tour GuideMany tourists like visiting new places with a guide. It allows them to ask all the questions they want and get a real local feel of the place they are visiting. If you know your town like the back of your hand, why not charge people for tours? You can create packages that include:Walking toursTaxi services to and from their hotelsBreakfast, lunch, or dinner at a local restaurant67. Bridal ConciergeThe wedding industry is one that will most likely live in perpetuity. This is meant to be a special day for a couple but often turns into a chore because of all the planning that comes with it. Because it is nearly impossible for brides and grooms to be able to enjoy the planning of their wedding, they often pay professionals to do it for them. If you have strong organizational skills, are communicative, pay attention to the little details, and love weddings, then you could set up shop from the comforts of your home. To get started and build a portfolio, offer your services to a friend or family member. From there, you can start charging other clients.Related: What You Can Learn About Ecommerce From Used Wedding Dresses68. House and Pet SittingPeople who go away on holiday often worry about whether or not they will come back to an intact home, especially if they have pets. This type of business requires little to no monetary investment. Start by approaching:FriendsFamily membersNeighborsAs your house and petsitting business gets on its feet, think about marketing yourself to your local community by:Designing business cardsLaunching a websiteHanging flyers in your areaAdvertising in the Yellow Pages69. Senior Home CompanionThe minimum life expectancy is becoming later and there are now more than 45 million people in the United States who are 65 years old and up. As people age, they need more help with their day-to-day activities and may also appreciate some companionship.70. Electronics Repair ServicesThe 21st century has led the majority of people to own at least one electronic device, if not multiple. Although many insure their products, most still prefer to get a quick fix rather than sending it off for a long time before getting it back. This type of business has room for expansion, and you can offer repairs for:AppliancesComputersCamerasPhonesSpeakers and musical equipmentTelevisionsGaming devices71. Upholstering ServicesIf you're good with your hands and have a particular love for sewing, why not train as an upholsterer? There are a number of ways you can learn the upholstering trade, including:A courseBooksYouTube tutorial videosPracticing on old furnitureThere is also significant potential for expansion. Often people who need upholstering services also need their furniture repaired, so why not learn to repair furniture as well? You could also team up with a company who does repairs and add these costs to your customer's final invoice.72. Auto RepairsYou can start an auto repair shop from the comforts of your home if you have a garage and the right tools. On the other hand, if you don't have the space to open a business from home but do have the tools, you could open a mobile auto repair shop where you travel to the location of the vehicle in need of repair. There is also the option to start your own car wash and detailing shop. You don't need to have any mechanic skills, just a keen eye for detail and a love for getting your hands dirty. This is a very rewarding business that can become extremely profitable with the right promotion.Related: How to Find the Right Tech Talent (for the Non-Tech Entrepreneur)73. Bicycle RepairAlthough a bicycle repair service can be seasonal, there are opportunities to tap into multiple markets so that you can have an income year round. For cyclists who just use their bikes to go to and from work, offer general repairs and maybe storage facilities during the winter months. If you want to attract cycling fanatics, you can offer year-round repair services. A Saturday shop in the right location is the perfect way to gather a bit of a crowd that will surely spend hours discussing their common passion.74. Menu Planning ServicesThe restaurant chef is not the only person that has a say on what goes on the menu. High-end restaurants often find themselves indecisive when it comes to the food they want to serve, especially as seasons change. A menu planning business is a very low-cost idea but is perfect for those who love to work with food without any direct involvement in preparing or serving it. Many places are willing to hire a consultant to design their seasonal menus so visit local restaurants and make them aware of your culinary skill set.75. Home Daycare ServicesFirstly, you will definitely need the appropriate licensing and permits to start a home daycare business. That said, if you love children; have worked with them before; and have friends, neighbors, or family who take their young children to nurseries while they are at work, then starting your own home daycare business could be very profitable. When getting licensed, you will need to:Research the requirements according to your state's lawsGet the correct orientationsSubmit your applicationGet your trainingBuy the necessary insuranceHave your home inspectedFinally…It may seem daunting to leave your 9-to-5 grind and start your own business, but by doing so, you are giving yourself a newfound level of freedom while doing something that feeds your passion(s). The internet has made it increasingly possible for you to brush up on your skillset or even learn new ones, leaving you with the opportunity to start a business easily and cheaply.i hope that could be more help

The better question is: “What don’t virtual assistants do?”In today’s world, you can hire a virtual assistant to do anything for your business…and I mean ANYTHING.I’ve built two multi-million dollar companies and I’ve hired hundreds of virtual assistants to help in all facets of growing and operating both businesses.At their core, virtual assistants are there for business owners to free up their time and stay focused on the growth of the business. Take this scenario for example…A business owner is running an online store. They start it from the ground up and 3 months in, they are at a good run rate where they are bogged down with fulfilling orders, answering customer inquiries, listing new products, and handling advertising each day. They don’t have time anymore to work on more growth for the company….they are stuck in the operations of the business.By hiring a virtual assistant to take some of these tasks off their plate (let’s say they hire a VA to handle customer service and that takes 3 hours off their plate each day), they now have that time to keep growing the business.The more profitable and largest companies out there don’t get there without help from others. VA’s serve as that intelligent help in the growing stages of the business.To give you some inspiration for hiring a VA, I’m including 100 tasks below that you could hire a VA for. I hope that it opens your eyes to how a VA can really help your business.For hiring VA’s, I highly recommend FreeeUp - Hire Top Freelancers Online and Find New Freelance Projects. They have hundreds of VA’s that they’ve already interviewed and vetted for skill, communication, and attitude that you can gain immediate access to. IF you don’t feel confident in your interviewing and vetting skills, FreeeUp is an amazing resource for you. Their fees are also lower than most other freelance marketplaces.Here are the 100 tasks you could hire a VA for:Daily business reportsHire a virtual assistant to compile data and prepare daily business reports so that you and your business owners can track how the company is performing. Whether it’s daily revenue, gross profits, expenses, or net profits, knowing the details of your business each day can help to make smarter decisions over the long run.Simple data entry tasksIf you have simple tasks that you perform on a daily basis that data entry focused, you should not be spending your time there. Hire an affordable VA to handle that for you and stay focused on growing your company.Online research – gathering emails for leads, partners, influencers, etc.Is your business constantly looking to improve and add new customers or partners? Of course you are. Online research can take up hours every single day and there is always more of it that you can do. Instead of spending time researching, stay focused on the custom emails that are going to bring you more business. A freelancer is perfect for this job.Advanced Excel workDoes your business require any advanced Excel work that isn’t worth your time? Most companies have to deal with loads of data on a regular basis calling for expertise within the Excel program. If you don’t have it or you don’t have the time to work within Excel, hire a freelancer to manage your Excel projects.Copy write content for websitesDo you want more conversions on your website or online store? Copywriting is an essential aspect of educating your customer and guiding them towards an eventual purchase or sign up. Hire an experienced copywriter to bring your content to the next level so you can capture more sales and leads.Create content for your product listingsIf you own an online store, you must know how important it is that your product listings have amazing and unique content. Building out content for product listings can take a lot of precious time! Why spend your time on it when you can hire a specialist to handle it for you?Take notes during meetingsDo you run meetings every week? Do you wish that you had better notes to share out to your workers or to come back to after the fact? Hiring a VA can make that wish a reality. They’ll take notes, summarize them, and organize them into your online files.Project managerDo you have remote workers who are becoming too many to manage on a daily basis? That’s an amazing problem to have. A remote project manager can step in creating a layer between you and your freelancers giving you more time to stay focused on growth. With a project manager, you gain a person who can watch over all of your remote workers while providing you with key updates.Virtual assistant for scheduling and organizationAre you someone that has meetings 8-10 hours per day? Organizing your calendar and scheduling appointments can take time and become mind numbing if you are worrying about 20 other things. Having a personal assistant can take that burden off your plate and keep your life organized to a tee.Clearing email accountsHow much time do you spend in your email account per day? 2 hours? 4 hours? You can hire a VA to clear out simple emails from your account every morning so that you’re only dealing with the top level communications that need your attention. You’ll never imagine how much time this can free up.Lead generation for new customersEvery growing business needs lead generation workers constantly finding and reaching out to new clients. Hiring a lead generation expert will ensure that someone is always researching potential customer markets and providing you with the contact information so you can intelligently reach out. Say hello to more business!Translating content to different languagesTaking your business efforts international? Hire a freelancer to translate your content to different languages so that you’re not limited when expanding to new international markets.Managing your bookkeepingBookkeeping is perhaps one of the most important aspects of keeping your business up and running for the long run. Depending on your business, it can be a tedious and time consuming task on a daily basis. Hire someone with years of experience managing business books and feel assured that your financials are being handled properly.Providing tech support to customersWith more and more software companies being built, tech support is becoming more important than ever. As with customer service, it takes time and you need the right knowledge to speak with customers about the product that you’re offering. Hiring an experienced tech support agent can make that aspect of your business less worrisome.Writing blog articles and blog contentContent is king, right? The more content you produce, the better you can make your SEO and organic search results. Writing blog articles takes time (2-5 hours per article) and you need someone to handle the writing for you. There are thousands of freelancers fully capable of making your blog content desireable.Managing blog websiteDo you run a blog for your business? If you do, you’ve probably realized how much time it can take to keep it operating and growing. Hire someone who’s been through the trenches before and can organize your content calendar, content writers, and everything else involved.Reaching out to website owners for back linksGreat SEO comes down to high quality keyword targeting and back links. Without one of the two, you’ll never reach the pique of your potential. There are specialists out there that know how to get good backlinks from reliable sources. Hire a SEO back link freelancer to join youand increase organic search rankings.Emailing potential customers, partners, etc.Once you’ve researched potential client’s email addresses, you still need to send them a custom email to attract their attention. That process of creating the emails and sending them out can take time. You can hire someone to manage that process for you while you provide critiques to the emails that they are creating.Create PowerPoint presentationsDo you regularly run webinars or have public speaking events? A strong PowerPoint presentation can make a huge difference in your ability to educate your audience. Hire a virtual assistant with strong PowerPoint skills to brand and build all of your presentations.Manage your Skype account with clientsDo you use Skype to communicate with clients? It can become overwhelming when you’re trying to talk to so many clients on a daily basis. It can pull you away from working on growth for your company. Hire a VA and train them to communicate with your clients to solve simple issues so you don’t have to use your time doing that.Create jobs posts and recruit for new openingsLooking for some workers? Hire a recruitment specialist to create job posts, circulate them on multiple hiring platforms, and review applications. They can remove hours of work that you would otherwise be performing. You can still handle the final interview, but why not have someone that gets the best applicants for you first.Handle legal documents and situationsEvery business runs into legal needs whether it is initial contracts or new partnerships with other companies. You will need a lawyer at some point or not and having a freelancer on call that you can get answers from quickly is an easy way to get legal advice without paying hundreds of dollars every month.File yearly taxes for your businessDo you have an accountant yet to handle your business and personal taxes at the end of the year? Hiring the right accountant can make sure that you get the most out of your tax returns and don’t overpay. There are plenty of skilled freelancers that can help you with your business and personal life in this matter. Don’t miss out on the opportunity.This next set of virtual assistant tasks focuses on companies that are selling online.Whether it’s selling on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Jet, Sears, Rakuten, or any other eCommerce platform out there, you are going to run into tasks that you won’t have time to perform on a daily basis.eCommerce companies require a large amount of maintenance to keep things moving forward, keep customers happy, and continue to grow revenue and profits.If you can hire a virtual assistant to help you manage these operations, you are going to put yourself in a position where you can stay focused on growth for your business.Similar to above, jot down any that make sense for your business.By the end of this entire article, you should have AT LEAST 5 tasks that you could start to outsource to a VA.List products on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, WooCommerceAre you selling on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, or some other eCommerce platform? Well then you are probably listing products to generate more sales. In order to save time, pass that task off to a freelancer specialized in listing products so you can stay focused on other aspects of growth.Perform keyword research for productsWant to increase organic traffic for your eCommerce products? You’ll need to start with finding the most relevant and least competitive keywords that you can target. It’s a science to find the best keywords and a task you can easily pass off to an expert.Manage bulk uploads to eCommerce platformUploading new products, changing prices, and updating inventory requires a lot of bulk uploads to your eCommerce platform. What’s worse is when there are errors in the file requiring edits to be made. Hours can quickly go by while working on these types of projects. If you ask us, it’s much better suited for a freelancer who specializes on your given marketplace.Optimize product title and content on listingsOnce you’ve listed your products, you’re not done. You can always improve the product title and content to rank better in search engines. If you want your customers to see your products more often, hiring a freelancer with an expertise in optimizing product listings is a safe way to go!Mange marketplace accounts for Amazon and eBayLooking to step away from the day to day operations of running your marketplace seller account? We can’t blame you. It’s a lot of work! Hiring a freelancer with years of experience managing online seller accounts is a smart choice to make.Start a Jet seller accountInterested in tapping into the new http://Jet.com seller marketplace. Quickly approaching as a new eCommerce marketplace specialized for the customer, Jet is a new platform where many sellers are flocking to increase overall revenues. Hire a Jet expert to walk you through the process of getting your products up on Jet.Start a Walmart seller accountRecently invited to join Walmart’s exclusive online marketplace? It can be a huge opportunity for eCommerce businesses offering products from Walmart’s core. Hire a Walmart eCommerce expert to guide you as you list your products, understand customer service policies, and fulfill orders to your customers.Perform advanced SEO on Amazon and eBayAmazon and eBay have their own search bars that have become engines in themselves because of the number of products and searches that are happening. When a person wants to find a product, they search Amazon or eBay, just as they would search Google for information. Making sure your SEO on these marketplaces is key to optimizing sales and can easily be handled by a remote freelancer.Manage PPC campaigns on Amazon and eBayWant to start running pay per click advertising campaigns on your Amazon or eBay seller account? Hiring a PPC expert is an amazing route to fast forwarding to a time where you are receiving sales from your ads on the marketplaces.Manage seller metrics on Amazon and eBayAmazon and eBay metrics can be daunting for a new, or even experienced, seller because of how many there are and how strict the marketplaces hold you to them. The worst thing is that if you don’t manage them properly, you could be suspended from selling on the marketplace. No one wants that to happen! Remove that risk by hiring a freelancer to check on your metrics daily and provide you with any issues they come across.Answer customer service emailsCustomer service is one of the first tasks that you should pass off your plate as a business owner. It’s repetitive work and happens all throughout the day pulling you away from other growth initiatives. Hiring customer service freelancers to answer your emails throughout the day will save you a world of headaches.Manage live chatWant to add live chat to your website to further engage your customers? Hiring a freelancer and placing them on shifts at the times when traffic is highest throughout the day is an amazing way to offer this feature to your customers.Call customers about ordersSometimes an eCommerce order needs a personal phone call to figure an issue out because the customer isn’t responding to email. Who better to handle that for you than a reliable freelancer who has customer service phone experience?Process returns, refunds ,and cancellationsDo you hate setting up returns for your customers? We totally get it! Having a freelancer who can handle these requests at a high level will remove stress from your plate and keep your business operating at a high level.Manage orders from eCommerce platformsIs fulfilling orders and recording details taking up too much of your time? You can hire an order fulfillment contractor and set them up daily shifts so that orders are being processed throughout the day, are being shipped on time, and tracking numbers are being provided to all orders.Keep inventory updated on eCommerce platformsAs an eCommerce business, you never want to sell a product that is out of stock. Whether you are running a traditional wholesale business or a drop ship model, inventory is of utmost importance. Add someone who has experience in the field and can make sure that all products on your store are always in stock.Manage Amazon Vendor Central accountSelling your own products through Amazon Vendor Central? Similar to Seller Central, it can be a tedious job to oversee all operations and ensure everything is optimized at all times. This is where an Amazon Vendor Central expert comes in…Write Amazon and eBay suspension appealsIf you’ve ever been suspended from Amazon or eBay, you know how awful it is to go through the suspension process where you’re waiting to hear about the fate of your selling abilities on that marketplace. Hire a freelancer with years of experience writing suspension appeals to craft you a letter that will give you a greater chance of being unsuspended.Source new products for your eCommerce storeGrowing your eCommerce business and looking for new products? Similar to research new customers, finding the best products is a tedious process that should be worked on consistently. You can easily set that up with a product sourcing freelancer.Monitor your brand’s listings for unauthorized sellersSelling online is still a bit of the Wild West. Sellers don’t always have authorization to sell the products on their store and it’s up to the product owner to keep an eye on them. You can hire a freelancer to monitor your products online and alert you when there are any unrecognized sellers.Alert you of sellers violating MAP policiesHave you ever caught one of your retailers seller below your MAP? That’s super frustrating, but also difficult to catch. Add a remote worker who can monitor your listings looking for MAP issues and contacting the retailer so that it can be fixed.Take product photos and videosWe all know that the best eCommerce stores have amazing product photos and videos. However, if you don’t have the right set up and equipment, it can be extremely difficult to get photos at a high level. In comes freelance photographers and videographers who can take care of that for you.Create custom designs for Amazon MerchAre you looking to expand to selling through Amazon Merch? It’s a new and upcoming aspect of the Amazon Marketplace that you could take advantage of. Hire an Amazon Merch specialist to create custom designs for your products and manage them on your Merch account. Expand into a new area of potential without spending too much of your own time. If it works out, great! If not, shut it down. But at least you’ll know.Manage your Etsy storeDo you run an Etsy store? If so, it means that you are probably making all of your products as well. That can take up a lot of time and you don’t want to be pulled away from what you do best. Hire an Etsy store manager to handle the orders, inventory, and communication with customers while you stay focused on building great products.Are you feeling inspired yet? You should be!This is as comprehensive as possible so that it can get your brain churning. There isn’t a virtual assistant task online that can’t be outsourced.This article is the start to you understanding how much of a difference outsourcing can make on your time, both in your professional and personal life.This next set of tasks is specific to marketing your business online. Driving traffic, building up social media channels, running effective ad campaigns, and the list goes on.Remember that list that you started 45 tasks up? Keep it going and look to add at least 1 from this next batch that could fit with your business model.Set up social media channelsNeed someone to set up your social media presence? It can be one of the most time consuming processes when first starting a business. It’s absolutely essential because of the potential and it can be easily managed by a veteran social media manager.Post on social media channels every dayBetter yet, need someone to manage posting on your social media channels 7 days of the week? Look no further than a specialized social media manager to come in, brainstorm new ideas, and continually increase the number of followers on your social channels.Create graphics for social mediaSocial media is moving in the direction of image and video first. People, more and more, are becoming more attracted to images rather than text. To keep up with the trends, it’s important to have someone who can create visually compelling graphics to share on your social media platforms. A social media freelancer can handle that for you.Optimize content on website for SEODo you have anyone optimizing your website content for SEO purposes? Even if you do, are they doing it on a regular basis? Strong SEO on your website can drive more traffic, more leads, and new customers to your business. It’s a tactic you don’t want to overlook and that can be easily handled by a SEO freelancer.Perform keyword research for businessDo you know which keywords your business is ranking for? Keyword research is an important factor to make sure that you are appearing to potential customers where they are searching. This work requires someone with an expertise and experience to dive into your business and how you can best target your potential customers.Create branded content for websiteLong are the days when you could toss up some text onto a website and impress the millions of people flocking to the Internet. Today, you need to complement your website content with visually appealing graphics, videos, and images so that it’s a great experience for your visitors. You can hire a freelancer to evaluate your website, provide suggestions, and get to work based off your feedback.Set up and manage Google Adwords campaignsIs your business ready to tackle Google Adwords to bring in new customers? The Adword platform is one of the largest for marketing managers and can be an essential strategy to catapulting growth as you get your business off the ground. Having the right person in charge of the campaigns is just as critical to getting it started. Don’t make the mistake of trying to do it yourself if you don’t have the expertise.Build links back to your website contentA major aspect of improving your website is building links back to your content and top pages where you want your customers to visit. There are many strategies out there for creating back links that you can learn about and implement through an online freelancer. These backlinks will improve your SEO and expose your business to influencers in your industry.Reach out to websites for guest post opportunitiesWant to tap into large communities where your potential customers may be visiting? Writing guest articles on your niche expertise for industry related websites is a great strategy to drive new traffic to your business’s product or service. With an online assistant, you can consistently reach out for new guest article opportunities.Contact podcast hosts for new interviewsDo you want to be interviewed on podcasts to share your expertise with communities of potential customers? Podcasts can be a great marketing strategy to bring in new customers, but it takes time to find the best ones and apply as a guest. Hire a freelancer to research podcasts, connect with them on social media, and send credentials on why you’d be a great guest.Create a new logo for your businessNeed a new logo for your business? Hire an experienced graphic designer to speak with you about your business and create a logo that exemplifies your product/service and company values.Build banners for promotions you are runningIt’s important that you market your promotions when you are running them. Having the right creative copy can make a significant difference in how effective your promotional campaigns are. Hire a creative freelancer to put together promotional banners and graphics that will catch your customer’s eyes and pull them in for the sale.Use Photoshop to edit photosHave advanced graphic design work that needs to be completed in Photoshop? There are freelancers that specialize in Photoshop and can be on call for your business as you need them for special projects.Use Indesign to create books, ebooks, white papersIf you’re writing a book, eBook, or white paper, you want to make sure that it is designed to read and feel like a trustworthy book. Don’t put out a product that isn’t 100% professional. Hire an Indesign expert to spruce up your content so that your customers are blown away.Write blog postsIf you’re running a blog, you want to be creating content as often as possible to continue to engage your audience and new readers. Hiring a blog writer can make that task much simpler and less time consuming. You can hire a writer with experience in your given niche so that all of your content is adding high value to your community.Create content for your websiteLooking to make updates to the content on your website? Or just looking to add your first round of content to your website? Hiring a freelancer who has years of experience creating content for websites can ensure that your message is clear and your potential for conversions are optimized.Write content for email marketing campaignsEmail marketing campaigns are an amazing tool to tap into as you are building your customer base and then retaining that customer base. Building out drip campaigns can take time and requires knowledge of email marketing. Hiring a freelancer can save you hours of time and also create an amazing set of drip campaigns that will bring in new customers and keep your current ones happy.Build you an online courseWhat better way to display your expertise than creating an online course? Online courses are being used by influencers, businesses, and entrepreneurs to gather new customers for their products and services. If you have the desire to start an online course, but don’t have the time to put all of the content together, hiring a freelancer with the experience can make your idea become a reality much faster.Create video ads for your businessHave you ever seen the short animated videos that describe what makes a business unique? They’ve become popular in business marketing and can serve as a simple way to introduce your business to new customers. Hire a freelancer to build your own video ad so you have more creative material when attracting new customers.Shoot or touch up testimonial videosHire a video expert to touch up videos that you are using for marketing and advertising purposes. A cleaned up video can make a huge difference when presenting your brand to customers. You don’t want to come across as a cheap business that didn’t take the time to edit your videos.Take product videosIn addition to hiring a freelancer to take product photos, product videos can make a huge difference on your eCommerce store for the customer. If you have an interactive product, a video can bring it to life and help convert your traffic into paying customers.Increase conversions on websiteAre you receiving a lot of traffic, but not seeing strong conversions? There is a science to conversion optimization on websites and conversion experts will pinpoint exactly where there will be issues. You can hire them to run A/B tests, split tests, and track heat maps on your website. All of their work will contribute to creating higher conversions from your traffic.Set up and manage Facebook adsFacebook advertising is quickly becoming one of the most effective manners in which to reach specific groups of potential customers. If you’re not an expert at Facebook Ads, it’s worth hiring someone that has years of experience with the platform and can optimize your ads to bring in new customers.Set up and manage email campaigns (MailChimp, Aweber, Infusionsoft, etc)Want to make sure that your email campaign is sent out every week? Hire an email marketing manager to oversee your email campaigns via one of the most popular email marketing platforms. With them, you can rest easy that your email list will continually be informed with your new content and offers.Create custom sales funnelsDo you have a sales funnel set up for your business yet? Are you looking to add multiple sales funnels to bring in more customers and work them down to becoming a customer? There is an art to bringing top of the funnel visitors through an education process until they trust you and are ready to start purchasing. Allow a seasoned freelancer to build out your sales funnels so that you are optimizing conversions through each stage of the funnel and ultimately adding new customers.Set up and manage ClickFunnels sales funnelsIf you’re building sales funnels, you’ve probably heard of Russell Brunson and ClickFunnels. It’s a platform that has quickly emerged as a leading web page builder to create sales funnels and automate email sequences. Hire a ClickFunnels expert to manage the sales funnels for you and create new web pages for your business.Land new PR opportunitiesDo you want more coverage on the Internet or in traditional media channels? Hiring a PR freelancer who has connections to online publications, podcasts, and traditional media companies will increase your chances of getting your business or product featured to communities of people relevant to what you’re offering.Hold photoshoot for custom branded picturesSick of using stock photos for your website and marketing efforts? Hire a photographer freelancer, give them directions on what you’re looking for, and have them shoot brand specific photos that you can use for your website and marketing campaigns. It will make you stand out and further create your business brand.Edit photos for websiteHire a freelancer to optimize the photos on your website so that it doesn’t slow down the load speed when visitors are coming to your site. Have the make sure that the images look great on mobile as well.Perform sales outreach to bring in new customersWant someone regularly reaching out to new customers via email, phone, and social media? Hire a sales outreach freelancer to identify potential customers and reach out to them with custom communication methods to set up meetings for you or just inform them about your business.Edit raw audio filesAre you a podcaster? Do you have hours of audio to edit every week? Stop spending your own time on that and hire an audio freelancer to edit your audio files. They will get rid of the ums and awkward silences while adding branding to make each episode sound top quality.Create infographicsInfographics are a powerful tool for businesses within content marketing. If you have a specific topic that you know well, but is difficult to explain in words, hire a freelancer to build a simple infographic that you can share with your potential customers and community. They will appreciate the effort you put into the infographic and share it with their community further increasing exposure of your brand.Record voice over for video or adDo you want your video or advertisement to sound professional? There are freelancers that specialize in recording audio voices for businesses. Tell them exactly what you want and they’ll create a voice over that speaks directly to your audience. Make your content sound top notch within hours.Manage mail merges to new customers, partners, influencersDo you send mail merges out to new leads that you are researching? It can be a tedious process and take time out of your day. Why not hire a freelancer who specializes in the process and can take care of it for you? They will send the mail merges, keep you updated on open rates, and you can focus on replying to all of the responses.Now, we’re getting somewhere. This list is so comprehensive that it may start to become overwhelming.Don’t let that stop you from seeing the potential in outsourcing some of the tasks on your plate to a virtual assistant.If you’ve already started to jot down tasks from the list above, make room for 1-2 more.Below are the final 20 tasks that pertain specifically to web development and web design. Both are super important when starting an online business as you want your customers to trust you as soon as they land on your home page.Add 1-2 more tasks to your list as you finish reading through the article. You’ll thank me laterBuild a Shopify storeDo you want to create your own online store using the Shopify platform? There are plenty of resources on the Internet that will teach you how to do it yourself, but hiring an expert Shopify freelancer will ensure that all of the bells and whistles are featured in your new online store.Build a WooCommerce storeHave you decided to use WooCommerce instead to build your online store? No problem! You can hire a WooCommerce expert that knows plenty about creating a store using the platform as well as integrating seamlessly with your WordPress website. For a project this important, you want someone that has experience building stores.Create Shopify appsThe Shopify app store is home to hundreds of additional features that you can simply add onto your eCommerce site. If your business needs an app that isn’t featured in the App Store, it’s smartest to hire a Shopify developer who can create the custom app for you. It will add an expertise that you don’t currently have.Build WordPress pluginsSimilar to Shopify apps, WooCommerce and WordPress have their own plugins that will create additional functionality for your online store. Hire a WordPress/WooCommerce developer, explain what it is that you want your store to be able to do, and let them get to work on it.Build a custom Shopify themeOne of the most important aspects of an online store is the design and user experience. You can search through Shopify’s default themes and purchase the one that you like the best, but you may want a Shopify designer to come in and touch it up to the custom aspects that you want so that your store stands apart from the thousands of others. This requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Shopify’s own programming language.Build a custom WooCommerce themeWant a custom theme for your WooCommerce store? It takes a lot of careful design and user experience knowledge to create an online store that appeals to customers on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Hiring the right person for the job can make a world of a difference between an amazing online store and one that doesn’t do much to stand out.Build an eCommerce store with WixHave you decided to use Wix for to build your online store? You could take hours to learn the software and build your own online store OR you could hire a Wix expert to build your online store while you stay focused on other aspects of building your eCommerce business.Build a blog using WordPressWant to build a blog for your business? WordPress is hands-down the best platform for blogging and they make it super simple to manage once set up. Hire a WordPress designer to choose your theme, set up the main pages of the blog, organize content categories, and get everything ready for launch.Develop a business website using WordPressJust getting your business off the ground and need your first website? You’re on the right track! If you don’t have the expertise to build your own website coding or using a platform like WordPress, you can hire a freelancer who has built handfuls of websites for young companies. They’ll understand the main messages you want to communicate, choose a theme, and design the website for optimal use by your visitors.Optimize performance and speed of websiteIs your site loading too slowly? When a website loads takes too much time to load, you can lose potential customers. People are used to fast load times and you want to make sure that load time is not the reason that you lose a potential customer. Hire a web developer with expertise in minimizing load speeds so that your website functions at the same level as leading websites.Improve user experience of website or storeOnce you have your website created, you need to make sure that you continue to optimize the user experience. You can do this by A/B testing, split testing, surveying visitors, and many other tactics. If you hire a web developer to manage this aspect of our website optimization, you will see consistent improvements in the experience that you’re creating for your customers.Build a custom website using HTML, CSS, JavascriptAre you interested in building a website from scratch? Some business owners prefer this. If you are one of those entrepreneurs, you want to make sure that you hire the right developer to make sure that it is built at a high level. Hire the right person and feel safe knowing that the time they are spending is going towards a high quality version of your website.Build a web applicationDoes your product or service revolve around a web application for your customers to interact with? If you’re a non-technical founder looking to turn your idea into a business, you can hire a technical freelancer with experience building web apps. They will listen to your ideas, lay out the game plan for building, and keep you updated as they are making progress. It allows you to build what you want, own the program, and stay focused on other aspects of growth.Build advanced business softwareHire a software developer freelancer to build the software that will support the core of your business without the need for hiring a full time developer. Hire someone with years of experience, has a portfolio of software that relates to yours, and who is a great communicator. Finding someone like this can be difficult and hiring the right person will be key to your company’s success.Create a mobile application for your companyDoes your business want to tap into the ever-growing mobile craze? Millions of people are viewing their mobile phones more often than any other device today and a mobile application can create a completely new experience for them to interact with your product. Hire a mobile app developer to put your mobile experience together.Build wireframes using BalsamiqIf you’re building a program, piece of software, or website, you want to create wireframes before you actual build it out. This improves the end product drastically. Hire a Balsamiq freelancer to build out wireframes for you so that you create a user friendly website or program from the get go.Manage your web hostingIs the concept of web hosting over your head? I think that it is for most small business owners, but it’s also something that you don’t want to let slip away. Hosting impacts the speed of your website and all of the content that you’re delivering via your site. Hire a web hosting freelancer to handle all of it for you and make sure that your site is running at the most efficient level possible.Technical project managerIf you’re running development at your company, you inevitably need a technical project manager to keep everyone on task and continue to create detailed tickets in the task management software that you use. Hire a project manager to keep your developers on track so that projects are completed in a timely manner and you stay up to date with what is going on.100. Manage your company databaseDo you have someone managing your company database yet? This is an extremely important task for businesses as it is where all of your data is stored from your customers and programs. Hire a freelancer to manage and optimize your database so that it is firing on all cylinders and has security measures set up so that no hacks can occur.Hope that this helps!Cheers!CG.BR.