In any type of business, it’s important for you to stay in touch with new trends and developments, as well as always ensuring you’re at the top of you game and that’s no different for the VA business. All VAs need to keep on top of their own training and development, if they want to offer their clients the very best service they can – but what kind of development opportunities are available to self-employed VAs? Here are my top 7 personal development opportunities and tips for VAs:

#1: Follow industry thought leaders for the VA industry

Become aware of the industry leaders you admire and follow them on social media, regularly check out their websites and blogs and sign up for their free information and/or lead magnets etc.

#2: Follow industry leaders for the industries you want to support clients from

Another important area you need to be taking notice off is that of your clients. Look for the industry leaders there and follow them – so if you predominantly support life coaches, you might want to follow people like Tony Robbins, Simon Sinek, Bob Burg etc.

#3: Attend conferences relevant to the VA industry

There are various annual VA conferences out there for you, such as the http://www.vaconference.co.uk or industry events such as the PA Show (http://www.thepashow.com/ ). But also look out for the more generic business shows too, as they’ll give you access to an even wider breadth of knowledge.

#4: Be a member of the FSB or Chamber of Commerce

Both the FSB and the Chamber of Commerce regularly hold training events for their members, so take advantage of these training opportunities.

#5: Attend webinars regularly

Especially those related to marketing and social media etc. Keep your eyes open for those run by people at the top of their game, such as entrepreneur Gary V and social media speaker Warren Knight.

#6: Attend relevant CPD courses

CPD courses are available online and offline and give you the opportunity to both expand existing skills or learn some additional ones. You can search for courses on the CPD Certification Service website (https://cpduk.co.uk/ )

#7: Training doesn’t have to be legislated professional development

A final tip for those looking to develop themselves, both personally and professionally, is to remember – not all training has to be professional and legislated. Whether you are looking to learn about a new social media platform or work on your personal confidence, the very action of taking the time to learn and develop is essential to both yourself and your business development and growth.  At VACT we have the VA Training Academy® with a variety of training opportunities to allow you to maintain your professional development. Image courtesy of ibreakstock/Adobe.Stock.com