VAs / VBOs
Welcome to Australia's only network of fully prequalified and skills tested Virtual Business Operators and Virtual Assistants!
Owning your own successful practice is hard. It takes more than just technical skills. Membership of AVBN can help you attract new clients, grow your business and show more profits. You'll have access to motivated and discerning clients who want to partner with the best VBO/VA.
Download and print our take away information sheet to see why AVBN is right for you! (opens as PDF)
If you're more of a visual learner, you might prefer to download our screencast presentation.
Do you qualify? Complete our form to find out! We expect basic criteria to be met by our members including minimum number of years in practice, a working website, previous experience and exceptional client service standards, as well as a commitment to ongoing training and education, and industry certification*.
[If you're a newbie and you don't meet our basic criteria please join our FREE Google Group Listserv and learn from the best in Australia! Overseas members are also welcome (any level of experience). Just scroll to the foot of this page and click the link to go to our group page!]
As a member, you'll receive:
- Multiple linked listings on our exclusive members Specialty and Industry directories for direct client contact (not one single page!)
- Membership of our Google discussion group
- Partnership with motivated clients - not just leads
- FREE access to our monthly webinars
- Use of our "Virtual Coffee ShopTM" for online client meetings**
- Access to Professional Indemnity insurance for just $473/annum***
- Member rate access to resident Microsoft Guru Terence Kierans's Terence's Top Tech Tips ebook
- A listing on our AVBN Facebook page including picture and linked URL
- 15% discount on VAClassroom training courses - ALL THE TIME!
Annual membership fee: $100
*Our application process is so stringent and in accordance with the core competencies for virtual assistants that if you meet our criteria you will qualify for our CAVB (Certified Australian Virtual Business) designation. However, please note that the certification is NOT for life. If you do not continue to meet our criteria (including professional development requirements) the certification can be revoked. It will also need to be renewed after three years at a cost of $30.
AVBN's CAVB is the first virtual business certification in the world to take into consideration not only the VA's skills but also client satisfaction (via reference checking), business experience, past and continuing education/training, skills testing, industry involvement, and memberships.
**AVBN is Australia's FIRST network to offer members use of our webinar room. Not just a chat room you can utilise the VoIP technology to meet with clients, show examples of your work and answer questions in real time voice chat - not just text - and without the tax implications of meeting in your home office or local coffee shop!
***Through Coastsure Insurance Agency. Full details available on request. Premium subject to change. Note that this rate is available only to current financial members of AVBN. If you do not renew your AVBN membership you will no longer qualify for the discounted premium.
Notes for Potential Members:
Please note that the AVBN is NOT purely a lead-generation network. There are lots of networks out there already if all you are after is job leads. This is a network with a very difficult set of criteria to meet before membership is granted. As such, should your application be successful you should be proud of your membership and you will be asked to display the AVBN logo on your site as a means of showing clients you have attained a certain level of achievement in business and service standards. Successful applicants are joining some of the best virtual businesses in Australia.
As a professional business owner you are responsible for securing the client should any job lead be sent to you. We do not guarantee you will be successful. We do not guarantee a set number of job leads each year. We endeavour to partner clients with the virtual business that best meets their requirements. In this way you are ensured of qualified leads - not just contacts by 'tyre kickers'. When you receive a job lead from us, you are the only one to receive it. You can turn it down and it will go to the next best qualified virtual business. But if you take it, you are then responsible for securing the client. Not all leads come via our RFP form and you may be contacted directly via the directories. It is your responsibility to check how a client came to you.
In this way, membership of AVBN assures you that you are not directly competing against other virtual businesses for a client, and that client meets the criteria you have indicated as your area of specialist service or industry in your application.
Once you fill in the application form, we will be in touch within 48 hours to acknowledge receipt. Reference checks take a little longer and you will be advised of the progress of your membership application. Membership fees will be payable on receipt of an invoice and payment options will be included on the invoice. Note that payment options include direct credit to our account or payment by cheque (however, membership will not become effective until cheque clearance).
We also expect our members to meet the Core Competencies for VAs. Please ensure you read these before applying for membership. Submission of an application form is confirmation that you have read and meet these criteria.
New to the industry? If you're new to virtual business and don't qualify for financial membership of AVBN just yet you can still join the email discussion group to access the wealth of knowledge our members will be able to share. Think of it as free mentoring! You'll also have access to our monthly webinars at a reduced attendance fee and we'll include sessions on business start up and what you need to know to operate a successful practice.
Join us at our FREE GoogleGroup Email Discussion List:
Australian Virtual Business Network Visit this group
(Note: If you do not have a Google ID you will need to create a free account.)