What should a virtual assistant proposal include?

The tasks you'll take over, your working hours and response times, the tools you'll use, how you'll report your time, two or three monthly packages and terms covering payment, notice, confidentiality and access.

How do I write a VA proposal with no experience?

Lead with the client's tasks and your process rather than a long CV. Offer a small paid trial, such as one week, and use comparable experience, like admin work in a previous job, as your proof. Never invent clients or results.

Should a virtual assistant sign an NDA?

If the client asks, it's reasonable, and a confidentiality clause in your proposal shows you take their data seriously. If you process personal data for UK or EU clients, data protection law also requires a written contract on how you handle it, which may be separate from an NDA.

How many hours should a VA package include?

Start from the client's estimate of the time they spend on the tasks, then check it against your first month's time report. It's easier to grow a package than to explain a month of unused hours.

Can I use this proposal on Freelancer or Upwork?

Yes. Send the short bid version first, then the full proposal once the client replies, and follow the platform's rules on communication and payments.

Proposal template

Virtual assistant proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

A virtual assistant proposal should list the tasks you'll take over, your working hours and response times, the tools you'll use, how many hours each package includes and how you'll handle the client's logins and data. Copy the template below, replace the [brackets] with the client's own tasks and offer two or three monthly packages.

The virtual assistant proposal template

Hiring a virtual assistant means handing someone you've never met your inbox, your calendar and your customer list. The client's real question isn't only "can you do the tasks?" but "can I trust you with my business?". A clear proposal answers both.

This template suits ongoing admin support: inbox and calendar management, customer service, data entry, research, bookings and light social media work. Trim the task list to what the client actually asked for.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, hours and prices are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES PROPOSAL

Prepared for: [Client name], [Business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your VA business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
You run [type of business] and spend about [number] hours a week on [the admin that's slowing them down, e.g. email, scheduling and chasing invoices]. You'd like to hand those tasks over so you can focus on [what they'd rather do: clients, sales, product]. You work in [time zone] and need someone available during [hours].

2. Goals
- An inbox under control, with urgent messages flagged the same day
- A calendar with no double bookings or missed follow-ups
- [Customer emails answered within [number] hours / orders processed daily / CRM kept up to date]
- Written step-by-step guides, so your business keeps the know-how

3. Scope of work
Inbox and calendar
- Sort, label and archive email daily; draft replies for your approval or send from templates you've approved
- Book, move and confirm meetings, and send reminders
Customer support
- Answer [email / chat / helpdesk] queries using agreed answers, and pass anything unusual to you
Admin and data
- Data entry in [CRM / spreadsheet]; tidy and de-duplicate records
- Prepare [invoices, reports, documents] from your instructions
Research and bookings
- Research [suppliers, travel, leads] and summarise the options
- [Schedule social media posts from content you provide]
Not included unless agreed in writing: tasks outside this list, work outside the agreed hours, purchases on your behalf above [amount], and bookkeeping or legal tasks.

4. Deliverables
- Agreed tasks completed within the response times below
- A [daily / weekly] update: tasks done, items waiting on you, hours used
- Step-by-step guides for each recurring task, kept in [shared folder]
- A monthly time report

5. Working hours and response times
- Available [days], [hours] in [time zone]
- Replies to messages within [number] working hours; urgent items flagged via [channel]
- Planned time off notified at least [number] days in advance

6. Timeline
- Day 1: access set up and kick-off call
- Week 1: learn your processes and write the step-by-step guides
- Week 2: take over tasks, with daily updates
- Week 4: review call to adjust priorities and confirm the ongoing package

7. Pricing options
Package A, Starter: [number] hours a month, inbox and calendar. [price] per month
Package B, Standard: [number] hours a month, Starter plus customer support and data entry. [price] per month
Package C, Priority: [number] hours a month, everything above, extended hours and faster replies. [price] per month
Extra hours: [hourly rate]. Unused hours [roll over for one month / expire at month end]. One-off work outside a package: [hourly rate], minimum [number] hours.

8. What I need from you
- My own user accounts or delegated access to [email, calendar, tools], or a shared password manager vault, rather than your passwords
- A list of priorities and the people or messages that are always urgent
- Templates or examples of how you like emails answered
- A [weekly] 15-minute check-in for the first month

9. Terms
Payment: monthly in advance by [method]. Extra hours are billed at month end.
Term: rolling monthly with [number] days' notice from either side [after an initial [number]-month period].
Confidentiality: I'll keep your business information and your customers' data confidential and use it only for this work. [A data processing agreement is attached.]
Access: you can remove my access at any time. When we stop working together, I'll hand over all guides and confirm my access has been removed.
Time tracking: hours are tracked in [tool] and reported [weekly].

10. Next steps
1. Choose a package and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement and the first invoice.
3. We book the kick-off call and set up access.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Time zone]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a virtual assistant proposal

Clients hiring a VA are usually overloaded already. Make the proposal easy to scan: what you'll take off their plate, when you're available and what it costs each month.

The tasks you'll take over, grouped: inbox, calendar, customer service, data entry, research, bookings and social media.
Your working hours, the overlap with the client's time zone and how quickly you reply to messages.
The tools you'll work in, such as the client's email, calendar, project management app, CRM and password manager.
How you track and report time, for example a weekly summary of hours used and tasks done.
Monthly packages of hours, what happens to unused hours and the rate for extra hours.
Confidentiality, data protection and how access is given and removed.

Show the client how you'll get started

The first few weeks decide whether a VA arrangement lasts. Describe a short onboarding plan: a call to walk through the tasks, written notes for each recurring task and a review at the end of the first month.

Offering to write simple step-by-step guides (standard operating procedures) for each recurring task is a strong selling point. The client's business keeps the know-how, even if the arrangement ends.

Day 1: access set up and a kick-off call.
Week 1: learn the client's processes and write the step-by-step guides.
Week 2: take the tasks over, with a daily update.
Week 4: review call to adjust priorities and confirm the ongoing package.

How to price virtual assistant services

There are three common ways to price VA work: an hourly rate, monthly packages of hours (a retainer) and per-task pricing for defined jobs, such as cleaning up an inbox or entering a set number of records. Monthly packages give the client a predictable bill and give you predictable income.

What drives the price: the skill level of the tasks (scheduling is different from customer support or bookkeeping), the working hours and time zone overlap the client needs, how fast you promise to respond, any specialist software, and how much of the work needs your judgement rather than a checklist.

Say whether unused hours roll over, and for how long, or expire at month end.
Set an hourly rate for work above the package.
Agree a notice period for ending the arrangement, from either side.

Passwords, data protection and confidentiality

Ask for your own user account or delegated access instead of the client's password, and suggest a password manager for any logins you have to share. Say in the proposal that your access will be removed when the work ends.

If you process personal data on behalf of clients in the UK or the EU, such as their customers' names and emails, data protection law (UK GDPR and EU GDPR) requires a written contract between you and the client covering how you handle it. If you also do bookkeeping tasks for UK clients, you may need anti-money laundering supervision, although HMRC has a narrow exemption for virtual assistants who do only a small amount of accountancy work. This is general information: check the rules where you and your client are based, or speak to a lawyer.

Virtual assistant proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up hours and prices.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT PROPOSAL: support for Coastline Yoga
Prepared for: Priya Shah, Coastline Yoga
Prepared by: Marco Silva

Overview
Priya runs a yoga studio with online classes and spends about ten hours a week on email, class bookings and chasing failed payments. She works on UK time and needs cover from 9am to 1pm on weekdays.

Scope
Daily inbox clean-up and replies from approved templates; managing class bookings and waiting lists; contacting members whose payments fail; updating the member spreadsheet; scheduling three social posts a week from content Priya provides.

Working hours
Weekdays, 9am to 1pm UK time, with replies within two working hours.

Pricing options
Package A, 20 hours a month, inbox and bookings: $400
Package B, 35 hours a month, A plus payments and member records: $665
Package C, 50 hours a month, everything above plus social scheduling: $900
Extra hours: $20 each. Unused hours roll over for one month.

Terms
Monthly in advance, 30 days' notice. Separate logins for every tool, removed at the end. A data processing agreement covers member details.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short virtual assistant bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You're spending [number] hours a week on [the tasks they listed] and need someone reliable to take them over during [their hours and time zone].

Here's how I'd start:
1. A short call to walk through your tools, your priorities and what counts as urgent
2. In week one, I write simple step-by-step guides for each task so nothing depends on memory
3. Then I take the tasks over, with a daily update on what's done and what needs you

[Proof: a similar client or task you've handled, e.g. inbox and bookings for a small business]

One question: which task takes up most of your week right now?

I'm available [hours and time zone] and can start within [timeline] at [price] per hour, or [package price] for [number] hours a month.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose virtual assistant clients

Listing every skill you have instead of the tasks this client asked for.
Leaving working hours and response times vague, so the client never knows when to expect an answer.
Asking for the client's main passwords instead of your own accounts, delegated access or a password manager.
Selling a package of hours without saying what happens to the unused ones.
Not reporting. A client who can't see what you did starts to question the invoice.
Promising round-the-clock availability you can't keep up.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a virtual assistant proposal include?: The tasks you'll take over, your working hours and response times, the tools you'll use, how you'll report your time, two or three monthly packages and terms covering payment, notice, confidentiality and access.
How do virtual assistants charge?: By the hour, with monthly packages of hours, or per task for defined jobs. Monthly packages give the client a predictable bill and give you steadier income, so they're worth offering alongside an hourly rate for extras.
How do I write a VA proposal with no experience?: Lead with the client's tasks and your process rather than a long CV. Offer a small paid trial, such as one week, and use comparable experience, like admin work in a previous job, as your proof. Never invent clients or results.
Should a virtual assistant sign an NDA?: If the client asks, it's reasonable, and a confidentiality clause in your proposal shows you take their data seriously. If you process personal data for UK or EU clients, data protection law also requires a written contract on how you handle it, which may be separate from an NDA.
How many hours should a VA package include?: Start from the client's estimate of the time they spend on the tasks, then check it against your first month's time report. It's easier to grow a package than to explain a month of unused hours.
Can I use this proposal on Freelancer or Upwork?: Yes. Send the short bid version first, then the full proposal once the client replies, and follow the platform's rules on communication and payments.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.

Proposal template

Virtual assistant proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

The virtual assistant proposal template

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, hours and prices are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES PROPOSAL

Prepared for: [Client name], [Business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [Your VA business name]
Date: [Date]
Valid until: [Date]

1. Overview
You run [type of business] and spend about [number] hours a week on [the admin that's slowing them down, e.g. email, scheduling and chasing invoices]. You'd like to hand those tasks over so you can focus on [what they'd rather do: clients, sales, product]. You work in [time zone] and need someone available during [hours].

2. Goals
- An inbox under control, with urgent messages flagged the same day
- A calendar with no double bookings or missed follow-ups
- [Customer emails answered within [number] hours / orders processed daily / CRM kept up to date]
- Written step-by-step guides, so your business keeps the know-how

3. Scope of work
Inbox and calendar
- Sort, label and archive email daily; draft replies for your approval or send from templates you've approved
- Book, move and confirm meetings, and send reminders
Customer support
- Answer [email / chat / helpdesk] queries using agreed answers, and pass anything unusual to you
Admin and data
- Data entry in [CRM / spreadsheet]; tidy and de-duplicate records
- Prepare [invoices, reports, documents] from your instructions
Research and bookings
- Research [suppliers, travel, leads] and summarise the options
- [Schedule social media posts from content you provide]
Not included unless agreed in writing: tasks outside this list, work outside the agreed hours, purchases on your behalf above [amount], and bookkeeping or legal tasks.

4. Deliverables
- Agreed tasks completed within the response times below
- A [daily / weekly] update: tasks done, items waiting on you, hours used
- Step-by-step guides for each recurring task, kept in [shared folder]
- A monthly time report

5. Working hours and response times
- Available [days], [hours] in [time zone]
- Replies to messages within [number] working hours; urgent items flagged via [channel]
- Planned time off notified at least [number] days in advance

6. Timeline
- Day 1: access set up and kick-off call
- Week 1: learn your processes and write the step-by-step guides
- Week 2: take over tasks, with daily updates
- Week 4: review call to adjust priorities and confirm the ongoing package

7. Pricing options
Package A, Starter: [number] hours a month, inbox and calendar. [price] per month
Package B, Standard: [number] hours a month, Starter plus customer support and data entry. [price] per month
Package C, Priority: [number] hours a month, everything above, extended hours and faster replies. [price] per month
Extra hours: [hourly rate]. Unused hours [roll over for one month / expire at month end]. One-off work outside a package: [hourly rate], minimum [number] hours.

8. What I need from you
- My own user accounts or delegated access to [email, calendar, tools], or a shared password manager vault, rather than your passwords
- A list of priorities and the people or messages that are always urgent
- Templates or examples of how you like emails answered
- A [weekly] 15-minute check-in for the first month

9. Terms
Payment: monthly in advance by [method]. Extra hours are billed at month end.
Term: rolling monthly with [number] days' notice from either side [after an initial [number]-month period].
Confidentiality: I'll keep your business information and your customers' data confidential and use it only for this work. [A data processing agreement is attached.]
Access: you can remove my access at any time. When we stop working together, I'll hand over all guides and confirm my access has been removed.
Time tracking: hours are tracked in [tool] and reported [weekly].

10. Next steps
1. Choose a package and reply to confirm.
2. I'll send the agreement and the first invoice.
3. We book the kick-off call and set up access.

[Your name]
[Email] | [Time zone]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a virtual assistant proposal

Clients hiring a VA are usually overloaded already. Make the proposal easy to scan: what you'll take off their plate, when you're available and what it costs each month.

The tasks you'll take over, grouped: inbox, calendar, customer service, data entry, research, bookings and social media.
Your working hours, the overlap with the client's time zone and how quickly you reply to messages.
The tools you'll work in, such as the client's email, calendar, project management app, CRM and password manager.
How you track and report time, for example a weekly summary of hours used and tasks done.
Monthly packages of hours, what happens to unused hours and the rate for extra hours.
Confidentiality, data protection and how access is given and removed.

Show the client how you'll get started

Offering to write simple step-by-step guides (standard operating procedures) for each recurring task is a strong selling point. The client's business keeps the know-how, even if the arrangement ends.

Day 1: access set up and a kick-off call.
Week 1: learn the client's processes and write the step-by-step guides.
Week 2: take the tasks over, with a daily update.
Week 4: review call to adjust priorities and confirm the ongoing package.

How to price virtual assistant services

Say whether unused hours roll over, and for how long, or expire at month end.
Set an hourly rate for work above the package.
Agree a notice period for ending the arrangement, from either side.

Passwords, data protection and confidentiality

Virtual assistant proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up hours and prices.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANT PROPOSAL: support for Coastline Yoga
Prepared for: Priya Shah, Coastline Yoga
Prepared by: Marco Silva

Overview
Priya runs a yoga studio with online classes and spends about ten hours a week on email, class bookings and chasing failed payments. She works on UK time and needs cover from 9am to 1pm on weekdays.

Scope
Daily inbox clean-up and replies from approved templates; managing class bookings and waiting lists; contacting members whose payments fail; updating the member spreadsheet; scheduling three social posts a week from content Priya provides.

Working hours
Weekdays, 9am to 1pm UK time, with replies within two working hours.

Pricing options
Package A, 20 hours a month, inbox and bookings: $400
Package B, 35 hours a month, A plus payments and member records: $665
Package C, 50 hours a month, everything above plus social scheduling: $900
Extra hours: $20 each. Unused hours roll over for one month.

Terms
Monthly in advance, 30 days' notice. Separate logins for every tool, removed at the end. A data processing agreement covers member details.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short virtual assistant bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You're spending [number] hours a week on [the tasks they listed] and need someone reliable to take them over during [their hours and time zone].

Here's how I'd start:
1. A short call to walk through your tools, your priorities and what counts as urgent
2. In week one, I write simple step-by-step guides for each task so nothing depends on memory
3. Then I take the tasks over, with a daily update on what's done and what needs you

[Proof: a similar client or task you've handled, e.g. inbox and bookings for a small business]

One question: which task takes up most of your week right now?

I'm available [hours and time zone] and can start within [timeline] at [price] per hour, or [package price] for [number] hours a month.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose virtual assistant clients

Listing every skill you have instead of the tasks this client asked for.
Leaving working hours and response times vague, so the client never knows when to expect an answer.
Asking for the client's main passwords instead of your own accounts, delegated access or a password manager.
Selling a package of hours without saying what happens to the unused ones.
Not reporting. A client who can't see what you did starts to question the invoice.
Promising round-the-clock availability you can't keep up.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a virtual assistant proposal include?: The tasks you'll take over, your working hours and response times, the tools you'll use, how you'll report your time, two or three monthly packages and terms covering payment, notice, confidentiality and access.
How do virtual assistants charge?: By the hour, with monthly packages of hours, or per task for defined jobs. Monthly packages give the client a predictable bill and give you steadier income, so they're worth offering alongside an hourly rate for extras.
How do I write a VA proposal with no experience?: Lead with the client's tasks and your process rather than a long CV. Offer a small paid trial, such as one week, and use comparable experience, like admin work in a previous job, as your proof. Never invent clients or results.
Should a virtual assistant sign an NDA?: If the client asks, it's reasonable, and a confidentiality clause in your proposal shows you take their data seriously. If you process personal data for UK or EU clients, data protection law also requires a written contract on how you handle it, which may be separate from an NDA.
How many hours should a VA package include?: Start from the client's estimate of the time they spend on the tasks, then check it against your first month's time report. It's easier to grow a package than to explain a month of unused hours.
Can I use this proposal on Freelancer or Upwork?: Yes. Send the short bid version first, then the full proposal once the client replies, and follow the platform's rules on communication and payments.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.