As part of the development of the National Association of Virtual Legal Assistants (www.navla.org), I’ve been reading some legal blogs, sometimes referred to as “blawgs”, and speaking with some attorneys to get a better idea of how attorneys feel about hiring VAs.
I decided to take a quick survey on the NAVLA website but I’d also like to share it here. It’s a very quick survey and it’s not limited to attorneys. I’d like to invite anyone to take a few moments to answer it.
And feel free to expand on any …

Even though we have so many modes of communication available to us today - email, cell phones, fax, VoiP - miscommunication is still an issue we sometimes face. But communication problems aren’t always due to technical issues although it does happen. Emails don’t go through, calls are dropped, voicemails get cut off. But it may not be that the message wasn’t received - it may be that the message wasn’t clear.
When you’re running your own business and if you are a VA or you work with one, communication is essential. …

What methods are you currently implementing to build your business? Do you rely on marketing and advertising? Are you networking? What about staying on top of the latest news and trends in the small business world or in the legal field?
(Note: if you’re not doing any of these things because you don’t think you have the time or the money, contact me! That’s what AVA is here for!)
Here are a few suggestions on what you should be doing to help keep your business growing:
Marketing/advertising
At the very least, your business should …

This is it! Advantage Virtual Assistant is officially open for business! And what an exciting day its been!
I sent out my press release this morning and within a few hours I received a voice mail from the producer of a nationally syndicated radio show inviting me to be interviewed by the show’s host. How exciting is that?
Then I happened to find a very nice, slightly used, corner desk for my home office. Now I’ll have more room and be more comfortable and more organized as I’m working.
All in all, its …

Tomorrow, July 1st 2008, is my official Grand Virtual Opening!
Be sure to stop by and offer any Words of Wisdom you may have for me for my first steps into a new venture!
And if you have any questions about Advantage VA or the VA industry in general, feel free to ask by leaving a comment here or contacting me directly via email at april@advantagevirtualassistant.com or call me at 877.2211.AVA  (877.221.1282)!

Today on Yahoo’s Front Page was an article entitled “Fast Growing Careers with High Salaries” and Paralegal made the list.
From the article:
Paralegals
Paralegals provide critical support to attorneys, law offices, corporate legal departments, courts, and government agencies. The Department of Labor predicts brisk growth in the field, especially for graduates of paralegal courses offered through online paralegal degree programs.
The national salary range for entry level paralegals is from $36,641 to $49,754, however, paralegals with eight years experience may earn upwards of $86,666.

Now that’s a lot of money! But if you’ve checked …

To see just how much money you and your business can save, visit the VA Calculator and then contact Advantage Virtual Assistant to get a more detailed, customized quote to suit your specific needs.

I ran across this article from Law Practice Today that was published in July 2007 about why every lawyer needs a Virtual Assistant. And now one year later, its even more true! They also explain how to find and choose a VA, how to utilize a VA, and what a VA can do for you.
Before you read the article in its entirety, here are a few key points:
“The VA can be a life-saver, and can relieve the stress of ballooning workflow. An established VA relationship will ensure more consistent full-time, …

If the concept of employing a virtual assistant (VA) is new to you, you may be wondering just what a virtual assistant does and how they differ from an in-office administrative assistant.
Perhaps the biggest difference between a VA and an in-office assistant is that a VA is a self-employed independent contractor. Rather than the VA being an employee of your company, you are the VA’s client. This alters the dynamic of the working relationship. Like you, the VA is a business owner and it is their goal to work with …

Our first rough draft of our website is now live! And considering that the foundation of virtual assisting is Internet technology, I suppose that makes this our first official day of operation.