Cindi Good-Susanville, CA

The following article is by NSVBA member-Cindi Good on the advantages of working with a VBA. She also encourages VBA's to get out there and advertise their services!

Cindi's contact information can be found at the end of this article.

VIRTUAL BANKRUPTCY ASSISTANTS

As Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, we are educated, highly trained professionals ready to assist Attorneys in preparing bankruptcy petitions for their clients. The problem we are posed with is, how do we encourage attorneys to use our services?

“…most businesses can and should go virtual. The company’s productivity goes way up, therefore saving them a tremendous amount of money each year. There is a learning curve and adjustment period, but it is well worth it for the company and employees to go virtual.” This is a quote from an associate who has worked for HP for over three decades, ten years virtually.

Sometimes attorneys are apprehensive of the unknown (as are all of us at times). They are uncomfortable with virtual, because they’ve been so busy with their practices over the years that virtual has passed them by. A VBA can assist with set up. This is the super-technology age, right?

Attorneys may see the flat fee and think it’s too expensive, so that tells me they don’t really understand how contracting a VBA saves them money, as they aren’t taking advantage of paying contractually, paying only for completed work. They will never have to pay a VBA for coffee breaks, time off for sick leave/maternity leave, vacations, etc.

Attorneys must be educated on the advantages of using VBAs instead of, or in addition to, their current staff.

Bottom line: We must give them reasons making it compelling for them to sign on for our services.

With the economy getting worse each month, and as attorneys cut staff, they may begin to see the value in contracting with a VBA. When they contract with a VBA, they don’t have to pay salaries, benefits, employments tax contributions, etc. They only pay a flat fee when the bankruptcy petition is completed.

So, how do we go about educating attorneys on what an advantage it is to contract with a VBA?

Continue to advertise on Craig’s List, where we speak to attorneys one-on-one. This is where our elevator speeches come in.

Go to a NACBA convention where, again, we speak to attorneys one-on-one. Again, our elevator speeches are key here.

Become members of various legal associations. Submit articles to post on their websites.

I recently spoke with a VBA regarding the possibility of having a representative at the NACBA convention (an attorney would be best) presenting the VBA industry, how it benefits his practice, giving different scenarios for sole practitioners through large law offices using the VBA.

Of course, there are the social websites: Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Plaxo, and others.

In conclusion, we must continue to work together, finding effective ways of giving attorneys that compelling reason to contract with Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants. I invite everyone to continue to use VBA Nation to post ideas. We must make the reasons so compelling that they’ll be biting at the bullet to use our services.

Cindi Good
Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant
Bankruptcy Pro Processor
Member National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants
www.NSVBA.com
www.BkProProcessor.com
Cindi@BkProProcessor.com
530-251-7635