Launch of the NSVBA

by Virginia (Vikki) Watanabe, Notary Signing Agent, Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant

Hello everyone!

It has been quite awhile since I checked in with you. I hope this finds everyone doing well. A lot of things have happened and I expect lots more good things to happen as the year unfolds.

For starters, I resigned my position as Executive Director at AAVBA early this year. I have since started a new organization, the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants (NSVBA).

March was an exciting and jam packed month. Here are a few details of what NSVBA has done so far.

First, we hired Sharon Hassler (of GoGetNotary.com) to create our website, and I have received so many compliments on the site. Thank you Sharon, for your continued support. I truly appreciate you and all the hard work you’ve put in to make the site look so professional.

While the website was being created, I got started on Training of Bankruptcy Petition Preparation. We have the Training Webinars posted on the NSVBA website in our Members Only section.

Next item on the agenda was the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Convention (NACBA). This is a “must attend” function for our organization. With 1400 attorneys in attendance every year at this convention, we have a golden opportunity to market to our specific target group.

This opportunity is extended to our NSVBA membership in many ways. One way is to actually attend NACBA events. This is an investment, so you know what that means, this is not cheap. The Participants to the NACBA events must pay a Participation Fee. They are also responsible for their flight, hotel and meals. Also, we only take 4 to 5 members at a time to each event.

Another way our Members participate is by sending their marketing materials. They can send business cards, brochures, pens, letter openers, any trade show item to me prior to the Convention. We will then stuff all the items into NSVBA Trade Show bags and give them away all weekend at the Convention.

During the Convention weekend, we give away Raffle Prizes. These Raffle Prizes are submitted by our NSVBA members. Any member who would like to submit a Raffle Prize starting at $25 and up can do so. We suggest to our members to purchase an item which can be engraved with their VBA business name. This way, when the attorney wins their prize, the VBA who submitted the it automatically gets an attorney contact.

We’re trying something new at this year’s Convention. At the time the attorney wins their prize, we are going to take a picture of the attorney and send it to the VBA who submitted it. We then give the VBA the attorney’s information. This way, the VBA can follow up with the attorney after the convention and possibly sign a contract.

Immediately returning from the Convention, it will be time to start training again. Aside from Basic Bankruptcy Petition Preparation training, we also do Marketing and Business Development training. This year, we have plans to do Advanced Chapter 7 and Beginning Chapter 13. We recommend VBAs have worked at least with one attorney prior to taking the Advanced Chapter 7 and Beginning Chapter 13 training.

Once we finish the training, it will be time to prepare for the NACBA Fall Conference (October 2009). Once again, we will invite NSVBA members to attend. Since the Fall Conference is a smaller gathering, only 3 to 4 VBAs will attend. The Participation Fee is also lower, but not by much. The VBA is still responsible for their flight, hotel and meals.

Which brings you up to date. I know this year will be an awesome one for VBAs. Already, most of our NSVBA members are working for at least one attorney. Some, more than one.

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a VBA, now would be the time to do it.

©Copyright Virginia (Vikki) Watanabe. All rights reserved. Vikki Watanabe is President of the National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, a national non-profit organization. Along with training VBAs, she assists attorneys as a VBA and also provides notary signing agent services in the Gardena, California, area. Learn more about her at GoGetNotary.com/Get/AMVMobile or AWVirtualBankruptcyPetitions.