Have you had a chance to check out my guest post on Freelance Parent yet? It went up last week and it’s especially helpful if you are considering hiring/partnering with a virtual assistant sometime soon.

I posted the link on Twitter shortly after the post was published and wanted to note some helpful info that was pointed out to me, courtesy of @Carol_DA (Carol D’Annunzio). For example, you don’t really “hire” a virtual assistant, so much as partner with one or contract one, as virtual assistants are of course independent business owners. I do realize this but sometimes I just explain it later in a post, rather than putting it right into the title! Also Carol points out that most VA’s she knows charge a minimum of $35 per hour. I have known many who charge somewhat less, but I do feel that it is more than fair for a good virtual assistant to charge $35 to $50 per hour. It’s hard to value yourself high sometimes, especially in a poor economy, but that doesn’t change the fact that an experienced virtual assistant is worth her weight in gold (or chocolate, lol!)

I hope if you are planning a partnership with a virtual assistant that you will have a look at my post, and if you have any questions or concerns please do get in touch with me!! And while you are there, read some of the other wonderful posts at Freelance Parent – I truly love their work and they have great tips for people working to grow a freelance/consultant type of business.

I’m starting off this week, with my first ever guest post. Attorney Sergei Lemberg, who specializes in lemon law, kindly shared a post on using technology to boost your law practice. Here’s the post in Sergei’s words:

After I graduated from law school, I went the typical route and spent five years working for a series of major law firms. Eventually, though, I realized that I wanted to run my own shop, be my own boss, and handle my own cases. After deciding that lemon law would be my niche, I went about the process of building my practice, a process that was helped tremendously by technology and online tools.

Although I started by subleasing an office from another lawyer, my practice is largely “virtual.” I have clients from all over the country and rarely see them in person. I use VOIP for my office phone system for onsite and off-site staff, which gives the impression of everyone being under the same roof. I also take advantage of the Web-based Google Docs application for online collaboration, and share practice management software using Citrix.

But one of the most useful tools for building my practice is the Internet itself. I’m a Google AdWords advertiser, and run my AdWords ads in multiple jurisdictions to obtain a highly targeted but diverse clientele. I’ve also used that cornerstone of Web 2.0, blogging (and guest blogging!), to extend the reach of my practice. I’ve extensively optimized my website to make it more search engine friendly, and have expanded it to include genuinely useful content. As a result, I’ve seen my search engine rankings climb.

In today’s increasingly connected world, it’s easier than ever to succeed in a solo practice. By using online marketing methods and technology, office walls become much less relevant and the practice of law becomes virtually boundless.

Thanks for the guest post Sergei, much appreciated! And stay tuned to Sergei’s blog, where I’ll be sharing a guest post on virtual assistance for lawyers!