It’s a significant accomplishment opening any small business, especially a law firm which offers additional challenges and requires specialized knowledge in order to pull off. However, there is a clear upside to taking matters into your own hands, running your own firm, and being your own boss.   Plus, in the age of virtual offices, it’s never been more realistic to get off the ground with only a modest sum available to invest.   As with all businesses, you’ll need a plan to get off the ground. Here are our top tips and a how-to guide for starting your very own virtual law firm today.   1) Narrow your focus.   As they say, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Hopeful clients will search specifically for lawyers in the area of focus for which their needs dictate. If you have a specialty, you will attract more clients than just casting a wide net and hoping for the best.   Make sure your focus resonates with you and is supported by your track record. If you have always worked in real estate law, consider starting here. If you like mediating interpersonal matters and factoring in emotions, family or divorce law might work for you.   Pick something you know you will nail so that you knock each case out of the park during the crucial early stages.   2) Get together your capital and credentials.   Money makes the world go round, but you’ll need permits, licenses, and a Federal EIN in order to be considered legitimate in the wide world of business and law firms. Once you’ve established what type of law your firm will specialize in, the next step is gathering the capital and getting together all the prerequisites to prepare for launch.   3) Select your staff.   Going totally virtual saves you the hassle of shopping around for office space. Instead, you’ll be conducting most of or all of your business from literally anywhere, from your home to the neighborhood coffee shop.   Amata has got you covered on this front, as outsourcing your office staff provides you with immediate access to a wide network of professionals. This is a clear way to fast-track the opening process and get you from inception to profit quickly.   4) Organize your outreach   So, you’ve put together an impressive roster of solid attorneys and support staff. You’ve already contacted Amata to get access to the virtual office programs. Now all that’s left is to organize a marketing outreach campaign to get the word out that you’re taking on clients now.   In the digital age, there are innumerable ways to spread the word ranging from print to targeted ads, social media outreach, paid ad placements, and more. Be thorough in your approach and, when in doubt, don’t be afraid to hire a dedicated advertising agency to manage the campaign.   5) Secure your data.   Once the word is out and the phones are ringing, now all that is left is to make sure your data is secure. In the virtual office format, you will be mostly paperless and most correspondence, including sensitive and confidential info, will be shared via the Internet.   It is your responsibility as a reputable firm to secure the data. Again, Amata will be able to help in this pursuit, as their extensive network specializes in all areas of ensuring a virtual law office is secure and safe.   Amata Makes it Easier   In the virtual age, it’s not overly complicated to get going, but it does take some startup capital and legwork to get everything in place.   Once you check off a few prerequisites from the list, Amata will be able to help you take the reins and go from a new firm to a power player in the industry.   Contact Amata today to find out more!