Web URL: http://www.barjdcommunications.com
In Business Since: 2004
Type of Business: virtual assistance
Works: 98% virtually
LinkedIn
Twitter ID: @BarJD
Ruth: Welcome to the blog, JudyAnn. It’s great to have you here. Tell us about Bar JD Communications and what you do for clients.
JudyAnn: I offer New Product Launch services, either working with an active product owner client to set up a plan, recruit team members for various tasks and follow through, or as a manager of the process. My specific skills for the process include WordPress websites, video preparation, landing pages, social media and list building resources. Other team members can include copywriters, photographers, or designers for packaging and marketing pieces.
I’m additionally working with extended Nurture Marketing. The newest expansions include the Stay In Touch system being released by ProResource.com. I can set up email services, social media, and direct mail systems to help clients stay in touch with their clients/customers. I work with Aweber, Constant Contact, and MailChimp services for clients’ information to be delivered in emails, newsletters and other elements including announcements and invitations.
In Social Media Strategy you’ll find me setting up a plan for clients’ social media activities. I can design Facebook pages and set up tabs that represent various aspects of their business. I can design Twitter backgrounds and build a system for creating community on Twitter with their target market. I can build the LinkedIn profile for both the client and the company page. I offer some implementation services for updates and communication on the social media sites. I can install WordPress blogs and advise the client about the best production of content plus SEO practices for that content.
Lastly, I install the WordPress self-hosted platforms in an appropriate theme for the client’s purposes. I have licenses with StudioPress, Thesis, Headway and Elegant themes which are available for my clients.
Ruth: Clearly you’re all about marketing and helping clients put their best self before their market audience. Would you share what led you to consider a virtual profession and how you got started?
JudyAnn: I lived in a very remote area of Wyoming. The potential for employment was grim. I had many years of experience in Real Estate – owning my own brokerage at the time. An issue of REALTOR magazine had an article about how virtual assistants were helping real estate agents accomplish all they needed to have done. I knew that Real Estate professionals had been pushing the telecommuting envelope for many years trying to figure out ways to reach their market and have a life. One of the drawbacks at the time was the extremely slow dial-up Internet. I spent my time learning to run software and becoming familiar with the potential of the Internet.
Ruth: How interesting that your profession led you to discover a brand new innovative career simply by reading the magazine article. Along the way have you had a mentor or sponsor to support, guide, encourage and open doors for you?
JudyAnn: I was a member of IVAA and VAnetworking early on. The support and communication with other VAs was invaluable. I haven’t had a special mentor but have several people whom I can contact and whom I hope would feel free to contact me. I try to share information with new VAs when possible; there were no secrets kept from me when I had questions or ran into problems.
Ruth: If you could share a nugget of insight or bit of advice for someone considering a virtual career such as yours what would that be?
JudyAnn: Don’t expect it to happen yesterday and be prepared to invest in marketing your business. I started with little to no investment in marketing and I believe it slowed my business significantly. When you see a VA who seems to open the doors with a full client list, there is a lot of preparation both with skills and networking and marketing before the doors were opened. No one can wave a magic wand and make it happen for you. I comment even today that I am nine years into a two year plan. It is just beginning to get solid. But remember, because of lack of the marketing piece, I’ve kept myself back. Try your best to do differently.
Under further investment, keep and expand your skills and training. Then, determine your niche. I’ve been in some discussions about your niche. I believe it can be the services you offer to multiple types of client or it can be specific types of client such as those in the medical field or publishing that you do as much as you can to help.
Stand up and be professional and insist on being paid. You may occasionally be paid in barter but keep it business-like. When you give your services away you are still looking for money and you are uncomfortable. Meanwhile, the client receiving the gift knows you really need to be paid (and often that client has no resources either). The client is uncomfortable and feels like a bother.
Ruth: Enough can’t be said about the value of marketing beforehand and on-going. Never be the best kept secret in your neighborhood or on the web. I completely agree with you about a niche being either service based or industry based and wrote about this in detail here. Now tell me, what are your thoughts about being a virtual provider?
JudyAnn: Virtual had a tremendous potential when it was a vision for a few skilled people, primarily women, 10 years ago. It makes even more sense every day and the business world is beginning to solidly get the concept. I love it when an old, slumbering client contacts me and says “work your magic” please.
Even more beautiful, male or female, this is a lifetime career possibility. As long as you can sit in front of a computer screen and have a few marbles left, you can support yourself. My husband has caught on more and more over the years as he, near retirement age, developed some of the necessary skills for himself. He totally encourages and supports me. He is an antique tractor nut and would sometimes buy an old tractor carcass and call it an investment. When I needed a speedy purchase of a computer a few years ago, I decided to get it without a family meeting. When it came, I set it up and when he got home I said “I want to show you my new tractor.” He caught on immediately that this was an investment for me.
Ruth: It’s been a treat to chat with you JudyAnn. Any last thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?
JudyAnn: KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR – it is absolutely necessary to your business. It is the naked foundation for everything you might face which could be frustrating.
Ruth: Thanks so much, JudyAnn.
If you’d like to meet JudyAnn or have her lend her insights to your marketing campaigns contact her at her website.