Free Tools for Offline Marketers (proposal and ROI calculator)

[JamesFraze]

I'm getting swamped with writing proposals - so I wrote a tool to help make the proposals much much quicker - it is attached.

Please comment on it as I'm looking for similar solutions to save time for offline marketing. I'm sure others can add improvements.

I've included my proposal sheet (I type in how many units for that client, and delete the rest of what they don't need). There are also tabs for ROI calculations that show what the client can reasonably attain.

My business model is basically:

1. google for a local phrase ie "dallas certified electrician". Use keyword research to get something with several thousand or more searches a month.

2. go down the list of local search results and call each of them that have a website but aren't listed in number 1 spot - check for competition so you know it will be easy to deliver what you promise.

3. ask them if you can save them money on web marketing and guarantee results, will they talk to you, no obligation. Ask them if they are happy with their current "web guy" and why not? Tell them you do commission based web marketing.

4. when you meet with them, see what they need and get it done. Don't sell them - just listen to their needs and wants. After you take copious notes, come back and type up the proposal. Return and explain the proposal. Don't just give them some papers, bind them, make them look nice, include a card, etc.

5. if you don't get the sale, follow up 10 times with articles and tutorials on how to do the things you recommended or find other ways to demonstrate your expertise - perhaps showcasing your "client of the month" and their rankings.

6. Setup tracking with Google Analytics | Official Website

7. Create a wordpress blog with at least a squeeze page to contact, or do whatever it is that they need done.

8. Charge a base fee of $1000 to $500 a month + 50cents or more per unique visitor. Unique visitors have to be an improvement over the previous month, or they don't count. If I get them 4000 visitors the first month and then only 4000 visitors again the second month, there is no CPC charge.

In this way when I deliver the traffic - I get paid almost 2x to 3x as much as the base pay, so there is a very big incentive for me to perform well. And if I fail? Client only pays base and gets a website setup with some backlinks - about what they'd get when they spend 3x as much with local flash developer. So it's a win win on both sides.

Remember, not all clients want to be hammered with numbers. This spreadsheet is a tool to help YOU sell to the Client, not a tool to sell to the client without YOU.

You can opt to show your client the entire spreadsheet, or simply write a deliverables only checklist (feel out the client based on their questions). I've found that some clients nit pick what you are doing and ask if X is really necessary. So far none of them have decided to do it themselves, even after I explain what I'm going to do.

Be careful to never overload your clients with info - mostly they don't care but simply want to know you can deliver what you promise. You want to be with them and explain your proposal - in person.

I'll monitor this thread if anyone has questions or comments.

Another tool that helps generate possible domains once you get a client is a tool I wrote:

Domain Name Generator

Also, if you don't have microsoft office, you can open this document (a compressed excel spreadsheet) with:

OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite


Thank you for the many warriors that have put their time into great articles that have taught me some of this knowledge.

[debra]

Hey James -

Bob McAlister found your toy and IM'd it to me the other day.

Cool Tool...very cool...worthy of the bookmark we gave it.

Hope you didn't mind me playing with your toy...don't worry, I put it back where I found it.

Makes me wonder what other cool little toys you have. You come up with the neatest things.

[JamesFraze]

Thank you for the kind comments.

I'm glad my tools are useful.

Bob is a good guy. There is so much talent on this board. I like being surrounded by these kind of people.

[hangtimenino]

Very interesting, and everything you said do make sense. :-)

[Chris Lagarde]

James - I like your "pay on results" thinking. The concern I have is basing a web marketers pay on increasing unique visitors. It's fairly easy for less scrupulous marketers to drive lots of non-targeted traffic to a website, and then show the client an increased number of unique visitors.

[JamesFraze]

That's a fair concern. Here is a saying that comes to mind:

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

How long do you think someone will pay $1000 base + $1000 a month in CPC if they aren't making sales. How much business do you think you'll get because of your reputation for pulling a stunt like that?

On the other hand, if they spend $2000 and make $10,000 - what will happen for your word of mouth advertising?

This system is self regulating. The charlatan will starve naturally.

[Vikuna2009+]

6. Charge a base fee of $1000 to $500 a month + 50cents or more per unique visitor. Unique visitors have to be an improvement over the previous month, or they don't count. If I get them 4000 visitors the first month and then only 4000 visitors again the second month, there is no CPC charge.



What too;l do you use to find the unique visitors? Also, clicked on your attatchment and it showed up blank ??? Thank you for clarifying.

[JamesFraze]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

What tool do you use to find the unique visitors? Also, clicked on your attatchment and it showed up blank ??? Thank you for clarifying.

I setup google analytics for tracking:

Google Analytics | Official Website

Then, I get links, optimize the SEO, submit to ping lists, get book marks, submit to search engines (XML sitemaps only), submit to applicable feeds (like Google Product Search), do article marketing, create videos and syndicate them, setup and manage PPC, and so forth - all the standard methods.

[ahlexis]

I too clicked on the attachment, and it gave me an error message to contact Admin. Then I went back and right-clicked and did "save as" and downloaded it. Once I did it that way, it worked fine, and I was able to open the document and have a look-see.

Maybe there's something strange going on with the forum software . . .

[iw433]

Thank you, very generous of you, will give more feedback after using.

[Kunle Olomofe]

James this is a fantastic idea and tool. I have created something similar (nothing to do with proposals but strictly for marketing purposes for online marketers). We should compare notes sometime. I'll PM you details.

For me and others to be clear on this what does the "Time Each" column represent and also why did you leave majority of the "Flat Fee" columns empty?

I'll have other questions I'm sure once I have time to play around with it.

Wish I'd had this months ago and especially for a very important offline project I applied for last month. Ah well...

It's very accurate and very very cool. Thanks for sharing this.

Cheers

Kunle

[JamesFraze]

The time each column lets me know how many man hours it takes for me to do the work. I sometimes lose track of what it takes to bid a job and this simply helps me to remember.

Not everything has a flat fee. For example, an ssl cert can cost anywhere from $16 to several hundred dollars depending on the level of proof it provides. I know my flat fee cost for doing an SSL signup for someone, so I added that.


Some things, like popshops have a $5 a month fee. I just charge $60 and then they are good for the year. I'm not going to mess with billing someone $5.

Again - thank you everyone for the praise and comments. I thrive on them.

[Kunle Olomofe]

Thanks for the clarification. Have sent you an email.

Cheers

Kunle

[Alex Rich]

James, I happened on your thread as my search for proposal ideas was nearing an end. My PC crashed with a nearly completed proposal I needed an important presentation. Your information and materials are excellent and have literally saved my bacon Very well done!!

[Amrak]

Thanks James!