Offline Business Market - Help Needed!

[Tom Brite]

Hey,

So im thinking about getting into the offline business market and help small businesses with their online presence!

However im not really sure were to start to be honest.

I could easily go and generate some interest and leads and offer to improve on their sites and market them for them but have no clue about pricing. As i would prefer a system that helps them out month after month rather than just for a short while and then no more money.

However im not interested in developing sites for them, coding, nor outsourcing any of that sort of work simply because last time ive outsourced things like that they have become very un-reliable! Plus the clients never seem to know exactly what they want and the cost to change things puts the bill up alot.

Any advice or anything is appreciated

Tom Brite

[PDLaughlin]

Hey Tom,

Based on what you described you kind of nixed most everything about offline marketing that is covered on this forum. :-)

Perhaps working with small businesses with traditional marketing efforts instead of just the whole website, autoresponder, list building deal that everyone seems to be jumping on at the moment.

For example, a lot of small businesses need desperate help with developing a USP (Unique Selling Proposition), writing quality ad copy, developing joint ventures with non-competing businesses, etc.

The one area where I have seen a HUGE gap is small businesses either not wanting to or don't have the know-how to provide their customers with a top-quality, high-value free report, video or audio infomercial to prospective customers. This is proven to be a critical success factor in converting prospects to buyers.

It really depends on what niche you love and can see yourself doing 110%. Like you said you don't want to outsource, or build websites, etc. Fortunately, that's not the only thing small businesses need help when it comes to marketing.

Rock on!

Drew

[Tom Brite]

Originally Posted by PDLaughlin

Hey Tom,

Based on what you described you kind of nixed most everything about offline marketing that is covered on this forum. :-)

Perhaps working with small businesses with traditional marketing efforts instead of just the whole website, autoresponder, list building deal that everyone seems to be jumping on at the moment.

For example, a lot of small businesses need desperate help with developing a USP (Unique Selling Proposition), writing quality ad copy, developing joint ventures with non-competing businesses, etc.

The one area where I have seen a HUGE gap is small businesses either not wanting to or don't have the know-how to provide their customers with a top-quality, high-value free report, video or audio infomercial to prospective customers. This is proven to be a critical success factor in converting prospects to buyers.

It really depends on what niche you love and can see yourself doing 110%. Like you said you don't want to outsource, or build websites, etc. Fortunately, that's not the only thing small businesses need help when it comes to marketing.

Rock on!

Drew

Thanks Drew,

Im all for consulting them on what to do offline and making calls for them to set up deals with other businesses and making business cards for them and leaflets etc etc.

I would want to be the person that they come to every time they need something marketing wise and i would sort it out for them.

Tom Brite

[Loren Woirhaye]

Sounds like you want to be a consultant but the services
you intend to offer seem more like an errand boy's jobs.

No offense intended, but if you want the business there need
to be a fairly broad range of questions you can answer with
"Yes, I can do that for you".

If you want to be a JV broker "making deals" then do that.
There's big money in it, but whatever talk you talk you should
be prepared to walk the walk. If you claim to be capable
of making things happen online for your clients you need to
be able to show you know your business.

All said though, deciding what you DON'T want to do is not such
a bad thing. From there you need to pull-out the services
of high perceived value you DO want to do so you can market
those services appropriately.

In my business, anything pertaining to online marketing I try to
be prepared enough to answer "Yes, I can help you in that area"
with confidence. Even if it involves bringing in outside help the
skills I bring to the table have to do with big-picture thinking so
the value I bring is not that I can make a web-page (you can get
a teenager to make one for twenty bucks, and people know that).

Outsourcing doesn't have to be hiring faceless people halfway
around the world - it can mean just bringing in local talent when
you need it. We live in a time of intense specialization - and
business owners KNOW THIS. That's why they hire consultants -
and that's why good consultants bring in outside help when
they need it themselves.

[Mark Riddle]

Tom,

I think this is going to be a tough marketing to enter.

Small Business owners want things done, more than they want to know what and why.

There are people who are looking for the road map of what they should do, but is my experience that very few have the time or desire to do these things on their own.

If you don't want to do these items there are more than enough warriors that implement solutions that you clients may need.

It may be best for you to be a lead generator for other offline marketers to take over the projects.

Mark Riddle

[TimCastleman]

Tom-

Why not do an autoresponder for small businesses? You could setup email collection points, do the data entry for them, write emails, etc without having to outsource. It is simple to do and best of all easy. Charge $500 bucks to set it up and at least 3 figures a month to be a one stop shop.

Just a suggestion.

Tim