Craigslist Offline Success...

[Jagged]

I started my Local Internet Consulting / Website design business last year, just as the offline craze started. Much of the information shared in that famous thread, and other offline threads here in the Warrior Forum have helped shape my business & pointed it onto a successful path.

My method of attracting business in the beginning was the standard, get off your butt & talk to business owners. I took time to put my business plan together, then I hit the streets. I was no good at working the phones & mailings were just too slow.

Though the course of the past year my business has advanced steadily. Now-a-days new clients are finding me, instead of me having to chase them, mostly through referrals or Craigslist.

Craigslist has truly become a weapon of choice. I started using Craigslist about 3 months ago & haven't looked back since...I'm pulling on average of 2-3 jobs a week off Craigslist alone. Most jobs are smaller....average project is $700.00 +/-


There's a variety of ways we use craigslist to find new clients.

• Place an ad in the small biz section under "services"
• Look for project announcements under Jobs - web/info design & Gigs - computer (you will also find projects posted under art/media/design or internet engineers once in a while...make sure to check those too)
• Try looking at the service categories, such as beauty, therapeutic, skilled trades & travel....many local businesses will place ads here, but many do not have websites....or one's that do...their sites need major help. It's a great source for finding new clients.
• Look into surrounding towns....I live in Tucson....lots of work around here, but when things slow up a little, I look to nearby towns / cities. I'm only 1-1/2 hours away from Phoenix...a city of well over a million...tons of opportunities there...

Something new I recently ventured into with Craigslist is using the "barter" section. I am planning a move next spring & needed some work done on the house here to ready it for sale. Instead of laying out thousands of dollars for this work, I placed a post in the barter section...."I will build your business a website & you......" I listed some of the projects I want done.

1. Coat / Paint flat roof
2. 500 sf Flagstone patio
3. Repair chips / cracks in masonry / stucco wall...repaint.
4. Interior Walls / Ceiling Painting / Exterior Trim / Patio columns
5. Screen replacement / Refinishing the main entrance doors
6. Replace shower doors & 2 toilets
7. Window washing inside & out....some other small stuff too.

I began receiving response from a bunch of contractors, even some individuals. A Roofing company just starting out & was slow with the economy offered to do the roof work for a website ($1500 value). A masonry company wanted their existing website redesigned, SEO work....in exchange for the flagstone patio & masonry stucco wall repairs ($6,000 value)....I had a construction superintendant who wants to get into professional photography & wanted a nice website contact me to do the the balance of the projects ($3000 value)

Speaking to a real estate agent last week, by having this work done, I added approx 25-30K value to my house...not too bad for a few websites!!

I plan on doing the barter method again very soon....offering websites for things like new laptops, health club memberships, auto repairs....

Craigslist has turned out to be a goldmine. Just have to learn to work it right. If your into, or thinking about entering the Offline Marketing to Local Business Game, but are not into talking face to face, cold calling phone solicitations, or public speaking.....definitely give Craigslist a try.

Anyone else have some Craigslist success stories to share?

No, there will not be a WSO rushed out on this. There will not be eBooks or programs of any kind, not by me anyways....just passing along some info I found useful so other may benefit.

Good luck,
Ken

[Steven Carl Kelly]

Great info, thanks for sharing.

[Jagged]

Even the barter clients are sending referrals....just got a call 15 minutes ago for a custom website design & SEO package

[Irishman]

Awesome Ken.

I didn't use craigslist to barter, but I did barter to get a Log Cabin in the mountains for 7 days with me wife. I enjoyed learning about that industry too. Worked great for the portfolio as I was just starting out at the time, and also led to paid referrals which is a bonus.

Thanks for sharing.

Will

[Lisa Gergets]

Originally Posted by Jagged

Even the barter clients are sending referrals....just got a call 15 minutes ago for a custom website design & SEO package

WOoHOOO! That is fan-freaking-tastic!

[Jason_V]

I'm always envious of the people who live in places where the population of their city:

A: Knows what Craigslist is.
B: Actually uses it.

It's frustrating when I see stuff like this. Thanks for sharing! I hope most everyone else is *not* in the situation I'm in and can use it.

[Colin Palfrey]

Good one Ken.

I used Gumtree (Local equivalent) and had a bloke phone me up and ask for advice.
He literally said If you tell me how to boost my business Ill do any joinery you need, it's all I can do.

He'd obviously heard a good review but said he couldn't afford it but really needed help.

I helped him anyway (shoot me later) because I found the offer sort of touching and 2 hours later I got a huge deal from a mate he'd recommended.

After reading this you've given me a great idea for my dodgy fan belt. lol

Thanks
Colin Palfrey

[greenovni]

I've been using craigslist for a long time for all kinds of business ventures. Craigslist can be like a personal ATM if you know how to use it right.

Congratulations on your success!!!

PS. Your post is now in my swipe file as you gave me some new ideas.

Thanks!

greenovni

[1960Texan]

Congratulations! I love reading inspirational posts like this one.

[Jagged]

Originally Posted by TinkerAndPo

WOoHOOO! That is fan-freaking-tastic!

It sure is...to get referrals like this is like icing on the cake. I almost feel guilty (I did say almost )...I mean, making the websites is easy & those guys were slaving away...working hard. Then to see that they are happy enough, thinking they got the better end of the deal to refer others...well, that just makes this even a better deal...

[Bennette]

Thanks for sharing Ken. I'm glad to hear someone is having luck, it gives me hope. I must be doing something wrong because I gotten a couple responses from tire kickers and low ballers but nobody serious.

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Irishman

Awesome Ken.

I didn't use craigslist to barter, but I did barter to get a Log Cabin in the mountains for 7 days with me wife. I enjoyed learning about that industry too. Worked great for the portfolio as I was just starting out at the time, and also led to paid referrals which is a bonus.

Thanks for sharing.

Will

OK, you got a cabin in the mountains for a week. What did your wife get? Or did you barter your wife for the cabin?

Sorry about that, just had an old wombat bite flare up...

Ken, good work. Congratulations...

[Irishman]

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

OK, you got a cabin in the mountains for a week. What did your wife get?

well that's easy. She got the opportunity to go fishing with me. What more could a girl ask for?

Nice.

[wiley1]

Thanks very much for this great info. I've heard about using Craigslist in various ways, but never thought about bartering. You've given me some great ideas.

[Jagged]

I was contacted through craigslist by a guy who wanted a website, but he didn't perform any of the projects I had on my list....
He had a local ornamntal iron shop...I really had no need for anything like this. I felt bad for him since he stressed his urgency to get a website for his business, but didn't have the funds...I hated to turn him away.
We got to talking through email...I made a suggestion that maybe he can do a "third party barter".
I explained to him that one of the items on my project list was a flagstone patio.....he works with a lot of the local masons, supplying steel / ornamental fencing....maybe he can work out a deal with one to furnish them steel fencing for a project they have...in turn, for the same value....they install my flagstone patio....and I of course, design the ornamental iron guy a website. It really was a win-win for everyone!

This "third party" bartering can really be used for anything. Just need to be a little creative....

Third Party Bartering.....Another avenue to keep in mind when using craigslist.

Good luck,
Ken

[Chris Parker]

The bartering is an awesome idea, think I will put my web skills to use. Thanks for the info!

[Vikuna2009+]

Sorry, just can't get my head around third party bartering. Anyone care to explain in further details ?

Clueless in la la land, lol, Eva

[Jagged]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

Sorry, just can't get my head around third party bartering. Anyone care to explain in further details ?

Clueless in la la land, lol, Eva

My example a little deeper explained:

I have work I need done on my house...
For this work...I will barter my web design skills...
....say I needed a Flagstone Patio...
I would offer to create a website for any local stone mason who can complete my patio....
(my patio is estimated to cost $4,000.....I trade off a $4,000 website for a $4,000 patio...)

I receive replies from a lot of sources...no replies from stone masons.....but some others want to barter services that are not on my list of projects....such as auto repair or ornamental iron....they all are seeking websites, but do not have the money....so they are willing to barter their services...
I hate to turn anyone down....so I begin to think of other ways to make this work.

The ornamental iron guy....in his line of work...he deals with a lot of masons....building ornamental fencing for block walls. He has a mason who comes & wants some fencing....a $4,000 order. The ornamental iron guy offers the mason to trade off the $4,000 fence purchase price for $4,000 in labor & material for a flagstone patio (of which he most likely has left over material he can use from another job...so it's little or no additional cost to him)

The mason comes & installs the $4,000 flagstone patio for me....

The mason gets his $4,000 worth of fencing from the ornamental iron guy....

I in turn....build the ornamental iron guy a $4,000 website...

The ornamental iron guy originally had nothing of value to me for barter. By being a little creative...we used a "third party" (the mason) to offer the value I needed....
He got his website...
The mason got his fencing....
I got my patio....

Thats third party bartering

[mrcouchpotato]

I love bartering.

Years ago I used to own a website in the video business niche (wedding videographers, corporate videographers, etc.). The site had a lot of articles about marketing a video business as well as product reviews.

The site was very popular. In fact, it was popular enough that I had many video manufacturers sending me their products for me to review and write an article about. I also provided banner ads for them for a certain number of months.

And best of all I was able to keep the products for myself. We're talking thousands of dollars worth of equipment and software.

Gotta love bartering (for me it was writing reviews and giving banner ads on my site in return for keeping their products).

I then decided to sell the site to do other things.

Hmmm. I should try to do the same type of thing again sometime

Mike

[Jermaine Tabor]

Ken thanks for starting this thread.

I've heard of third party bartering before
but it was called triangulation bartering.

I've got to check into this a bit more.

Congrats on your success!!!

[dv8]

Interesting.

I've had no luck with craigslist. Tried several times using craigslist to generate business but never got any bites.

Perhaps I'll give it another go.

[ktmurf]

Good info for sure. I've recently reached out through craigslist in much the same fashion. I too offer some minor web services to business and what have you (on a very limited and case by case basis) but I didn't let my geographical location get in my way. I'm just a one man operation and I've got enough work to keep me busy for awhile.

I didn't place many ads myself though, I just looked around and found a bunch of folks asking for web service and contacted them.

I also found a little success in messaging some of the yahoos in the adult sections too. Some of those Crazies JUMPED at an offer to have a website.......

I won't get into the whole moral discussion with everyone but their money spends just like everyone else's.

[actionplanbiz]

When i started Internet Marketing i started with craigslist. it was a photogrpher ebook and i was advertising it on the photo equipment section. and got my 1st sale.

it took about 80 views from craiglist tho to make that sale.

Craigslist is awesome. just got to make sure to read there TOS. i got a couple accounts locked

[Jagged]

Originally Posted by ktmurf

I didn't place many ads myself though, I just looked around and found a bunch of folks asking for web service and contacted them.

I've had more success doing the same thing....contacting other. I have placed ads but there's so many being placed everyday that it only gets shuffled so far down the list that it's rarely seen. The ads do get picked up in local searches which is always a plus....


I see others post in various catgories then just reply...

• In the services section....many will post local ads for their business or service but have no website listed in their ads.....those are the ones I contact, just saying that everyone is searching online these days....how much they would benefit from having their own website & that's it's a lot less than they probably think...
• I use the barter section....seeing many small local businesses....or individuals who have a side business or hobby post barter ads.....I either use my web design to barter for their services or....I just contact them with an offer of creating a website for them & how much they would benefit...yada yada yada....
• Just reply to their request for website in the jobs- web / info / design.....jobs- art / media / design......or Gigs- computer....catgories

I think in the last 3 months I was contacted twice through an ad I placed on craigslist...
Contacting others...I have been averaging 2+ projects a week....definately an easier method (for me at least)

Ken

[Jagged]

I have received a few PM's asking if I use Backpage.com like I use Craigslist....

I do place ads on Backpage...thats about it. And I have never received a reply....
I use these ads more for SEO purposes...they show up well in local searches. Also...they are renewable with a few clicks...don't have to keep submitting them...

There are very few posts for website design projects...only about 1-2 per month...
They do not have a separate barter category...it's mixed in with "wanted / trade" & the posts are few...
I stick with Craigslist....

Anyone else having any success with craigslist or backpage?

[TDE]

great thread, thanks

[USGTMauthor]

I made the first few sales of my ebook with CL. The problem for a digital product is that they dont like you to post in multiple cities, but I think for things like ebooks it makes no sense. People are always going to start with the local version.

Glad to hear you are having success with a free ad site, it is inspiring to know people can get business off the ground with out a huge capital outlay

[AndrewCavanagh]

Nice story.

I know members of OfflineBiz.com have picked up clients from Craiglist but they do tend to be very price conscious low payers (as you say).

The idea of posting your own ad for barter is a very good one.

Thank you for sharing so openly.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh