Offline (What if you build it first?)

15 years ago

Yes,

That Works.

I never got $500 though. I'm cheaper.

However, many would say even $500 is too low.

Bottom Line your idea will work.

Build the site in for a business that has more than one in your area. Get the URL "bestInYourTown.com"

Make it clear that it's the only possible one for that business and that you will "Sell it to someone today." Be nice but confident.

George Wright

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TonyG2160

15 years ago

Originally Posted by George Wright

Yes,

That Works.

I never got $500 though. I'm cheaper.

However, many would say even $500 is too low.

Bottom Line your idea will work.

Build the site in for a business that has more than one in your area. Get the URL "bestInYourTown.com"

Make it clear that it's the only possible one for that business and that you will "Sell it to someone today." Be nice but confident.

George Wright

How much would you sell a simple 5-6 page site for?

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George Wright 15 years ago

Hi,

I consistently got $150 for a very, very simple one-page site. 5-page site

$1200+ again very simple. Brochure sites. I call them my ugly sites. I'm not very talented when it comes to this stuff.

George Wright

Originally Posted by TonyG2160

How much would you sell a simple 5-6 page site for?
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Careygee

15 years ago

Hi Tony,
Don't, give away the farm.

Sounds like a good approach if you do it in the right way and
with professionalism.

But about the farm ... Load it ONLY on your Laptop.

If you put it online and they don't want it, they can always
go back and get a "cached" copy if it was indexed.

Might not happen, but a view from your laptop is still powerful.
Carey

Originally Posted by TonyG2160

Has anyone ever tried building a quick website, for an offline business that they have targeted, and then present the site to them asking a modest price ($500)?

I would think that if the business didn't already have a website, or if they just had one that was ugly and ineffective, that they might jump at one that's ready to go, and looks good.

Also...with some of the offline monetization ideas floating around the boards, they would be prime candidates for later "upsells" of list management and marketing?

Has anyone tried this?

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Nato Guajardo

15 years ago

I never charge less than $1000 for any website plus monthly hosting fees.

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Ebbi

15 years ago

This is exactly what I talk about in this thread:
http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-min-work.html

Think out side the box and ASK for more than $500
You can always go lower but you can't go higher!

Ebbi

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TonyG2160

15 years ago

Ebbi's partial post: (I can't post urls)

1. Search all the local websites in your area that are disgusting, and unkept.

2. Contact them, and sell them on the idea, and benefits of having an alive, beautiful web presence. (not hard to do)

3. Figure out what THEY want in a website. (this is key. You may try to sway them into what would be best for them, but remember in the end, they must like what you made for them. Even if they are a little out to lunch, just do what THEY want. You can't save the world when you are just starting out. Definitely offer suggestions...etc).

4. collect a $200 retainer from the client on the $1000 fee. $1000 is acceptable, especially if you agree to do monthly updates, mailing list, and article writing...etc

5. Collect all of the information from the client you need to complete the project

Ebbi, pretty similar to what you're doing, but my idea/question is to do something more along the lines of:

Target a business(s)
Check their site (if they have one)
Create a quick site for them
Contact them and offer to sell/host the site for them
Have potential upsells for later (autoresponder, marketing, etc)

Your model contacts the potential client before you produce anything.

I'm wondering if there might be some benefit to having a site already made in hope of pushing an "impulse buy" button to get them on your hook. "Hey, this guy's got a pretty good looking site built for me already. It wouldn't need much changing, and I've been needing to get a website anyway...."

You just wouldn't want to invest too much time in the creation just to have them tell you they are not interested.

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VeraRaposo

15 years ago

You guys have some great ideas. Offering a small business a professional website is a win win situation for the business. Plus if you have hosting and include a hosting package with it how could they turn you down or say no. I agree with Ebbi also Go high because you can always go lower but never higher.

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Ebbi

15 years ago

Hi Tony!

What your quoting is not what I'm talking about!
If you go further down the thread you can see my input!

There I talk about doing the work before even contacting them,
read it and tell me if that's something you're thinking about.

Ebbi

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TonyG2160

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Ebbi

Hi Tony!

What your quoting is not what I'm talking about!
If you go further down the thread you can see my input!

There I talk about doing the work before even contacting them,
read it and tell me if that's something you're thinking about.

Ebbi

Oh, sorry Ebbi. I just realized that the other OP wasn't yours and you were referring to one of your replies to the OP:

Re: How I just made $800 for 30 min of work...

It's not like this is something new, it's a proven way to start making some
good income from doing pretty basic stuff if you know what your doing.

The only thing I suggest is that you try to think little bit out of the box
if your going to try this method. A little twist that has worked pretty
good for me in the past is actually showing the business owner examples
of how his/her site could look like. Also make it clear that you do ALL the
work, the only thing they need to do is sit back and relax.

This might sound risky because your actually doing the work without knowing
if the owner is going to agree to it but it's well worth it.

This might cost you $30 if you don't know any html or photoshop.

First of all you pick one of many templates out there that are free to use
as long as you leave the link on the bottom.

Then locate the header image, find a cheap freelance designer to make
a new header in the same size only with the owners logo and maybe add
few cool affects to the design. If the store doesn't have a logo than make
him design something that might be of interest.
This might cost you $10

Then when you have the design all setup just make few changes to the html
so it fits the business. Most of them only need home - about - contact - etc...

Then clear all the text in the template. For each page just add something like
here is where you'll talk about your business, here is where people will be able
to contact you, etc....

If you can't do this and you'll be able to find someone to do this for maybe
$10 to $20

Now just load the stuff on your laptop and go the store owner and state your
case. Before the owner can even start to think about if this is something he might
be interested show the work. Show how you have without even talking
to him/her already build a custom site that could be ready in few days.

This shows that you know what your doing and your good at it!
It really doesn't even matter if the owner doesn't like the design because you'll
do what ever needs to be done.
Ask as many questions about the company and shot your internet marketing ideas.

---

This is basically just taking the extra step to close the deal!
Do you need to do it like this... NO!! not at all, I'm just suggesting that you think
outside of the box when you try new things. Don't just copy and paste

Ebbi

Yes...this is exactly what I'm talking about.

Have you had much luck with this model?

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Derek_The_Nomad

15 years ago

Here's what I would do if you're going to make the site first:

1. choose several local businesses that are in the same industry (i.e. pizza shops)
2. set up a website template for pizza shops that you can easily modify
3. present the site to your shop of choice
4. if they don't want it, make small, necessary changes, and present it to another owner

This way, you'll hopefully not do a bunch of work for nothing...

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TonyG2160 15 years ago

Brainstorming here....what if you build them a quick page with the usual stuff:

Home
Products
Services
About Us
etc, etc.

But also include a page for your own purposes. A page explaining the benefits of an online presence, the potential in a customer list, statistics about current web/email usage, etc.

You could have your own sales page temporarily on their demo website. Or you could just have your sales copy on every page instead of the usual "lorum ipsum..."

If you had this "live" somewhere on your domain, maybe they could look at "their" website for a while at their leisure, and your sales page peaking their interest for more.

I know there was a previous comment about "stealing" the page:

If you put it online and they don't want it, they can always
go back and get a "cached" copy if it was indexed.

but I don't think this would be a huge concern considering the benefits. If they don't have a page now, or if it's a crappy page, I doubt if they would be sharp enough to even think of that. Plus, it probably wouldn't be up for long.

What do you guys think?
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Mike Hill

15 years ago

Awesome job you guys... keep going because you're giving me more business when I have to go around and actually fix these websites.

Businesses are getting hosed and they don't even know it. They are told they need a website but no one ever tells them about proper SEO strategies let alone build an SEO friendly website.

If you are not informing your clients about the value of SEO for local search then you are doing them more harm than good because now they won't believe the internet will work for small businesses like them.

Mike Hill

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TonyG2160

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Mike Hill

Awesome job you guys... keep going because you're giving me more business when I have to go around and actually fix these websites.

Businesses are getting hosed and they don't even know it. They are told they need a website but no one ever tells them about proper SEO strategies let alone build an SEO friendly website.

If you are not informing your clients about the value of SEO for local search then you are doing them more harm than good because now they won't believe the internet will work for small businesses like them.

Mike Hill

I agree with what you are saying....i don't see where you got the idea that I was thinking that SEO would not be part of the picture. Don't get me wrong, I'm faaaarrrrrr from any kind of SEO expert, but my plan would include what I would think to be the little SEO needed to rank for geo specific, long-tailed keywords.

Plus, I would think, that there would probably be more businesses than you would think that don't care about ranking for anything other than "local" traffic.
The plumber, or the party inflatable store in town, won't benefit from traffic on the other side of the country....or world. They just want a url to put on their business card.

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Mike Hill

15 years ago

Originally Posted by TonyG2160

I agree with what you are saying....i don't see where you got the idea that I was thinking that SEO would not be part of the picture. Don't get me wrong, I'm faaaarrrrrr from any kind of SEO expert, but my plan would include what I would think to be the little SEO needed to rank for geo specific, long-tailed keywords.

Plus, I would think, that there would probably be more businesses than you would think that don't care about ranking for anything other than "local" traffic.
The plumber, or the party inflatable store in town, won't benefit from traffic on the other side of the country....or world. They just want a url to put on their business card.

I'm only talking Local Search traffic here. I thought by the way you were explaining things that you wouldn't even do that.

My bad... sorry

I have run into a few marketers though that do not do any kind of SEO at all, they just slap a site up, charge $50 bucks and a way they go....

That is more to what I was referring to.

Mike Hill

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Ebbi

15 years ago

I did have some success but where I'm from people don't tent
to take their businesses online because the town is so small!

While back I thought about going on trips and finding stores that
might be interested in this but I never did. In stead I went into
creating my own products...

I tried doing this over the phone few times but it's hard to get
someone to take you seriously when you just call them up asking
if you can make them a website

Ebbi

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James Schramko

15 years ago

I did it and sold the site for thousands. If they don't want it you can
sell it to the closest competitor.

It works best for brands where they have multiple stores competing with each other.

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