Can You Use Internet Marketing To Sell A Service Business?

12 replies
Ok. Complete Newbie but I have to ask.

I have a service business. I'm trying to learn marketing and put together a marketing plan that uses the internet to get local clients. I don't have an online product to sell.

I'm frustrated because there seems to be only two product types here.

1. How to sell your online product or
2. How to sell your marketing skills to offline business.

The problem with 2 is you sell [website design, list integration, google places, etc.]

I'm looking for a solution that will help me get more local clients into my business. I will use all the offline skills as I have purchased many wso regarding that.

But those wso only deal with the person selling perspective I'd like one from the perspective of a business trying to get local clients.

Any advice or wso I can buy. Thanks for your time.

I have a pdf for listing building now. But I like having a system or blueprint, or something to follow on how to do this.

Thanks

sorry if this is dumb.
#business #internet #marketing #sell #service
  • Profile picture of the author AdGateMedia
    I think you answered the question yourself.

    The problem with 2 is you sell [website design, list integration, google places, etc.]
    Take what the WSOs tell you to sell, and apply them to your own business.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeRogers
    Not dumb at all -

    Local online marketing is the perfect vehicle for a service oriented business when trying to gain new customers -

    Question -

    How do most people find your business nowadays?

    (A) Thumbing through the voluminous Yellow Pages?
    (B) Reading your tiny little ad in the newspaper?
    (C) Simply Googling "YourService" on their computer or Smart Phone?

    I hope you answered "C" otherwise I'd be talking to someone who has been living under a rock for the last few years

    The first step is either claiming your Google Places Page or, if you are a new business, creating a new Place Page.

    Google makes it very simple to do this and, as an added bonus, its already set up for mobile. This means that people will find your listing simply by using their cell phone.

    Hope this helps some -

    MikeRogers
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    • Profile picture of the author KenJ
      Hi Missmiss

      I have an offline business. It was what prompted me to get into IM in the first place. If you as a business owner apply the marketing knowledge you have already learnt you will make a killing in your local business.

      You do not need a course. Do these 5 things to get you started.

      1. Register your business in Google maps
      2. Make 20 live to camera videos showing how and what you do. (Not too professional) - just lots of content in 2 minute videos
      3. Capture the domain "Your type of business - Your county".com
      for example builderdallas.com
      4. Offer a free guide to visitors and build a list.
      5. fill your website with relevant content.

      Kenj
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Solem
    While it's true there are lots of WSOs and also free advice here about teaching you how to offer various internet marketing services to local businesses, there's no reason you couldn't take much of that same advice and apply it to your own offline business.

    Like Mike just mentioned, I'd start with getting established in Google places first, then look at your website and things like SEO and email marketing and Facebook and tie these various methods together to help you market your business.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author DeePower
      I am assuming you have a website? If not establish one. One of the pages should be named Your Service, Your City, Your State. So if I were offering dog sitting in Miami the name of the page would be dog-sitting-Miami-Florida. That would also be the name of the file on the server. dog-sitting-miami-florida.html

      The meta title of the page in the html code should be dog sitting miami florida and use those words in the meta description and tags as well

      The first header would be Dog Sitting Miami Florida in the content and then use that phrase two or three more times. Describe your services in a low key soft sell manner.

      Write several articles about dog sitting, maybe what you should look for, how you should prepare your dog for the sitter, what you should pay. At the end of each article in the author bio box link your key word phrase to that page in your web site. So you might have something like Jane Doe is the world's best dog sitter blah blah blah. She offers <a href="http://www.yourwebsite.com/dog-sitting-miami-florida.html">dog sitting Miami florida</a> GEt your free e-book <a href="http://www.yourwebsite.com/dog-sitting-advice.html">Dog Sitting Advice</a>Do's and Don'ts.

      Distribute the article to various article directories. The search engines will start picking up your site when someone searches for dog sitting miami florida.

      Develop giveaway an e-book, Dog Sitting Advice about dog sitting, dog care, dog health, something related to your services. Have a decent cover designed for the giveaway. On your website offer the e-book in exchange for the visitor's name and email addy. On the form say they're signing up for the e-book and your weekly newsletter or tips you'll send out from time to time.

      Also at your place of business have the e-book printed and stand it by the register with a fish bowl. A sign in the fishbowl says something like "Get Your Free Copy of Dog Sitting Advice, just drop in your email and name. Then send them a confirmation that has them double opt in to your list.

      More later.

      Dee
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Yes it can be done.

    Keep in mind, a lot of what you will see online may be different from your approach, but I often learn a lot from people outside my own niches.

    There is a sub-forum here at WF that may be very helpful to you:
    Offline Marketing Discussions

    Keep in mind that a lot of those folks are selling services to folks like you. But why not learn from the real pro's?
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    Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
    Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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  • You can promote your online presence with offline strategies and vice versa...

    Which local corporations, companies, businesses or home businesses need your services?

    What makes your services or the ways you promote your services or the things you do to
    sell your services different from the services, the promotional campaigns and the marketing
    strategies of competing local service providers?

    Where does your target audience frequently hangs out?
    Where do they expect to see or hear or learn about what they need?

    If you're a B2B service provider, then going to local business conferences and promoting your
    business in those events could help...

    If you're a B2C service provider, then buzz and viral marketing could help...

    A B2B service provider could host a business conference or a workshop or an event that can
    provide other businesses an insight about your expertise and knowledge in the benefits they could
    gain from acquiring your services...

    A B2C service provider can use popular media to their promotional advantage...
    TV, radio, print and online advertising could help...
    Hosting or promoting your presence in relevant local public events could help...

    Promote your online presence offline...
    Make your online presence known to a larger share of your target audience...

    Promote your offline presence online...
    Make your offline presence known to a larger share of your target audience...
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    • Founder: Grayscale (Manila, PH) & SEO Campaign Manager: Kiteworks, Inc. (SF, US)
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  • Profile picture of the author DLewis_025
    Hi Missmiss,

    I'm a newbie as well but your question really grabbed my attention because of the sincere way you end your post:

    "I'm looking for a solution that will help me get more local clients into my business. I will use all the offline skills as I have purchased many wso regarding that.

    But those wso only deal with the person selling perspective I'd like one from the perspective of a business trying to get local clients.

    Any advice or wso I can buy. Thanks for your time.

    I have a pdf for listing building now. But I like having a system or blueprint, or something to follow on how to do this. "

    Though I feel like a toddler among adults in IM, I have dealt with offline small businesses providing services for them in my area for many years. While many people do now use the internet exclusively for finding a local business, several of the folks above said it well when they stated that your location needs to be part of the domain name and keywords you when you build your site (this I have been learning the hard way). If you don't know the answer to this question, time to do some research with the tools you'll find here on the WF. Research where people try to find your type of business and who is the audience and where do they go to find your type of business. The 5 steps in Mr. Kenj's post I think are pretty swift. Actually this thread pretty deep and I have appreciated reading it. In offline businesses, what has been posted here would work great as elements of a true business plan. This is my simple opinion and I wish you well in your quest but the best thing to do is to start simple and take action using about 5 of your own steps preferably today. After taking those steps and learning as you are already doing, your plan will evolve with your growth. Best regards.
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  • Profile picture of the author missmiss
    Wow!

    Thank you all so much for your time. Sometimes the answer is right there and you just need someone to say it out aloud.

    This thread cleared alot of the fog in my brain.

    I do have a website. I now have a pdf to offer.

    I'm hoping to collect more true clients than competitors just spying. I know I'm putting bad stuff in the universe;-)

    I've learned alot on this forum. I spent many months learning how to sell offline but never quite got around to implementing it. So don't expect a WSO out me anytime soon;-)

    Thanks all. I really appreciate all your info and time.
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  • Profile picture of the author pethanks
    Yes of course and I think you are doing it already. That is a great way to sell products. Just master the strategies and techniques in internet marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author BruceWood
    It's low-tech, but I go around to local business groups talking about how professionals, retailers and service businesses can get clients online. It always amazes me that many think they have to be doing business online, or selling electronic stuff, to benefit from Internet exposure!

    Since you're here, you are miles ahead of most of your competition!
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  • Profile picture of the author amylimcd
    One method I use which is really effective is to focus on lead generation methods.

    For example, create a website that sells or offers for free- some kind of information that our local target market might be interested in. Create a high quality, short free report and an auto-responder. You can use the side bar to place an advertisement for your business or say that the site is Sponsored by: [Your Business]

    This page can also be part of your main website but I find that creating separate keyword optimized sites with keyword domain names works really well.

    On the website, your purposes are to:

    1. You will build credibility and through education marketing, you will be pre-selling your local service.

    2. You will be building a list of target local prospects.

    3. Optimize the site to show up in the search engines for identified keywords + local identifier.

    Here is a sample (not a real example):

    For a Dentist in Austin, Texas that sells teeth whitening services:

    Register a domain like: www (dot)teethwhiteningdallastexas.com

    Then sell a report on that site about the different teeth whitening options and through the content persuade the reader to conclude that professional teeth whitening is the best choice and worth the cost.

    In the report, establish credibility and brand your business.

    End it with a coupon of offer to call your office.
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