Understated rant: An amusing observation re: Offline Gold, etc...

Interesting indeed.

I most definitely see your point, but quite frankly, if the marketERS are ONLY using the "throw" method, then they are leaving money on the table.

The "catch" method is only useless if the marketers don't know how to get clients that way - in which case, they probably shouldn't be trying to do this for off line clients

However, when you DO have off line clients, you should be using both methods for them as well. Yes, help them with their internet presence, mailing list, SEO, etc. But many business owners are not all that good at ANY type of marketing (strange as that may seem...but it's true).

I guess it is ironic... LOL.

My guess is that the reason many "Off Line Gold" diggers don't see this is the "lure" of making money - just like any other biz opp.

Mike

It is pretty funny(and sad). People who couldn't figure out how to make this internet thing work for themselves have decided to go offline and teach others how to do something they never figured out how to do for themselves. In a year or two legitimate folks will be lucky if they ever sell their services after these know-nothings get finished.

Yes -- do BOTH, of course. But what % of SALES does catching lead to vs. throwing? It all must be put into perspective. Generally speaking, assuming the biz in question is NOT a (what I call) an if-you-need-it-you-need-it-if-you-don't-you-don't biz (towing, lawyer, plumber, travel, dating, etc.) -- and MOST biz's AREN'T even though many THINK they are, btw, the % works out something like this:

10-20% via catch methods

80-90% via throw methods.

So, yes do both -- but realize where your golden goose is -- and FOCUS on THAT, not the lesser of the two.

Problem is, the LURE/SEDUCTION of WANTING to believe that the catch method will do-all for you. That is inaccurate, and often FATAL!

The catch method is latched onto because it allows the believer to merrily play in the band while the ship is sinking. It allows him to abdicate his marketing responsibility with an ignorance-is-bliss smile on his face.

As I always say, I'd rather get my 'food' like a bat does, not like a spider does. There's a reason they call it the 'web!'

Cheers!

-- TW

PS: For example, many (most?) Offline advisers are finding the biggest success via direct mail +/or cold calling. Of course -- since this is the *shortest distance* between marketer + marketEE! Duh!

Step #1 of this process is to GATHER A LIST of potential clients ***WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION*** (sorry Seth Godin!).

Step #2 = PROACTIVELY SOLICIT THEM... REPEATEDLY (all without their permission).

Then they sit down with the client and they DO NOT advise them to do the same thing.

The adviser doesn't mention he has discovered (over time) that Seth Godin is full of it.

Then, when they are WITH the client, they put their mild-mannered Clark Kent clothes BACK ON, and bring out the Godin book (+ accompanying philosophy) as if it is a bible. Makes no sense.

If you're going to BE Dan Kennedy, don't TOUT Seth Godin!

TW,

I will take your word on the numbers since I never really did the math But I agree with you.

However, when dealing with certain brick and mortar business owners who have very little knowledge of the internet, marketing, etc. then even using JUST the catch method COULD help them.

Problem is though, that as you said, many get sold a bill of goods.

Anyway, here's a quick story...a few months ago my wife and I decided it was time to replace our washing machine. I knew of an appliance store in town where we have purchased other items previously. So I jumped on the net and searched for them.

I could not find them by their name, or any type of keywords+location search.

I finally found them by accident, but their website was not only NOT properly SEO'd, but was set up in such a way to ENSURE no one would find them.

They don't only sell appliances - but also parts and have a service division...

It got me to thinking how many people new to the area (which has doubled in size over the past five years) may have searched for the items they offer and were never found - and how much business could have been lost.

Is it as much as when they, perhaps, put out sale flyers? Or an ad in the Sunday paper? Probably not, but who knows really. If their site were set up properly, it would have certainly helped them. In my case, I ended up buying from somewhere else because I found their website and was able to price my washer on the spot...so they lost my business

Incidentally, I paid them a visit and offered to help them for free. They said they would get back to me and never did - their website sits unchanged. Chances are, they do fine without a website and don't need it. But why throw away ANY money? In this economy, many businesses would KILL for an extra 10 - 20% in sales.

Interesting topic, for sure.

Mike

interesting observation that I have made as well..
however, we're talking B2C when it comes to the business of most 'offline' prospects (where the consumers usually already know they want the product/service of the business); whereas the the person doing the 'offline gold' thing is in the B2B market, trying to offer a service that the other business may not yet realize they even need or want.

So they arent really as comparable as it seems. In one scenerio, the customers are actively searching for the service provider on the net (or they are an existing customer/prospect), in the other the customer isn't.

TW

its my guess that you are seeing the customer retention as a small portion of the cash cow method.

Its not, this is where the brick and mortar are seeing the largest returns.

The power of the cash cow / offline methods is maintaining contact with your former customers.

Will you get more new customers with your website improvements?

Probably, that just isn't the focus of the method.

Then again Andrews methods could be focusing on new clients, I don't have his stuff, only what I have read here.

From reading what is on here, its about retention and maintenance.

Mark Riddle

Yes -- retention. That makes sense!

Throw = GET cust's.

Catch = KEEP (+/or CHURN) cust's.

The adviser must make that distinction clear from the start, yes?

Cheers.

-- TW

PS: But... then how does one justify the conversation that begins, "Now let me tell you what the term 'SEO' means..."?

Thanks Exrat.

Showing the stats for the McDonald's site is a little off the mark -- and/or helps to prove my case. Even if the site gets AMAZING amounts of traffic, it's still NOTHING compared to the traffic the STORES get, no?

Again, one is tiny *compared* to the other. It's all relative.

Cheers!

-- TW

PS: I'm just about ready to make that purchase we talked about (finally).

TW

You might suprised how many gift certificate and clothing apparel McDonalds.com sells due to having that site.

Millions of coupns purchased by Grandparents, who don't mind feeding the grandkids crap.

But with an Alexa ranking like that, I would be satisfied with just catching.

Jim

I look

Ironic (but not uncommon) WSO (not mine -- just an example)...

"Let me tell you about this nifty -- and super-effective DIRECT MAIL (and/or cold calling) method I'm using to get clients to coach them about online marketing methods!!!"

Huh?

What's wrong with talking to a prospect about cutting costs and probably finding new customers?

The best way to win and keep an offline client is to increase his total net profits.

A $1500 bill for getting a few more people to visit his web site costs a 5% net business $30,000 - so your new visitors have to add that to his takings just so that he can stand still.

Show him how to save money, show him where the buyers are and let him pay for your services out of actual cash savings.

Less expense + more customers = an increase in net profit.