Need advice, pitching offline biz next week

by RainDrop

Posted: 15 years ago 6 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

I've been scoping out local businesses to approach next week,
(Most of them are little tiny businesses in strip malls) and I have a few questions...

One of them is an adult toy store, they have a website (not very impressive) but most of the page links are broken. I was thinking of trying to pitch the aweber program (do they work with the adult industry?) to them. Anyone have any good selling points or facts and figures that I can use to help 'sell' this service? I am also going to pitch this to a few other biz in the area.

Also, I have been playing around with wordpress and was wondering, are all the free themes free for any use? Does it matter where I get them from? Are they all customizable?

I know some of you have had success seting up small biz sites with these, can I please see examples of the kinds of themes that are 'acceptible and professional' enough to convince them to pay for this? I am just trying to get an idea of what look to go for with these little shops and restaurants.

The other thing I was wondering is, if I open a reseller account and host other people's websites, am I legally responsible for their content? Like if someone tries to put illegal content on their site? Hopefully it wouldn't be an issue, I was just wondering and thinking ahead of pros cons and what ifs..

#advice #biz #offline #pitching #week

j hogan 15 years ago

I think it's a really good idea and particularly for an adult store, I would sell it to them as a way of them expanding thier market online and being able to draw customers from a much larger area than could ever come in to the store, also appeal to the privacy side of it for customers, so in effect they could add 'mail order' and increase their sales for very little effort.

Offer clean up and fix the current website and to set them up with the autoresponder filled with fortnightly content that could include tips, a special discount on a product or an article on adult products. They could set it up so people can order products online.

They could offer a prize for instore clients that sign up for it, just collect emails when they complete and entry form and tell them to confirm the link to receive their bonus ( say 10% coupon off the next purchase).

Stress that with the privacy of being able online, they will increase sales. I tjhink this is an industry that has probably seen a downturn due to the ease of acess to online adult products, I think the selling point is that with your clever website design, they can now get a slice of the online pie with no work involved for them if it's well set up.

they just need to add their web address to everything and get it well known to make easy money.

Explain to them that by joining some adult affiliate programs for things they don't stock, (cams, dating sites etc) ( use your link so you get some residual too ) that they can start to build a residual income.

Simply make each fortnightly newletter sponsored by an affiliate program and put an ad at the top of the email. You could outsource the newletter writing, and if you do this for anther shop use the same newsletter,

good luck, if it works you might have discovered a new offline niche
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- AndrewCavanagh 15 years ago
  
  Having a million nagging doubts and questions when you start out is normal.
  
  The real answer to every question you have is...you can find a solution when you have a paying client and a project to do.
  
  The answers are out there and not difficult to find and there's nothing wrong with trying to sort things out in your head.
  
  But what you really need to be focused on is actually talking to business owners and finding out about their busineeses from their lips.
  
  You want to find out how they're making their money, what their higher profit lines are, what they want from their business.
  
  And THEN suggest ideas based on the information you gather (you could even tell them you'll come back with some ideas later and come back to a forum like this and get suggestions).
  
  You're going to drive yourself crazy with billions of questions that you probably will never need the answer to when the key really is just talking to business owners and asking questions (and you don't need to know a whole lot to do that).
  
  Kindest regards,
  Andrew Cavanagh
  
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  Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!
  
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artwebster 15 years ago

Andrew's advice is sound.

If you go in with no preconceived ideas of what you are going to offer but with a well designed list of open ended questions you will discover that the business owner will tell you what he wants to buy and how you should sell it to him, leaving you in the position of only having to think about what you should charge him and what sort of offer you could make for referrals.
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You might not like what I say - but I believe it.
Build it, make money, then build some more
Some old school smarts would help - and here's to Rob Toth for his help. Bloody good stuff, even the freebies!
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Steve Johns 15 years ago

As a retired sales trainer and salesperson, my advice to you is be prepared.

Here's a copy of my sales manual that you, as well as other Warriors, are welcome to download.

http://moreonlineprofit.com/Freebies/HPS_Ebook.zip

Good luck!
Steve
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- Vikuna2009+ 15 years ago
  
  10% off for giving my email? Does not sound too exiting (since you mentioned an adult store). What about a 'drawing' for a **brator? Anyone that elaborated for why they should 'win' the **brator would get it! How about that :p?
  
  I can see a line of 'felines' lining up !
  
  Then auto-respond them with the biggest, better, more stimulating, etc. **brator, add som 'gel' lol and UPSELL! Add a refer a friend button and they'll make a 'killing' . Just my 2 ores...
  
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RainDrop 15 years ago

Thanks for the great advice and motivation! I totally lost track of this thread, I just 'rediscovered' it when searching for some offline info.
I ended up waiting to get started, because I just wasn't ready to jump in... mostly fear and lack of confidence. But also, I needed more info to go on.. which I think I have enough to work with now. I am a lot more prepared now than when I wrote the op. I will be talking to some of these businesses this week..really!

@j hogan What a great idea! For some reason, it didn't occur to me that you can just as easily monetize a business website as any other type of website..(duh!) Thanks for the great suggestions, I will definitely look into those to present as options.

@AndrewCavanagh Yes, I tend to be one of those people that thinks things to death, I have to stop analyzing and worrying about it and just do it.

@artwebster Yes, I need to be going there to help them rather than sell them, I just want to be sure I have a clue before trying to offer assistance.

@Steve Johns Thank you, I will download and read this tonight!

@Vikuna2009+ Lol, getting creative with your marketing really works. This is really great idea!
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