I Sealed The Deal! - Yet It Wasn't Perfect...

[Preben Frenning]

Hello warriors!

I'm extremely excited today, as I sealed my first "offline" IM deal!

Here is what happened:

I have a company, which is currently not 100% active. (I'm working on a more urgent project, with even more income potential, which I will sync with this later to maximize revenue)

A guy called me on monday, asking for a meeting to discuss what I could do for him, and what would happen. Someone had told him that I was an "Expert" webdesigner - Which I am not!
I told him right away, on the phone. "I'm not an "expert webdesigner, but I CAN make simple websites. It's the marketing I'm best at"

That was good enough for him, so we had a meeting at his house today.
I had prepared quite a few questions, to map out what he needed, what kind of expectations he had, and to find how how much I could make from this.

I had also planned out what he would get after the meeting, if I could help him. ( Instructions, a "nice" offer, a bonus (A rebate membership to my newest project), what results he can expect, when he would get it, and what he would get.

This made it a whole lot easier. - For both of us.

The guy was really nice, and I managed to really get him all fired up. I told him a few "selling sentences" we could use for his website, and he loved it.
I also suggested a good domain, as well as a professional email he could get.
So far, everything went perfect.

Then I popped another question... How much have you planned to use on this (Including marketing), and what kind of results do you expect to see from that?

He had no clue, but he wanted to use as little as possible, until he found out if his idea would work. ( He's been a press photographer for 35 years, and is retiring. He wants to sell himself as a "Press consultant" for large companies, so the photographers will get better pictures, and the process will be a lot easier. I believe it will work, as he's the most experienced guy out there, attending over 8750 pres conferences)

I had initially hoped to get $700 for this deal, but he had so few preferences for the website and marketing, that I said "Let's say a maximum of $350 to make the website. Then I'll work as much as I can,and get your website up and running for that price. I will help you make the website and service more attractive later, and rewrite the emails you send to your clients, so they will give better results. - That will be an extra cost, but I'll do it for free until you get at least 1 customer - Then you'll pay me, AND write a glowing testimonial".

He nodded. "That wasn't bad at all" he said. And that's when I immediately regretted. I could have gotten closer to $700, than the $350 I got. (Upfront though. I just made a bill for him to pay )

Now building the website will take way less than half a day, and I will use wordpress. Then I plan on helping him sell it, as well as telling him how to market it offline too.
I gave him loads of good idea's, and he loved it.

Here is why I was so cheap:

- The guy was extremely nice, and he didn't have any preferences. "Do it your way, you're the expert" was the tone we had.
- He didn't want additional traffic, which is extremely rare.
- He didn't need anything fancy, just a really simple website.
- All he really needed was a simple,professional website, and some guidance.
- He did not want access to statistics, nor a monthly report I could make for him


How could I have charged $700 for something THIS simple? The truth is, I could.

I had him all jazzed up, and the situation was perfect. He was in the right "buying mood", and I was an expert in his eyes, with an endless pool of credibility to use as I would like.

So here is what you can learn from this:

1. NEVER underestimate yourself, and never sell out too cheap.
2. I'm only 19, with no higher education. Age is not a factor.
3. If you know how to sell anything, it can be used ANYWHERE.
4. If you meet their expecations, you can charge a lot more than you initially think.
5. Be honest and helpful. Whether they buy your services,or not. If you have helped them for free once, they will most likely recommend you to others, which to can get paid for.
6. Find additional ways your clients can help you, other than "direct" money. (I am certain this guy will recommend me further and bring me new clients. I will get a testimonial on my website, from a press photographer "legend". He will pay me better,and give me more work in the future,when I have helped him succeed)

I hope this was inspiring, and that you all see how easy it can be to make good money offline

Now remember: Always provide value, and the value will come pouring back at you in the future. Satisfied customers are one of the best marketing methods you can ever use.

And one last thing... HOORAY! I sealed my first deal offline!

To your success,
Preben

[Andy Crofford]

Congrats. I hope everything works out well. Though you could have gotten more don't feel back about the $350 you settled on. Like you said it is an easy project that will take you just part of a day. Pretty good in my opinion.

Andy

[Preben Frenning]

Thanks
Now I'm expecting to bring in those extra $350 later, in form of managing an autoresponder for him, improving his response on the website, rewriting his emails for better results etc.
But still, $350 for way less than 4 hours of work isn't bad for a 19yr old! Considering that my friends are poor students
Not only that, but I feel that making a 63 year old man (Though he seemed much younger) really listen to me as an expert, is quite an achievment.

[Shaun OReilly]

Congratulations on your offline success.

There are so many useful learning points
here.

At least you're now out there "in the field"
and making useful distinctions as you go
along.

Now that you have your first client, the
rest should be easier.

Dedicated to your success,

*Shaun O'Reilly

[AndrewCavanagh]

Originally Posted by Preben Frenning

A guy called me on monday, asking for a meeting to discuss what I could do for him, and what would happen. Someone had told him that I was an "Expert" webdesigner -

There are some good tips here but I think you missed the most important one:

Referrrals.

# Ask for referrals from friends and family.

# Ask for referrals from the business owners you work with.

# Ask for referrals from the business owners you talk to (even if they don't hire you).

# Use referral systems in your business.


And make them look good by offering to give anyone they refer to you a gift consultation.

It's VERY easy to get hired by someone who contacts you because you were recommended by someone.

This guy was ready to hire you when he called.

That's really what made the process so easy.

That's just one reason referrals are so powerful.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

[AndrewCavanagh]

P.S. And the best possible time to talk to some new prospects is right after you get hired.

Your confidence is up and you won't feel desperate for the money (you just got hired after all) so it will be easy to think along the lines that you don't need the prospect you're talking to to become a client.

That makes it a whole lot easier to get hired.

[Preben Frenning]

Thanks Shaun!
I feel quite the same way. It's NOT that hard.
And for the record, I have learned A LOT from your free "GetOfflineClients" mailing list, which still is the best out there =)
Now I'm really looking forward to more clients, because this was fun

[Preben Frenning]

Originally Posted by AndrewCavanagh

There are some good tips here but I think you missed the most important one:

Referrals.

So true!
That was why it was so easy. I could even have gotten a referral from him DURING the meeting, as his sister needed to pimp up her site a bit. But I will do that when I get the time for it. I actually hava a lot of work to do already

But yeah, referrals are the easiest sales you will ever get.

The one referring have already sold you, and they have the credibility you would eventually need to build up.

Though this meeting was pretty much a meeting to see what I possibly could do for him, in his own house, it sure worked out! AND his testimonial will make it possible to increase my prices a bit as well

[Pete223]

Hi Preben,

First off, congratulations on your new deal... feels good don't it!!!

In your section "So here is what you can learn from this" I sincerely
think you forgot the most important thing and something that YOU did...

You Took Action!!!

People always seem surprised when something works and often, the
only thing that separates them from those that never get to
experience "the thrill" is that they Took Action!

Also, in number 2. you say "I'm only 19, with no higher education. Age is not a factor."

I think age IS a factor in these cases, but it works with you!

In most cases, people that have been "in the trenches" for a long time,
(in your case 35 years) see this "Internet thing" we talk about as Your Thing
(the young crowd).

I was having a beverage the other day with a guy I know and we started talking
about the Internet... well, the only thing that seemed to resonate with him about the
Internet was that is 15 year old son had a website, that he build it himself, that he sold
stuff on eBay, that he did this, that he did that... and the conclusion he had was that,
Only The Kids Can Understand That Stuff!

Great place to be when your 19!

Keep it up Preben and good job!

Kindest Regards,
Pete

[dru-man]

Good job, Preben. I wouldn't worry about underselling with your first client--he's going to be stoked when he realizes how much value he is getting for the money and will undoubtedly throw some more business your way from himself and his contacts. So that right there might make this account more valuable even if it ends up paying less than some of your other transactions in the near future. Keep up the good work--you've got a promising future ahead.

[JohnMcCabe]

Preben, I have three things for you today...

1. Congratulations on finalizing a deal. Since this guy has so many years in the press, I'm betting his glowing testimonial and contacts will be worth a lot more than the theoretical $350 you left on the table.

2. Just because you have some work piled up is no reason not to grab low hanging fruit as it goes by. Just slot them into a future calendar. If you listen to top guns like Makepeace and Bencivenga, you'll catch references to making a sale and slotting into the calendar some months in the future.

3. Being busy and not available to drop everything and start on a project immediately is actually a very powerful position. Having a few things in the queue can give you the confidence to ask for higher fees when you sense they are there, and to say no if the fit isn't right between you and a potential client.

Keep up the good work...

[Preben Frenning]

Thanks McGabe!
You're right in all points!
As for #2 - I will contact him soon to get in touch with the other "referral sale". He actually tried to push down the price a bit, by telling me "how much fun" it would be setting up his site (Because of all of the pictures etc.), and that it "would look good" for me.

And I especially agree with #3! I really felt it! I was often just "helping out" some guys when I didn't have much to do, and usually for free. But now that I have much to do, and even a home office and a dedicated phone, I feel that my time is worth a lot more, and that I have a busy schedule.
And as you say, I actually had the option to "say no" if I felt it wasn't attractive enough for me. And even if I did, he would probably go up a bit, just to "seal the deal" and get hold of me and my services.

Ha asked me how much I wanted for it though, and he was very satisfied with the price. BUT I made it straight that it would probably cost more later, but I said it was okay to wait and see. I told him I would "work up" those $350, and that it would at least give him a functional website. But he is prepared to pay more
Great points!

@dru-man - Thanks!
I'm sure you're right. He seemed extremely satisfied today, and I'm sure he will give me some more sales. If I manage to keep the satisfaction level this high, I will get customers knocking on my door and eating from my hand

@Pete223 - Thanks, and I sure did!
Although that sentence is getting pretty used, it still is the most important thing to do.
And in this case, I would say "action" knocked on my door .
But I took action by starting a company, and telling people about it.

I could agree that age is a factor, but I believe you can accomplish whatever you want, regardless of age, unless it's something physically impossible.

If I was 60 and had been in the business since the start of it,I pretty certain I would still have made it today, although I might not have been as creative or enthusiastic as I am these days.

Thank you for replies people! I'm glad to get replies and tips from people I follow and learn from

Offline is FUN!

[Shaka]

Congratulations Pheben on your new project. Your post was very inspirational and helpful. I noted that you handled this opportunity like a person beyond your years. I’m sure your self confidence and composure impressed your client. Good luck, thank you for the takeaways, and here’s to many years of outstanding success.

[RainDrop]

Congrats Preben!!! That's awesome, now that you got that first client, more are sure to come rolling in.
I wish you much success in your offline/online venture! keep us posted