mrjosco

Guys,

I have been selling mobile websites for a few weeks now. Not getting rich (yet), but selling about one per week.

Every week I get better at selling and expressing the value a mobile website offers a local business. I really believe they are stupid to not have one!

But I struggle with understanding how to establish value for charging a monthly fee. Right now, I only offer a monthly fee that includes 4 updates per month ($37) which makes sense for a very small percentage of my customers. Most don't need changes that frequently.

I would love to build a base of recurring income, but I don't get it. They benefit more by having the site on their own domain, anyways.

When you are selling a mobile site with a recurring monthly fee - what are you providing to justify that added value?

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mzmel10

I think it comes down to what can you offer your customer that they will be happy to pay you for and you can do it well. I have seen a few people here charge for hosting the site. Others give bonuses and whatnot to keep their clients engaged and paying that monthly retainer.

Good Luck!

DougPage

I do what I believe is best for the client. We all want the recurring but for offline that currently means doing work for the money. I do offer inexpensive hosting if we can't get the mobile site on to their domain but don't push it. As you say, very few need monthly changes so not much to be done there either. However, you now have a client that trusts you and you can work out other services for them. What kind of business is it? What kind of marketing can work for them? This is where the money is. So say you get a restaurant to have you create a mobile site. Once the job is done and they are pleased with your work, explain to them how to really help make that mobile site work for them. Offer an SMS program that will help them get people in the seats when it's slow. Get fridge magnets printed up for them that have a QR code on it that when scanned takes them to a mobile page that has the specials available for the day/week/etc. This type of marketing works for many other businesses as well. Remember that what you are offering is the ability to get their name in front of a prospect when they are looking for your clients products/services. You are not selling mobile websites, website redesign, etc. They want to DO their business. You want to be their marketing agent. Keep that in mind and you find many ways to help them.

Adrian John

I suggest:
- hosting (maybe buying an free .mobi and host it under your own sever will add some value to the package).You will have full control over their mobile website
- 4 free small updates per month
- monthly backup of the website
- monthly mobile redirection script updates
- website maintenance
- trackable QR Code?
- add some OnSite SEO maybe?

I think that should be enough. If anything else comes to my mind I will post here.

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mrjosco

These are good suggestions, but I do have some questions:

1. Isn't there a greater benefit to the customer if they host on their own domain? I heard that google gives 'points' to sites that it detects a mobile version. Or does just having the script installed provide the same benefit?

Also, why would there need to be updates to the redirect script? This might be a noobie question, but I didn't realize this was an issue!

I like the SEO offering. Provide updates and some very simple SEO as a ''hook'.

Vintage and Retro Shirts from Vinretro

xlfutur1

Why not offer some SMS marketing along with the mobile site? Then you could justify a monthly fee.

Adrian John

It's not really a greater benefit if they host it on the same server. Google suggest hosting the mobile website either on m.domain.com or on a .mobi domain.

Also, it's the mobile website redirection script installed that detects a mobile device and redirects people to the optimized website for their device so "the points" are given . All you need to create is an unique experience for mobile users and you will receive all the points you want if you're looking for them. In the end, all that matters for the small business it;s how much business they get through their new mobile optimized website.

Also, why would there need to be updates to the redirect script? Sometimes, the script must be updated with new devices, resolution or OS's . Sometimes they want a link on the mobile website to say Click for Full Website and you need to replace the existing redirection script if initially that feature wasn't requested.

Hope it helps.

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ozlizard

I have had a couple of replies to emails requesting pricing, and after I send the info they don't get back to me. My gut feeling is that it is the monthly fee that puts them off, even though I try to keep it really low. $12 a month for small local businesses, without hosting. I might try some without the support fee and see how it goes. Maybe charge an update fee as required.

Mobile Sites/Web Sites/Mobile Marketing
http://www.zapmedia.com.au

Adrian John

If you get replies asking for pricing you should call them up and start a conversion. They obviously are interested.
Ask questions, qualify them and explain how much value and profit the mobile website can get to them and say that you can design one for them for a fraction of the profits that it can bring(usually no lower than $299 depending on the niche).
If they say something about the monthly fee than say that you can charge $0 monthly fees but no further updates are included in your package and any further modification needed will be charge with $100/hour or per operation.
Add something else to sweeten the deal if you want ... just some thoughts
Search for Jason Kenigan to learn what to say on the phone and how to speak to your prospects.He's incredible and he has a lot of threads here that might help you.

Hope it helps

PS: Can you send me the email you send initially? to have a look to see how you present your offer?

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ozlizard

Thanks for the good advice Adrian, I am sure you are right. I have sent the email I am currently using by PM. This has a call to action at the end of the video to supply their details to get a free report on their web site.

Mobile Sites/Web Sites/Mobile Marketing
http://www.zapmedia.com.au

mobilemanic

This is the best way to justify and keep a long term client. If you offer sms marketing for your client not only can you justify a larger monthly fee, you become the go to guy. We actually give away a mobile site with hosting when they sign up for our sms program.

midasman09

Start up a local "Mobi-Directory" where you list businesses in Alphabetical Order by Category.

"Load it" with the mobi sites you've done thus far. Let them in for free initially, then, when you have 20 or 30 paying clients....ask the initial ones to start paying.

I'd start with $50/mo and....for businesses that can benefit from Tourists/Travelers staying at local hotel/motels....set up a plastic display on the front desk of 10 or more. The sign has a giant QR Code with the words; "SCAN HERE TO FIND PLACES TO EAT....TO SHOP....!

NOW you can get $100 or more, per month!

Don Alm....

RaymondB

mrjosco you can use this tool Mobile Website Pricing Calculator

Friendly advice, useful tips...
Raymond B.

Stephen Britton

As several have already pointed out, providing hosting and support can provide steady income. I have a friend who hosts 125 sites for clients and he charges an average of $25 per month.

But it took him years to built up this business. I provide hosting and support for 15 clients and it brings in an extra $150 per month. Basically it covers my cell phone and cable TV bills.

However, the real money maker is providing SEO and online advertising. Once you built the site, you need help them attract new clients and get exposure on the web. There are many extras that you can add on like setting up Google Analytics and provide monthly reports.

You can also help them with advertising - running campaigns on Google Adwords and buying banner ads on buysellads.com . You can also provide article marketing and blog writing services.

And these are ideas are just off the top of my head without any deep thinking. If you are just building websites and not providing other services, you are doing something wrong and losing business.

Happy Holidays!

- - - WiLd

Mady1234

Having a mobile presence is great, but without actually generating traffic it still won't do much.

Perhaps you should adjust your entire pricing strategy. Ask for more and deliver something that is of higher value. By selling them only a mobile site it's like putting up a bill board on an empty street. I would suggest you add a monthly fee for SEO. Explain to them that this monthly fee is actually there to get them more traffic and in return more customers. This way, you can also charge considerably more.

What I was doing before with high success rate is prepare a mobile demo and add a special offers page. This page is meant to get people to sign up to an sms list. But if they want me to add the page after purchase, I do state that the setup and maintenance of the SMS service is going to cost extra. When you explain the actual value to them many will pick you up on that offer.

DexterGallagher

We only offered a full price, but at the beginning of December we found that 3 out of 7 would ask for monthly fees! We agreed and secured the sales.

We offer mobile optimized websites at http://mobilewebsitecreationltd.co.uk/

TrumpiaTim

We would recommend charging for hosting, or have you considered adding additional products to your bundle package that would have a "perceived" monthly value vs a mobile website which can seem somewhat like a one and done

ozstylo

i pay 80 bugs for my cell fone and internet bill

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