Daniel LaRusso

I looked at selling mobile websites to local businesses a couple of years ago, but, honestly, I didn't put in the time prospecting that I should have, and moved on.

It's now 2013, closing in on 2014, which is the year that a lot of the studies said that mobile searches would surpass desktop searches for local terms.

So, with this in mind, is there still an opportunity out there to sell mobile websites to local businesses? Have the businesses that would get one already gotten one, or moved on to responsive web design? Are there other services that you should offer, either complimenting mobile websites, or something different altogether?

It is unwise to trust all you read on the internet.
- Benjamin Franklin

BeginningWarrior

The opportunity for mobile continues to grow. Even with responsive designs, there is still plenty of mobile services that can be sold, including a mobile website to those with responsive sites. For the local and mobile market there is SMS messaging, reputation management and several other ways to capitalize on the mobile market. The short of it is, the mobile market is still quite lucrative and will be for the foreseeable future.

Jason Kanigan

Business lags far behind what we know and do here.

In the early to mid 2000s I worked for a national electrical wholesaler that was still using dot matrix printers and DOS-type inventory/accounting/ordering programming. Most do not reinvest until they absolutely have to, or a top executive (new to the role or just sick and tired of things as they are) decides now is the time.

So I believe you can sell mobile sites to businesses for many years to come.

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Ron Lafuddy

Jason,

I agree with you. There will always be businesses behind the curve.

Here's an extreme example.

I remember walking in on a business prospect about 10 years ago. He was still using
rotary dial phones. This was a small manufacturing facility with around 15 phones.

Talk about old school.

I asked him how come. He said, "hey, it works. That's all I care about."

The office gal who was handling incoming phone calls, looked at me and just rolled her eyes.
That was the last time I saw him. Wouldn't surprise me if he still has the same phones.

MahBell

I believe that those who market mobile websites are too hung up on the technology and fail to show the the business owner how a mobile website will bring in more business.

TaraCarson

This is the #1 complaint I hear too. A business needs a value-based reason to buy. I usually talk about the number of mobile searches vs. desktop, and how Google prefers to show users localized results, so the most targeted visitors are people in town out and about on their phones. If they're a restaurant or other business that survives on foot traffic it's a no-brainer, but if they're a business type that people aren't as likely to look up from their phones then you need to present a more unique value. I sold a mobile site to a contractor once by offering an option for customers to submit a photo of damaged parts or their home (termite or bug damage, insurance work, etc.). I really don't know if anyone will ever use it, but the pitch was basically that they could have a feature no one else in town had. Customers who needed repairs could upload photos from their phone of what they needed fixed to get a more accurate quote.

piney94

I agree that mobile website marketing is still very much in need. Many biz owners don't realize how customers could benefit from an easy-to-use site. Also mobile site designs are getting much nicer and I predict within the next year or so, will become more technologically saavy (i.e. animated!). The wave is here and many companies don't realize it.

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Silvio Porcellana

I think that as long as the product/service you are offering is bringing some real value to your prospect, you will always have new customers and sales.

The point is not really selling a technology or a feature (as Ron said before, rotary phones *do* work) but rather a benefit: "with dial phones you can put calls on hold".

Give your customer a reason to buy that resonates with him, not something that you think is cool or the "latest trend" as that is a lot more difficult to sell.

Mobilemarketingkings

It will only get easier as more businesses understand what it is. Right now most still don't get it.

DexterGallagher

Hi Mobilemarketingkings,

The easiest way is to educate a decision maker in the niche you are targeting and offer them a mobile site, then when they are singing it's praise, ask for referrals - it works

This is what we are doing in the UK, through local chamber of commerce's and it works like a dream.

• No trying to convince people - they already know they want a mobile site
• Hot leads
• Willing to pay high end prices - we are currently selling mobile sites for up to 10 pages for £699 ($1048) 12 times a day through our employed salesmen.

So you have to ask yourself, how do you want to spend your week?


Do you want to carry on emailing thousands of prospects who delete the email with little if any response? Or do you want hot leads who are ready to buy and pay the price you are charging??

This helps anyone sell mobile sites by:
Reducing wasted time trying to find prospects who are interested and who can see the benefit of having a mobile site.
All appointments are hot leads, ready and willing to buy at a high price point.

Another solution.
The easiest way to find leads is to look for businesses who are already paying for either SEO, PPC or even Groupon ads, these businesses understand that to succeed in business they have to open their wallet and get their message out. This can be lead gen using Groupon, through SEO or PPC.

Targeting everyone is more time consuming, with a lot of wasted time a more targeted approach is best, Brian if you want specifics, just ask Graham, he will point you in the right direction.

Dexter

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

GB Solutions

I just finished a consulting contract for a company looking to diversify their offerings by offering website mobilization and a few other products to their current product offering line. We had some research done (I also read an article with similar findings) that showed more than 60% of independent businesses still do not have a mobilized website, in St. Louis, MO.

Now yes the midwest is slower to acclimate than the coasts; however, I do not think the market is slowing anytime soon. In fact, I would say that we are in the sweet spot for selling this, you just have to compete with all the other people doing it!

GB Solutions | Small Business Website & Marketing Solutions

"To Strive, To Seek, To Find, and Not To Yield" -Tennyson

DexterGallagher

Hell NO! It's just beginning to open....

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

robbiereynolds

In the midwest, where I live, i'm amazed at the number of businesses that don't have a mobile website. I've been building websites since 1998 and am just beginning to offer mobile exclusive websites as well as with responsive websites.

The mobile websites are more for optimizing the user experience on mobile devices and the responsive sites are for the "full" website, but for rendering well on all devices.

AlexanderSaroyan

I can deliver high quality Mobile websites but have problem with finding prospects!
Any advice for me?

Thanks
Alexander

Ishmail

Hey Alex, the best way I find is to use the yellow pages app that shows me who has not got a mobile site and then give them a call and offer them a free sample. Unfortunately it is a numbers game, but as the old saying goes "Some will, some won't, so what!"

pawandave

I have some prospect ..i sold mobile website ...now i wanted to make a site for selling mobile website ..anyone have template for mobile website selling ..i have taken domain but need soem good looking site selling mobile website > I appreciate if anyone have