My simple technique eliminates 'hard selling' and gets new clients contacting ME for my services...

77 replies
UPDATE: Just wanted to say I'm so happy that so many people seem to be loving and benefitting from this thread. I'll try to post stuff like this more often. If anyone has any questions or comments they don't want to post here, please feel free to shoot me an email to my personal email address at jtwillia2(at)gmail(dot)com

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This post reveals:
A) An effective approach I use that eliminates "hard selling."
B) The type of conversational language to use in your first client meeting to close the deal without even trying and build rapport in doing so.

I see so many "offliners" struggling with the actual pitch or 'closing the deal' when it comes to marketing their services to business owners, and I started to get a number of messages and emails asking me how exactly I pitch my offer when doing the hard selling bit, so I decided to just make a thread about it.

This is an idea I had when starting out that I have come to take for granted, as it is now second nature to me. I imagine there are plenty of folks out there using this same technique, if it can even be called a technique, but apparently there are also many who are not.

This approach can be utilized with many different monthly retainer services and can be adjusted to work for one-time sales also. Personally, the technique I'm about to mention applies to my ongoing SEO service where I help maintain clients' page-1 rankings. I also apply it to my web design offer (building websites for businesses that don't have them).

Everyone knows unique selling propositions, or USP's, are important. I see this technique as my USP, and almost as a form of a money-back guarantee. The beauty of this approach is that it allows whatever service you apply it to to really "sell itself," as I like to say. It virtually eliminates having to actually try to sell your service.

So here it is. The technique or approach, as I've been saying, in general terms, is just performing your service for FREE until the client sees verifiable results.

Now before everyone hoots and hollers, let me explain in more detail in specific relation to SEO.

Let's face it. The vast majority of folks have no clue what SEO is, what it involves, or even what it stands for. This is why selling it as a service can be a huge battle, simply because no one wants to pay for something they don't understand. People fear what they don't understand. As a side note, this is why I never even mention the terms SEO or 'search engine optimization' at all the first time I talk to a potential new client. I just tell them about how I can "help their website show up for specific targeted phrases, which allows for more visitors to the site, which means more prospects, leads, customers, conversions, sales, appointments, profits," etc. - that's the type of lingo business owners understand. Their end goal is more profits.

They don't want or need to hear terms like SEO, backlinks, keywords, HTML, title tag, algorithm, PageRank, etc. - at least in your initial contact or meeting. Psychologically, throwing around terms like this during an initial meeting could potentially scare them and even make them feel inferior to you. Those terms will emphasize the fact that you are trying to sell them something. You want to just appear to be like a friend helping them out by growing their business. What people tend to forget is that they will automatically view you as an expert in your field simply because you know a little more than they might about internet marketing. Because of this, you don't have to use big technical SEO terms that they don't understand.

Get on their level and discuss the easy-to-understand flow of visitors -> sales -> profits. And watch their eyes grow wide with interest and excitement.

So back to the technique...

By performing your services for free until they see results, they have absolutely nothing to lose by hiring you. This is exactly what I do when pitching my SEO service:

I use the language I discussed above and tell them to let me get them to page 1 of Google free of charge. Then I tell them that once they reach page 1, they have the option of paying a monthly retainer for me to check and attempt to maintain their rankings on page 1, or they can walk away, no questions asked, without having paid a dime. This may seem like a scary proposition to some of you, but I have used this technique every time I pitched my service, and for those who agreed to let me give it a go, after getting them to page 1, I have not had a single person take the second option and walk away. Everyone stayed and started paying.

This is a very powerful approach when you think about it. Trust and reciprocation are huge in business relationships, and you are offering an extremely valuable service for nothing, so human nature dictates that they will at least feel somewhat obligated to begin paying you, and they will trust you more than they otherwise would have. Not only that, but trust me on this, once they see themselves on page 1 of Google, they get very excited and want to hang on to that for dear life.

I know what you're thinking: "That's a huge investment and a big risk to take!" :confused:

It is, in a sense, but think about the residual effects and the future value. It presents them with an offer that is literally too good to turn down, and gets your foot in the door to potentially sell them other services down the road. You will easily make back your initial investment (for me in the first month's charge) in future payments from the new client. Also keep in mind that they think this is hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of work, but for most of the local businesses I do this service for, the SEO is honestly not that difficult, and not expensive by any means. Sometimes a few on-page tweaks are all that's needed.

"But what if they walk away after you get their site to page 1 ?!"

That's part of the risk, but like I said, every client I've gotten to page 1 has stayed with the service for at least a few months, more than enough to cover my initial out-of-pocket investment. Their site may stay there, it may drop, who knows... Or if you do the 301 tactic you can simply switch it off and their site will drop - personally I don't do the 301 thing, but I've thought about trying it sometime.

By using this approach, you have now gone from a salesman asking for money to a nice friend who wants to grow this person's business for free. There is a huge difference there.

Taking the analogy further, consider these 2 statements:
"This SEO and backlinking service costs $1000 up front."
"Let me bring you more traffic and more sales for free."

Which one do you think sounds better? The second one!

Obviously, to protect yourself, you can draw up some simple contracts about charging them monthly and how you cannot control Google's algorithm, things like that...

A concrete example:

I currently have a client that is a local medical facility. I knew their keywords would be tough and would take a larger-than-usual investment up front to push their site to page 1, but I decided to still do the free-until-you-reach-page-1 offer. It took me 4 months to get them to page 1 for the phrases they wanted to target, but that client now pays me $1200/month. I say that not to brag, but to show you the ultimate ongoing value of retention here. The initial investment I made was a small price to pay to get that check every month.

The other thing I do to "soften the blow" of them getting onboard is I tell them they can cancel at any time; no 6- or 12-month contracts. Some may feel differently here but I believe it gives them more confidence in signing up with you.

This entire approach also makes for a better overall relationship. They will feel comfortable paying you instead of wondering "Is this really worth it?"

If you implement this approach, you will literally have potential clients contacting you without you ever having spoken to them. I have gotten about half my clients simply from word of mouth, because people love the "unbelievable offer that is too good to pass up." Getting contacts and clients through referrals is the best way, in my opinion. It adds yet another enhancement to your trustworthiness as the service provider if your potential client's friend recommends your service. He or she can show them what it did for their business, you explain the free-until-results setup, and that's all the "selling" that ever needs to take place.

For this reason, I also implement a referral/affiliate program in which people get a 20% ongoing commission every month for each new client they refer. That may seem like a huge chunk to give away, but I see it as getting business I otherwise probably would not have gotten. This gives them a huge incentive to refer you to someone else! I even have a friend who uses my referral system as one of his main sources of income. He just enjoys going out and talking to people, so I let him do his thing and he brings me new business, and I'm happy to pay him for it.

I feel like I'm starting to ramble, but this can also apply to web design in a slightly different manner. I don't build very many websites nowadays because I have found it to be quite a headache for a number of reasons, but for the ones I have done, all I did was tell them they didn't need to pay a dime until they were satisfied with the finished website. Again, they have nothing to lose.

Whatever service you may be selling, consider offering some sort of pay-nothing-up-front scenario until the potential client sees verifiable results.

I have never enjoyed cold calling or hard selling or any of that stuff. I suppose no one does. That is why I love the approach I use - it all but eliminates the need for selling tactics. You don't need to memorize a script or use fancy statistics or anything. Just let your offer be the basis of your "sale" and build a conversation after and around that point. Like I said earlier, let it be a friendly conversation that exudes the sense that you are genuinely interested in helping them grow their business, and they will love you for it. And not to state the obvious, but when they view you in that manner, it gives them an incentive to stay with you and also to recommend you to friends and contacts. See how this all ties together...

Through this type of "friendly" exchange, I have literally become good friends with several of my clients that have been paying me for my service for over a year now. And because of that, when they run into anything internet- or marketing-related, who do you think is the first person they call?

Now go make some money!


To your success,
John T. Williamson
#clients #contacting #eliminates #hard #selling #services #simple #technique
  • Profile picture of the author AussieT
    Great post John. Thanks for the not making it a WSO
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    • Profile picture of the author focusedlife
      Very cool, John.

      As someone else stated...thanks for not charging $17 for this info.

      As a side note mention, I do something similar,

      Its not quite SEO upfront but it is still marketing collateral upfront.

      What I do is giveaway craigslist ads that have been watermarked with my contact details.

      Usually people pay a donation (and the promise that I will remove the watermark), but it acts as a great foot in the door service to build the relationship.
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  • Profile picture of the author schazz
    Nice post John, do you just outsource your SEO work?

    And how often do you do onpage work? I would imagine that many sites you'd come across with this offer could use/necessitate onpage work to be able to rank at all.

    Thanks,
    Will
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by AussieT View Post

      Great post John. Thanks for the not making it a WSO
      Thanks. And yea, no way I would have charged anyone for that little tidbit of info. When I started writing the post I actually only expected it to be a couple of paragraphs but then the thoughts just kept flowing so... When I got done I looked back at how long it was and was like 'holy cow!'

      Originally Posted by schazz View Post

      Nice post John, do you just outsource your SEO work?

      And how often do you do onpage work? I would imagine that many sites you'd come across with this offer could use/necessitate onpage work to be able to rank at all.

      Thanks,
      Will
      Thanks Will, I do outsource most of my SEO work but specifically, most of it is through established ongoing relationships with contractors on oDesk whom I've hired that I dictate particular tasks to. What I mean is I don't just use services here on WF - though I have found some decent ones.

      I've actually studied and tried to keep up with the changing game of SEO for the past 6 years so I would say I'm knowledgeable on the subject. So because of that I just hire teams or individuals and say "I need this, this, and this, for this website" and have them do the tedious work.

      This does not mean, however, that someone with little SEO knowledge could not outsource SEO services. It can definitely be done more easily than most people seem to think.

      And you are right, most clients I encounter that already have a website are precisely the opposite of optimized in terms of their on-page SEO. I usually like to get in there and do the on-page stuff myself so I can mold and tweak things exactly to my liking instead of trying to outsource that. The on-page is always the first step of the process for me and should never be overlooked.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lee M
    Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

    Whatever service you may be selling, consider offering some sort of pay-nothing-up-front scenario until the potential client sees verifiable results.
    You are indeed correct! I have used this approach several times and it works!
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  • Profile picture of the author mrtrance
    Very good method! A few questions though.

    How do you determine how many kws to rank them on page 1 and how do you determine which keywords that you do get them on page 1 really convert into more leads and sales? I mean for local keywords it is pretty easy to get clients on page 1 for many keywords, but the real test is them seeing the traffic somehow gives them more customers or leads? This is critical because you need for them to see immediate results from them being on page 1 otherwise if they are ranking for kws that don't really convert then they will leave after 1 month.

    Also do you tell them it will take 1 month to rank these kws and do you track during that time if your work does indeed gave the client more leads once you got them ranked on page 1?

    Do you just try to rank anywhere in top 10 or do you try to get them ranked in top 3 since local traffic is not very much so it would be prudent to get them in top 3?

    My only other concern is if you get them ranked for those kws on page 1 and they decide they don't want to pay for it to maintain (and since with local keywords once you get them on page 1 they seem to maintain their rankings due to lack of competition) then you pretty much did it for free and they continue to get traffic and leads. I think with the method you are doing building those links by way of 301 redirect might be a better option.
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxwellB
    Although this is a way to get around having to in your words "hard sell" seo It's important that readers understand it's not the only answer.

    Developing your pre-qualifying ability, sales skills, learning how to present/create value, and demonstrate a strong ROI should be your top priority.

    I'm a strong believer that you don't give something away for free without getting paid for something else at least.

    So in my opinion working for free should be your last resort if your just not good at sales.
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  • Profile picture of the author TJ Kazunga
    Nice post. For it to work though you need to build up some personal capital with the client, i.e. face to face. Hard to do if the client is in another country say and they think "well, I don't know this guy..."

    I do something similar, but with web propeties I own. That way if they pull out no skin off my nose.

    Thanks for the share.
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  • Profile picture of the author iThinkhard
    I have already presented a similar idea in this post. discover for yourself how warriors thought about it at that time...
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by mrtrance View Post

      Very good method! A few questions though.

      How do you determine how many kws to rank them on page 1 and how do you determine which keywords that you do get them on page 1 really convert into more leads and sales? I mean for local keywords it is pretty easy to get clients on page 1 for many keywords, but the real test is them seeing the traffic somehow gives them more customers or leads? This is critical because you need for them to see immediate results from them being on page 1 otherwise if they are ranking for kws that don't really convert then they will leave after 1 month.

      Also do you tell them it will take 1 month to rank these kws and do you track during that time if your work does indeed gave the client more leads once you got them ranked on page 1?

      Do you just try to rank anywhere in top 10 or do you try to get them ranked in top 3 since local traffic is not very much so it would be prudent to get them in top 3?

      My only other concern is if you get them ranked for those kws on page 1 and they decide they don't want to pay for it to maintain (and since with local keywords once you get them on page 1 they seem to maintain their rankings due to lack of competition) then you pretty much did it for free and they continue to get traffic and leads. I think with the method you are doing building those links by way of 301 redirect might be a better option.
      I always do keyword research beforehand to check out the search figures for potential phrases. Getting them to page 1 is usually all that's needed to increase visitors and subsequent contact form submissions and phone calls. Those are the verifiable results. I can show them the new traffic they're getting in Analytics and where it's coming from. It's their job to convert those new prospects.

      For a time table, I usually leave it open ended because I'm never sure how long it will take to get them to the first page. I just tell them to be patient and give them periodic updates. I go back to them when they reach page 1, after which I try to push them up as high as possible, usually within the top 3.

      I addressed your last concern in my OP. Yes it's a risk. But if they have a conscience, they will feel the need to at least pay you something for your services in the event they do decide to walk away.

      Originally Posted by MaxwellB View Post

      Although this is a way to get around having to in your words "hard sell" seo It's important that readers understand it's not the only answer.

      Developing your pre-qualifying ability, sales skills, learning how to present/create value, and demonstrate a strong ROI should be your top priority.

      I'm a strong believer that you don't give something away for free without getting paid for something else at least.

      So in my opinion working for free should be your last resort if your just not good at sales.
      True, this is not the only way to close the sale, but honestly I enjoy the residual effects I talked about even more, such as the enhanced future business relationship that is a byproduct.

      I don't see it as working for free. I generally make back about 5x my initial investment in their first month's payment. More than happy to do so. I really don't even think of it as a sacrifice anymore since it has worked so well for me so many times.

      Clients have literally told me that was the reason they signed up with me, that's the reason they trust me, and that's the reason they want to stay on board and recommend me to others.

      Originally Posted by TJ Kazunga View Post

      Nice post. For it to work though you need to build up some personal capital with the client, i.e. face to face. Hard to do if the client is in another country say and they think "well, I don't know this guy..."

      I do something similar, but with web propeties I own. That way if they pull out no skin off my nose.

      Thanks for the share.
      Valid point. At the same time, this approach helps eliminate their natural skepticism of the service and the field in general.

      Originally Posted by iThinkhard View Post

      I have already presented a similar idea in this post. discover for yourself how warriors thought about it at that time...
      Nice!
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      • Profile picture of the author mrtrance
        Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

        I always do keyword research beforehand to check out the search figures for potential phrases. Getting them to page 1 is usually all that's needed to increase visitors and subsequent contact form submissions and phone calls. Those are the verifiable results. I can show them the new traffic they're getting in Analytics and where it's coming from. It's their job to convert those new prospects.

        For a time table, I usually leave it open ended because I'm never sure how long it will take to get them to the first page. I just tell them to be patient and give them periodic updates. I go back to them when they reach page 1, after which I try to push them up as high as possible, usually within the top 3.

        I addressed your last concern in my OP. Yes it's a risk. But if they have a conscience, they will feel the need to at least pay you something for your services in the event they do decide to walk away.
        By the way how do you initiate the first contact with these clients? Email? Cold Call? Face to face?

        What is your method on which businesses to target at first say for SEO service?
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  • Profile picture of the author rajat2k2k
    Very nice post John. I am saving it in my good articles folder.

    I am new to selling SEO but not new to SEO.

    How do you decide how much to charge a business? Is it based on how difficult it's to rank them or how much is their revenue source.

    I do think that more their revenue more difficult it is to rank on google for their keywords.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by mrtrance View Post

      By the way how do you initiate the first contact with these clients? Email? Cold Call? Face to face?

      What is your method on which businesses to target at first say for SEO service?
      All of the above at different times for different scenarios - whichever I feel is most appropriate at the time. For example, if it's a referral from a friend, they'll usually give the potential client my contact info and most of the time the potential client and I will exchange a few emails and then sit down face to face.

      Most of the time I try to go for 'professional' services - lawyers, dentists, chiropractors, etc. who are already paying for some form of advertising.

      Some examples of keywords:
      dentist miami fl
      dui lawyer miami fl
      miami dui lawyer
      chiropractor miami fl
      etc.

      I look for the ones on page 2 or 3 or who don't have a website but are paying for print ads, this shows they already have an advertising budget.


      Originally Posted by rajat2k2k View Post

      Very nice post John. I am saving it in my good articles folder.

      I am new to selling SEO but not new to SEO.

      How do you decide how much to charge a business? Is it based on how difficult it's to rank them or how much is their revenue source.

      I do think that more their revenue more difficult it is to rank on google for their keywords.
      Thanks.

      To know how much to charge, I have a formula that I use to give me a rough, roundabout estimate of what the potential traffic might be worth. You are right about how generally the higher their revenue, the tougher the competition, but don't forget that this also means you can charge more. I'd rather have 5 clients paying me $1000/month than 10 clients paying me $500/month any day.

      Anyway, my formula is:

      [Est. local monthly searches] * [Percentage of expected traffic] * [CPC]

      A concrete example:
      The keyword "chiropractor miami fl" gets an estimated 480 US monthly searches on broad match and has a est. avg. CPC of $4.23 - let's assume we think they'll get 20% of the traffic from page 1, which yields

      [480] * [20%] * [4.23] = $406

      Keep in mind this is a rough estimate of what their market dictates is the value of traffic based on PPC spending. This at least gives you a starting place to think about what you should charge the client to where it is reasonable for both parties to make it a mutually beneficial voluntary transaction.
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      • Profile picture of the author mrtrance
        Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

        All of the above at different times for different scenarios - whichever I feel is most appropriate at the time. For example, if it's a referral from a friend, they'll usually give the potential client my contact info and most of the time the potential client and I will exchange a few emails and then sit down face to face.

        Most of the time I try to go for 'professional' services - lawyers, dentists, chiropractors, etc. who are already paying for some form of advertising.

        Some examples of keywords:
        dentist miami fl
        dui lawyer miami fl
        miami dui lawyer
        chiropractor miami fl
        etc.

        I look for the ones on page 2 or 3 or who don't have a website but are paying for print ads, this shows they already have an advertising budget.
        When you say page 2 or 3 and don't have a website are you referring to the Google+ Local listings 7 pack? So you target those on page of these listings and especially ones that don't have website? I wasn't clear because you said page 2 or 3 and then mentioned not having a website, but if they are ranking of page 2 or 3 of the SERPs then I assume they already have site.

        So go after the professional niches that are not on page 1 and if they also are doing Adwords, print advertising, and ones with no website. So try to target ones that already are spending money on advertising.
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        • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
          Originally Posted by mrtrance View Post

          When you say page 2 or 3 and don't have a website are you referring to the Google+ Local listings 7 pack? So you target those on page of these listings and especially ones that don't have website? I wasn't clear because you said page 2 or 3 and then mentioned not having a website, but if they are ranking of page 2 or 3 of the SERPs then I assume they already have site.

          So go after the professional niches that are not on page 1 and if they also are doing Adwords, print advertising, and ones with no website. So try to target ones that already are spending money on advertising.
          Sorry for the possible confusion. I said page 2 or 3 or don't have a website. I'm referring to the regular search results.

          Usually those on page 2 or 3 are excited about the idea of moving up to page 1 ahead of their other competitors.
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  • Profile picture of the author kevinenrique
    John I like your idea. The customer has nothing to lose and when you accomplish the work they'll admire you and trust you.

    Anyway, i'm not too patient and waiting for 1 to two months until Google finally decides to give you the rankings just doesnt jive with me.

    So I thought about a twist. I would like to know what you and the others in this thread think.

    Instead of waiting for the results of your SEO work and crossing your fingers that Google doesnt unleash a panda penguin update (next one will be dolphin?) you can just accomplish the same thing via PPC.

    Ok i know it costs money (SEO costs time and money too), but maybe do it for a week, not a month, and choose KW that are not that expensive. Then, after a week (maybe two), you tell them they have to pay for the services from that point on.
    *** once they pay you, you can begin to do the SEO thing because in the long run is cheaper...

    Since you are only going to give them 1 week (two max) then you should direct the PPC to a landing page with a strong call to action, so that the ppl call or visit the business, fast. Maybe you could tell the business owner to authorize a special coupon or something just for that landing page, to entice the people to go fast...

    This is something off the top of my head, i dont know if its worth it or possible.. im just trying to think of a way to accelerate things using the wonderful concept of the OP, give something for free.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by kevinenrique View Post

      John I like your idea. The customer has nothing to lose and when you accomplish the work they'll admire you and trust you.

      Anyway, i'm not too patient and waiting for 1 to two months until Google finally decides to give you the rankings just doesnt jive with me.

      So I thought about a twist. I would like to know what you and the others in this thread think.

      Instead of waiting for the results of your SEO work and crossing your fingers that Google doesnt unleash a panda penguin update (next one will be dolphin?) you can just accomplish the same thing via PPC.

      Ok i know it costs money (SEO costs time and money too), but maybe do it for a week, not a month, and choose KW that are not that expensive. Then, after a week (maybe two), you tell them they have to pay for the services from that point on.
      *** once they pay you, you can begin to do the SEO thing because in the long run is cheaper...

      Since you are only going to give them 1 week (two max) then you should direct the PPC to a landing page with a strong call to action, so that the ppl call or visit the business, fast. Maybe you could tell the business owner to authorize a special coupon or something just for that landing page, to entice the people to go fast...

      This is something off the top of my head, i dont know if its worth it or possible.. im just trying to think of a way to accelerate things using the wonderful concept of the OP, give something for free.
      I honestly don't see this working simply because most of the business owners are smart enough to know what PPC is and which ones the ads are. Users' eyes begin to naturally skip over the ad sections at the top of the search results (I know mine do). The clients who want SEO usually do not want PPC, as they see it was a waste of money for most niches because of the high CPC, so the ROI of SEO tends to be better and more cost effective for them. For those that do also want to utilize PPC, I offer to manage the campaigns for them for a small fee.

      Be patient and get the rankings. Throughout that time, they'll know you're working to get them to the top. If it takes longer than expected, that's still ok, because they might think "wow this guy did this for free for 4 full months, we're definitely paying him now."
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  • Profile picture of the author vj3660
    This is great.I met a guy on conference on Friday he called this as performance SEO.
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  • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
    John

    excellent post!!!

    I agree with the principle except I do a little twist on this.

    instead of offering a" let me get you on the first page of google" proposal because your absolutely correct. I would say 95% of these offline clients do NOT know anything about seo etc

    but we are fortunate that in todays business climate they do know of Google, facebook etc. and they do realize that they need to have this online presence.

    what I do is that we offer a completely built website and we offer it for FREE. all they pay is the business class hosting of $57 per month.

    these are NOT your directory listings like John D suggests or cheesy 1 page sites. these are full sites

    now what we do is focus on 1 niche at a time and we have a variety of niche specific wordpress themes. so to put a nice site together would take a few hours.

    I even started to throw in a customized APP using a software that we can create an app in about 30 mins.

    the retail value of this package all inclusive is $1500-$2500 depending who you speak to

    the $57 per month hosting includes ll these features plus minor updates

    if they want more custom features then we charge $60 per hour.

    being a former brick and mortar business owner myself I understand exactly how many of these guys feels regarding all the calls from salespeople

    telling them google this, facebook that, etc

    and they all want money which puts the owner ina position of having to make a decision and yet he really does NOT know enough about these kinds of services to actually make one except what the salesperson is telling them.

    so the resistance goes up.

    so instead we tell them we understand and that we want to actually provide VALUE first before we accept their business. because our business has so many additional services like SEO, Video marketing, social media. etc the potential for up selling to additional services are incredible.

    we even tell them the initial $57 deposit to get started is refundable 30days if they are NOT happy.



    now I started off with some seed money for this project because I hired 3 fulltime graphic designers wordpress from philipines. I pay each of my guys $750 per month

    each guy can handle 2 sites per day. plus 1 guy handles site updates. and I have a telemarketing firm that does the initial cold calls and get all the information needed for the new site, plus fax them a form for the check to be faxed back.

    I handle the 2nd follow up for that check and start the design process funnel.

    once they are inside my monthly funnel we have now done the most difficult part of the sale.

    the goal is to get 500 active clients by the end of this year.

    I use a check by fax service that automatically debits thier account every month.

    I only use check by fax.. no credit cards

    here is why.

    what I have discovered being this business and also being a business owner is this.

    business owners will write the initial check!!!!

    but the bank statements are always done with a book keeper. so once the first check autodebit comes thru. the book keeper will ask the owner what is this and then owner will say it is for the web company hosting.

    then that's it.. never again will they ask and the owner will basically forget about those monthly charges and they will stay for a long time. and since the hosting is NOT performance based there really is no reason they will cancel.

    so the attrition will be low since the monthly $57 will be such a low amount.

    now we upsell them along the way with offer and such especially when they sit on such a nice looking website without any traffic.

    but any new services that we sell them they write up a new check and I do NOT mix this with the hosting revenue stream.

    hope this gives some ideas for fellow warriors

    eddie

    PS I can't believe I just spilt my guts like that
    Signature

    Skunkworks: noun. informal.

    A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
    https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Eddie, that's a great system you've got going there. Never really thought of doing the website for free and then just charging a recurring monthly fee for hosting. I'll have to start implementing that.

      Congrats and keep up the good work.
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      • Profile picture of the author mike_lucas
        eddie you got my mind racing thanks !
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        • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
          Originally Posted by mike_lucas View Post

          eddie you got my mind racing thanks !
          Mike

          I used to have a information restaurant portal in NYC called 777-DINE menufax.com this was back in the early 90's if you use wayback machine you can even see it fun days

          anyway we would be hitting the pavement selling restaurants. and we had this monthly service plan for $69 a month

          that we would use check by fax program. we had clients that stayed on for years and probably forgot all about it.

          I remember once I had a call from a guy in queens NY.. and he asked me

          who are you guys?? your debiting my account for $69 bucks and that he had a junk yard

          I replied Junk yard??? we only deal with restaurant clients

          he replied: I sold my restaurant 8 months ago

          LOL alittle unorganized I would say sure enough I canceled and refunded the monies
          Signature

          Skunkworks: noun. informal.

          A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
          https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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          • Profile picture of the author zeke
            Eddie,

            Do u mind if i ask what company u use to accept checks by fax?

            Thanks for the great post

            Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

            Mike

            I used to have a information restaurant portal in NYC called 777-DINE menufax.com this was back in the early 90's if you use wayback machine you can even see it fun days

            anyway we would be hitting the pavement selling restaurants. and we had this monthly service plan for $69 a month

            that we would use check by fax program. we had clients that stayed on for years and probably forgot all about it.

            I remember once I had a call from a guy in queens NY.. and he asked me

            who are you guys?? your debiting my account for $69 bucks and that he had a junk yard

            I replied Junk yard??? we only deal with restaurant clients

            he replied: I sold my restaurant 8 months ago

            LOL alittle unorganized I would say sure enough I canceled and refunded the monies
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            • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
              Zeke

              I use Electronic Check Payment Processing, Check By Phone Services (NO AFF LINK) now there are inhouse software solutions that can handle this for alot less but my office is in costa rica so for me to print checks I would still have to ship the checks ( which I used to do) to the states and have someone I trusted to deposit the check. so this hosted solution works great.

              in fact my leverage is that I am a NY boy and speak with clients I have this NY accent managing my little empire from another country.. no one even knows I am in costa rica..

              when I speak with clients lets say in NY I make sure I am aware of the weather and local stuff
              Signature

              Skunkworks: noun. informal.

              A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
              https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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              • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
                Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

                Zeke

                I use Electronic Check Payment Processing, Check By Phone Services (NO AFF LINK) now there are inhouse software solutions that can handle this for alot less but my office is in costa rica so for me to print checks I would still have to ship the checks ( which I used to do) to the states and have someone I trusted to deposit the check. so this hosted solution works great.

                in fact my leverage is that I am a NY boy and speak with clients I have this NY accent managing my little empire from another country.. no one even knows I am in costa rica..

                when I speak with clients lets say in NY I make sure I am aware of the weather and local stuff
                That last bit is hilarious. Definitely going to check out this online check processing thing. Clients don't mind doing checks over the phone with a call center?
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    • Profile picture of the author Sys4
      Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

      John

      excellent post!!!

      I agree with the principle except I do a little twist on this.

      instead of offering a" let me get you on the first page of google" proposal because your absolutely correct. I would say 95% of these offline clients do NOT know anything about seo etc

      but we are fortunate that in todays business climate they do know of Google, facebook etc. and they do realize that they need to have this online presence.

      what I do is that we offer a completely built website and we offer it for FREE. all they pay is the business class hosting of $57 per month.

      these are NOT your directory listings like John D suggests or cheesy 1 page sites. these are full sites

      now what we do is focus on 1 niche at a time and we have a variety of niche specific wordpress themes. so to put a nice site together would take a few hours.

      I even started to throw in a customized APP using a software that we can create an app in about 30 mins.

      the retail value of this package all inclusive is $1500-$2500 depending who you speak to

      the $57 per month hosting includes ll these features plus minor updates

      if they want more custom features then we charge $60 per hour.

      being a former brick and mortar business owner myself I understand exactly how many of these guys feels regarding all the calls from salespeople

      telling them google this, facebook that, etc

      and they all want money which puts the owner ina position of having to make a decision and yet he really does NOT know enough about these kinds of services to actually make one except what the salesperson is telling them.

      so the resistance goes up.

      so instead we tell them we understand and that we want to actually provide VALUE first before we accept their business. because our business has so many additional services like SEO, Video marketing, social media. etc the potential for up selling to additional services are incredible.

      we even tell them the initial $57 deposit to get started is refundable 30days if they are NOT happy.



      now I started off with some seed money for this project because I hired 3 fulltime graphic designers wordpress from philipines. I pay each of my guys $750 per month

      each guy can handle 2 sites per day. plus 1 guy handles site updates. and I have a telemarketing firm that does the initial cold calls and get all the information needed for the new site, plus fax them a form for the check to be faxed back.

      I handle the 2nd follow up for that check and start the design process funnel.

      once they are inside my monthly funnel we have now done the most difficult part of the sale.

      the goal is to get 500 active clients by the end of this year.

      I use a check by fax service that automatically debits thier account every month.

      I only use check by fax.. no credit cards

      here is why.

      what I have discovered being this business and also being a business owner is this.

      business owners will write the initial check!!!!

      but the bank statements are always done with a book keeper. so once the first check autodebit comes thru. the book keeper will ask the owner what is this and then owner will say it is for the web company hosting.

      then that's it.. never again will they ask and the owner will basically forget about those monthly charges and they will stay for a long time. and since the hosting is NOT performance based there really is no reason they will cancel.

      so the attrition will be low since the monthly $57 will be such a low amount.

      now we upsell them along the way with offer and such especially when they sit on such a nice looking website without any traffic.

      but any new services that we sell them they write up a new check and I do NOT mix this with the hosting revenue stream.

      hope this gives some ideas for fellow warriors

      eddie

      PS I can't believe I just spilt my guts like that
      Great ideal. Thanks for sharing.
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    • Profile picture of the author txtmemedia
      Originally Posted by bluecoyotemedia View Post

      John

      excellent post!!!

      I agree with the principle except I do a little twist on this.

      instead of offering a" let me get you on the first page of google" proposal because your absolutely correct. I would say 95% of these offline clients do NOT know anything about seo etc

      but we are fortunate that in todays business climate they do know of Google, facebook etc. and they do realize that they need to have this online presence.

      what I do is that we offer a completely built website and we offer it for FREE. all they pay is the business class hosting of $57 per month.

      these are NOT your directory listings like John D suggests or cheesy 1 page sites. these are full sites

      now what we do is focus on 1 niche at a time and we have a variety of niche specific wordpress themes. so to put a nice site together would take a few hours.

      I even started to throw in a customized APP using a software that we can create an app in about 30 mins.

      the retail value of this package all inclusive is $1500-$2500 depending who you speak to

      the $57 per month hosting includes ll these features plus minor updates

      if they want more custom features then we charge $60 per hour.

      being a former brick and mortar business owner myself I understand exactly how many of these guys feels regarding all the calls from salespeople

      telling them google this, facebook that, etc

      and they all want money which puts the owner ina position of having to make a decision and yet he really does NOT know enough about these kinds of services to actually make one except what the salesperson is telling them.

      so the resistance goes up.

      so instead we tell them we understand and that we want to actually provide VALUE first before we accept their business. because our business has so many additional services like SEO, Video marketing, social media. etc the potential for up selling to additional services are incredible.

      we even tell them the initial $57 deposit to get started is refundable 30days if they are NOT happy.



      now I started off with some seed money for this project because I hired 3 fulltime graphic designers wordpress from philipines. I pay each of my guys $750 per month

      each guy can handle 2 sites per day. plus 1 guy handles site updates. and I have a telemarketing firm that does the initial cold calls and get all the information needed for the new site, plus fax them a form for the check to be faxed back.

      I handle the 2nd follow up for that check and start the design process funnel.

      once they are inside my monthly funnel we have now done the most difficult part of the sale.

      the goal is to get 500 active clients by the end of this year.

      I use a check by fax service that automatically debits thier account every month.

      I only use check by fax.. no credit cards

      here is why.

      what I have discovered being this business and also being a business owner is this.

      business owners will write the initial check!!!!

      but the bank statements are always done with a book keeper. so once the first check autodebit comes thru. the book keeper will ask the owner what is this and then owner will say it is for the web company hosting.

      then that's it.. never again will they ask and the owner will basically forget about those monthly charges and they will stay for a long time. and since the hosting is NOT performance based there really is no reason they will cancel.

      so the attrition will be low since the monthly $57 will be such a low amount.

      now we upsell them along the way with offer and such especially when they sit on such a nice looking website without any traffic.

      but any new services that we sell them they write up a new check and I do NOT mix this with the hosting revenue stream.

      hope this gives some ideas for fellow warriors

      eddie

      PS I can't believe I just spilt my guts like that

      How do you handle clients who want to cancel or outright purchase the website?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6748008].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author flightrisk
    great formula for calc. seo cost. Do you cap out on the higher search results or ppc costs?
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  • Profile picture of the author John W.G.
    Eddie, so how close are u towards your goal of 500?

    Outstanding post by the way
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    • Profile picture of the author bluecoyotemedia
      Originally Posted by John W.G. View Post

      Eddie, so how close are u towards your goal of 500?

      Outstanding post by the way

      Hi John

      sorry for the delay

      we are maybe 18 to 20% to our goal.

      lot's of details and mistakes on my end which is all part of the learning curve

      like managing outsourcers.. and if someone does NOT work out have a way to automatically change passwords so he does NOT lock you out

      this is my biggest challenge which I am learning to manage and speak with my VA's

      these are all surmountable of course

      eddie
      Signature

      Skunkworks: noun. informal.

      A clandestine group operating without any external intervention or oversight. Such groups achieve significant breakthroughs rarely discussed in public because they operate "outside the box".
      https://short-stuff.com/-Mjk0fDExOA==

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  • Profile picture of the author U2ForNow
    Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post


    Or if you do the 301 tactic you can simply switch it off and their site will drop - personally I don't do the 301 thing, but I've thought about trying it sometime.
    Great post. Could you elaborate a little on how you would 301 that? I don't know of a way that would still work with Google.

    Thanks again for the write up. Definitely got me thinking.
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    • Profile picture of the author sodomojo
      Eddie do you find that with this model you can be more successful with a specific niche? I'd imagine a small nail salon wouldn't want to pay $57 per month.

      Along those same lines are you selling a dentist who would potentially be a $2000+ customer the same $57 per month service?
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      • Profile picture of the author snakez0r
        Originally Posted by Tydowns View Post

        Eddie do you find that with this model you can be more successful with a specific niche? I'd imagine a small nail salon wouldn't want to pay $57 per month.

        Along those same lines are you selling a dentist who would potentially be a $2000+ customer the same $57 per month service?
        Nail salons would definitely pay $57 per month... Next time you get your community newspaper have a look at the first 5 pages, guaranteed theres some sort of beauty related business in there. They're forking out hundreds for those ads.
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        • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
          Originally Posted by snakez0r View Post

          Nail salons would definitely pay $57 per month... Next time you get your community newspaper have a look at the first 5 pages, guaranteed theres some sort of beauty related business in there. They're forking out hundreds for those ads.
          Indeed. Look for businesses that are already paying for print ads or Adwords, this shows they have money to spend on advertising (obviously!) and will make it easier to get them to pay you for your services.
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    • Profile picture of the author John W.G.
      Read here about 301 redirects

      Redirection SEO Best Practices | SEOmoz

      Originally Posted by U2ForNow View Post

      Great post. Could you elaborate a little on how you would 301 that? I don't know of a way that would still work with Google.

      Thanks again for the write up. Definitely got me thinking.
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  • Profile picture of the author supertintin1
    Great post John, I have really learned a lot of things from you.
    I think it would be better if a person offer his services in free of cost to get started and get experience.
    Thanks for making it WSO.

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author mojo1
    @Eddie

    Thank you sir for as you say, spilling your guts. Your insight was so amazing that I had to actually save your post for future reference. Post like this sometimes disappear from this forum. Lots of golden nuggets in that there post.
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  • Nice post John I like your style very much. The great thing about this technique is that you are taking away the risk from them and putting all the risk on you, It is an excellent Unique selling point.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by Claudine Waskowycz View Post

      Nice post John I like your style very much. The great thing about this technique is that you are taking away the risk from them and putting all the risk on you, It is an excellent Unique selling point.
      Thanks, it is indeed a way to make the potential client feel more comfortable with the transaction, which is very important when selling anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Zaydman
    Sounds like easy way for business to get started working with you with little friction. I like it.
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  • Profile picture of the author FBN
    This is an awesome post John, thanks for referring me here. I'm sure once I get the ball rolling I'll be back.
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  • Profile picture of the author linkmetro
    John,

    great post. But what you do if they don't want to continue? You take they site down...or??
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  • Profile picture of the author IprovideSEO
    John,

    I'm very glad I read this post before I started my emailing newsletter! This is one of those golden nugget posts that are sometimes hard to find in the warrior forum but once you read inspiring posts with valuable information like this one it really makes you love it.

    I own a SEO company and I'm doing quite well but to get more clients I had half your idea down. 1. Gathering emails and contact information for businesses that have advertising money and can really see value from a website such as: lawyers, psychiatrists, dentists, orthodontist, plumbers, document shredders, etc.
    2. Look for these websites that are found on page 2 & 3 so you know that they're close enough to receive 1st page rankings with a little tweaking.

    Here is what I lacked was a good selling point to get them through the door. I was going to offer a $100 off first month signing bonus but for most people that is still $400-1,400 per month which is a hard sell.

    Now I can implement your idea of let me get your website to the first page for free and then once its there then we can talk about retainment!

    Thanks for the post
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by linkmetro View Post

      John,

      great post. But what you do if they don't want to continue? You take they site down...or??
      Not sure if you're referring to web design or SEO. For an SEO service, as I said in the OP, I give them the option of walking away, but no one has ever taken that option.

      Originally Posted by IprovideSEO View Post

      John,

      I'm very glad I read this post before I started my emailing newsletter! This is one of those golden nugget posts that are sometimes hard to find in the warrior forum but once you read inspiring posts with valuable information like this one it really makes you love it.

      I own a SEO company and I'm doing quite well but to get more clients I had half your idea down. 1. Gathering emails and contact information for businesses that have advertising money and can really see value from a website such as: lawyers, psychiatrists, dentists, orthodontist, plumbers, document shredders, etc.
      2. Look for these websites that are found on page 2 & 3 so you know that they're close enough to receive 1st page rankings with a little tweaking.

      Here is what I lacked was a good selling point to get them through the door. I was going to offer a $100 off first month signing bonus but for most people that is still $400-1,400 per month which is a hard sell.

      Now I can implement your idea of let me get your website to the first page for free and then once its there then we can talk about retainment!

      Thanks for the post
      Thanks for the kind words. Glad to help. Let me know how it goes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sander Zaydman
    Great Post!
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  • Profile picture of the author SydMichael
    Great Sales ideas! and in this case it worked. SO...THAT'S A WIN! I have found "Bottom Line"

    Anytime 2 people meet there is a sale made... period

    Also, every meeting there is a "DEAL" it all lies in if you listen well enough to know their "GO" button. in this case you found the gold at the end of the rainbow! Good Job
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    "The Real Deal"

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    • Profile picture of the author SydMichael
      Asking for the business is NOT "Hard selling" though
      Signature

      `Syd Michael
      "The Real Deal"

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  • Profile picture of the author Sum1
    This approach has so much going for it. It conveys a message of confidence in the service you offer. Why would you offer such a deal if you didn't think you could deliver or had no intention of delivering? It's a kind of ready made money back guarantee. Most people are not actually free loaders. They will happily pay for something if it delivers the goods. One of the advantages to this approach is that the increased revenue achieved from such an arrangement is the means by which the service can pay for itself. A real example of the expression "putting your money where your mouth is".
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by Sander Zaydman View Post

      Great Post!
      Thanks!

      Originally Posted by Sum1 View Post

      This approach has so much going for it. It conveys a message of confidence in the service you offer. Why would you offer such a deal if you didn't think you could deliver or had no intention of delivering? It's a kind of ready made money back guarantee. Most people are not actually free loaders. They will happily pay for something if it delivers the goods. One of the advantages to this approach is that the increased revenue achieved from such an arrangement is the means by which the service can pay for itself. A real example of the expression "putting your money where your mouth is".
      Exactly. You definitely seem to understand what I was getting at.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lee M
      Originally Posted by Sum1 View Post

      One of the advantages to this approach is that the increased revenue achieved from such an arrangement is the means by which the service can pay for itself. A real example of the expression "putting your money where your mouth is".
      Ha! Just started using a cartoon-ish graphic of 'I'm putting my money where my mouth is' type of thing. Resonates with people quite well. Just landed a couple of small deals from local businesses as a result. You can SEPARATE yourself from the competition quite easily (of course you MUST DELIVER the results). And yes, basically, they are paying you from their 'profits' so to speak.

      BUT - you have to pick your potential targets carefully when using this approach.
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  • Profile picture of the author thattaway
    What an outstanding thread! So many great ideas. I may not sleep tonight! Thanks!
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by Lee M View Post

      Ha! Just started using a cartoon-ish graphic of 'I'm putting my money where my mouth is' type of thing. Resonates with people quite well. Just landed a couple of small deals from local businesses as a result. You can SEPARATE yourself from the competition quite easily (of course you MUST DELIVER the results). And yes, basically, they are paying you from their 'profits' so to speak.

      BUT - you have to pick your potential targets carefully when using this approach.
      Nice! Indeed, it's as if they are paying you after already making money from your services in a sense.

      Originally Posted by thattaway View Post

      What an outstanding thread! So many great ideas. I may not sleep tonight! Thanks!
      Haha may be a good thing. You're welcome.
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  • Profile picture of the author eezymoney
    Great post John - Yes, thanks for sharing.

    My only problem is that I would need to learn how to get the site onto page 1... or find a trusted person to outsource the job to. I definitely believe in the art of human reciprocation, although it seems like there are loads of freeloaders in the world, not many of them actually run businesses. They're usually just critics and wannabees who know better than you.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by eezymoney View Post

      Great post John - Yes, thanks for sharing.

      My only problem is that I would need to learn how to get the site onto page 1... or find a trusted person to outsource the job to. I definitely believe in the art of human reciprocation, although it seems like there are loads of freeloaders in the world, not many of them actually run businesses. They're usually just critics and wannabees who know better than you.
      Good point. It's fairly easy to find reputable SEO service providers here on WF or oDesk so it can easily be outsourced.
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  • Profile picture of the author TequilaShot
    Awesome post John, Thanks for sharing, I love your approach.
    I somehow stumbled upon your post while researching for white label seo services.
    Can you tell me more about your SEO affiliate program? Do you offer the same 'free
    till you see results' process for these referrals?
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    "Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth: 'You owe me'.
    Look what happens with a love like that - It lights the whole sky." ~Hafiz
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by TequilaShot View Post

      Awesome post John, Thanks for sharing, I love your approach.
      I somehow stumbled upon your post while researching for white label seo services.
      Can you tell me more about your SEO affiliate program? Do you offer the same 'free
      till you see results' process for these referrals?
      You're welcome, thanks for the kind words.

      In regards to my referral program, yes the same free-til-page-1 offer applies for any new potential client. If the client is a referral, once they begin paying, the person who referred them receives an ongoing 20% commission every month for the life of the customer. Sometimes I do a flat $99/month commission, depending on how big or small the client is.
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  • Profile picture of the author FrozenEyes
    Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

    Get on their level and discuss the easy-to-understand flow of visitors -> sales -> profits. And watch their eyes grow wide with interest and excitement.

    So back to the technique...

    By performing your services for free until they see results, they have absolutely nothing to lose by hiring you. This is exactly what I do when pitching my SEO service:
    Hi.

    I hope you dont mind me asking, can you share your proposal letter so maybe I can use the format in presenting your services.

    Thanks in advance and more power.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by focusedlife View Post

      Very cool, John.

      As someone else stated...thanks for not charging $17 for this info.

      As a side note mention, I do something similar,

      Its not quite SEO upfront but it is still marketing collateral upfront.

      What I do is giveaway craigslist ads that have been watermarked with my contact details.

      Usually people pay a donation (and the promise that I will remove the watermark), but it acts as a great foot in the door service to build the relationship.
      Great idea.

      Originally Posted by TequilaShot View Post

      Awesome post John, Thanks for sharing, I love your approach.
      I somehow stumbled upon your post while researching for white label seo services.
      Can you tell me more about your SEO affiliate program? Do you offer the same 'free
      till you see results' process for these referrals?
      Sent you a PM.

      Originally Posted by FrozenEyes View Post

      Hi.

      I hope you dont mind me asking, can you share your proposal letter so maybe I can use the format in presenting your services.

      Thanks in advance and more power.
      I don't really use a "proposal letter," but I could show you some of my sales copy from my website if you're interested.

      Also what do you mean by "presenting your services" ?
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      • Profile picture of the author FrozenEyes
        Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

        Great idea.



        Sent you a PM.



        I don't really use a "proposal letter," but I could show you some of my sales copy from my website if you're interested.

        Also what do you mean by "presenting your services" ?
        That would be great ! Would you please send me those sales copy.

        What I mean in "presenting your services" is when your proposing to your potential client, ofcourse you dont say "I am doing SEO and I will be updating your website once in a while and and I will submit something through email and so on and so forth".

        So how would you propose to your potential client?
        Do you sign for an agreement or something like that?

        Thanks for your quick reply.
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  • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
    Banned
    Originally Posted by John Williamson View Post

    Whatever service you may be selling, consider offering some sort of pay-nothing-up-front scenario until the potential client sees verifiable results.
    The information I have just read is incredibly cool though it does not take one to have a genius mind to realize all these things. I felt an obligation to hit that 'Thanks' button for the first time ever!

    Sometimes, I've come to think of it as to why we need to be reminded on something we already know before we believe that we know is doable and worth-doing? Sometimes, I feel that someone has to tell me 'What you're thinking is right.' before I actually do it.

    Bottom line, many fear the work-now-collect-money-later business strategy, including me. But when you come to think of it (actually, you don't have to think of it deeply), that's how the world works in general. As they say, 'to see is to believe.' Now, I'd like to propose a bright idea to my Account Manager so they can implement the same to Content Writing 360°'s content writing services. Hmmn...

    John - Thanks for pushing me to believe that what's inside my mind is doable and worth-doing.
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  • Profile picture of the author ownergolan
    Great stuff, thnx!
    Signature
    "Aiyyo I'm gonna be on ti-dop, that's all my eyes can see..
    Ill put in work, and watch my status escalate"
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by contentwriting360 View Post

      The information I have just read is incredibly cool though it does not take one to have a genius mind to realize all these things. I felt an obligation to hit that 'Thanks' button for the first time ever!

      Sometimes, I've come to think of it as to why we need to be reminded on something we already know before we believe that we know is doable and worth-doing? Sometimes, I feel that someone has to tell me 'What you're thinking is right.' before I actually do it.

      Bottom line, many fear the work-now-collect-money-later business strategy, including me. But when you come to think of it (actually, you don't have to think of it deeply), that's how the world works in general. As they say, 'to see is to believe.' Now, I'd like to propose a bright idea to my Account Manager so they can implement the same to Content Writing 360°'s content writing services. Hmmn...

      John - Thanks for pushing me to believe that what's inside my mind is doable and worth-doing.
      Thanks for the kind words. Glad I could help you out. I know exactly what you mean; mental and psychologicaly self sabotage is a huge problem in business that many people don't recognize or think about. As humans we need confirmation and validation of our ideas, but go ahead and push yourself to just take action and try your best and let the future results be that validation.

      Originally Posted by FrozenEyes View Post

      That would be great ! Would you please send me those sales copy.

      What I mean in "presenting your services" is when your proposing to your potential client, ofcourse you dont say "I am doing SEO and I will be updating your website once in a while and and I will submit something through email and so on and so forth".

      So how would you propose to your potential client?
      Do you sign for an agreement or something like that?

      Thanks for your quick reply.
      Sure thing.

      As for pitching to the client, I simply use the type of conversation I posted in the OP about being able to grow their business, increase their revenue, etc. - then I isolate objections by asking "What specifically is preventing us from getting this started today?" and then allay those objections and fears to where there's no way they can say no.

      Originally Posted by ownergolan View Post

      Great stuff, thnx!
      Thanks, you're welcome.
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  • Profile picture of the author moodykitty
    This question is for Eddie and anyone else who has the answer
    Do you do reseller hosting? I want to offer something similar as you (free site up front, pay monthly) but I don't want to have a reseller account. Would I be in control of the hosting account & domain? How would you suggest I set this up?
    Thanks
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    I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.
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  • Profile picture of the author freebuys
    That was a fantastic post. and very good helpful post for marketing.

    I likes to read your post.

    Thanks a lot.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kyle Rude
    thanks for this wonderful post, it'll definitely add more value to my offline business!
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  • Profile picture of the author ewilner
    hey warriors I have a QUESTION that I hope you can answer.
    I am in a specific area where people do not grab their cell phone to do searches for local products. We have a few papers and people look there first.

    So MY DILEMMA
    I am opening a wedding/bar/bat mitzvah directory
    but after offering them a FREE listing what do I offer to make some money?

    They wont pay to get on page one as most are local vendors and know for 800 they will be reaching 50,000 local families who will respond to a SALE immediately

    so anyone have ideas on what to do once I get their listing to monetize this concept

    could use some ideas

    Evey business wants to hear that we can bring them new customers so what can I offer?
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by ewilner View Post

      hey warriors I have a QUESTION that I hope you can answer.
      I am in a specific area where people do not grab their cell phone to do searches for local products. We have a few papers and people look there first.

      So MY DILEMMA
      I am opening a wedding/bar/bat mitzvah directory
      but after offering them a FREE listing what do I offer to make some money?

      They wont pay to get on page one as most are local vendors and know for 800 they will be reaching 50,000 local families who will respond to a SALE immediately

      so anyone have ideas on what to do once I get their listing to monetize this concept

      could use some ideas

      Evey business wants to hear that we can bring them new customers so what can I offer?
      I'm confused about your "know for 800" part. 800 what?

      Anyway, you can easily make money by just offering "premium" listings. Make it where the free listing only includes their name and address, or maybe just their name. Then a "bronze listing" at $49/month could allow description, phone number, and website. Then a "silver listing" at $79/month could also allow pictures and video. Then a "gold listing" at $99/month could allow multiple categories and placement at the top of the stack with a highlighted listing.

      Get the idea?
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  • Profile picture of the author TBone
    Great idea.. I just seen another post kind of hitting some of these topics. I think if you have the capability to start for free then have them start paying once you are one page one is great. Allows you to build trust and a relationship before the invoices start coming..
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by templbi View Post

      Great idea.. I just seen another post kind of hitting some of these topics. I think if you have the capability to start for free then have them start paying once you are one page one is great. Allows you to build trust and a relationship before the invoices start coming..
      Precisely. And trust carries huge weight from my POV in my business relationships.
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      OFFLINERS, Start using this simple technique and these 6 "weapons" today to get more clients and skyrocket your conversions! - FREE, no opt-in.
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  • Profile picture of the author prtt75
    Sometimes I thought of trying that too but I could not risk my time promoting someone else's business knowing that I might not have anything in return. Maybe when I have the time to spare, I would. It's good to hear it's working for you, though.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Williamson
      Originally Posted by prtt75 View Post

      Sometimes I thought of trying that too but I could not risk my time promoting someone else's business knowing that I might not have anything in return. Maybe when I have the time to spare, I would. It's good to hear it's working for you, though.
      I know how you feel. I felt the same way initially, and admittedly still do with some potential clients. But the pros outweigh the cons for my operation, so I continue to do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author ehmadlee
    Valuable share
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