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Is this as "easy" as it used to be?

by TP84
8 replies
Hi everyone, this is my first post so please be kind

So I've basically read myself to death the past few weeks. There is so much information on this forum (and others) about this whole 'offline marketing' thing. There's books, there's courses, there's ebooks, there's training programs, it's everything you need and maybe everything you don't need 100 times over.

I feel like this is something I can do. It's made to seem so easy, straight forward. But I have a nagging doubt.

All the big threads seem to be 3,4,5, as many as 8 or 10 years old. People have all dived in but then they've kinda died off.

Is this all really a thing, or was it just a hot 'had to be there' period when no businesses had websites and you couldn't stuff it up?!

I really want to give this a try. I want to help businesses, and I want them to need my help. And obviously I want to make money. I'm sure I have the skills to start off, but I don't want to dive in only to find that the golden goose is long gone and my energies are better spent elsewhere.

So ... is it worth a go?!

Thanks for any replies.
#easy
  • Profile picture of the author animal44
    Forget advice on forums, just get out there and find out what people want - and then give it to them...!

    I think business owners are wiser and more wary, but if you've got something that actually gives them more customers, then it's still as "easy" as it ever was...
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    People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.
    What I do for a living

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  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    Originally Posted by TP84 View Post

    Hi everyone, this is my first post so please be kind

    So I've basically read myself to death the past few weeks. There is so much information on this forum (and others) about this whole 'offline marketing' thing. There's books, there's courses, there's ebooks, there's training programs, it's everything you need and maybe everything you don't need 100 times over.

    I feel like this is something I can do. It's made to seem so easy, straight forward. But I have a nagging doubt.

    All the big threads seem to be 3,4,5, as many as 8 or 10 years old. People have all dived in but then they've kinda died off.

    Is this all really a thing, or was it just a hot 'had to be there' period when no businesses had websites and you couldn't stuff it up?!

    I really want to give this a try. I want to help businesses, and I want them to need my help. And obviously I want to make money. I'm sure I have the skills to start off, but I don't want to dive in only to find that the golden goose is long gone and my energies are better spent elsewhere.

    So ... is it worth a go?!

    Thanks for any replies.
    Is WHAT worth a go????

    See, you have an idea of what OFFLINE Marketing means, but we all have our own ideas, depending on what we do. It appears you are thinking of creating websites and trying to sell services to businesses, but I don't know what you really mean.

    Websites, the thing you want to "stuff up" are today a necessity for most businesses, but, each business is different on their needs.

    As for the opportunity....

    MOST businesses would welcome a way to get more customers. To increase their sales, to keep the customers they have.

    What do YOU bring to the table which will help them with one of these 'universal' business goals?

    HOW can what you want to do, for example, the web site guy...what do you do to bring them more business?

    It is that simple.
    SEO is not a proven way to increase business.
    Page one of Google is NOT a proven way to assist a business.
    Social Media doesn't work for all businesses.

    So, what do you think YOU can do to help business get more business,
    keep the business they have,
    increase sales?

    SEE, your starting point is ASS backwards, you are asking us how YOU can make money, but as Animal pointed out...

    put your customer's needs/wants ahead of your own...

    And the golden goose is fat, lays golden eggs 24/7...and is a tested and proven way for us OFFLINERS, to make a ton of money.

    Just a guess here, but I'd bet not one in 10 Offliners offering
    website stuff...are doing 6 figures a year, and judging from this forum, most are having trouble paying their moms rent for her basement.

    Serve the people, you never have to worry.

    GordonJ
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  • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
    Originally Posted by TP84 View Post

    Hi everyone, this is my first post so please be kind

    So I've basically read myself to death the past few weeks. There is so much information on this forum (and others) about this whole 'offline marketing' thing. There's books, there's courses, there's ebooks, there's training programs, it's everything you need and maybe everything you don't need 100 times over.

    I feel like this is something I can do. It's made to seem so easy, straight forward. But I have a nagging doubt.

    All the big threads seem to be 3,4,5, as many as 8 or 10 years old. People have all dived in but then they've kinda died off.

    Is this all really a thing, or was it just a hot 'had to be there' period when no businesses had websites and you couldn't stuff it up?!

    I really want to give this a try. I want to help businesses, and I want them to need my help. And obviously I want to make money. I'm sure I have the skills to start off, but I don't want to dive in only to find that the golden goose is long gone and my energies are better spent elsewhere.

    So ... is it worth a go?!

    Thanks for any replies.
    Is what as easy as it used to be?

    You didn't say. It's hard to comment on the unknown.

    Ron
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  • Profile picture of the author umc
    As far as why those great threads were years ago, that speaks more to the state of the forum than it does offline marketing. Offline stuff is pretty evergreen as I see it. None of it is easy unless someone is selling a course on something and wants your money, then they'll tell you how anyone can do it.

    Oh, and like others have pointed out, you need to define "this" more specifically. What exactly do you want to do? What particular service can you offer? How comfortable are you discussing the needs of various businesses with them?
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    Simple "pay what you want" life coaching services online.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    Can I put a different twist on it?

    To me "Offline" means everything that isn't "Online."

    Media ads, sales letters, postcards, flyers ....

    The web is one route to fame, acclaim and prosperity.

    But when you switch off the computer - and look - you'll see there are dozens of others.


    Steve
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    http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...right-now.html
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  • Profile picture of the author TP84
    Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

    After a sleep and a read of all the responses (and my own first post!) it's clearly a case of over-thinking on my behalf.

    By 'this' I meant any way to help business owners make more money.

    Obviously (well obviously to me now with a good night's sleep!) if you can make someone more money then you will be of value to them.

    Umc put it well. These techniques are 'evergreen'.

    I think it is time for me to do a little less 'thinking' and now a little bit of 'doing', which has always been my downfall.

    Anyone have any advice on how I can force myself to be more 'accountable' to myself? I just get so bogged down in the getting everything perfect that I just can't get started.
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    • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
      Originally Posted by TP84 View Post

      Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.

      After a sleep and a read of all the responses (and my own first post!) it's clearly a case of over-thinking on my behalf.

      By 'this' I meant any way to help business owners make more money.

      Obviously (well obviously to me now with a good night's sleep!) if you can make someone more money then you will be of value to them.

      Umc put it well. These techniques are 'evergreen'.

      I think it is time for me to do a little less 'thinking' and now a little bit of 'doing', which has always been my downfall.

      Anyone have any advice on how I can force myself to be more 'accountable' to myself? I just get so bogged down in the getting everything perfect that I just can't get started.
      Pick a day next week, any morning. Start at 9 go to noon. Call upon every business in an area and do a survey. It really doesn't matter what.

      Pick something, like this:

      Walk into business, greet the first person you see.

      I'm Jack Daniels, and I'm with a new company called Local Internet. We are thinking about expanding into this area with our Local Internet Marketing, here is a one page overview, do you think you might be interested if we did it?

      Don't ask for the owner, just talk to the first person in the store...one of three things will happen...

      They tell you you need to talk to the boss (manager) and he's not in Ask when he will be OR she's in and you give her the same brief survey.

      OR they say they are not interested, you ask if she/he is the boss? If not, ask are you authorized to dismiss me from any further contact?

      OR, they are the boss, and either say, not interested or they ask what it is/

      You simply go over a brief one page flyer that tells about your business.

      Because it is a survey, they can't spend any money anyhow.

      Now why do this exercise?

      Several reasons; it either forces you to go out and do it, or you will find excuses not to, and prolong your bog down.

      You have nothing to sell and a little face to face cold calling, gives you a feeling for what it will be like when you do have something to sell.

      The survey can be custom tailored for anything you are considering doing...a survey on
      web sites
      SEO,
      offline advertising, including postcard marketing, flyers, mail or even signage.
      Community web site

      whatever. By talking with enthusiasm about your project, you get to see how people react, and don't ask for the boss, treat the person who greets you as the boss.

      IF you can't make yourself give up 3 hours next week to get out and learn something, about yourself and your business communities, you need other kinds of help...because you will remain in the state of perfection inertia...very difficult to overcome

      And the only way to do it is with imperfect action, this is a tested and proven way, and who knows, you may find a few businesses that say,

      let me know when you are going to do it.

      But, if others have ideas for you, let them speak up.

      GordonJ

      PS. About the forum. And the golden age. Talk to mail order mavens and the good old days were the 70 and 80s. Ask the Encyclopedia and Vacuum guys, the golden days were long ago, in the 50s and 60s.

      There are golden days now and ahead as business evolves, and any forum is only as good as the people who participate, and it is easy to get tired of answering the same questions over and over...I try to keep in mind life is a parade...

      And there are NEW people in the Parade who don't know it is your 1000th time answering their question...so, I go 1001 if I can, if not, I just move on.

      We all get to spend our time doing what we want, and if NOT participating suits you, so be it...I guarantee this forum is never going back to the golden ages...

      but YOU, can take part in the next golden age, whatever it might be...I like Drones. And tin foil helmets.
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