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Easiest way to get foot in the door - Web design or Google Local or Mobile Site Design?

by Dan B Rusu
25 replies
I'm looking to expand my SEO company into a full web company for local businesses, between 1-5 employees just like PhonePro recommends. To get clients, we'll be doing Tele-marketing and have sales guys.

The services we'll provide are: Google local listing and ranking, Mobile site creation, PPC management, Web design, and SEO.

For those more experienced, what have you found to be the highest converting (local businesses want it most) service to sell to get that foot in the door - Mobile site creation or Google local listing?

Our telemarketers and salesguys will start with one service, then upsell the others. I just can't decide which of these 2 services would be the best to start with.

Any input is appreciated!
#design #door #easiest #foot #google #local #mobile #site
  • Profile picture of the author techlover
    I would start with the google local listing; it puts them on the map right away and then you could very easily upsell your variety of services offered.

    Just my opinion, sounds like a solid plan, good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrian John
    From my opinion, seeing the mobile rush these days you could try mobile websites with free QR codes for their print advertising.
    That could be a good foot in the door and your plan look very very good.
    Good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author ehsan6sha
    I would say start with Web design and other products can be easily sold after that to the same customer!
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan B Rusu
      Originally Posted by techlover View Post

      I would start with the google local listing; it puts them on the map right away and then you could very easily upsell your variety of services offered.

      Just my opinion, sounds like a solid plan, good luck!
      Thanks for the input.

      Originally Posted by banditu View Post

      From my opinion, seeing the mobile rush these days you could try mobile websites with free QR codes for their print advertising.
      That could be a good foot in the door and your plan look very very good.
      Good luck
      Ya mobile is trending right at the moment. But my feeling is more local businesses will be interested in google places then in a mobile site?

      Originally Posted by ehsan6sha View Post

      I would say start with Web design and other products can be easily sold after that to the same customer!
      Web design is where I wanted to start, but with this we have huge competition trying to enter by offering design, and many (not all) local business that realize they need to be on the internet are on already.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan B Rusu
    Actually just got done reading a guide The local code found in the war room) that says to find your potential clients on the 2 page and beyond for specific industry keywords, email them telling them you want to help get them to the top, then call them setting up an appointment.

    At the appointment, sell them on redesigning their site along with SEO.

    Taking this approach, I see the ability to sell designs up front much easier. Then upsell to all the other services. Anyone using this approach with success?
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    • Profile picture of the author midasman09
      Banned
      Hey Dan....everyone and his brother are trying to "cash-in" on the "I can get you on 1st page of Big G". I've always tried to "give prospects a REASON' for having ME...do "work" for them (Ala......make their website "Mobile-Ready")....so....what I'm doing with the "Mobile" thingee is showing local restaurants, gift shops and realtors....HOW....I can put them in touch with TOURISTS....aka Travelers with Cell Phones.

      I place Display Boards (with Maps and ads of local businesses) ON THE WALLS of local Motels (See Photo)

      Well....now that MOST Travelers HAVE CELL PHONES....I'm making the advertisers on my "Motel Map Boards"...."Mobile-Ready". And, I will be placing FREE QR Codes on each of their Ads on my Boards so....all a tourist, staying in one of my participating Motels, has to do is.....go up to my board...aim their mobile device at one of the QR Codes (take a picture of it! NO typing needed)....and....WHALA....up comes the Mobile-Website (along with maybe a Discount Coupon)

      Can't get any simpler than this.

      Motel Guests can get Pizzas delivered to their rooms....discount coupons at local restaurants....real estate for sale...etc....RIGHT ON THEIR CELL PHONE....JUST BY SNAPPING A PICTURE!

      You kidding me? This is the "Future" and ....the Future is HERE....NOW!

      Don Alm...Idea Guy
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      • Profile picture of the author rgkweebiz
        So Midasman, the hotels let you do this for free or do you have to pay them something?

        How much are you charging the businesses to advertise on your display billboard that you place in these hotels?

        Thanks for sharing.

        =======================

        Originally Posted by midasman09 View Post

        Hey Dan....everyone and his brother are trying to "cash-in" on the "I can get you on 1st page of Big G". I've always tried to "give prospects a REASON' for having ME...do "work" for them (Ala......make their website "Mobile-Ready")....so....what I'm doing with the "Mobile" thingee is showing local restaurants, gift shops and realtors....HOW....I can put them in touch with TOURISTS....aka Travelers with Cell Phones.

        I place Display Boards (with Maps and ads of local businesses) ON THE WALLS of local Motels (See Photo)

        Well....now that MOST Travelers HAVE CELL PHONES....I'm making the advertisers on my "Motel Map Boards"...."Mobile-Ready". And, I will be placing FREE QR Codes on each of their Ads on my Boards so....all a tourist, staying in one of my participating Motels, has to do is.....go up to my board...aim their mobile device at one of the QR Codes (take a picture of it! NO typing needed)....and....WHALA....up comes the Mobile-Website (along with maybe a Discount Coupon)

        Can't get any simpler than this.

        Motel Guests can get Pizzas delivered to their rooms....discount coupons at local restaurants....real estate for sale...etc....RIGHT ON THEIR CELL PHONE....JUST BY SNAPPING A PICTURE!

        You kidding me? This is the "Future" and ....the Future is HERE....NOW!

        Don Alm...Idea Guy
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        • Profile picture of the author WillR
          Originally Posted by Daniel7rusu View Post

          Ya mobile is trending right at the moment. But my feeling is more local businesses will be interested in google places then in a mobile site?
          Originally Posted by Daniel7rusu View Post

          Actually just got done reading a guide The local code found in the war room) that says to find your potential clients on the 2 page and beyond for specific industry keywords, email them telling them you want to help get them to the top, then call them setting up an appointment.
          Yes, but these are all things every other offline marketer is selling. Most businesses you approach will probably already have been contacted by numerous other marketers trying to sell these same services. In the eyes of the business owner this makes you just another one of them.

          You don't want to be that. You want to be cutting edge and give these business owners something no one else has offered. Something that will position you above all the other deadbeat marketers out there.

          I say forget about which service you are going to use to get your foot in the door. It's irrelevant. The truth is different businesses are going to need different services from you - it all depends on their current marketing plan (if they have one) and what they hope to achieve.

          You should instead position yourself as a person or company who helps local businesses get more clients and make more money. That's all. No business owners care about SEO or Google Places or Website Design. They really don't. All they care about is getting more customers through the door and making more money. After all, that's the reason they get up in the morning and go off to work each day.

          If you can educate them and show them how you plan on getting them more customers and more money and explain it in a way that makes perfect sense to them then they are a lot more likely to listen to you than the guy who just says... "Hey, let me get your website on Page 1 of Google...".

          Concentrate your 'pitch' around getting them more customers and more money. Forget about the tools as they are always going to change as time goes on so you don't want to just be labeled as an SEO guy or a web design guy. That puts massive limitations on the future of your business.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
      Originally Posted by Daniel7rusu View Post

      Taking this approach, I see the ability to sell designs up front much easier. Then upsell to all the other services. Anyone using this approach with success?
      That is basically what I do and have met with success. Re-doing bad or old out-dated websites is a good business.

      There's millions of junky, poorly thought-out sites, that owners recognize are not sufficient today. Building or rebuilding a website is remodeling an ASSET. ...they have something of permanent tangible value.

      SEO work is more of an intangible and harder to sell initially,....at least that's been my experience.
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  • Profile picture of the author ADukes81
    I would recommend picking one thing and going after that. No point in trying to be the "jack of all trades guy".

    Midasman is right when he says everyone and their brother is offering first page on Google, business owners gets calls about that several times a day.

    Be different.

    Mobile is the future and if you jump on the train now, you'll have MUCH success.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryank
    I will prefer Mobile Site Creation first. As this time more and more people using their mobile phone to browse information.
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  • Profile picture of the author maxbest
    Yes, but these are all things every other offline marketer is selling. Most businesses you approach will probably already have been contacted by numerous other marketers trying to sell these same services. In the eyes of the business owner this makes you just another one of them.

    You don't want to be that. You want to be cutting edge and give these business owners something no one else has offered. Something that will position you above all the other deadbeat marketers out there.

    I say forget about which service you are going to use to get your foot in the door. It's irrelevant. The truth is different businesses are going to need different services from you - it all depends on their current marketing plan (if they have one) and what they hope to achieve.

    You should instead position yourself as a person or company who helps local businesses get more clients and make more money. That's all. No business owners care about SEO or Google Places or Website Design. They really don't. All they care about is getting more customers through the door and making more money. After all, that's the reason they get up in the morning and go off to work each day.

    If you can educate them and show them how you plan on getting them more customers and more money and explain it in a way that makes perfect sense to them then they are a lot more likely to listen to you than the guy who just says... "Hey, let me get your website on Page 1 of Google...".

    Concentrate your 'pitch' around getting them more customers and more money. Forget about the tools as they are always going to change as time goes on so you don't want to just be labeled as an SEO guy or a web design guy. That puts massive limitations on the future of your business
    Very good tips WillR. In short, you must look like that you are going to profit to local businesses with more clients (and money). You do not act like a sales person but profit making person for their business. If you pitch you will help them getting more customers and money with prepared systematic plan(anything like SEO, website design) for their business, they will do anything for that.

    .
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  • Profile picture of the author WAWarrior
    Agree with WillR. Focus on client's profit - that must be in our 1:1 discussion with client. Have that in our marketing script - and I prefer the traditional paper-and-pen presentation as that is more engaging, and better project you as someone who knows your stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author Web Junkie
    To answer your question - I've found Google Local to be an easier sale. The mobile would be a nice upsale once you put them up on the map and rank them high.

    However, WillR is 100% on target. you'll have the best success when you show exactly how much money you can put in the offline business owner's pockets. As internet marketers, we TRULY can't be beaten in terms of value & once your clients realize this, they'll continue to buy from you.

    Just recently, I sat down with one of my clients & he showed me some calculations that he did on his own. Apparently, a Yellow Pages rep came in to try to sell him on renewing his contract. He pulled out his calculator and did some math in front of the YP Rep. He showed that his Yellow Pages would need to bring in over $260,000 to actually match the returns that he's seeing from his adwords campaign, asked how the rep planned to track his results...LOL.. The YP rep offered him their online package for that type of service. But they are simply providing adwords campaigns & sending leads directly to a cheap looking one page ad with the office number / address!! There is no call to action, and no way to keep any of the leads!
    This is the kind of stuff that your Telemarketing reps need to be explaining to the offline business owners...
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  • Profile picture of the author Quentin
    The trouble with Google Local Listings is that they keep changing it so if you base your core business on it then you can come unstuck so I would never base my core business on something I have little control over.

    Mobile websites and free QR Code is a good place to start because low entry point and can build credibility to upsell SEO and site revamping their main site.

    Quentin
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    • Profile picture of the author pspro
      Okay I just started offering mobile sites a couple of days ago but I have sold 4 already ($225) and have found it to be waaay more easy than leading with Places. Been doing Places optimization for a solid year now and it is frustrating as heck with the constant changes and a pain to explain to the business owner that he/she can benefit from being in the top spots.

      Yes it is the core of their online presence and in their best interest to optimize but like WillR said they don't care...

      ...they only want more foot and phone traffic and in their mind they see people on their phones CONSTANTLY. They want to get in front of THAT consumer, the people on their cell phones! How they are going to get their mobile website found is never part of their thought process (SEO) they only want the site, so it's a good introduction IMO.

      What I've done is led with a mobile site and then tell them after researching their business I found a few problems with their online marketing. Once I've delivered on the mobile site they trust me and are open to solutions. With my 4 sales, I sold a main site redesign to one guy and a Place optimization to another so far.

      Heidi
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      • Profile picture of the author StarkContrast
        Sounds like I need to research this mobile trend a bit more. I figure since I don't do it, it's not important, but perhaps that's not the case. And I totally don't get that QR mark or whatever it's called. Great job on those 4 sales. Perhaps it's easier than I"m making it.
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      • Profile picture of the author MagicAce
        Way to go Heidi. That should give something to think to people that thinking it's very hard to sell mobile sites.

        Regards, Marian
        Originally Posted by hdoyle View Post

        Okay I just started offering mobile sites a couple of days ago but I have sold 4 already ($225) and have found it to be waaay more easy than leading with Places. Been doing Places optimization for a solid year now and it is frustrating as heck with the constant changes and a pain to explain to the business owner that he/she can benefit from being in the top spots.

        Yes it is the core of their online presence and in their best interest to optimize but like WillR said they don't care...

        ...they only want more foot and phone traffic and in their mind they see people on their phones CONSTANTLY. They want to get in front of THAT consumer, the people on their cell phones! How they are going to get their mobile website found is never part of their thought process (SEO) they only want the site, so it's a good introduction IMO.

        What I've done is led with a mobile site and then tell them after researching their business I found a few problems with their online marketing. Once I've delivered on the mobile site they trust me and are open to solutions. With my 4 sales, I sold a main site redesign to one guy and a Place optimization to another so far.

        Heidi
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  • Profile picture of the author Frankie B Frank
    for us, it's still very much websites - so many small business owners are behind the curve in terms of what they should be doing & still have "website" as number one priority...not even google visibility is contemplated by many!
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  • Profile picture of the author Mary Wilhite
    Hey Dan,i personally feel that it would be a good start with Google local listing, and then slowly go on with the others.I wish you all success.
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    • Profile picture of the author Etak
      Two Words: SPLIT TEST! The only way to figure out what works regionally is to test the waters. Have each member of your sales staff focus on selling one area to begin with (it sounds like you have enough staff to do this). Do this for a month or two and you will see how each area stacks up.

      Good Luck!

      ~Emma
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      • Profile picture of the author social joe
        Businesses and their owners are used to investing in their businesses. The important word here is investing. If you can clearly communicate how a product or service is going to translate into more customers for a business they will buy!

        There have been some comments made about how it's important to position yourself as different from other salesy organisations trying to make a quick buck, this is good advice. Business owners are endlessly pitched to week in week out. You must find a unique approach and use that as your "in".
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    When you start caring, I mean really caring, about what the business needs it changes your whole perspective.

    Personally, my goal in this world is to add as much value to as many people as I can. This translates through to marketing. My goal is to add as much to that business as possible and be paid well for it.

    When you start talking to a business owner and asking genuine questions about their situation, they will see that you really want to help them. They will breathe a sigh of relief that they are working with a genuine person.

    Come up with a set of questions. Learn how to probe and chase the rabbit down the hole. Find out what their true needs and desires are for their business. Find out what is working well and what is not. Once you know these things, you can honestly formulate a proposal that is what they need. You will give them what they are looking for and they will love to pay you.
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