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Offline Marketing "Get your foot in the door" services??

by TycoonRob
19 replies
I own a few offline WSO's, mostly bought over a year ago. None really jumped out at me as the "perfect system" for what my skillset is (not that there is any perfect system). So I browsed the WSO forum and this Offline forum for ideas on what kind of services to offer. And it's information overload.

I know there are some great WSO's out there, but it's very exhausting looking through all of them, reading the reviews, trying to determine if this is something I would want to do, etc. As so often happens, I brought myself to a screeching halt. In one of the WSO's I own I'm sure there is some sort of list in there of services, but that's what I'm hoping you'll provide here. Here's a short list to start out. Feel free to (PLEASE) add other services!

Website design / hosting
SEO
Email marketing (autoresponders - setup, create the emails)
Video creation/distribution
Media creation and distribution (article marketing)
SMS marketing (don't know much about this even after looking at one recent WSO sales copy)
QR codes
Website leasing (rent-a-site model)
Google Places/Maps/Local
Mobile websites

I've tried offering free websites just to get my foot in the door, but I never got even one call or email after advertising locally. I don't want to cold call at all. Period. I don't mind outsourcing that if it's affordable, so definitely not at first (maybe when I have a steady income and want to take it up a notch).

To me, and this is just my layman's perspective and may be completely invalid to all the working/successful "offliners" out there, but I want to start off by offering one or two types of services at a very cheap cost so I can get in the door and at least have a client. Maybe I'm selling myself short. I know we all need to charge what we're worth, but it's like the typical guru sales funnel: free report or $7 product, upsell a $47 product, upsell a $197 course, upsell a $497 or $1997 full-blown something-or-other.

So for someone who will not cold call, prefers email contacts (but will do mailings), needs everything laid out step-by-step what WSO's or other courses out there would you recommend? What order would you offer services? What other services can you add to the list?
#marketing #offer #offline #services
  • Profile picture of the author TycoonRob
    Although I have set up business websites for a half dozen or more local clients, it's something that I would rather not do as much (if at all) going forward. Also, I can't attest to this, but from the posts I've read it seems as though any decent sized city has enough SEO companies to annoy the hell out of most offline businesses, so SEO is also something I would want to shy away from.
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  • Profile picture of the author SiteSmarty
    Local businesses want two things. Reduced costs. More business. The rest of what you read and hear is BS.

    I'm a web designer so I hear ya on designing sites. If you don't want to do SEO you're hooped in the offline world, because SEO is what will reduce a businesses advertising costs and get them more business.

    This is what's working for me:

    Step 1 - Obtain the client by offering them SEO on Bing Business Portal first
    Step 2 - Build the relationship while getting them in the #1 Bing Portal spot (drop dead easy)
    Step 3 - They usually ask what else I can do for them
    Step 4 - Get them in #1 place for Google Places
    Step 5 - Offer them a Portal and Places maintenance package

    From that I've been asked to design graphics, Twitter backgrounds, You Tube backgrounds, do on page SEO and rank their sites in SERPs. You really don't need many clients to make a good living.

    I don't cold call, no email spam to prospective clients or any of the other non sense you read about.
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    • Profile picture of the author jpeguero
      Originally Posted by SiteSmarty View Post

      Local businesses want two things. Reduced costs. More business. The rest of what you read and hear is BS.

      I'm a web designer so I hear ya on designing sites. If you don't want to do SEO you're hooped in the offline world, because SEO is what will reduce a businesses advertising costs and get them more business.

      This is what's working for me:

      Step 1 - Obtain the client by offering them SEO on Bing Business Portal first
      Step 2 - Build the relationship while getting them in the #1 Bing Portal spot (drop dead easy)
      Step 3 - They usually ask what else I can do for them
      Step 4 - Get them in #1 place for Google Places
      Step 5 - Offer them a Portal and Places maintenance package

      From that I've been asked to design graphics, Twitter backgrounds, You Tube backgrounds, do on page SEO and rank their sites in SERPs. You really don't need many clients to make a good living.

      I don't cold call, no email spam to prospective clients or any of the other non sense you read about.
      Are you forgetting something?

      What about instant gratification !

      As a internet marketers we have a great opportunity to provided a great service that can't be dispute and at the same time the "instant gratification" that comes with it.

      I'm referring to TEXT messaging( included in there WebMobile) and Facebook!

      Everybody is already familiar with having a phone in their hands at ALL times! so you don't have to explain the advantage to businesses. What about FaceBook! My wife does not know a sh!% about the internet , has a FB account. Rest my case.

      How?

      1-Hook up with one of those SMS White Label option.
      ** Be careful here! Don't go for the cheap.
      Remember, your name will be attach to that company. My self, i choose ( Yeez)... after looking a many.

      This will cost you less than $50.00 at the upset.

      2- Learn how to design mobile website( WSO) .
      3- Design one for a local business in your area(FREE)
      ** Grab the graphic , images, etc from their website**
      Of course, make sure they don't have a mobile site.

      4- set up a test campaign using your sms while label company For FREE.

      5- Set up an appointment using a FREE script I found here in the warrior forum.. check it out, it's here.

      6. Think about how much you want to make for the service and the webmobile. Don't go cheap.

      7-Here's the catch. Make sure that the money for your service will come out the profit on the test campaign. IF THEY DON'T MAKE MONEY, YOU EITHER.
      The risk is on you!

      Because, you're taking the risk, you should be compensated . Big time!

      ** Looking
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Wise
    There's a thread in this forum titled "If you're a Newbie and need clients" by a Warrior called "Rotten72" which outlines a successful method. In it he recommends a product by Zach Waldman called "Lead Creed" that I purchased (he's not an affiliate neither am I)

    Here's the link http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...s-minutes.html

    I actually believe that contact with clients whether it be by phone or in person is quite important in offline consulting as people by from people they like.

    Hope this helps
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  • Profile picture of the author TycoonRob
    Wow, some good stuff here. After reading through some WSO's on some of the ideas above and thinking about what I LIKE to do and what I could offer w/o much training, I like the idea of mobile websites. It's not exactly a dirt-cheap foot-in-the-door option at $297 up to $497 (or more?) for a mobile website, but then maybe work in QR codes (which could work with the mobile stuff, i.e. coupons) and/or SMS services.
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  • Profile picture of the author areevez
    SMS MARKETING IS THE WAY TO GO
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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    The best "foot in the door" strategy is to provide value for free, not with a price attached, and then recommend paid solutions once your have established a relationship.

    Costs you nothing and you'll have a 99.9% success rate.

    It's how I land the majority of my $25,000+ deals. :-)

    Cheers,

    ~Dexx
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    • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
      Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

      The best "foot in the door" strategy is to provide value for free, not a price, and then recommend paid solutions once your have established a relationship.

      Costs you nothing and you'll have a 99.9% success rate.

      It's how I land the majority of my $25,000+ deals. :-)

      Cheers,

      ~Dexx
      I have to agree with Dexx.

      This is also how I got many of my clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Wise
    Dexx & Dan can you provide us with specific examples of how you actually achieve this please?
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    • Profile picture of the author Dexx
      Originally Posted by Steve Wise View Post

      Dexx & Dan can you provide us with specific examples of how you actually achieve this please?
      It's doesn't require an example, but an explanation on the psychology might better explain what I'm talking about.

      This will help: The Law of Reciprocity

      Basically, instead of trying to approach business owners with your hand out--ready to take their money--you approach them and say something like:

      "Hi, I'm John Smith, and I help local businesses get better results from their marketing activities. I have some information that is immediately useful for your business to increase your sales, but don't worry I'm not trying to sell anything, I just came across your [INSERT AD] and I am confident this will help you get better results...here's what you should do..."

      This can be done in a variety of different ways (free books, videos, in person, a review of their current marketing and how it can be improved etc.) but essentially YOU give real value that the business can use to get results...and then the business owner will MUCH more inclined to see what else you have to offer...at which point you can charge for results.

      Make sense?

      ~Dexx
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      • Profile picture of the author krikkod
        Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

        It's doesn't require an example, but an explanation on the psychology might better explain what I'm talking about.

        This will help: The Law of Reciprocity

        Basically, instead of trying to approach business owners with your hand out--ready to take their money--you approach them and say something like:

        "Hi, I'm John Smith, and I help local businesses get better results from their marketing activities. I have some information that is immediately useful for your business to increase your sales, but don't worry I'm not trying to sell anything, I just came across your [INSERT AD] and I am confident this will help you get better results...here's what you should do..."

        This can be done in a variety of different ways (free books, videos, in person, a review of their current marketing and how it can be improved etc.) but essentially YOU give real value that the business can use to get results...and then the business owner will MUCH more inclined to see what else you have to offer...at which point you can charge for results.

        Make sense?

        ~Dexx
        This is a really good strategy and is in a nutshell proving your worth to them - without that your just another web guy.

        Almost the same as giving proof of your skills by showing them how you have been able to provide a good ROI for other customers, or in the least provide good search engine results.

        BTW in terms of setting up a funnel it's certainly a good idea to have, but at the end of the day when it comes to offline you need to treat each business on a case by case basis.

        If they have a website but don't have seo then provide that. If they have a website and seo but no time to keep it updated then you can provide that etc.

        One thing you should always be doing while you service businesses in different ways, is to give them reminders of your other services.

        A good way to do that is to get results for one particular service for a customer, say mobile websites, and then share it in an email with your other customers who don't have mobile websites. This will then get them thinking 'hay maybe i could use one of those new beaut mobile website thingys'.

        Of course this depends on whether or not you have current customers - just remember that the pain, energy and time it takes to get your first customer will be less when you get the second, and less again when you get the third and so on.

        I'm rambling now i think i'll shutup lol
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    • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
      Originally Posted by Steve Wise View Post

      Dexx & Dan can you provide us with specific examples of how you actually achieve this please?
      Took a little longer on the iPhone but I found the thread:

      http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ml#post3706618
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  • Profile picture of the author successfulgeek
    I think making a video of the results they could have would be a great foot in the door. Show the keyword that could be good for their business and where they appear on the page or what page they show up on. Then show their competition and how many backlinks, etc... and offer some suggestions on things they could do to improve their results. Not everything but a couple minor things and if they would like more detailed help or have it done for them to contact you.
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  • Profile picture of the author spennyc
    As Dexx said - try to overdeliver first before making promises about what you can do for them. Just show them something incredible - then they'll show you the money.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Wise
    Yes completely, thanks for the clarification.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
      Originally Posted by Steve Wise View Post

      Yes completely, thanks for the clarification.
      I'm at the pool on my iPhone but just do a quick search here for the honey approach and you will see a great thread on the topic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gail J Richardson
    Great information guys and I have learned a lot of stuff and I have one question. I am wondering how much free stuff to give to a new client without lowering the value of what you are doing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dexx
      Originally Posted by Gail J Richardson View Post

      Great information guys and I have learned a lot of stuff and I have one question. I am wondering how much free stuff to give to a new client without lowering the value of what you are doing.
      You're giving enough information to get positive results, not giving away everything you know.

      ~Dexx
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  • Profile picture of the author TycoonRob
    Well, this has been a great thread with some great ideas. I have a friend who I built a website for that I'm "upgrading" this week, and I think I'm going to test out things like SMS and QR codes for her so I can get familiar with them, then I'll be confident to offer them to other clients.
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