How do you keep a client once you've done the work?

by umc
2 replies
In other words, once you've set up their website, once you've put in things like Aweber to build email lists for them, and come up with creative uses for QR codes for them, and put up their Google Places pages, etc., why do they need you anymore?

I want to start marketing for service businesses. It is the type of industry that I myself am in, and it is what I know. So many service businesses (cleaners, carpet cleaners, painters, handyman services, etc.) are terrible at their presentation of their businesses, and I have a desire to help. However, many of these people are definitely the "do-it-yourself" crowd, and if I tell them they need a Google Places page, they're likely to just set it up themselves.

So, how do you gain enough control that they actually continue to need you once you have things set up for them? Do you maybe set up your own website with your own contact information so that leads are all funneled through you? Otherwise you've just set up a system for them that will benefit them indefinitely while you will likely not continue to get paid for the benefits reaped by that system.

I'm an over-thinker, so let me know if I'm thinking this through way too much. I just don't want to get paid a small fee once for setting something up that produces them income for years. If selling a person leads, I don't just want to get paid one time for the lead if I am getting them jobs worth $2000 a month in recurring income. A few of those, and they may not need me anymore and I'll have to look for someone else for those leads. Hopefully you get the point.

Thanks for any input.
#client #work
  • Profile picture of the author iamchrisgreen
    This is a really really good question.

    It's a problem many people have when they are the people that "set things up" for clients. If that's how they see you, then that's how you will be treated.

    My advice would be to look at ways of getting them to commit to monthly activities with you.

    This could be:

    SEO
    Could you do the work, get them ranked high for the keywords and meet on a monthly basis? If you get them results, they carry on with you.

    Coaching
    Could you meet these guys once a month and coach them through what they should be implementing to get more clients? It's very valuable if you can bring them outside insight into their online marketing.

    Content creation
    Do they blog? They should. If they are struggling to get new content out on a monthly basis then you can be the guys that gets the content done and out on their blog.

    These are just a few ideas, i'm sure other warriors will have ideas as well.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Joshua Morris
    Actually the point of SEM consulting is not for consistent long term sales, its for quick easy cash that can be scaled in a dramtic way.

    if you can get 1 new client a week, then they wouldnt have to be repeat buying clients at all for you to make a very substantial living.

    I find that clients will go if they want to go, by nature of what they are buying they like trying out new things, going with new companies, etc etc...

    You will get the rare few that stick with you for a long time, but dont count on most being like this.

    The best thing to do is to move on and get a new client, because there are LOADS of them...

    I find that its easier to get a new client from scratch, than it is to keep one that has already paid you for a service..... So spend your time finding more clients instead of keeping the ones you have!

    This is just one point of view, and i know people will disagree... but its how I have done it and it worked out very well for me.
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