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Offline marketing is really taking off now. Goods and Bads

by clean99
20 replies
I was sitting in Starbucks another day and overheard an interesting conversation which made me realize how business is changing these days. And yes you are right it has a lot to do with internet marketing.

Okay, so as I was sitting enjoying my favorite hot chocolate 2 young professionals came in and sat at the neighboring table. They were talking about how their office work is going and their relationship with other co-workers. It made it clear that they worked for some medium size company and had office jobs. I though they just came by for a break but in a little while a lady came and they introduced themselves so I realized it was some kind of a business meeting.

They were asking her about her business and I was almost going to go as one of the young professionals mentioned something about online presence and that's when I started to pay attention. They started by asking her if she has a website or any other online presence. She said that she has a website and a facebook fan page but it's been set up awhile ago and she hasn't touched them. Then they went on to explaining to her how consumer behavior is changing these days and that more and more people use internet to find local businesses and services. They also showed her some examples of businesses that their company already ranked for main keywords.

After they presented their package that included ranking her business for some related keywords, ranking her within Google Places in her area, making a Facebook page more appealing and promoting it, giving her periodical reports of how many clicks she gets from different sources. Unfortunately I don't remember hearing the price of a package like that but the lady looked very interested in it.

So it looks like marketing companies are already all over it, I just wish I would see what company these guys were from. What I got from it is that:
  • Local business owners don't know much about online presence but they are eager to learn about it and the most importantly, they believe in it.
  • If marketing companies already has packages like that for local businesses that means that its becoming really popular
  • If you like to get into offline marketing then do it now, because competition is starting to get really serious with all big players coming in (aka Big Marketing Companies)

The reason I wrote this is because it made me think (and hopefully it will make you think as well), if I go to Starbucks and actually sit down only once per month and hear a conversation like this, I question myself, how many more of conversations are happening as I write this post?
#bads #goods #google places #local #local business #marketing #offline #taking
  • Profile picture of the author agonce
    lol when I started reading this thread I thought you saw me !!! I met with a friend of mine at starbucks two days ago and we are planning to start working with some businesses, so I thought you saw us lol I realized it was not us when i read the part when the lady came in

    Anyways, yeah the best thing of all is that most of us here can HELP businesses with our marketing knowledge, we just need to get out there and tell them we exist,and we are not trying to steal the money from them, but help them grow their business.
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  • Profile picture of the author wilder1047
    This happened to a friend of mine when he was at a Starbucks in Whistler, turned out the lady was from Yellow Pages 360, we checked them out, they actually look fairly priced and have proper SEO packages in place.

    I'm surprised they aren't actively trying to sway their existing customer base from print yellow pages to online. You'll also notice Google Places listings are powered by Yellow Pages.. They should have this market in the bag.

    One thing you COULD do is simply resell their services, they're priced that you could still make a profit off of them.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Neale
      Wilder YP360 SEO was way overpriced last time I looked.

      I compete with them every month and they push their online heavily, they will often offer it as a bonus if people keep their print budget at the same level.

      Google Places will use a YP listing (among other sources) only if a client has not claimed their own. They do not "power" GP.

      They might "have this market sowed up" of it wasn't for people like us

      You cannot resell their services... all in house.


      Originally Posted by wilder1047 View Post

      This happened to a friend of mine when he was at a Starbucks in Whistler, turned out the lady was from Yellow Pages 360, we checked them out, they actually look fairly priced and have proper SEO packages in place.

      I'm surprised they aren't actively trying to sway their existing customer base from print yellow pages to online. You'll also notice Google Places listings are powered by Yellow Pages.. They should have this market in the bag.

      One thing you COULD do is simply resell their services, they're priced that you could still make a profit off of them.
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      David Neale

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      • Profile picture of the author wilder1047
        Originally Posted by David Neale View Post

        Wilder YP360 SEO was way overpriced last time I looked.

        I compete with them every month and they push their online heavily, they will often offer it as a bonus if people keep their print budget at the same level.

        Google Places will use a YP listing (among other sources) only if a client has not claimed their own. They do not "power" GP.

        They might "have this market sowed up" of it wasn't for people like us

        You cannot resell their services... all in house.
        Search Engine Marketing Specialists & Search Engine Optimization

        That says their SEO packs are starting at $250/per month, that's not really that expensive at all.

        I guess the risk of reselling their services would be one of their reps calling the business directly.
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by wilder1047 View Post

          Search Engine Marketing Specialists & Search Engine Optimization

          That says their SEO packs are starting at $250/per month, that's not really that expensive at all.

          I guess the risk of reselling their services would be one of their reps calling the business directly.
          SEM starts at $250/mo which basically gives you $100 worth of advertising.

          SEO starts at $350/mo.

          Still not very expensive, but they really aren't QUALITY. I outrank companies that use yellow pages for their services all the time.

          You could outsource it a lot cheaper with a lot less risk. They basically optimize a places page, and submit to a few directories, that's about it. Spend $50 on a citation building service, spend 10 minutes optimizing the places listing, and you're golden.
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          • Profile picture of the author wilder1047
            Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

            SEM starts at $250/mo which basically gives you $100 worth of advertising.

            SEO starts at $350/mo.

            Still not very expensive, but they really aren't QUALITY. I outrank companies that use yellow pages for their services all the time.

            You could outsource it a lot cheaper with a lot less risk. They basically optimize a places page, and submit to a few directories, that's about it. Spend $50 on a citation building service, spend 10 minutes optimizing the places listing, and you're golden.
            Ah, misread, interesting. I thought they'd be offering some pretty quality services.
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  • Profile picture of the author mojo1
    This is so very true. Right now is a time of low hanging fruit for many areas of our industry.

    American Express runs Google Adwords advertising its SEO for their Small Business cardholders. I saw this ad in the fall of 2011 while logged into my gmail account.

    To say SEO is ubiquitous is an understatement. Everyone and their uncle will be offering this soon.

    It's definitely time to make hay while the sun is still shining.
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    • Profile picture of the author wilder1047
      Originally Posted by mojo1 View Post

      This is so very true. Right now is a time of low hanging fruit for many areas of our industry.

      American Express runs Google Adwords advertising its SEO for their Small Business cardholders. I saw this ad in the fall of 2011 while logged into my gmail account.

      To say SEO is ubiquitous is an understatement. Everyone and their uncle will be offering this soon.

      It's definitely time to make hay while the sun is still shining.
      I don't know if SEO is really low hanging fruit. Some business owners say they're contacted up to 10 times a week offering them "front page of Google", so you're just more of the same if you're going in with this method.

      Going from what iamnameless says, who I more or less go with as the true offline guru around here because he cold calls and offers web design and SEO, so truly in the trenches, I've seen him mention he leads with web design because it's easier to get your foot in the door and then later upsell SEO.

      There's so many businesses out there I think it will be a long long time before we have to worry about market saturation. You'll notice a big trend around here is how to actually SELL the services, so as long as there's lousy salesman out there, there will be businesses waiting to be taken on as clients.

      I also think Offline is a boom that will eventually trend out in the IM world simply because so little are probably seeing success since it does take the courage to go out and talk to people.

      A lot of what attracts people to the IM world the offline biz model contradicts (in my eyes anyways) and one of those is low start up costs, well, if the average "offliner" is paralyzed by fear of picking up the phone their next option is to hire a sales rep, but how can they train a sales rep if they don't know how to sell their own services? Not to mention a rep performing on commission is few and far between, you could take them on an hourly wage but then there goes your low start-up cost....

      There is of course other methods to land clients; but, if you have no sales experience (due to fear of picking up the phone), then the chances of you closing leads generated via direct mail and other methods is very low, meaning you could be spending a fair chunk on direct mail before you see any clients.

      I think the best way for the struggling "offliner" is to tap their warm market, provide results and work off of referrals, or, hone in on one market, as another thread says here, and master it, and then duplicate. By doing this you'll either have more credibility in a specific niche then 99% of others offering the same services, or you'll be referred, which is a much more powerful method of getting clients and is going to allow you to beat out all the other guys trying to come in the front door.

      I speak purely from experience in being an "offliner" close to the breaking point...
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      • Profile picture of the author mojo1
        Originally Posted by wilder1047 View Post

        I don't know if SEO is really low hanging fruit. Some business owners say they're contacted up to 10 times a week offering them "front page of Google", so you're just more of the same if you're going in with this method.
        I agree SEO is not and should not necessarily be a lead in for most consultants.

        However, please note I didn't refer specifically to SEO at all but stated "many areas" of our industry are ripe low hanging fruit for example website design, Google Places, mobile websites, reputation management, etc.
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      • Profile picture of the author thebarksmeow
        Originally Posted by wilder1047 View Post

        I don't know if SEO is really low hanging fruit. Some business owners say they're contacted up to 10 times a week offering them "front page of Google", so you're just more of the same if you're going in with this method.

        Going from what iamnameless says, who I more or less go with as the true offline guru around here because he cold calls and offers web design and SEO, so truly in the trenches, I've seen him mention he leads with web design because it's easier to get your foot in the door and then later upsell SEO.

        There's so many businesses out there I think it will be a long long time before we have to worry about market saturation. You'll notice a big trend around here is how to actually SELL the services, so as long as there's lousy salesman out there, there will be businesses waiting to be taken on as clients.

        I also think Offline is a boom that will eventually trend out in the IM world simply because so little are probably seeing success since it does take the courage to go out and talk to people.

        A lot of what attracts people to the IM world the offline biz model contradicts (in my eyes anyways) and one of those is low start up costs, well, if the average "offliner" is paralyzed by fear of picking up the phone their next option is to hire a sales rep, but how can they train a sales rep if they don't know how to sell their own services? Not to mention a rep performing on commission is few and far between, you could take them on an hourly wage but then there goes your low start-up cost....

        There is of course other methods to land clients; but, if you have no sales experience (due to fear of picking up the phone), then the chances of you closing leads generated via direct mail and other methods is very low, meaning you could be spending a fair chunk on direct mail before you see any clients.

        I think the best way for the struggling "offliner" is to tap their warm market, provide results and work off of referrals, or, hone in on one market, as another thread says here, and master it, and then duplicate. By doing this you'll either have more credibility in a specific niche then 99% of others offering the same services, or you'll be referred, which is a much more powerful method of getting clients and is going to allow you to beat out all the other guys trying to come in the front door.

        I speak purely from experience in being an "offliner" close to the breaking point...
        Exactly.

        1. There are so many businesses that need marketing. They don't even know what "SEO" is. Don't sell "SEO". Sell results and more business/customers to their company.

        2. A lot of people are intimidated by meeting business owners. They want to conduct all of their business over the internet or over the phone. I don't do any cold calling what so ever. I hate, hate, hate, it. I go to networking events with 1 pagers/info-graphics, and business cards. I want them to see my face over and over. "Oh yeah... that's that Google guy. I saw him last month". The people who attend these events are actually trying to expand their business... or else they wouldn't come.

        3. This is a big one.... a lot of people selling SEO don't even know what they're doing. Some business owners took a chance on them because it seemed like a "good deal", but they didn't get any results. So now when I approach these business owners who've been screwed once before.... I'm armed with "case studies", "references", and "testimonials", which the first guy didn't have. I'm actually listening to them and trying to understand their frustrations. Then I sell "solutions".

        Market saturation... yeah right.

        P.S. Did I mention I hate cold calling?
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by cosgrove13 View Post

          Hi Russerg,

          There are many business markets that can use a leg up in this economy. For instance my partner has a pest control business and we got new signage for the truck and I suggested 2 things that has put him in front of his competition and that is:

          - Get a mobile site
          - Get a QR code for the truck

          Funnily the signage person hadn't done one of these before but trust me when he is out driving the phone rings with people who just rang our number through the QR code.

          The mobile site is picking up more visitors daily. A lot of businesses have not moved with the times so there are lots of dollars to be picked up from just doing things a little differently.

          Cheers

          Jen
          No disrespect but I don't believe that for a hot second. Why? Because how many people have smart phones, that have a QR code scanner, that are driving while trying to scan it? Most people don't even have a scanner... even those that do rarely use it.

          Mobile sites are okay... but come on now, these are low value techniques and tactics. Not good for an overall marketing strategy. I seriously can not see how someones phone can ring off the hook just from a mobile website and a QR code.

          I'm not a believer in that. Nice extra's, mobile sites are useful but QR code's aren't going to make or break a business, well they can break one if that is their only form of marketing.



          Originally Posted by sloanjim View Post

          SERIOUSLY!!!

          It's been "markated" for several years not just recently. The big "explosion" was 2007 -2010. Some of you make it sound like S.E.O. is so "new" ????
          The big boys are coming out to play though, yellowbook, 1and1, intuit, websitetonight, web.com and others. Full blown commercials on TV, lots of heavy marketing and it has picked up lately.

          It isn't new of course... but there is no doubt the heavy hitters are getting into the market in a more dominant way.

          People are going to need to either decide to get started and make moves, or stand by and watch everyone else get involved.

          I personally don't mind this... I actually LIKE that they're advertising so much. Third party validation!
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  • Profile picture of the author cosgrove13
    Hi Russerg,

    There are many business markets that can use a leg up in this economy. For instance my partner has a pest control business and we got new signage for the truck and I suggested 2 things that has put him in front of his competition and that is:

    - Get a mobile site
    - Get a QR code for the truck

    Funnily the signage person hadn't done one of these before but trust me when he is out driving the phone rings with people who just rang our number through the QR code.

    The mobile site is picking up more visitors daily. A lot of businesses have not moved with the times so there are lots of dollars to be picked up from just doing things a little differently.

    Cheers

    Jen
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  • Profile picture of the author ProAffiliate01
    I have been hearing more about local marketing online lately. That seems to be the next big online marketing boom.
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  • Profile picture of the author sloanjim
    S.E.O. was hammered in the UK from 2007 onwards...I mean companies getting 20 cals a day offering S.E.O. work. It actually seems to have died down a bit now....Wonder of the "easy money has gone?"

    I think the easy money here was 2000 -2006. Now it has matured.
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  • Profile picture of the author sloanjim
    SERIOUSLY!!!

    It's been "markated" for several years not just recently. The big "explosion" was 2007 -2010. Some of you make it sound like S.E.O. is so "new" ????

    I have been hearing more about local marketing online lately. That seems to be the next big online marketing boom.
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    • Profile picture of the author AfteraDream
      Originally Posted by sloanjim View Post

      SERIOUSLY!!!

      It's been "markated" for several years not just recently. The big "explosion" was 2007 -2010. Some of you make it sound like S.E.O. is so "new" ????
      Don't think this is about SEO only... mobile marketing/mobile apps, mobile websites can be included too. Try to combine these layers into one strategy and you have some serious work to do and a puzzle to solve... which sounds like fun to me tho!
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    • Profile picture of the author AussieT
      Originally Posted by sloanjim View Post

      SERIOUSLY!!!

      It's been "markated" for several years not just recently. The big "explosion" was 2007 -2010. Some of you make it sound like S.E.O. is so "new" ????
      It is always new to someone out there. Everyday new people are coming online who have never been online before. Same goes for SEO or offline marketing
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  • Profile picture of the author Bredfan
    Don't sell "SEO". Sell results and more business/customers to their company.
    I love this. It is a powerful statement.

    Sometimes, I talk about the weeds of SEO if the client is interested, but for the most part, the conversation centers around what getting new customers, clients or patients looks like. Getting the customer to envision the incremental customers... Then you just have to deliver results. :-)

    Also - regarding competition. Bring it one. IamNameless has a great point with validation. But really - the prospects I talk to seem to like that I am not some behemoth company. They like that I can not just provide a cookie cutter program, but also consult with them about how to market their business. The 1and1's, Network Solutions, and GoDaddy's of the world will never compete with me sitting with a client, in her office, showing her how to make a new blog post....but the validation is sweet.

    Moreover, there is so much business to be had, I (and many others) are on this forum every day opening the kimono on what we do, what we sell, how we sell it, etc. If the market was too crowded, and I had to fight tooth and nail for every sale, I would never do that. There is plenty to go around.... (Anyone in northern Virginia, move along...nothing to see here. Ha!)
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    For all you guys offering SEO... be prepared for changes in the SERPs... just announced yesterday, I didn't read it until today. Says the algo will be updated in the next couple days. Looks like certain types of backlinking are going to be hit really hard.
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    • Profile picture of the author jspmedia
      Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

      For all you guys offering SEO... be prepared for changes in the SERPs... just announced yesterday, I didn't read it until today. Says the algo will be updated in the next couple days. Looks like certain types of backlinking are going to be hit really hard.
      Yup..several of my personal sites are hit hard already..I think it is due to backlinks I built on those sites. .. I haven't used on my client these mass linkbuilding yet..thank god..
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