My first offline business venture!

by d1ey0u

Posted: 12 years ago 14 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

Hello Warriors,

I come to you seeking advice. This is day 1 of my first offline business venture, and I'm pretty nervous.

I'm 22 years old, and I only have 1 year of college, and all courses were general ed. Sure I don't have any of the college certificates or a degree, but I've been working with web design and internet marketing for about 2 years now, and over the last year I've things have become more serious.

In October 2011 I had about 5 websites, and all were CPA. I wanted to try something new. I made a wordpress website that ended up making me about $18,000 total until last month when I sold it. I was making on average $1,500 a month, and now I make about $150. I need to make some more money!!

Now with that out of the way...

About 3 months ago I was searching for a restaurant on Google maps, and I found a place that had good reviews, so I tried finding their menu. They didn't even have a website! So I did this on about 50 local businesses downtown, and the results were shocking. I found 19 smaller businesses with no websites at all, and several restaurants with no menu.

I thought to myself.. Why services these small businesses? After sitting on that for the night, I woke the next morning and the very first thing I think "I CAN DO THIS!"

I will be honest though, I don't know how to design a sexy website from scratch. I customize wordpress themes, and outsource custom web designs. Everything has worked out for my own personal websites, so why can't I do this for other people?

This will not be easy, and I know I'll get really nervous. I can't let it get me down if the first few fail. I want to walk into these places and speak with a manager or owner, and offer a free meeting to discuss the benefits of having a website and or quote.

I know enough about websites to at least make the sale. Depending on what the client wants I would either do it myself or outsource the work. When I'm ready I will have business cards, a laptop to present things, a business agreement, and maybe an example template.

Let me know what you guys think of this. Any suggestions? Advice? Motivation?

#business #offline #offline busines #venture

vndnbrgj

12 years ago

Don't get analysis paralysis... Just get out there and take action!

Thanks

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rodney kyser

Banned 12 years ago

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vndnbrgj

12 years ago

Originally Posted by rodney kyser

:confused: what are you? if you went to your doctor and asked for an explanation as to why your ankle and wrist joints were aching at the same time what would you say if he turned around and said "don't get analysis paralysis, just get out there and walk it off" ridiculous

anyhoo moving on from that dreadful contribution, I actualy admire the fact that you've sparked up a few applicable methods here. What i'll do is give you some advice that you really should take very seriously.

When you stumble upon brilliant ideas such as this one (which isn't really new, people have been doing this for years) KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! You don't want a thousand people stealing your ideas and making money off of your creativity

So next time keep things on the hush hush, implement and if you do make money you scale up, if you fail then you know what not to do next time around

Who the **** do you think you are?
Dreadful contributions? Let's see yours.....
Oh, that's right you hardly have any and the ones that you do have are real helpful...

Thanks

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- Neale Donald Wilson -

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rodney kyser Banned 12 years ago

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- vndnbrgj 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by rodney kyser
  
  I'm Rodney
  
  Seriously though bro, pop a chill pill or two. Your starting to come off real cranky for no apparent reason. not cool
  
  First of all, you don't know me..
  
  Second of all, I am not now nor will ever be your "bro"
  My issues are trolls like you popping up, making terrible uneducated ASSUMPTIONS for no apparent reason.
  
  Well, Mr. High and Mighty educate us all on your business (or lack there of)
  So that we all may learn from an obvious expert. After all you have nothing to hide, right Rodney?!
  
  Thanks
  
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  Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone
  - Neale Donald Wilson -
  
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wally247 12 years ago

The guy above who mentioned "analysis paralysis" actually has a good point (although not taken that way).

You have good idea. You CAN do it.

So go for it! Don't get caught up in spending a year naming your company, then getting your website perfect, then buying a million WSO's and so on.

Walk into the businesses and talk to these guys. You will be nervous like you said, but you'll find out that you won't die.

As for the sites. If you can do custom Wordpress stuff you can do it. You aren't trying to make websites that make people say "wow, neato!"...you are just trying to get them to call a number, fill out a form or take some kind of action.

Just get going though, or you'll be here in a year saying "I really should get going soon" which I believe is what the fellow above was trying to say.
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HAdrian1239

12 years ago

Your websites don't need to be "sexy" they just need to be properly optimized, and convert well.

Graphic designers sell the sizzle... and usually most graphic designers have no idea about SEO, or marketing stuff.... business get sold into "slick" looking sites because they have no idea either.

I'm not saying websites should look like crap. But I am saying customized Joomla or WP templates are fine... sometimes "sexy" and "flashy" actually detract from the purpose... (customer conversion)

Good luck. Don't over think it or let other people get you down. Realize you don't have to know everything, and have everything be perfect to start. Just start, everything else will fall into place if you take consistent action.

Thanks

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rodney kyser

Banned 12 years ago

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HAdrian1239

12 years ago

Originally Posted by rodney kyser

Dont over think it? lol, so is that how you operate? When you have a new method or tactic that you're contemplating on, you don't over think it? lol, seriously?

sir, have you actually made any money yet? because the way you're talking is seriously giving me some major doubts. I thought mr vandenberg was in over his head, but this is something quite different.

Well you do have to know everything when you're dealing with someone else's source of income. How the hell do you expect someone to trust you if you "dont know everything" and you "just start" with the mere hope that "everything will fall into place". This isn't the life tales of the mermaids and water hippos! this is business! you are dealing with peoples livelihoods here.. dont ever forget that

15 posts and you want to come onto this person's thread to lecture me? I don't think so. You are more than entitled to your opinions, and I am to mine. I've seen WAY too many newbies overcome by thinking they need to have every bloody detail perfect before they ever do anything... the result being they do nothing....

I've seen way MORE people, take action... myself included, find success, and revise as they go along.

Why don't you go do YOUR thing, and keep off this thread, if you're just going to heckle...

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rodney kyser

Banned 12 years ago

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vndnbrgj

12 years ago

Originally Posted by rodney kyser

this isn't the coolest thing

you seem angry and depressed man, i think you need more than just a bottle of chill pills.

I just think that since it was so easy for me to pick your unintelligent "advice" apart, you shouldn't be offering any advice to anyone

agree?

Ok Mr. High and Mighty, why should we listen to you?

After all, you really shouldn't be offering advice to anyone either.

Agree?

Thanks

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DaniMc 12 years ago

Mr. Rodney,

It seems you are constantly contradicting other posters. If you want to give the OP advice, then do so. He can then decide who to listen to.

It is not your place to critique the other posters. You are not the God of the forum. Other people have opinions and can voice them.

You have continually hijacked other people threads in order to attack what someone else has offered in all honesty.

I hope you don't try to start a fight with me, because I will not engage. I wish you would stop starting fights with others also.

Regards,
Prevalent
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Michael Ten 12 years ago

Why did you sell that first website and not scale it up? If you did it once, then it seems that you can probably do it again.
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d1ey0u 12 years ago

My website was sold because I had something come up in my life, and I needed immediate money... : /

After looking around on this forum some more, I see that people are doing cold calling. I've never done it over the phone, but I use to do something similar door to door. I learned a lot from payoman, and I will take his advice an target painters in my local area.

What is the best time to start cold calling? Should I start with

"Hi, this is Zack with XXXXX, is this a bad time?"

or

"Hi, this is Zack and I'm with XXXXXX, I noticed you're a local painter in the area without a website, is this something that might interest you?

or

"Hi *John, this is Zack with XXXXXX, we're a new web design team based out of XXXX, and I wanted to speak with you about creating a website for another local business in our area. Do you have a quick minute?"

I know everyone is telling me I have to go out there and DO SOMETHING, I'm just racking my brain over this until the weekend is over. Monday I will have a large list of about 200 #'s to call, and I'm gonna send about 50 emails to try other options.

Oh yea, please stop arguing on my thread!! Thanks!
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ah824824 Banned 12 years ago

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- justmerob 12 years ago
  
  While I agree with one before me that said "You can do it". Don't get caught up in the how's in your situation. Just get out there, walk in with a smile and help those businesses!
  
  As for this thread, all tho I hope the OP much success and the best of luck, some others here just sadden me...
  
  Thanks
  
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  "There are no magic wands, no hidden tricks, and no secret handshakes that can bring you immediate success, but with time, energy, and determination you can get there."
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HAdrian1239 12 years ago

Zack, I think any of those three options you provided would work, they each start out with slightly different approaches. I would pick ONE and stick with it for a few hundred calls, then change it if you felt the need to or wanted to test.

Personally, I use

"I'm not sure who I should be speaking with, but hopefully it's you... my name is Heather and I am a new business owner in the area. I just wanted to touch based with you and introduce myself."

Then I ask them a question or two, related to what I'm selling and to the niche and I wait for their response...

Then I tell them how I can help/what I am offering. Works pretty well. I don't always one call close, and sometimes I just go for the contact info to follow up with... but the overall concept works.
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kazim 12 years ago

I have never done offline business. I usually do online business.
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- Laura Stevens 12 years ago
  
  if you sell a website before then you can do it with a smile.
  
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My first offline business venture!

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