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An idea to build a customer base

by raistlin
22 replies
Hi all,

Just a big thanks to all who contribute some great advice in here - been reading it for days...

I've just started out on my mission to give up the day job...

I'm going to offer a selection of services to small businesses, design and print and local SEO mostly and I'm thinking of how to get clients in and referrals.

I've come up with an idea that I'd like the gurus on here to pull apart..

I'm thinking of targeting small businesses that I would typically invite to my house to do something (of which I need quite a lot at the moment) - e.g.

- Carpet Cleaning
- Window Cleaning
- Babysitter
- Gardener
- Appliance repair
- Handyman etc etc

I'd also target small businesses that have no website (or poorly optimised one), or logo, or need to design/print business cards etc etc:


Here's my pitch:

"Hi Mr Carpet Cleaner, I'm just down the road from you and I need my carpet cleaned. I like to propose something if you don't mind that I'm hoping will benefit us both".

I'm hoping at this point they're interested. If they are then:

"Well, I design/print/SEO for small businesses and I'd like to offer you one of those services for free/discount if you could offer me yours for free/discount, how does that sound?".

If they like the idea - I negotiate a deal that makes us both happy.

I'm kind of hoping it would generate a feel of just one businessman talking to another - rather than me trying to sell.

Benefits for me:

- get stuff done around my house at a discounted rate :-)
- I get a customer (who I can upsell/repeat sell my services to)
- I hopefully get referrals from them and testimonials to put on my website

Benefits for them:

- they get more customers when I work my local SEO magic (if they choose that)
- they get a customer (i.e. me)
- they get printing services at a discount (I have trade prices available to me).


Is it a go-er or full of pit-falls?

Thanks for any advice
#base #build #customer #idea
  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
    So your plan is to pitch employees?

    I don't see how that will get you any business at all. What is wrong with picking up the phone and calling the person who owns the carpet cleaning business and having a conversation with them?
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    • Profile picture of the author raistlin
      I must have explained it wrong somewhere??

      That's what I'm talking about - pitching to small business owners - i.e. Mr Carpet Claning Man who owns the Carpet Cleaning business - not his employees.


      Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

      So your plan is to pitch employees?

      I don't see how that will get you any business at all. What is wrong with picking up the phone and calling the person who owns the carpet cleaning business and having a conversation with them?
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      • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
        Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

        I must have explained it wrong somewhere??

        That's what I'm talking about - pitching to small business owners - i.e. Mr Carpet Claning Man who owns the Carpet Cleaning business - not his employees.
        But won't the business owner be busy running the business and sending his employees out to do the work?

        I guess I am thinking why go thru all of that trouble when you can simply call him/her and have a conversation?
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        • Profile picture of the author raistlin
          I was kind of thinking that it would generally be the owner picking up the phone - especially on the smaller businesses?

          Also, if I ended up speaking to an employee, then I could ask to speak to the owner because I want their service, but have a unique request..

          Dunno, maybe I need to go back to the drawing board..



          Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

          But won't the business owner be busy running the business and sending his employees out to do the work?

          I guess I am thinking why go thru all of that trouble when you can simply call him/her and have a conversation?
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  • Profile picture of the author umc
    You are right. With the businesses that you listed, it will likely be the owner that answers the phone. I'm not sure why the other poster thinks you'll be reaching employees. It sounds like you're more likely to be going after the self-employed people out there, maybe even those like myself (I have my own cleaning business).

    My personal opinion though is that you're going to have a really hard time getting money out of those people though. First, with such small businesses they are unlikely to have much to spend. Second, the really small businesses often don't require a lot of business and may truly not need much web presence, SEO, etc. I have a website, but the reality is that I could probably do without it. My business comes from word of mouth from years of hustling.

    I don't have a lot of experience in going after those people as marketing clients, but I know a lot of people that have such small businesses and I talk with them regularly. Unless they have visions of growing, getting them to part with money isn't something they often want to do. If you just want to barter, they may be game, but eventually you're going to want to turn it into real money, and it could be tough to convert to that.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by umc View Post

      You are right. With the businesses that you listed, it will likely be the owner that answers the phone. I'm not sure why the other poster thinks you'll be reaching employees. It sounds like you're more likely to be going after the self-employed people out there, maybe even those like myself (I have my own cleaning business).

      My personal opinion though is that you're going to have a really hard time getting money out of those people though. First, with such small businesses they are unlikely to have much to spend. Second, the really small businesses often don't require a lot of business and may truly not need much web presence, SEO, etc. I have a website, but the reality is that I could probably do without it. My business comes from word of mouth from years of hustling.

      I don't have a lot of experience in going after those people as marketing clients, but I know a lot of people that have such small businesses and I talk with them regularly. Unless they have visions of growing, getting them to part with money isn't something they often want to do. If you just want to barter, they may be game, but eventually you're going to want to turn it into real money, and it could be tough to convert to that.
      I'm going to start with your post to begin with. The fact about your above bolded comment is, "I have a website that I don't get business from."

      The reality is, if you were not on page 6 of the search listings you quite possibly could be leveraging your word of mouth to those that are looking on the net for the service you provide. It is what I call being at the right place, at the right time. Your listing pops up after Martha searches for a carpet cleaner. She then thinks to herself didn't Jo Ellen use these people. Martha then calls Jo Ellen and confirms, yes she did use so and so. She then uses the number on the site to set it up.

      That is in essence the correlation of word or mouth and internet marketing. As much as you try you can not be at the right place, at the right time. However with some attention to what your site is doing, it can be just THAT. At the right place, at the right time!
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      • Profile picture of the author umc
        Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

        I'm going to start with your post to begin with. The fact about your above bolded comment is, "I have a website that I don't get business from."

        The reality is, if you were not on page 6 of the search listings you quite possibly could be leveraging your word of mouth to those that are looking on the net for the service you provide. It is what I call being at the right place, at the right time. Your listing pops up after Martha searches for a carpet cleaner. She then thinks to herself didn't Jo Ellen use these people. Martha then calls Jo Ellen and confirms, yes she did use so and so. She then uses the number on the site to set it up.

        That is in essence the correlation of word or mouth and internet marketing. As much as you try you can not be at the right place, at the right time. However with some attention to what your site is doing, it can be just THAT. At the right place, at the right time!
        I'm well aware of the benefits of such a web presence, but only if our intent was to grow. You see, many of us are happy being small. I have no desire to grow and hire, and neither do many self-employed very small businesses. We (my wife and I) have a full schedule and huge waiting list as is. More exposure only brings a longer waiting list, which isn't needed. In fact, merely having a site and occasionally being found only gives me another person to turn away.
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        • Profile picture of the author savidge4
          Originally Posted by umc View Post

          I'm well aware of the benefits of such a web presence, but only if our intent was to grow. You see, many of us are happy being small. I have no desire to grow and hire, and neither do many self-employed very small businesses. We (my wife and I) have a full schedule and huge waiting list as is. More exposure only brings a longer waiting list, which isn't needed. In fact, merely having a site and occasionally being found only gives me another person to turn away.
          Well if you don't want to grow, and you are giving away work, why not go to one of your better ( better meaning not a slouche ) competitors and offer them referrals at a price?

          You can then turn around and when a customer calls say I am booked for the next 4 weeks, and they say oh no I need it sooner than that. you can turn around and say, well I can have someone give you a call. is that ok? Of course they will say yes. you call the other guy with the name and number, and tally up at the end of the week at $50 a head. Everyone wins.
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          • Profile picture of the author umc
            Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

            Well if you don't want to grow, and you are giving away work, why not go to one of your better ( better meaning not a slouche ) competitors and offer them referrals at a price?

            You can then turn around and when a customer calls say I am booked for the next 4 weeks, and they say oh no I need it sooner than that. you can turn around and say, well I can have someone give you a call. is that ok? Of course they will say yes. you call the other guy with the name and number, and tally up at the end of the week at $50 a head. Everyone wins.
            I've tried giving away leads to no avail. Well, I did help a lady we know to fill her schedule just because we wanted to help her. As for the competition, most prospects come to us because they either want us in particular, or because they like the thought of working with a company that doesn't have employees in their home. That limits who we can give the leads too, because they don't usually want a big company, and because lots of the smaller ones are shady or unprofessional. I won't send my prospects to someone I don't trust just for a buck, and I don't know anyone needing business. The few good small cleaners that I know are covered up because they're good. There's often a reason that the others aren't.

            I appreciate the suggestions, but I've been down those roads and we're happy as is. Getting into the referral business isn't worth the time and hassle for us.
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            • Profile picture of the author savidge4
              Originally Posted by umc View Post

              I've tried giving away leads to no avail. Well, I did help a lady we know to fill her schedule just because we wanted to help her. As for the competition, most prospects come to us because they either want us in particular, or because they like the thought of working with a company that doesn't have employees in their home. That limits who we can give the leads too, because they don't usually want a big company, and because lots of the smaller ones are shady or unprofessional. I won't send my prospects to someone I don't trust just for a buck, and I don't know anyone needing business. The few good small cleaners that I know are covered up because they're good. There's often a reason that the others aren't.

              I appreciate the suggestions, but I've been down those roads and we're happy as is. Getting into the referral business isn't worth the time and hassle for us.
              Sounds like I need to round up the family and get into the house cleaning business haha I hear what you are saying. That type of industry does have that "Trust" issue involved.
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    • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
      Originally Posted by umc View Post

      You are right. With the businesses that you listed, it will likely be the owner that answers the phone. I'm not sure why the other poster thinks you'll be reaching employees. It sounds like you're more likely to be going after the self-employed people out there, maybe even those like myself (I have my own cleaning business).
      I think that because these people really aren't "business owners". The people you are referring to are just self-employed people that simply "own" their own job.
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  • Profile picture of the author raistlin
    thanks umc - good to hear the perspective of somebody who runs a business I'm thinking of targeting.

    What I was ultimately aiming for is to barter the service they provide for free in exchange for a free website.

    (a) because I really do need a bunch of $250-$500 things done to my house over the next 12 months and

    (b) to build my portfolio and hopefully get some referrals from them (most important to me at the moment) and

    (c) to get any upsells from them (although TBH this would be a nice spin-off and pretty difficult like you've pointed out).

    I guess I'll have to give it a go and see - I'll report back with my results..
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

    Hi all,

    Just a big thanks to all who contribute some great advice in here - been reading it for days...

    I've just started out on my mission to give up the day job...

    I'm going to offer a selection of services to small businesses, design and print and local SEO mostly and I'm thinking of how to get clients in and referrals.

    I've come up with an idea that I'd like the gurus on here to pull apart..

    I'm thinking of targeting small businesses that I would typically invite to my house to do something (of which I need quite a lot at the moment) - e.g.

    - Carpet Cleaning
    - Window Cleaning
    - Babysitter
    - Gardener
    - Appliance repair
    - Handyman etc etc

    I'd also target small businesses that have no website (or poorly optimised one), or logo, or need to design/print business cards etc etc:


    Here's my pitch:

    "Hi Mr Carpet Cleaner, I'm just down the road from you and I need my carpet cleaned. I like to propose something if you don't mind that I'm hoping will benefit us both".

    I'm hoping at this point they're interested. If they are then:

    "Well, I design/print/SEO for small businesses and I'd like to offer you one of those services for free/discount if you could offer me yours for free/discount, how does that sound?".

    If they like the idea - I negotiate a deal that makes us both happy.

    I'm kind of hoping it would generate a feel of just one businessman talking to another - rather than me trying to sell.

    Benefits for me:

    - get stuff done around my house at a discounted rate :-)
    - I get a customer (who I can upsell/repeat sell my services to)
    - I hopefully get referrals from them and testimonials to put on my website

    Benefits for them:

    - they get more customers when I work my local SEO magic (if they choose that)
    - they get a customer (i.e. me)
    - they get printing services at a discount (I have trade prices available to me).


    Is it a go-er or full of pit-falls?

    Thanks for any advice
    Here's the deal, printed materials and design go with SEO like toilet paper and hotdogs. ( Unless you are a US Service sales rep ) Pick one or the other. That being said, I personally design sites and do SEO. I also upsell printed goods to my customers to match the new design and carry across a new clean image with all of their business printed advertising.

    In no way is printed marketing a part of my initial presentation. If you are throwing 10 solutions at somebody, the chances are you are not going to close much. If you throw one after the other, the chances are you are not going to close much. Pick the 1 best thing you do, and go after it, and then once you have them, swing the other services and products in as upsells

    Hope that Helps!
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    • Profile picture of the author raistlin
      Thanks Savidge.

      For the people who take me up on the offer I was going to offer the choice of services in the following order:


      web design
      logo design
      business card design
      business card printing
      seo


      I take your point though, maybe I should target those in yellow pages without a website and offer them a website in exchange for their service (and hopefully get some good referrals). Then hopefully their new website will need a new logo, then a business card etc

      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      Here's the deal, printed materials and design go with SEO like toilet paper and hotdogs. ( Unless you are a US Service sales rep ) Pick one or the other. That being said, I personally design sites and do SEO. I also upsell printed goods to my customers to match the new design and carry across a new clean image with all of their business printed advertising.

      In no way is printed marketing a part of my initial presentation. If you are throwing 10 solutions at somebody, the chances are you are not going to close much. If you throw one after the other, the chances are you are not going to close much. Pick the 1 best thing you do, and go after it, and then once you have them, swing the other services and products in as upsells

      Hope that Helps!
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

        Thanks Savidge.

        For the people who take me up on the offer I was going to offer the choice of services in the following order:


        web design
        logo design
        business card design
        business card printing
        seo


        I take your point though, maybe I should target those in yellow pages without a website and offer them a website in exchange for their service (and hopefully get some good referrals). Then hopefully their new website will need a new logo, then a business card etc
        Well then the best of luck to you. Might I suggest Craigslist barter section? That seems to be right up your alley. Your services in exchange for their work!
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Lee
    That is the worst idea ever, unless you're in the business of exchanging services. Not to mention, most, if not all of the businesses you listed, have a pretty low profit margin. Babysitter? Are you for real? You have to target businesses that know they need to advertise, and already do.

    Think bigger, make more money;

    - Carpet Cleaning............ Think home remodeling services
    - Window Cleaning...........Think window installallers.
    - Babysitter......................Think daycare centers
    - Gardener.......................Think landscaping services
    - Appliance repair............. Think Applience Centers.
    - Handyman etc etc ......... Okay that one's not too bad, but general contractors would be better.
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    • Profile picture of the author raistlin
      I guess babysitter was a bit silly..

      I was really just aiming for smaller businesses at first, just to build a portfolio without having to do it totally for FREE - and to get a better 'sign up' rate - and to get some work done around the house...




      Originally Posted by Matt Lee View Post

      That is the worst idea ever, unless you're in the business of exchanging services. Not to mention, most, if not all of the businesses you listed, have a pretty low profit margin. Babysitter? Are you for real? You have to target businesses that know they need to advertise, and already do.

      Think bigger, make more money;

      - Carpet Cleaning............ Think home remodeling services
      - Window Cleaning...........Think window installallers.
      - Babysitter......................Think daycare centers
      - Gardener.......................Think landscaping services
      - Appliance repair............. Think Applience Centers.
      - Handyman etc etc ......... Okay that one's not too bad, but general contractors would be better.
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  • Profile picture of the author joe golfer
    It's just a barter arrangement. No big deal. Set it up with one service to iron out the kinks, and then duplicate it.

    Write up a letter that details what each side is providing. Remember that they will most likely value their service at "full retail," so you should do the same.

    Except the babysitter. Just give her/him cash, you nut.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gladiator
    Sounds like you are trying to do a barter type of deal. It sounds like maybe there are some issues with just picking up the phone and pitch what you have either you get the deal or not, move on to the next call! Nothing here to pull apart really! Not my type of close, imo this is a waste of time!
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    • Profile picture of the author raistlin
      I will admit, cold-calling is not something I'm looking forward to, but cold-calling without a portfolio I'm thinking would be even worse -

      This was more of a short-term plan to build a portfolio - rather than a long-term thing.

      Maybe I'd be better off pitching $100-dollar websites to people just to get things moving?





      Originally Posted by Gladiator View Post

      Sounds like you are trying to do a barter type of deal. It sounds like maybe there are some issues with just picking up the phone and pitch what you have either you get the deal or not, move on to the next call! Nothing here to pull apart really! Not my type of close, imo this is a waste of time!
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  • Profile picture of the author raistlin
    So I bit the bullet and just did it.

    Posted an Ad in Craigslist offering a totally FREE 5-10 page website in exchange for a service that I need (then listed a few things I was interested in) - then gave them a link to my website I've just built.

    I got a reply a few hours later..

    I have a meeting with the owner of a golf course booked for next week. He needs a re-design.
    I've asked for free entry for next summer and golf lessons for my son - he seems agreeable.

    What I'm most excited about though is I'm pretty sure the owner of a golf course will have a few business contacts..

    I'd like to say it was a great idea, but due to the amount of bad luck I've had lately, I think it was just my turn for a lucky break.

    Will let you know how it goes...
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    • Profile picture of the author expertname
      Originally Posted by raistlin View Post

      So I bit the bullet and just did it.
      IMHO, this is the best way to see if your good idea will work. Just do it. Let the naysayers and misunderstanders debate, but don't let them stop you from taking action.
      Will let you know how it goes...
      So... how did it go?
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