Stop Selling Web Design and SEO...

10 years ago

Originally Posted by joshril

When you're dealing with higher-ticket businesses, it's very easy to charge $2,000-$5,000+ for landing page design/sales funnel consulting.

"How would you like to land $2,500 - $5,000 clients this month? Click here to apply for a FREE strategy session..."

You don't say?

Let's say I'm an HVAC contractor with three trucks. I know the value of advertising and I'm trying to put together a client base, so I'm spending $400/mo. on PPC ads to my website. I'm targeting a 25-mile radius, relevant keywords. All traffic is going to my homepage. I know I'm receiving more calls, but I'm not sure exactly what my ROI is from the campaign... let alone which keywords are outperforming the rest.

This is a fairly common scenario in the real world.

How you gonna tell me a new landing page for $2,500 is gonna suddenly solve my marketing problems? Since it's "very easy" to sell this stuff...

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471740].message }}

joshril

10 years ago

Originally Posted by kemdev

"How would you like to land $2,500 - $5,000 clients this month? Click here to apply for a FREE strategy session..."

You don't say?

Let's say I'm an HVAC contractor with three trucks. I know the value of advertising and I'm trying to put together a client base, so I'm spending $400/mo. on PPC ads to my website. I'm targeting a 25-mile radius, relevant keywords. All traffic is going to my homepage. I know I'm receiving more calls, but I'm not sure exactly what my ROI is from the campaign... let alone which keywords are outperforming the rest.

This is a fairly common scenario in the real world.

How you gonna tell me a new landing page for $2,500 is gonna suddenly solve my marketing problems? Since it's "very easy" to sell this stuff...

Kemdev,

With all of the "click a button and make $10,000" stuff sold on this forum, I appreciate your post...

As mentioned later in my post, there are other details involved with helping businesses get clients online. It's not a "click a button and land a $10,000 client" process.

Also, to be clear, I said...

"It's very easy to let them know what's going on and how they can fix it... "

It is very easy to reach out these businesses and let them know they have a BIG problem that you can fix as opposed to trying to sell someone that's NOT spending money online a website or web marketing services. It's also very easy to charge a fee of $2,500 - $5,000+ if I'm solving a problem that could be costing them 5-6 figures in profits...

Additionally, I want to clarify that I did not say that a $2,500 landing page design is the one size fits all solution.

I've never charged $2,500 for JUST a single landing page...

Generally, I help businesses with their PPC ad copy (in many cases they are not as good as they could be) to improve CTR, create multiple landing pages tailored to specific ads and keywords, and implement tracking.

Some key points here...

1. Higher ticket/margin customers will be able to pay more for your services (Bigger problem = Bigger fee)
2. You will need to do more than just creating a landing page... Many businesses will need multiple landing pages to match the ad copy/keyword being searched
3. You cannot hide behind a computer and be successful... with that being said, you can do this WITHOUT cold-calling, but you'll have to talk on the phone/Skype with clients to close deals
4. Simple changes can result in BIG results... I worked with a client recently that basically just dumped a bunch of keywords into Adwords that weren't relevant at all to their ad copy and they were sending the few clicks they were getting to their home page. I created new ads, tailored them to the right search terms, created relevant landing pages to the ads, and it made a massive improvement in their business (we're talking 5 figures per month revenue increases and solid margins in this business).

Thanks,

Josh

PS - You linked to my strategy session offer in my signature... yes, I will work with select people to help them do this and land clients the right way, but it's certainly not a push-button, get rich quick kind of offer that is often seen on this forum.

I love teaching and coaching and I can help others that are not seeing as much as success as they could be in their businesses. I'm great at finding, qualifying, and providing solutions to clients, etc. (Note to all that view this thread... I'm not trying to be self-promotional by posting this... just responding to kemdev fully).

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471810].message }}

savidge4

10 years ago

Is there an answer to Kemdev's question in there?

All I really see is a bunch of Im really trying to sell MYSELF on this idea.. yeah this one will work!

"I love teaching and coaching and I can help others that are not seeing as much as success as they could be in their businesses."

Kemdev's post gave you EVERY opportunity in the world to do that and you were to busy retracting everything you said.

It should have gone something like:

Kemdev,

I hear you. You are spending $400 a month with PPC. Is that with google or facebook or both? From what you have said it appears that you have also worked on your locals listing as well? I can understand that pointing all of this traffic to your homepage would make it difficult to track the results of each campaign.

What I do is break out each campaign and target each one to a separate landing page. If you are using multiple PPC terms I try to break that down as well. Part of moving forward is understanding what traffic you are getting and from where. This is an effective method to getting a better understanding of that.

Once we can pinpoint whats working / not working for you now, then we can move forward and make positive progress increasing your ROI in each of these areas.

Originally Posted by joshril

Kemdev,

With all of the "click a button and make $10,000" stuff sold on this forum, I appreciate your post...

As mentioned later in my post, there are other details involved with helping businesses get clients online. It's not a "click a button and land a $10,000 client" process.

Also, to be clear, I said...

"It's very easy to let them know what's going on and how they can fix it... "

It is very easy to reach out these businesses and let them know they have a BIG problem that you can fix as opposed to trying to sell someone that's NOT spending money online a website or web marketing services. It's also very easy to charge a fee of $2,500 - $5,000+ if I'm solving a problem that could be costing them 5-6 figures in profits...

Additionally, I want to clarify that I did not say that a $2,500 landing page design is the one size fits all solution.

I've never charged $2,500 for JUST a single landing page...

Generally, I help businesses with their PPC ad copy (in many cases they are not as good as they could be) to improve CTR, create multiple landing pages tailored to specific ads and keywords, and implement tracking.

Some key points here...

1. Higher ticket/margin customers will be able to pay more for your services (Bigger problem = Bigger fee)
2. You will need to do more than just creating a landing page... Many businesses will need multiple landing pages to match the ad copy/keyword being searched
3. You cannot hide behind a computer and be successful... with that being said, you can do this WITHOUT cold-calling, but you'll have to talk on the phone/Skype with clients to close deals
4. Simple changes can result in BIG results... I worked with a client that basically just dumped a bunch of keywords into Adwords that weren't relevant at all to their ad copy and they were sending the few clicks they were getting to their home page. I created new ads, tailored them to the right search terms, created relevant landing pages to the ads, and it made a massive improvement in their business (we're talking 5 figures per month revenue increases and solid margins in this business).

Thanks,

Josh

PS - You linked to my strategy session offer in my signature... yes, I will work with select people to help them do this and land clients the right way, but it's certainly not a push-button, get rich quick kind of offer that is often seen on this forum.

I love teaching and coaching and I can help others that are not seeing as much as success as they could be in their businesses. I'm great at finding, qualifying, and providing solutions to clients, etc. (Note to all that view this thread... I'm not trying to be self-promotional by posting this... just responding to kemdev fully).

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Success is an ACT not an idea

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471930].message }}

joshril

10 years ago

Originally Posted by savidge4

Is there an answer to Kemdev's question in there?

All I really see is a bunch of Im really trying to sell MYSELF on this idea.. yeah this one will work!

I respectfully disagree... There's not enough information to answer his question, and I didn't realize he wanted me to roleplay the scenario, although I'm happy to do so...

Kemdev gave some VERY basic information about a client, and then asked this question...

"How you gonna tell me a new landing page for $2,500 is gonna suddenly solve my marketing problems? Since it's "very easy" to sell this stuff..."

I never said that a single $2,500 landing page would solve this (or any) business's problem, because clearly, it would not.

I would need to know more information about their current online marketing, their offer, review their copy, etc.

There is no way I could make a recommendation to this prospect without digging in further on exactly what they are doing today, their service offering, reviewing their existing ad copy/landing page, and where they are spending the $400 per month.

Thanks,

Josh

PS - I quoted your original post, not the edited one where you added the "roleplay" with kemdev.

I addressed his original question, and answered it and gave some valuable information in both of my posts. I also made it clear that using multiple ads along with congruent landing pages is a HUGE key to success with online advertising.

But, you're 100% right...

Digging into his current campaign to determine a proper solution is the first step in the process.

So, instead of continuing with the "Pepsi challenge", let's add some additional value to the discussion...

My first post was more about mindset and a topical overview of providing real value to businesses, solving problems, etc.

Beyond discussing their current advertising, I want to understand their business...

Here are a few additional questions that should be asked during this process, so I understand what a lead needs to look like...

1. What service/product do you lead with?
2. What is the ticket/margin for each of your services/product?
3. When you get a call or email, how is handled? Is it scripted?
4. Who fields the leads that you get?
5. What does your sales process look like?
6. What makes your service/product different than your competitors/Why do your customers choose you?
7. What geographic areas do you cover/target?
8. What kind of information do you need to follow-up properly?
9. Who is your ideal customer?

This is a great starting point for getting the dialog going with a prospect that needs help in this arena...

I'm sure Savidge4, Kemdev, and others can also add some value here.

Heading to bed, but I'll check back and share some prospecting suggestions/best practices for finding potential clients later.

[ 1 ] Thanks
2 replies

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471953].message }}

savidge4

10 years ago

Originally Posted by joshril

There is no way I could make a recommendation to this prospect without digging in further on exactly what they are doing today, their service offering, reviewing their existing ad copy/landing page, and where they are spending the $400 per month.

I did.. and your the expert.

Thanks

Signature

Success is an ACT not an idea

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471959].message }}

Jason Kanigan

10 years ago

Originally Posted by joshril

I respectfully disagree... There's not enough information to answer his question, and I didn't realize he wanted me to roleplay the scenario, although I'm happy to do so...

Kemdev gave some VERY basic information about a client, and then asked this question...

"How you gonna tell me a new landing page for $2,500 is gonna suddenly solve my marketing problems? Since it's "very easy" to sell this stuff..."

I never said that a single $2,500 landing page would solve this (or any) business's problem, because clearly, it would not.

I would need to know more information about their current online marketing, their offer, review their copy, etc.

There is no way I could make a recommendation to this prospect without digging in further on exactly what they are doing today, their service offering, reviewing their existing ad copy/landing page, and where they are spending the $400 per month.

Thanks,

Josh

PS - I quoted your original post, not the edited one where you added the "roleplay" with kemdev.

I addressed his original question, and answered it and gave some valuable information in both of my posts. I also made it clear that using multiple ads along with congruent landing pages is a HUGE key to success with online advertising.

But, you're 100% right...

Digging into his current campaign to determine a proper solution is the first step in the process.

So, instead of continuing with the "Pepsi challenge", let's add some additional value to the discussion...

My first post was more about mindset and a topical overview of providing real value to businesses, solving problems, etc.

Beyond discussing their current advertising, I want to understand their business...

Here are a few additional questions that should be asked during this process, so I understand what a lead needs to look like...

1. What service/product do you lead with?
2. What is the ticket/margin for each of your services/product?
3. When you get a call or email, how is handled? Is it scripted?
4. Who fields the leads that you get?
5. What does your sales process look like?
6. What makes your service/product different than your competitors/Why do your customers choose you?
7. What geographic areas do you cover/target?
8. What kind of information do you need to follow-up properly?
9. Who is your ideal customer?

This is a great starting point for getting the dialog going with a prospect that needs help in this arena...

I'm sure Savidge4, Kemdev, and others can also add some value here.

Heading to bed, but I'll check back and share some prospecting suggestions/best practices for finding potential clients later.

I charge mid-4-figures, but that is for a whole funnel...landing pages, videos with scripting and editing, copywriting, email series, conceptual figuring out of leadbait with the client and more.

Ewen's recent thread on linkbait has opened up an entirely new avenue for me as well.

[ 2 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

>> How To Grow Your Online Business [FREE Training Video, No Opt-In, from 10+ Year Vet]

>> For Agency Founders: The Fast Shortcut To Selling SEO, Leadgen, Webdesign & Other Services

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473124].message }}

joshril

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

I charge mid-4-figures, but that is for a whole funnel...landing pages, videos with scripting and editing, copywriting, email series, conceptual figuring out of leadbait with the client and more.

Ewen's recent thread on linkbait has opened up an entirely new avenue for me as well.

Ewen's thread on linkbait is a solid concept.

The concept of multiple highly targeted campaigns will result in much higher quality leads works.

Plus, you can quickly test, see what converts, and move on if someone doesn't. Finding winners and losers quickly is smart, and you have leads coming in from multiple angles.

That's where most businesses miss the mark...

I talked with a company yesterday that offers septic tank cleaning, repair, installation, and whole host of other services... They were targeting people looking for all of those services and just sending them all to their home page.

By targeting each service individually (and there are also some options for additional targeting within those 3 services, obviously) they will generate more, higher quality leads.

To further elaborate on this, let's say you search for:

"septic tank repair"

When I see the results that come up, I'm much less likely to click on an ad that says

"Septic Tank Installation"

With local companies, there are also some geographic pieces to this equation as well, by the way.

I'm most likely to click on the ad headline that most closely matches my search... And when I click, I want to see the same thing... If you send me to a homepage or a landing page where I have to go looking... BACK BUTTON or that little X in the top right corner of my screen.

Many companies (like this one) have some VERY specific services that can be targeted as well.

Thanks,

Josh

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473238].message }}

savidge4 10 years ago

My personal methodology on the subject... is to sell websites.. but incorporating the systems that are being discussed here. I separate myself in the market place by building "Systems" and not websites.

Single or even multiple landing pages are but a piece to larger puzzle. The core concept we are discussing here is how to bring feet through the door and dollars to the bank. We all know there are MANY avenues to doing so. It is my thinking to incorporate as many of these "Avenues" as possible. Do you want SEO traffic? sure you do. Do you want targeted pinpoint traffic? sure you do. Do you want social traffic? sure you do. Do you want local traffic? sure you do. and the list goes on.

The moment you focus blindly on any one of these as the Holy Grail of solutions. you are missing the boat. More importantly your client thinking this is the answer to all of their problems is missing the boat. Can you smell upsell? Or better yet long term client / provider relationship?

Unification of the clients message across all of their advertising avenues is the key to success. There is actually a name for this methodology... hmmm what could it be? I could be like Ewen and make you guess... but I wont. The answer is BRANDING.

Developing a solid base for the many avenues of advertising is paramount. A company that has Consistent message across their store front, their vehicles, their website, their facebook page, their tv commercials, their printed materials etc in the LONG run will beat out a company that has a decent landing page for some PPC.

You want to make money? Start looking at the big picture. Sell the vision of what a business could and should be. I personally don't sell products or services... I sell results.
- [ 3 ] Thanks
Signature

Success is an ACT not an idea
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473626].message }}

iAmNameLess

10 years ago

Everybody is an expert when there's newbies and a credit card readily avilable.

[ 5 ] Thanks
1 reply

Signature

The Best Damn Marketing and Local SEO Blog

Ultimate Blueprint To Start Your Own Agency | Get Clients Without Cold Calling

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9471975].message }}

SupplementTalk 10 years ago

Originally Posted by iAmNameLess

Everybody is an expert when there's newbies and a credit card readily avilable.

Lol! I like this guy!
I find your stuff all the time and always get a kick out of your humor, but at the same time you bring value.

thanks buddy.
- Thanks
Signature

***I make money this way***
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473060].message }}

Entrecon

10 years ago

I like the original post and the information provided. He may have a link in his signature to buy a product/service related to his comment, but I don't see anything other than good information provided. If you think the information is bunk, then don't try it and move on.

I think even if you are selling "Web design and SEO" you are doing something wrong. Businesses don't want a website with a bunch of good keywords on it with a bunch of people coming to their website. They want customers walking through the door, ordering their services, or ordering products off their website. When you are selling to a business, you need to sell them customers. Josh is suggesting one way to sell customers to your potential clients. He also suggestions which potential clients (those already advertising) are most likely to buy customers from you.

I got out of that product line years ago when every kid with Frontpage was out selling websites for gas money. Sales aren't my strong suit to begin with and I had other things paying the bills. As Josh says though, the mom and pops want a $10,000 website for $250. The folks that are already dropping money on advertising is much better market to target.

[ 2 ] Thanks

Signature

Visit My website http://kipferguson.com

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473106].message }}

Chris30K

10 years ago

NICE POST JOSH!

I do like this advice, it's like Wolf of Wall Street - Why market to these small people, when you can market to the top 1% of America? Sure he's not a role model, but that was one of the things he did right.

[ 1 ] Thanks

Signature

Chic Fil A > McDonald's

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9473348].message }}

kevinenrique

9 years ago

Josh, very good info.
Most of the businesses that are managing their own campaigns are wasting money. Check out this article from Search Engine Land.

Some of these people don't even know that they are doing it wrong, so we need to educate them and make them see how much money they are wasting... monetize the problem.

Others have lost a lot of money, because of account mismanagement, that they don't even want to hear about Adwords..

I went to this fire restoration business the other day and started talking to the owner and he told me he lost $40K with Adwords in a week and didn't even get 1 phone call. I guess he saw a disbelief look in my face so he logged in to the account and printed a report.. I honestly thought it was BS or an exaggeration... but it was true. He lost all that money without knowing how or why.

I spotted the problem right away, he had the display network on, with avg bids of $15-$20 per click. I don't remember how many clicks but they were in the thousands. The guy didn't even know what the display network was.
There are situations like this happening everyday.

So we can really help business save a lot of money by improving their campaigns (and make a nice buck in the process)

[ 1 ] Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9665714].message }}

Rus Sells

9 years ago

I know of a roofer that I was talking to last summer about doing a redesign of his web site and some SEO. The moment
he found out that I was a retired roofer and an expert salesman all that went out the window as all he could think of
was hiring me as an employee. LOL I blew him off right.

Last month I start seeing his display ads all over when I'm browsing online. 90% of the sites totally irrelevant and not local at at!

I'm pretty sure how it went for him, the ads lasted about 30 days and poof, gone.

I think I'll call him up and ask him how that went for him and let him know I'm still not for hire as a sales manage. lol

Originally Posted by kevinenrique

Josh, very good info.
Most of the businesses that are managing their own campaigns are wasting money. Check out this article from Search Engine Land.

Some of these people don't even know that they are doing it wrong, so we need to educate them and make them see how much money they are wasting... monetize the problem.

Others have lost a lot of money, because of account mismanagement, that they don't even want to hear about Adwords..

I went to this fire restoration business the other day and started talking to the owner and he told me he lost $40K with Adwords in a week and didn't even get 1 phone call. I guess he saw a disbelief look in my face so he logged in to the account and printed a report.. I honestly thought it was BS or an exaggeration... but it was true. He lost all that money without knowing how or why.

I spotted the problem right away, he had the display network on, with avg bids of $15-$20 per click. I don't remember how many clicks but they were in the thousands. The guy didn't even know what the display network was.
There are situations like this happening everyday.

So we can really help business save a lot of money by improving their campaigns (and make a nice buck in the process)

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Review Sentry

Dotcomcodex

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9719022].message }}

kevinenrique

9 years ago

Originally Posted by Rus Sells

Last month I start seeing his display ads all over when I'm browsing online. 90% of the sites totally irrelevant and not local at at!

I'm pretty sure how it went for him, the ads lasted about 30 days and poof, gone.

Did you see the ads on Adsense blocks? If you started seeing the ads all over and on irrelevant sites maybe he was using retargeting.
Definitely give him a call and try to sell an adwords management service.. because most of these guys don't have the time (or knowledge) to manage campaigns.

So he wants to have you as a sales rep... That could be a good opportunity. He wants sales... If you know about roofing it would be easy for you to make a targeted Adwords campaign with good landing pages (good info) and sell him the leads that come in. Get a phone number from evoice or callfire so you know how many people called.
You can even do this before telling him about it, and once he starts getting calls then talk business with him..

Let us know what you do.

Thanks
1 reply

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9720868].message }}

Rus Sells

9 years ago

Yeah I'm pretty sure I was getting re-targeted after I visited his site, but initially I saw his ad on a site I wouldn't ever expect to find a customer who fits the profile he'd be looking for.

He tried to hire me as a sales manager and I wasn't interested.

If I were to ever get back into roofing again it would be to
own to a company again as I did before.

It actually slipped my mind to call him up last week so I just
added a tack to my CRM to do it this coming week.

Originally Posted by kevinenrique

Did you see the ads on Adsense blocks? If you started seeing the ads all over and on irrelevant sites maybe he was using retargeting.
Definitely give him a call and try to sell an adwords management service.. because most of these guys don't have the time (or knowledge) to manage campaigns.

So he wants to have you as a sales rep... That could be a good opportunity. He wants sales... If you know about roofing it would be easy for you to make a targeted Adwords campaign with good landing pages (good info) and sell him the leads that come in. Get a phone number from evoice or callfire so you know how many people called.
You can even do this before telling him about it, and once he starts getting calls then talk business with him..

Let us know what you do.

Thanks

Signature

Review Sentry

Dotcomcodex

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9722155].message }}

Vulk

9 years ago

I agree, as a local business owner I can't tell you how many emails and calls I receive daily about seo and web design. All bland.

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9665869].message }}

YourSecretATM

9 years ago

Hey Josh-- I was wondering if you would consider giving me your opinion on what niches I should target to sell my mobile website conversion services to here in the Tampa- Sarasota FL area. I will be calling on my prospects cold..as well doing some phone solicitation..I was thinking restaurants and perhaps high end nail-hair salons.. Thank You for your help--Richard

Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9718138].message }}

Stop Selling Web Design and SEO...

Trending Topics

How do I effectively build and nurture an email list for affiliate marketing purposes?

Are Solo ADs the Most Cost Effective Way to Promote your Product?

Are billboards still effective in driving customers?

Been a while! Any of you Old Timers here?

How much does the rebranding affect CR ?