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Need Help From Offline Marketers

by L.James
5 replies
Hey Warriors,

I've been doing offline methods that I have came across, since I've been on this forum. I've found out that some clients are very easy to deal with and please as others are not. Some clients want things that I am not prepared to give them, such as proposals for services, brochures, flow charts, business plans etc. How do I go about getting things like this done, to be honest I don't know anything about them.

Also I recently received a client that asked for something slightly different from what everyone else wanted. This particular client wants a website that offers their IT services. But they also want their clients to be able to purchase the service through paypal before they send a tech out. They also wanted a database implemented so they could keep up with past orders and have a address/email address on their clients. Which is the simplest way to go with this project?

I have been having moderate success with doing offline things, but I need to get the whole package together before I have great success, and whats stopping me is what I mentioned in the first paragraph.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really need it Warriors

cheers
#marketers #offline
  • Profile picture of the author Peter Adamson
    1. Decide what it is you do and limit yourself to that. If you change your business model every time you meet a new prospect it won't work. You need to be the best at what you do in a narrow niche, but it needs to be lucrative enough for you to make a living. When someone wants what you don't have, politely decline. Your offer needs to be well enough defined that you can accurately describe everything you do on your web site without changing it frequently.

    2. Build a network of experts who do what you can't like PayPal integration and db backend programming. You can meet them at Linux User Groups or buiness networking meetings.

    You need to learn to strike a balance between saying no and calling up one of your experts. It takes time and only you know where to draw the line. I hope this helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jagged
      Originally Posted by Peter Adamson View Post

      1. Decide what it is you do and limit yourself to that. If you change your business model every time you meet a new prospect it won't work. You need to be the best at what you do in a narrow niche, but it needs to be lucrative enough for you to make a living. When someone wants what you don't have, politely decline. Your offer needs to be well enough defined that you can accurately describe everything you do on your web site without changing it frequently.

      2. Build a network of experts who do what you can't like PayPal integration and db backend programming. You can meet them at Linux User Groups or buiness networking meetings.

      You need to learn to strike a balance between saying no and calling up one of your experts. It takes time and only you know where to draw the line. I hope this helps.
      Good Advice Peter.....

      My approach is more of a combination of both 1 & 2.
      I market myself as a "consultant". I talk with clients, find out what their needs are, then I suggest solutions to their problems.
      Sometimes the solutions are services I offer.... sometimes the solutions are more complex, but I still suggest ways for them to obtain their goals.

      I have built up a little network of professionals, both locally & here on the internet that cover most of the more complex issues I can't handle. I refer their services when ever the need arrises. That way I stay involved with the client, not turning him away to others....losing business.

      I collect an initial consulting fee.....
      I offer my services where they fill the viod...collecting my service fee's...
      I collect a "finders fee" from those I refer....

      The clients happy...their problems are solved by the most economical methods.
      I'm happy...my services are rendered...earning me a nice payday...
      My network of associates are happy...they are refered work...& again...I'm happy because I collect a percentage.

      A Win-Win all around. Just have to think ahead & anticipate problems and locate solutions before hand.

      I've been a business owner for over 20 years....there's not much I haven't seen.
      I know what my limits are....I personally provide these. Whats outside of my limits...I outsource.

      As far as analytics, flow charts, etc...

      Signing up for simple sites like google local business center offers good insight into their website traffic. Also helps tremendously with geo-targeting.
      https://www.google.com/accounts/Serv...hl=en-US&gl=US

      Google analytics is the perfect solution for this too:
      https://www.google.com/analytics/rep...4wRg%253D%253D

      Serprank I use quite a bit to show before / after rankings in top search engines like google, MSN, Yahoo,Ask.com
      Serp Rank - SEO Tools SERP Check SEO Guide

      Builtwith.com has a lot of info on the "behind the scene" makings of clients websites....Gives you good starting points.
      BuiltWith - Website Analysis and SEO Optimization

      All have charts, analytics, info that clients are looking for...if their not....it will put you in a position of expertise by showing them this info.

      Good Luck,
      Ken
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  • Profile picture of the author GoGetta
    Peter is right!

    Work out a plan. Work out what you are good at and follow that route. You will come unstuck if you try to offer services you don't know about. You can outsource but you need to be an awesome manager for that!

    Start small, gain experience and grow slowly!

    GoGetta
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    I am in the process of putting the final touches on my first big product release for offline marketers who could use a full-blown system of consultative selling to provide marketing services and products to SMB clients through a step-by-step marketing process, completel with end client presentations, powerpoints, etc...

    private message me if you want me to put you on the pre-release notification email list
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  • Profile picture of the author L.James
    You guys probably don't think this is good, but I outsource 90% of the work. My problem isn't getting the work done. Its explaining to people what I need to have done. I need to get more organized, and get the things that I'm now being asked for as the larger the businesses are becoming such as the paperwork I mentioned in the original post. I'm trying to turn this more into a business as opposed to a "hustle". I kinda approach them like you Ken. I market myself as a internet consultant / marketer. I talk to them see what their needs are, and close the deal and outsource the work. When you guys deal with your clients what gives you that "professional" look as far as your paper work goes.
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