You have to prove to them why they need it and how it can improve their bottom line.

It requires actually researching that company and understanding it's goals.

It requires understanding marketing.

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Yes.

Web presence is everything these days. Unless you live in a one stoplight town. Pretty much everyone is going to go online and either find or research doctors, dentists, auto shops, restaurants, etc.

A Facebook page is not enough.

I dunno, bud.

Is it easy? Not if you have to convince them from scratch.

But what about those who are already convinced this is what they need?

"Free" does not mean "good" to everyone. It doesn't mean "good" to me. It means "probably incompetent."

Do you think Walmart wants a Free website?

How about your local mattress store? Do they trust a free drag and drop sitebuilder to be their business tool?

And if they do, what does that tell you about their interest and knowledge level in this kind of solution?

I can tell you are at the beginning of your journey in sales & marketing. Customers don't buy because of the reasons you think they do. They don't value the same things you do. Some people think and believe very differently.

It's far better and easier to find people who are already looking for the solution you provide. No need to make the sale twice--first to convince them of the idea, then second for you to be the one to execute it.

Save yourself the trouble. Learn about qualifying.

I don't really mess with clients, so this is theory. It may be a lot better to find businesses that already have websites that aren't mobile friendly and convince them that they need to be mobile friendly.

Tell them how Google (supposedly) has a filter that if someone does a search using a mobile device that Google only returns sites that are mobile friendly. Also explain how something like 65% of Google's searches are now performed by mobile devices, meaning they could be losing almost 2/3s of Google search traffic.

And/or...if they already have a site, sell them on the need to do social and set them up a social network, including a Facebook page.

Let me give you a little secret on how to get local businesses to hire you to create and manage their website.

Go to every business get together that is serving "alcohol" and start talking to people.

Defenses are down and you can make a lot of connections you can follow up on and close the deal.

Look around, you will most likely find a few bars that host monthly B2B happy hours.

Re's
Rob Whisonant

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While a billion or so people use Facebook, some six billion people don't. I use it only to promote my own sites. I never visit Facebook for any other reason. Don't like the site, don't like the tools, and I don't like the user interface.

If a company with whom I might like to do business has an online presence only on Facebook, I'll never see it, because I'm never looking.

I'm not alone.

Charlie

Anyone could do anything.

In my experience, when business owners buy a product or service it is because, for whatever reason, they find paying for quality more valuable than producing quality.

Jason has been saying this for years it couldn't be more true.

Years ago I bought a WSO detailing how to sell websites to local businesses and I had interested prospects on day 1.

Imagine finding a local business which has a website that is terrible or outdated or both. This business is also advertising on the radio, billboards, and in the yellowpages.

They already understand the value of spending money to make money, and they probably understand the value of having a website as they already have one.

Now imagine telling this business something like, "Hey. I saw your site was outdated so I designed you a new one. If you want to take a free look I'll have one of my guys email it over to you within the hour."

Find enough businesses in this situation and make them this offer, and if you do your job well, some percentage will buy.

Reminds me of a story I heard.

Seems this town had an abundance of cheap haircut places. Open the Yellow Pages (for you kiddos, that was like a paper version of Google local) and you'd find a couple of pages of listings for haircuts @ $10 or less.

Then came an ad filling half a page with the headline


You could be the one who fixes free/cheap websites.

Well sure, and they can also put up a free blog on Blogspot or a hundred other free platforms-BUT if they want to be taken seriously and have their own brand and control the asset, publish what they want, when they want and not be at another company's mercy-they will want their own site-can you imagine IBM or Kellog's just having a Facebook page? FB pages are a part of a marketing program , not the central pillar of it that would be daft.
Brands need their own identity.

It is just as easy to put up a pretty nice wordpress site as it is to put up a facebook page. But most people in buisness will do neither. They are busy running their business and either do not want, or do not have the time to learn a new skill.

That is where you come in, Set up both for them, even set up an email campaign. Sell them the hosting, domain, and autoresponder via affiliate links as well as what you charge to build the site. Then you can, if you want, provide maintenance to the site for a monthly fee.

The possibilities are endless for this business venture.

al

The website comes first. The Facebook page comes second to promote the website and what it offers.

As a copywriter, I work with more than one web design team. If you allow me, would like to point out one thing no one mentioned here. Are you reasonable when it comes to your pricing? I am in contact with the clients, very often recommending guys who can help them with the design and everything. Clients opt for these free options, because they are afraid it is gonna cost them a lot. But, you really do not have to have all those shiny and costly animations and rocket science feature. Something effective and simple. So, be reasonable, and suggest something, which is not going to cost them a lot, but it can allow them to benefit a lot.
Again, we play in the same team. If you do not convince your potential clients, then they will never hire me or some of my colleagues all over the world. Although I just cannot imagine a company running a business these days with no pro website. Ridiculous indeed.

awww, the art of selling...

When I list products on the Ebay marketplace I really am not concern that I have the lowest bid. I can sell the same product. A lot of people do not price shop but make a decision based on an emotion. Put your product and services in front of the right person at the right time it increases your chances.