Craigslist Offline Success...

I started my Local Internet Consulting / Website design business last year, just as the offline craze started. Much of the information shared in that famous thread, and other offline threads here in the Warrior Forum have helped shape my business & pointed it onto a successful path.

My method of attracting business in the beginning was the standard, get off your butt & talk to business owners. I took time to put my business plan together, then I hit the streets. I was no good at working the phones & mailings were just too slow.

Though the course of the past year my business has advanced steadily. Now-a-days new clients are finding me, instead of me having to chase them, mostly through referrals or Craigslist.

Craigslist has truly become a weapon of choice. I started using Craigslist about 3 months ago & haven't looked back since...I'm pulling on average of 2-3 jobs a week off Craigslist alone. Most jobs are smaller....average project is $700.00 +/-


There's a variety of ways we use craigslist to find new clients.

• Place an ad in the small biz section under "services"
• Look for project announcements under Jobs - web/info design & Gigs - computer (you will also find projects posted under art/media/design or internet engineers once in a while...make sure to check those too)
• Try looking at the service categories, such as beauty, therapeutic, skilled trades & travel....many local businesses will place ads here, but many do not have websites....or one's that do...their sites need major help. It's a great source for finding new clients.
• Look into surrounding towns....I live in Tucson....lots of work around here, but when things slow up a little, I look to nearby towns / cities. I'm only 1-1/2 hours away from Phoenix...a city of well over a million...tons of opportunities there...

Something new I recently ventured into with Craigslist is using the "barter" section. I am planning a move next spring & needed some work done on the house here to ready it for sale. Instead of laying out thousands of dollars for this work, I placed a post in the barter section...."I will build your business a website & you......" I listed some of the projects I want done.

1. Coat / Paint flat roof
2. 500 sf Flagstone patio
3. Repair chips / cracks in masonry / stucco wall...repaint.
4. Interior Walls / Ceiling Painting / Exterior Trim / Patio columns
5. Screen replacement / Refinishing the main entrance doors
6. Replace shower doors & 2 toilets
7. Window washing inside & out....some other small stuff too.

I began receiving response from a bunch of contractors, even some individuals. A Roofing company just starting out & was slow with the economy offered to do the roof work for a website ($1500 value). A masonry company wanted their existing website redesigned, SEO work....in exchange for the flagstone patio & masonry stucco wall repairs ($6,000 value)....I had a construction superintendant who wants to get into professional photography & wanted a nice website contact me to do the the balance of the projects ($3000 value)

Speaking to a real estate agent last week, by having this work done, I added approx 25-30K value to my house...not too bad for a few websites!!

I plan on doing the barter method again very soon....offering websites for things like new laptops, health club memberships, auto repairs....

Craigslist has turned out to be a goldmine. Just have to learn to work it right. If your into, or thinking about entering the Offline Marketing to Local Business Game, but are not into talking face to face, cold calling phone solicitations, or public speaking.....definitely give Craigslist a try.

Anyone else have some Craigslist success stories to share?

No, there will not be a WSO rushed out on this. There will not be eBooks or programs of any kind, not by me anyways....just passing along some info I found useful so other may benefit.

Good luck,
Ken