Offline Secrets: The Hard Way Don't Try What Failed

I'll admit it... I am an internet junkie. Perhaps a brief explanation of my internet failures and successes can help a few folks here.

Most of my adult career was spent being a professional performer. You know the story, birthdays, church socials, corporate functions, etc. I was a magician. Unfortunately, most magicians get caught with big egos, simply because they can "Fool" people and do stuff others can't. I was guilty of that.

So my first experience with internet marketing was selling a manual of my life's work as a performer. It was a big manual. It sold for $249.00! I JV'ed with a popular magician at the time and sold quite a few copies. But I made a few mistakes with the JV partner and stopped selling the manual after just a few weeks.

After my first taste of success, I failed miserably for about three years. At the same time, I started to realize that I needed to do some changes in my thinking, outlook, and focus.

One of the BIG,BIG, mistakes I made was turning down a joint venture with Jay Abraham (I still have the phone recording, so I don't forget). I was selling a business development product at the time and I thought Jay could use it for his list. Jay called me back and offered to promote it to his list... If he kept the majority of the profits and I got a very small amount.

Silly me. I said no.

It wasn't until months later that I realized what a chump I'd been. My ego got in the way.

This was the beginning of change for me.

I started selling "Home-made" audio CD's of descriptions of my magic acts on Ebay. It worked! I had 11 products all selling at the same time and I made some money.

By this time, I had probably read everything Jay Abraham had written as well as all the other marketing guys on the planet. When I would go to do a magic show, I would start to talk with the business execs and get asked to do a little consulting.

When I started making as much for a couple hours consulting as I did in a month of shows, it wasn't hard to decide to consult, rather than do magic shows.

And through it all, I looked at forums, bought books, put up websites, and just didn't do very well on the 'Net.

One guy said work niches, another said to have a broad base, someone else said have an inexpensive product, another said to build a membership site. The truth is I was so scattered on the internet, that I would start one project and then go to another, without zeroing in on one thing.

Fortunately, I was still consulting.

Then I talked to a guru who invited me to a famous "Other guru" party. It was the "other guru' who was having a birthday bash. This discussion led me to investigate the whole "Offline Marketing" craze.

I had finally hit the jackpot!

Here was a way to combine what I already knew how to do (consult) with the value of teaching brick-and-mortar business owners how to use the 'Net.

Because of my performing background, I never had a problem talking with people. I like to talk with folks face-to-face in a friendly, non-threatening (salesy) way. I absolutely HATE cold calling, so I wanted to find a way to work "Offline Marketing" for my business.

Even though I can talk easily with most people, I wanted to do things from my office and NOT have to hit the streets (I did plenty of that early in my career.)

My first "Offline" client was a gift. I walked into a store and noticed that there was no url or web information with the store. I asked the owner if he was working on a site. he said his wife was handling that part of the business. I asked for the wife's number to talk to her about it. After getting the number, i talked to the wife and got an appointment for the next day.

Once I came in and talked about what the web could do for the business, the wife was sold and gave me a deposit of $750. She mentioned to me that the reason she hired me was because i was the only one who talked to her about building her business. Everyone else, she said, just wanted her to put up a website.

After a few more clients, I decided to use what I know best to get clients and work the market. Here's what works for me.

If I am out and about, I just remain friendly and keep my ears open. When I get a chance, I say, "How's business?" Generally, I get an honest answer.

If I can help, I GIVE AWAY MY BEST INFORMATION.

Why? Well, if a prospect cannot get excited when I give them good, solid, business-building information, then they probably will not get excited when I try to help their business. I then, DO NOT consider that person a prospect.

If the person DOES get fired up, I suggest us getting together for a few minutes to discuss the business.

OK, that is how I find folks just keeping my ears open.

Here is how I prospect:

First, I do not do mass mailings. I do not do mass telemarketing.

I do HIGHLY focused, laser beam marketing.

I look at an industry that I have already consulted in the past, so I don't have to work so hard. If you are starting out, just pick an industry you know something about or just enjoy. Then, find 5 to 8 businesses in that niche and RESEARCH them. Find out which business you'd like to work with, which has products that seem to have value, etc.

Sidebar: We know methods that work, so working with a shady business or one that has bad products can do a number on your attitude. Make sure the prospects you target are business you'd like to work with... trust me I worked with clients just for the money.... it was a nightmare.

You should have cut the number of prospects to about 5 or so. Next, send them a package they CANNOT ignore! I learned this first in show business, then read what the Antin brothers did to get a large office supply chain to promote their book. You must break through the clutter!

Sidebar: Breaking through the clutter with some support materials is vital. Joel Bauer calls it "You in a Box." You create a DVD or CD that is well packaged to leave behind. Or you can write a book. In any case, you want to STAND apart from everyone! That's why I send packages.

The point is that you want the prospect to call you so you can make an appointment. If the prospect DOESN'T call, then you make a call saying, "I'm the guy who sent you X."
You will almost always get through.

Once I am sitting with a prospect, I ask a series of questions to find out whether or not I can work with the business. I show the prospect what I have researched about their business as well as their competitors. I make suggestions.

Sidebar: I DO NOT give the prospect my presentation folder, I let them see it in my hands... I let them see that I know the market, their business, and their competitors. But I DO NOT leave anything with them!

I also show a presentation via laptop and a VERY SPECIAL piece of software. I ask the business owners for some numbers and then I show them how simple changes can make them money.

I have done this both in person and via the web through a webinar service.

At that point I ask for the check!

It is usually a done deal because the business owner doesn't want me going to his competitors.

This gives me far more money that just setting up a website or doing SEO. What's exciting is that "Offline marketers" have a goldmine because they're already working with clients! Just do a little upselling!

So where has this left me?

I show clients how to use the web. I show clients how to build business offline.

This works for me.

But listen. I made a lot of terrible mistakes in my career that cost me not only money, but friends and family.

Life is too short to do stuff you do not enjoy. It's also too short to work with people or businesses you don't care for. Work on ways you can have fun AND make money.

Warmly,

Millard