First Offline Client Question

9 replies
I've decided to give offline marketing a try and I'm happy to say that I've gotten my first offline client after just posting an ad on Craigslist for a resume writing service this afternoon. I'll be calling her this week to set up a time to meet face to face with her on how to improve her resume.

While that's all good and there's obviously a big demand for this I'm wondering what to charge her- or even if I should as she's unemployed. I know people make cutbacks and may be struggling to pay their bills. Dan Kennedy wrote a little bit on this subject and told readers to charge them full price but I'm wrestling with the ethics of doing that.
#client #offline #question
  • Profile picture of the author 1960Texan
    Originally Posted by Ehanson View Post

    While that's all good and there's obviously a big demand for this I'm wondering what to charge her- or even if I should as she's unemployed. I know people make cutbacks and may be struggling to pay their bills. Dan Kennedy wrote a little bit on this subject and told readers to charge them full price but I'm wrestling with the ethics of doing that.
    There is nothing unethical about charging someone full price. This is your business, and you need to charge what you're worth. Your main concern should be giving your client the absolute best resume she could hope to have so that she may, in turn, secure a position with a company willing to pay her what she's worth.

    Good luck.

    Will
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Dolan
    Re the dilema as I see it

    1. She responded to your ad, which implies she is ready to pay you
    2. If your service is value for money it should deliver on what your ad promised. If that is so then the price should be the price you say.
    3. You could use a twist here on your marketing, if she has friends who are also looking for this service why not discount it on the basis she sends an email you construct to 20 of her friends which recommends your service.

    Chris

    Originally Posted by Ehanson View Post

    I've decided to give offline marketing a try and I'm happy to say that I've gotten my first offline client after just posting an ad on Craigslist for a resume writing service this afternoon. I'll be calling her this week to set up a time to meet face to face with her on how to improve her resume.

    While that's all good and there's obviously a big demand for this I'm wondering what to charge her- or even if I should as she's unemployed. I know people make cutbacks and may be struggling to pay their bills. Dan Kennedy wrote a little bit on this subject and told readers to charge them full price but I'm wrestling with the ethics of doing that.
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  • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
    Originally Posted by Ehanson View Post

    I've decided to give offline marketing a try and I'm happy to say that I've gotten my first offline client after just posting an ad on Craigslist for a resume writing service this afternoon. I'll be calling her this week to set up a time to meet face to face with her on how to improve her resume.

    While that's all good and there's obviously a big demand for this I'm wondering what to charge her- or even if I should as she's unemployed. I know people make cutbacks and may be struggling to pay their bills. Dan Kennedy wrote a little bit on this subject and told readers to charge them full price but I'm wrestling with the ethics of doing that.
    Ha! I told you that you would get a gig quickly!

    Just make your rate competitive. I guess I don't have a clue how much a resume writer charges, but find 4-5 sites and see what they're charging. Don't worry about the price. Sell her on the VALUE. People don't buy based on cost as much as most people seem to think. Besides, when you have a face-to-face meeting with someone, you're more likely to land the sale regardless of price. Just charge a FAIR price that's competitive.

    Don't walk out of the meeting without closing the deal. If you do, she will probably find someone else. Ask for the sale and then get her to sign on the dotted line.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
    If you are starting out a testimonial, video review and some endorsements could be far more powerful than one off cash that you will burn through.
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  • Profile picture of the author seafrontsteve
    Nothing wrong with charging full price - and you should.
    But I always remember working as a lad in a Chemist shop for a guy who was very successful with a chain of shops. He once said to me that it's always good to give people three choices - small, medium or large, for example, and 90% will pick the medium.
    So if you have services where you can offer minimum price no frills, standard service at a higher price and premium service at a premium price - that gives you a great way of understanding what your customers want.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    You are offering value to your client with this service, and it could mean the difference between her getting a job and losing out on it. You should charge her what you'd consider a reasonable rate; there is no need to gouge her, but at the same time you should get paid what you think you're worth.
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  • Profile picture of the author hezell1989
    There's nothing wrong with charging if you help her improve her resume.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    If you have a problem charging her full price then don't lower your price - increase the value. Give her something she was not expecting. Not only will she then be more inclined to recommend you to others but it will turn the tables right around. She will be the one feeling like a cheap-skate!

    A simple example would be to only charge her for putting the actual resume together. Then you deliver to her the resume and a letter of application template you also put together for her, as a bonus.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    I think you should combine Will and Steve's answers:

    Keep the value there and maybe charge her less cash in exchange for testimonial etc.

    Therefore you keep your perceived value and she knows she's getting a special (not normal) discount in exchange for her testimonial. If you get a video testimonial you can leverage that several ways and it'll be worth more than the discount you give her.

    I've done coaching at ridiculously low rates for a few people in the past but never reduced my prices. i.e they get $1000 of value but I subsidise some of that in exchange for something I value (testimonial, referrals, bartered services etc.)

    The last thing you want to do is start out by under pricing your value.

    Andy
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    nothing to see here.

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