How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Hey guys,

So the past 6 months or so, I've been constantly reading this thread about your experiences and opinions on Mobile.

As a generation Y guy, there is only one direction I see the future heading and that's towards mobile.

So today I started making my first big plunge into SELLING mobile websites.

Here's my tactic right now.
1. Each day I find ten businesses through yelp or Google places that have a desktop website. Five in my local vicinity and five in Sydney which is a few hours from me but has more visited restaurants, bigger population and tourists, etc.

2. Email them and say something along the lines of "Hey Hamburger shop! I love your burgers but not your mobile site. I'm browsing through your site on my iPhone and it doesn't work properly [attach screenshot]"

3. Await their reply and then hit them with the "How about I make a mobile site mockup of what your site COULD look like" (I'm using WillR's Mobile WSO)

4. Await the "Wow how much does this cost" phrase in which case I hit them with a low cost set up fee + monthly pricing that will make it's money back with one or two meals OR the "nah, we don't really see the value in mobile sites" which in this case I link them to Google's gomo study, bombard them with facts, etc.

5. Once they're a customer, ask for referrals.

So right now I'm just testing what the success rate of this tactic is like. It's only the first day, so the results a few weeks down the line will be interesting to watch!

Maybe physically walking into the businesses will be an option later
Suggestions on how to improve could be very helpful to not only me, but all of us!

Nick :)

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Make it an option NOW! No reason you can't email and visit. It will get
easier the more you visit.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

You may want to be persistent with all of your marketing methods. I would prefer to dothe email way first. This way you can get the businesses that WANT your service and focus on them at first. It's gonna make it a lot easier to grab people's interest when they are already interested. Then you can move on to perusing the others that aren't so interested,,, or at least they don't know what they need until you offer it to them.

Try the walk in letter delivery next. Maybe even a few targeted mailers. People read mail. Just be persistent. Don't give up or get discouraged because a few people say no. A lot of people are gonna say no. Get used to it.


Robert X

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Yeah, there have been a lot of "no's" and no responses yet. Have emailed 20 businesses so far each with a personalised, individually constructed email attached with a screenshot of how the site looks on my iPhone. Got a few responses, Seems like student clubs and bars is that which gets the best response!

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

When sending emails, the SUBJECT line is what gets prospects to OPEN the email.

I've gotten pretty good response with the "Subject Line";

"You are LOSING Business!"

Then, I continue with; "Hundreds of Theater Goers arrive every day to attend one of the performances. They arrive by car. They're HUNGRY. They ALL have Mobile Devices and when they use their Mobile to search for Places To Eat........they CAN'T SEE YOUR RESTAURANT WEBSITE ON THEIR MOBILE PHONES!

So they go to one of your competitors!

Send a Reply with your Name & Phone # and I'll call you with the details on how you can change "Ka-Chunk!" to "Ka-Ching!"

Don Alm

You can change the note to read;

"Every day, Hundreds of Tourists arrive in your Town....etc"

Or....on a more positive tact;

"Can You Handle an Extra 10 Diners a Day?"

And....one subject line I've used for Dentists or Chiropractors;

"Can You Handle an Extra 10 New Patients a Month?"

I also use these lines when walking in....In Person!

Your "Opening Line" MUST....GRAB THEIR ATTENTION....INSTANTLY!" It MUST...cause your prospects to....STOP....WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT....BEFORE YOU ARRIVED and.....FOCUS....ALL THEIR ATTENTION ON....LITTLE OL' YOU!

Thanks for reading,
Don Alm....Sales Guy

Don Alm

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Love it! Thanks as always Don, but I am afraid that the busy business owner or manager will trash the email if they see a subject line that looks spammy?

Nick

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Emailed 30 businesses at the end of today, got just a few replies... let's see if we can get a sale!!

Nick

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Nick, you've been doing this for a day. I've been doing it for ten years, full time. I know how hard it is to start in this business, so please let me explain something to you clearly but in the kindest tones possible.

If your marketing plan remains essentially to "Look Up Info On The Web, Send Unsolicited E-mail, and Wait" you can add this to your step-by-step plan above:

6. Starve To Death or Get Another Job

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I have never sold a mobile site by itself. I usually offer it as a free bonus with web design work. Most clients don't really see a real need for mobile and I don't really want to try and convince them. On another note, I have never sold a website to someone who did not already have one but I have gotten rejected by a local car wash owner who didn't "believe" in them. I think mobile sites will be easier to sell in a few years when they are considered mainstream by business like websites are today.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Well,, do you remember when people didn't want a regular website? And the few people who invested in them in the beginning are sure glad they did. Those who wait will be left behind and will be the people needing to do all the SEO tricks to catch up to the rest. Don't try once and give up.

Keep in touch,, mildly,, maybe once a month or so and when that business owner finally relizes that NOW they need a mobile site, you will be the first person on their mind and they will have your info already. It may take a while to capture these people. A guy on here told a story about a salesman that was pesistent with him,,, after a few moths of the salesman contacting him once a week,, the biz owner finally purchased from him and was very glad he did and wished he had done it sooner.

So, don't get too discouraged. Sales are around 1-3%. (can be better if you have a great sales platform, sales letters, videos, etc.) So that's 1-3 out of a hundred. So do you get the picture? You must contact 100 biz owner to get possibly 1 - 3 sales. What does that mean? It means contact a lot of businesses constantly.:eek:

Robert X

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Robert X just nailed it. In fact, you could close this thread now and make it a sticky atop this forum.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Constant follow up and relationship building is already part of the plan!

Although I think I can carve up more than 1 - 3 sales /100 contacts... especially once I start sending postcards. I love the method mentioned here http://www.warriorforum.com/mobile-m...ml#post5192862

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

OK, I am ready to walk in. And I did. They asked me if I had an appointment. I did not. They were ready to throw me out. That was in my dentist's office. They knew that I was a patient but came for a different reason.

I walked out, typed up a letter with a link to a personal video created for that ******* :D - my dentist. After I delivered the letter the video was viewed 2 times. In the letter I told him that I could cut pay-per-click advertising costs. I told him politely how lousy his site looked. I never heard from him. He keeps advertising on Google bringing people to his non-mobile website.

So, I approached dentists. Sent a couple of e-mails with no response. I did sell a couple of websites but I did not do any selling. People approached me. I don't count this as my selling experience.

Now I will approach pizzerias. Yes, I will ask if they can handle 10 more dinners a day or 20 more pizzas a day. But the owner either does not admit that he is the owner or he is not there. Where do I go from that point?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I cannot get another job. Nobody gives a damn about my skills (programming, technical writing). So it looks like I will starve to death if I don't start selling mobile websites.

I am looking for selling strategies. I am ready to do anything except selling my soul and body. I developed several mobile websites that are ready to go. I select people/companies I want to approach either from yellow pages or from Google advertisers.

What do you think I need to do every day to start selling mobile websites?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Hey Freeburd - FYI - Dentists are tough. I have been in the dental profession for 20+ years and most of them just don't get it yet. Also, they are usually too busy to listen to what you have to say, so the best thing to do is to find out who is in charge of their advertising and talk to them. Maybe even offer them a discount or something. Really look for the younger guys who are more tech savvy also. Anyway, that is my 2 cents - :o) I am considering mobile websites but haven't done it yet, just doing some research first. Good Luck!

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

How about hitting up painters, Handymen, Carpetcleaners, maid service people like me a Carpet/handyman love the idea of the site since I have had mine for less than a month, I have gotten 2 calls from people that found me from their cell and said they loved my mobile site. My designer made mine for 249.00 no xtra for changes. I have just five pages nothing fancy just quick info and a phone number button after pressed it calls me. I love mine! Rich

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Freeburd - now its my turn to criticize, your mobile website is deadly boring, I know its the willr template, but it needs to be tweaked in order to look better,
add quality graphics , play around with background color, maybe use a large graphic on the main paige, etc, etc,

most of all if you can't sell it - double you price for everything and see if that works,

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Great advice, thank you!

Rich, I started doing what you advised immediately. Thank you.


I love to be criticized by people that mean business. Big "thank you"! :)

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

It's funny but I studied psychology, soc, and social work. Never thought marketing would be my thing. I worked two jobs, one where I had to walk into churches as a borderline atheist and convince pastors why they should change their theological standpoint in their church. Then I worked another job where I had to convince businesses why, in the midst of a recession, low jobs, high unemployment, and an abundance of job applicants, they should hire people with no apparent relevant skills and very little ability to speak English. And not only that, why they should move them to the front of the line and call me before anyone else in the city.

We had to walk into businesses cold. I learned more about business working for a nonprofit than I bet most people learn in an MBA. Don't be afraid to go in person, it's the best thing you can do. Sure, plenty of people will give you the boot, especially bigger businesses. And the ones with security guards and front desks...well...good luck. But start out with restaurants as you mentioned. People are more laid back and I met a lot of great people willing to work with our organization. And oh yeah, go during off-meal times (best time in the states was between 2pm and 4pm, and sometimes 9:30am to 10:30am depending on the type of restaurant) if you want to have any chance at talking to the proprietor or manager.

Another option? Make a mobile site with the the menu and highlight the executive chef on there. When you go in, don't talk to the manager. Ask for the chef. I had much more success talking to them anyway. Show them the site. Sure, they'll send you to the manager, but what's better, you walking up to the manager alone, or the chef walking you up to him with a smile on his face? Or make your site with some kind of happy hour drink special and show it to the manager. Ask him who is more likely to go to his special--the person who goes home first and sees his regular site on the computer, or the person who sees the awesome drink special on their mobile phone on the way out of work? No brainer...

Good luck, sounds like fun!

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

It has nothing to do with the design. In whatever case the design will be 100x better than a desktop site on a mobile not only in design but in loading speed too.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I will tell you what I think. It is always nice to have a good design and graphics that make a website alive. In my short experience, color and graphics meant nothing to those few people that ordered websites from me. They wanted traffic, they wanted people coming to their website and ordering their services. I also met a woman that spent a lot of money on a beautiful website with page rank 5 with no traffic whatsoever. A website without marketing is a bunch if useless files.

I will try my best to improve my graphics and design skills. Will it help me to sell more websites? We will see what happens.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

My point exactly..

Like you, I'm using WillR's mobile business in a box aswell. There is no issue with design! Navigating is the easiest thing in the world... sliders, script, etc can come later, but making the browsing experience 100x better for businesses customers will always be more important that fancy graphics

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I like the templates. They are easy to install and modify. They are thoroughly tested. Besides, what people see in my signature is the very first site I created after I purchased the templates. My later websites look a little better, nothing fancy though. I still will try to improve because it's just my nature. I will always want to do tomorrow better than today.

So, how are you doing, Nickhumph? Are you getting more sales?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

OK I am going to address this as a newbie and a consumer. I know, seriously? And yes I am because it may help the OP from the consumers' perspective. So I went online to buy a pair of gym shoes. I need new one's, I needed them 2 months ago. So I found the pair I wanted and went to my local department store at my local mall to try them on and hopefully purchase them that day. And low and behold the shoes I picked out I could not find in the store. So I told the salesman hold on one second I can pull-up your website on my handy dandy HTC phone. He said ok, well long story short I live in a far suburb of Chicago, IL pretty up-to-date tech City right? Yeah not so much. I am about to drop $70 on a pair of gym shoes because they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever managed to put my tootsies in and the "pretty well known dept store" does NOT have a mobile site. So I had to step out of the store back into one of the lobbies in the mall to pull up the store's main site, which then I had to scroll through 3 stupid pages just to get to women's shoes, then walk back into the store to show the salesman. Long story short I was irritated enough I didn't purchase the shoes from them I walked 7 stores away and purchased the same shoes from a shoe store because I could go to that shoe stores' mobile website and checked even to see if they were in-stock. So Carson Pirie Scott you lost my business and hello Footlocker I enjoyed giving you the extra money for the convenience of having the shoes I wanted AND a mobile site to double check that you had them. So the need from a consumer's stand point is there. And convincing the business owner you have a solution to their problem ie., more business will get you the solution to your problem, their busines as a client.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Hey Michelle, I will take this testimonial and show it to the business owners that think they don't have a problem by having their regular website, not a mobile one. Thank you very much.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Freeburd you are more than welcome to use it. It truly shows there IS a need for mobile sites.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Anyone who doesn't see the need for a mobile site in this day and age is already living in the past, in my opinion. A lot of business owners will not 'get it' but it's up to use to show them exactly why having one will benefit not just them but their customers also.

One of the biggest mistakes I keep seeing people make with mobile website design is trying to be too clever. Remember, the user is only concerned about getting the information they want as quickly and easily as possible. A nice simple, boring looking design that is easy to navigate and read will be much more popular and useful for your customers than some fancy design that takes forever to load.

Mobile sites are all about the end-user experience... they are not there to massage the go of the business owner.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

If the biz owner is not too fond of the mobile design, Do you think telling the business owner that will p*** them off or get them to accept it?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

It doesn't HAVE to be "boring" to load fast. In fact, "cookie cutter" sites that all look the same just blend in with each other. Just my opinion, of course.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Thought I'd keep this thread updated!

I sent about 70 emails over the last two weeks. Out of that pool, 1 or 2 were interested in getting a mockup made.. so not the best response rate.. although I haven't followed up on any of the emails yet.. may do so shortly.

Last week, me and a friend/business colleague went off to do cold face-to-face marketing. We we're quite nervous to do this as we have never done cold-selling face to face. We went to local shopping malls and local shopping districts. We visited 25-30 odd businesses and surprisingly, things went very well. There was only one-time when we asked "Hey sir, can we interest you in getting more customers for your business?" someone said a straight out "NO" please leave - but we got about 5 sit down meetings with owners for this week/next week ready to show them a mockup of their site.

It's scary at first.. but the fear of rejection slowly diminishes!

First sale?? Let's see what happens! :)

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Read my previous reply.. how are YOU going?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I agree. When money is plenty, there is no problem. It is very challenging for me to do any graphics at all. Yes, I know there is fiverr. I do not go there anymore. I was ripped off there and spent an enormous amount of time trying to resolve problems. Where did I get? Nowhere. I lost money, time and got no customer support.

I am looking for reputable graphic design sources. Chip in if you know.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

The very last batch of emails: 14 emails were sent out, 4 responded. No sales yet. But I am starting to get traction, so that's a good sign.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

nice, keep going! I highly recommend you do face-to-face

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Nice work man, did you have mockups created for each of these businesses? Or just a generic template to show an example?

I'm still debating whether it's worth it to blast way more businesses with general template or much less and do personalized sample with more conversion.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Thanks for sharing your approach...Don!

Was thinking of integrating these phrases into Business Card format and distributing whenever I shop around town...

Has anyone done this?

MikeR

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Some good tatics here kid warrior, i like it how your emails get traction by giving them a compliment at the same time telling them to get a mobile site. How many sales have you got now? I would suggest reading some good books on NLP.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Hey,
Each email was personalised and I didn't send a generic email to everyone. I took a screenshot with how their site looked on my iphone and sent it to them accompanied with a message like "We're you thinking of getting a mobile optimized version of your site created?" or along those lines.

But from what I've been hearing from business owners, there are already sales people bugging them to get a mobile site created through email. The best way from what I've found is to get them to have a face-to-face meeting with you.

Don't be scared.. I'm 18, can't grow a beard and have pimples on my face.. :eek:but if you dress smartly and walk in with confidence it's all good and people will respect you for that. I've managed to have a few of these meetings already and it's all gone very well.
Nick.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Find websites that are using flash (there are a lot of them out there).

Walk in and say, very casually, "My name is _____ and I run a business here locally, and I thought I'd stop in and see if there wasn't a chance we might be able to do some work together".

[This creates curiosity and also lowers their defenses somewhat because you've told them "I'm just like you. We're both in business". And they will actually be curious as to what type of business you run. Much different than "What's this guy trying to sell me".]

They say, "What do you do?" [This is also better positioning because now they're asking you for information, and they're genuinely curious to know the answer.]

You say, "Well I was looking on Google the other day and when I came across your website I couldn't help but notice you had flash running. Did you know that none of the graphics on your pages using flash can be seen on an iphone or an ipad?"

Whatever they say, you say, "Well that's exactly what I do. I help business owners fix that problem so they don't accidentally lose business to their competitors".

(Have their site on your iphone or android if you have one and say) "Have you ever seen your website on an iphone?"

(if they have they're probably already disgusted by it and will be open to seeing how you can help them)

if they haven't you ask, "Would you like to see what it looks like?"

If they want to see it (and most will) you've got a good prospect. If they don't, it's ok. If you're not able to get their interest don't sweat it. Just give them your card and tell them you'll keep in touch to see if they'd like help at a later date. Most will agree to that.

Go outside, record the date and the conversation and any notes about their business for ideas next time. Use parts of the conversation next time you go in. It'll shock them you were paying attention and you remember them that well.

Over the next several months each time you stop in be prepared with a (new) compelling reason why mobile is THE place to target with their marketing dollars. Stay friendly and relaxed about it and you'll pick up a lot of business over the next 6 months or so.

Always have something interesting to say on each stop, a new fact, a new idea, a new video by Google promoting mobile as the next best thing - something - and a flyer with relevant information to leave them that has a special offer with a call to action on it.

It works. But you've got to be interesting, and you've got to be relevant. And confident. And patient. And persistent.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

No sales, but some face to face meetings have been done already and there is serious interest.. just waiting for the guys I had face-to-face meetings with to talk to their partners and give the green light..

I urge you all to go out into malls, local shops, restaurants, etc. I was expecting to get barraged with all out "NO! Get out of my shop" - but people get very interested when you present to them what benefits a mobile site can provide and especially when they carry a iphone, smartphone themselves.. it's a no brainer!

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Kid Warrior, when you went door to door with the businesses, what mobile site were you using for your demo? Did you have a nice generic site or were they customized to the business?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

I've had two owners tell me they "didn't see a need for a mobile site". Both were small local restaurants with lousy traditional websites. I politely asked them why they built a website in the first place? What did they want to accomplish with their main website? Both answered the same way, "I wanted exposure". I then did 3 things, one, we counted the number of customers in the restaurant that were eating and at the same time, using their cell phones. The majority of the customers were either talking or playing with their cell phones. Second, I had them both try to open links on their main site using a cell phone without having to zoom and scroll. When they couldn't get the right links to open, I went to a competitors mobile website I had built using Will's templates with the nice clean, lean design and nice big buttons and clicked on the "click to call" button and said to both " look how easy it is for YOUR customers to call your competition". They are now both monthly customers for me.

I have started using "so why did you build a website in the first place" as a simple question to their objection of a mobile website. I tell them the three main things a user wants to know is "how to contact" you quickly, "when your open" and "where you're located", all three of these are the anchors of my sites. And typically, if you look at the main website of the business owner you'll find it hard to locate that information..This is just my 2 cents worth.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

yeah that's the perfect and the best way to sell a mobile website. I have never done this but its interesting.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

wislndixie was the competitor website from the same area they were? or it could work with any restaurant example?

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Using WillR's wso and was customised to the business so it had their colors, logo

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Loving this! And will try this tactic in the next meeting :) I'll let you know how my experience goes!

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Restaurants were within 5 miles of each other. It will work with any business. I'm also concentrating on Florists and using the same tactic if I have to.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Yes, keep us posted.

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

Florists? Do you just put their basic info up or their services? Their product selection? How does that work

Re: How to Sell Mobile Websites
 

VRS-

You are right on track when you say that we should target business owners that have flash on their website. As soon as you show the business owner that thier site does not show up right on an iPhone they are very open to listen to you. At least that has been my experience.

I consider flash sites the low hanging fruit and I always target those sites first, no matter what niche I am working in.