Mobile Optimization Business - What to Offer

jrpt · 27th Oct 2012, 10:32 PM

Hey all-

I have been studying the mobile optimization realm for a while and am now ready to start providing services to businesses.

I have contacted a bunch of local businesses already just to get a feeler of what the thought process is of business owners and what they'd expect when it comes to my services. For each I did a very targeted mockup of what their business site could look like on a mobile device which worked well.

Of course a number seemed very interested in the idea of allowing me to basically take care of the whole kit and kaboodle (no we did not discuss pricing) but alarmingly a lot basically said "I like the layout and look. I will buy the files off of you."

In my studies and readings, I was fairly convinced that the 'business' of mobile optimization comes in handling not only the site setup but also the recurring costs of hosting/updates and upcharges. I was ready to rely on one of the bigger platforms for creating and hosting mobile sites and now I'm not so sure. So here's my question:

Is there any problem playing it both ways? Meaning, if a business wants the 'files', give them what they want and don't push the additional recurring side of things. But if a business doesn't have a clue of how to manage it then I can offer the entire package + recurring fees for hosting/extras. Not sure if I'm overthinking here because I want to have an answer for anything when I start doing this full steam ahead.

Any advice/examples would help.

rlhurst · 28th Oct 2012, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by jrpt

In my studies and readings, I was fairly convinced that the 'business' of mobile optimization comes in handling not only the site setup but also the recurring costs of hosting/updates and upcharges. I was ready to rely on one of the bigger platforms for creating and hosting mobile sites and now I'm not so sure. So here's my question:

Is there any problem playing it both ways? Meaning, if a business wants the 'files', give them what they want and don't push the additional recurring side of things. But if a business doesn't have a clue of how to manage it then I can offer the entire package + recurring fees for hosting/extras. Not sure if I'm overthinking here because I want to have an answer for anything when I start doing this full steam ahead.

Any advice/examples would help.

I've done it both ways. If you're going to hand over the files, ask for more than you would for doing the hosting of the site, since it's a one time charge. You'll just have to go with each individual situation. The key is to JUST START! You won't have the answers for everything ahead of time. It's going to be a learn as you go process to some extent. Don't be fearful,... the fear is always worse than reality.

jrpt · 28th Oct 2012, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by rlhurst

I've done it both ways. If you're going to hand over the files, ask for more than you would for doing the hosting of the site, since it's a one time charge. You'll just have to go with each individual situation. The key is to JUST START! You won't have the answers for everything ahead of time. It's going to be a learn as you go process to some extent. Don't be fearful,... the fear is always worse than reality.

I do want to get started but its a matter of being able to deal with the questions or situations that arise. If a potential customer says "I like it. I'll buy the files", will they pay $500 for just a bunch of code? More than $500? That's where I feel lost right now. What do you generally charge hurst?

rlhurst · 28th Oct 2012, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by jrpt

If a potential customer says "I like it. I'll buy the files", will they pay $500 for just a bunch of code? More than $500? That's where I feel lost right now. What do you generally charge hurst?

Really depends on the customer, business, number of pages,.....
I design header images, splash pages,... I've paid on Fiverr to get code for a rate calculator (multiple gigs) custom designed for a specific city for a taxi co., etc. On average, my "sweet spot" is close to $400..... $397, $389, etc. I'm probably a little low compared to some here but it keeps me busy. It's not my "main" job so I can afford to be picky. Just pick a price to start, and if you start getting real busy, raise it a bit for the next customer, if you find no work coming in, lower it again. There's just too many variables to tell you to start at a specific price. That's why I said just start. Good luck

toddfromboston · 28th Oct 2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by jrpt

Is there any problem playing it both ways? Meaning, if a business wants the 'files', give them what they want and don't push the additional recurring side of things. But if a business doesn't have a clue of how to manage it then I can offer the entire package + recurring fees for hosting/extras. Not sure if I'm overthinking here because I want to have an answer for anything when I start doing this full steam ahead.

Any advice/examples would help.

If the business wants the files, then yes, give them to the owner upon sale. As RLHurst mentioned, charge a bit more if you'd like. We all search for recurring income from businesses but its not always gonna happen with each one. My advice is have a few different services you can offer a client and upsell them as needed. A few examples would be text messaging, Google PPC, social media, etc... I like to take a quick look at each business I'm prospecting and put together 2 or 3 package deals to present to them. Only sell them what they need and always make sure to express the value it will bring and how it will make them more money.

One last thing, I always find walking into a business (I just walk right in, I'm not a fan of cold calling) with just my smartphone and a leather notebook/ folder is all that's needed when prospecting. Lugging a computer around in a bag so you can show a powerpoint isn't the best strategy, I've found. Know your products, know your market and above all, just get out there and do it!

Hope this helps

-Todd

jrpt · 29th Oct 2012, 07:50 AM

Good advice. Do you guys use one of the platforms (duda, brickandmobile) to do mockups or would you recommend one of the programs or services on here (willr's methods). I don't want to get stuck mocking up a site only to not have the ability to sell the files for that exact site to the business (ie. Brickandmobile forces you to host on their platfor and won't give you access to the files alone).

Originally Posted by toddfromboston

If the business wants the file)s, then yes, give them to the owner upon sale. As RLHurst mentioned, charge a bit more if you'd like. We all search for recurring income from businesses but its not always gonna happen with each one. My advice is have a few different services you can offer a client and upsell them as needed. A few examples would be text messaging, Google PPC, social media, etc... I like to take a quick look at each business I'm prospecting and put together 2 or 3 package deals to present to them. Only sell them what they need and always make sure to express the value it will bring and how it will make them more money.

One last thing, I always find walking into a business (I just walk right in, I'm not a fan of cold calling) with just my smartphone and a leather notebook/ folder is all that's needed when prospecting. Lugging a computer around in a bag so you can show a powerpoint isn't the best strategy, I've found. Know your products, know your market and above all, just get out there and do it!

Hope this helps

-Todd

toddfromboston · 29th Oct 2012, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by jrpt

Good advice. Do you guys use one of the platforms (duda, brickandmobile) to do mockups or would you recommend one of the programs or services on here (willr's methods). I don't want to get stuck mocking up a site only to not have the ability to sell the files for that exact site to the business (ie. Brickandmobile forces you to host on their platform and won't give you access to the files alone).

I use Avidmobile for my sms services and they have a great mobile website builder, built into the program for a few extra bucks a month. You can host it through them or give the files to your client but if you do it that way there are one or two features that won't work. It's super easy to use and you can do a quick mock up with ease.

Will R's program is top notch and easy to understand from a newbie stand point. My eyes bug out a bit when I have to look at multiple lines of code but the way Will has everything set up and the way he explains everything you feel like you know how to code. If you are finding that the majority of business owners are going to want the source files then Will's program is perfect for that.

I have a free month's subscription to brick and mobile's site builder right now and their platform seems very robust and the quality of the sites look great. I just haven't had much of a chance to play around with it yet.

I like to have options for building mobile sites especially if I'm creating a package deal for a client. Ya know; basic or premium (gold or platinum, whatever you wanna call it)

dantehicks · 29th Oct 2012, 10:25 AM

As others have mentioned, it's a good idea to have a few options at your disposal. Just as you'll meet clients with unique needs, you should have a few mobile development tools that allow you the greatest flexibility to deliver the right solution.

I originally got started handcoding mobile web apps for the occasional client here and there, but as my focus became more mobile-first I realized this was not a scalable system. So then I search for a hosted mobile-builder solution — I demo'ed them all and found piJnz the best fit. Please note, that's the same platform Lime uses for their builder.

Downside is, you pay a monthly fee to use the platform and host the sites. Sure you can export them, but it's not as simple as just exporting and uploading to a client's FTP. There can be internal/relative linking issues, and as others have mentioned certain platform-dependent features (forms, analytics) will no longer work.

What I've found to be the best approach is, I put each client in 1 of 3 "buckets." Clearly there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but I find it helpful to reduce things down to basics and not overthink it.

1. High End Builder: when edgy design and analytics are crucial, I use piJnz (piJnz | White Label Mobile site builder, CMS, coupon & landing page platform) and charge a one time Dev fee, as well as a recurring monthly fee which includes reporting, hosting and 1 hour of consulting per month. At some package levels piJnz also offers client access to the CMS where they can make their own changes which may be a selling point as it saves them time and money.

2. Mid Range Builder: for most local clients, chances are they need something quick and dirty -header, click to call button above the fold, maybe a nav menu with 3-5 menu items, and the pages they link to. There are some pretty cool options out there to crank out sites like this in literally under 30 minutes (assuming you gathered all the info you need from the client in advance). Check this one out, as it's quickly become one of my go-to tools: http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...wordpress.html. Jon offers top notch support, and there's no monthly fee or per-site fees. Instant ROI after 1 sale. Because there's no monthly nut for you to cover, you don't have to pass that along to the client. However, you're missing an opportunity if you don't offer them some monthly call tracking/reporting package (this can be done easily and FREE using Google Analytics event tracking). So, one time Dev fee plus monthly recurring of whatever you feel you can offer.

3. Mid Range Handcrafted: again, targeting local clients, but in some cases they need something more custom or unique. Only difference between this and #2 is, higher Dev fee. Will R's templates are a great option for this.

4. Handcraft from scratch: personally, this is always available to me, but I almost never go this route anymore. I've found my natural market to be local businesses, restaurants, etc. This method is cost-prohibitive to clients like that. Although if a referral or opportunity came along where this made sense, I'd jump on it.

I have to echo the sentiments of others - just get out there and "fail forward." While I understand you're desire to have the right response to a given scenario, you will never have all the answers. But customers will appreciate your honesty if you tell them, "Hey that's a great question, I've never been asked that. Let me find that out and I'll get right back to you."

Hope that helps shed some light!

Originally Posted by jrpt

Good advice. Do you guys use one of the platforms (duda, brickandmobile) to do mockups or would you recommend one of the programs or services on here (willr's methods). I don't want to get stuck mocking up a site only to not have the ability to sell the files for that exact site to the business (ie. Brickandmobile forces you to host on their platfor and won't give you access to the files alone).

jrpt · 29th Oct 2012, 11:19 AM

Dante-

Good stuff. Nice to see there are many others having a go at it in mobile. Seems like its all in the salesmanship and I feel good about that aspect of things.

Gonna give that WF builder app a try that you recomended. Cheap enough that's for sure!

Kudos.

JR

Originally Posted by dantehicks

As others have mentioned, it's a good idea to have a few options at your disposal. Just as you'll meet clients with unique needs, you should have a few mobile development tools that allow you the greatest flexibility to deliver the right solution.

I originally got started handcoding mobile web apps for the occasional client here and there, but as my focus became more mobile-first I realized this was not a scalable system. So then I search for a hosted mobile-builder solution — I demo'ed them all and found piJnz the best fit. Please note, that's the same platform Lime uses for their builder.

Downside is, you pay a monthly fee to use the platform and host the sites. Sure you can export them, but it's not as simple as just exporting and uploading to a client's FTP. There can be internal/relative linking issues, and as others have mentioned certain platform-dependent features (forms, analytics) will no longer work.

What I've found to be the best approach is, I put each client in 1 of 3 "buckets." Clearly there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but I find it helpful to reduce things down to basics and not overthink it.

1. High End Builder: when edgy design and analytics are crucial, I use piJnz (piJnz | White Label Mobile site builder, CMS, coupon & landing page platform) and charge a one time Dev fee, as well as a recurring monthly fee which includes reporting, hosting and 1 hour of consulting per month. At some package levels piJnz also offers client access to the CMS where they can make their own changes which may be a selling point as it saves them time and money.

2. Mid Range Builder: for most local clients, chances are they need something quick and dirty -header, click to call button above the fold, maybe a nav menu with 3-5 menu items, and the pages they link to. There are some pretty cool options out there to crank out sites like this in literally under 30 minutes (assuming you gathered all the info you need from the client in advance). Check this one out, as it's quickly become one of my go-to tools: http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...wordpress.html. Jon offers top notch support, and there's no monthly fee or per-site fees. Instant ROI after 1 sale. Because there's no monthly nut for you to cover, you don't have to pass that along to the client. However, you're missing an opportunity if you don't offer them some monthly call tracking/reporting package (this can be done easily and FREE using Google Analytics event tracking). So, one time Dev fee plus monthly recurring of whatever you feel you can offer.

3. Mid Range Handcrafted: again, targeting local clients, but in some cases they need something more custom or unique. Only difference between this and #2 is, higher Dev fee. Will R's templates are a great option for this.

4. Handcraft from scratch: personally, this is always available to me, but I almost never go this route anymore. I've found my natural market to be local businesses, restaurants, etc. This method is cost-prohibitive to clients like that. Although if a referral or opportunity came along where this made sense, I'd jump on it.

I have to echo the sentiments of others - just get out there and "fail forward." While I understand you're desire to have the right response to a given scenario, you will never have all the answers. But customers will appreciate your honesty if you tell them, "Hey that's a great question, I've never been asked that. Let me find that out and I'll get right back to you."

Hope that helps shed some light!

jrpt · 30th Oct 2012, 08:29 AM

Can anyone give the pricing structure of avidmobile? Its not readily available w/o signing up. Thanks

27th Oct 2012, 10:32 PM	#1
jrpt HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: 2011 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 166 Thanks: 10 Thanked 18 Times in 13 Posts	Mobile Optimization Business - What to Offer Share on: Hey all- I have been studying the mobile optimization realm for a while and am now ready to start providing services to businesses. I have contacted a bunch of local businesses already just to get a feeler of what the thought process is of business owners and what they'd expect when it comes to my services. For each I did a very targeted mockup of what their business site could look like on a mobile device which worked well. Of course a number seemed very interested in the idea of allowing me to basically take care of the whole kit and kaboodle (no we did not discuss pricing) but alarmingly a lot basically said "I like the layout and look. I will buy the files off of you." In my studies and readings, I was fairly convinced that the 'business' of mobile optimization comes in handling not only the site setup but also the recurring costs of hosting/updates and upcharges. I was ready to rely on one of the bigger platforms for creating and hosting mobile sites and now I'm not so sure. So here's my question: Is there any problem playing it both ways? Meaning, if a business wants the 'files', give them what they want and don't push the additional recurring side of things. But if a business doesn't have a clue of how to manage it then I can offer the entire package + recurring fees for hosting/extras. Not sure if I'm overthinking here because I want to have an answer for anything when I start doing this full steam ahead. Any advice/examples would help.

30th Oct 2012, 08:29 AM	#10
jrpt HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: 2011 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 166 Thanks: 10 Thanked 18 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Mobile Optimization Business - What to Offer Share on: Can anyone give the pricing structure of avidmobile? Its not readily available w/o signing up. Thanks