First month, $1500, How I sell the web building service

14 replies
Thanks for the great warriors here, I learn a lot. Now I want to give something back to everybody.

I'm Chinese, and living in China. I made some money from SEO but it's too much competitive so I want to turn to offline marketing. The best thing I can do is building websites, so I want to sell site building service to local business owners. I developed a system that makes me sell more than 20 sites in the first month.

1, Here are my site building plans:

Plan A: 380 RMB (about 60 USD)
Plan B: 580 RMB (about 90 USD)
Plan C: 880 RMB (about 140 USD)

Plan A contains a wordpress site for PC, one month support;
Plan B contains a wordpress site for PC/Cellphone/Tablet, one month support;
Plan C contains a wordpress site for PC/Cellphone/Tablet, one YEAR support, Free business card design, and 200 business card printed in high quality papers.

2, I go to the "Craigslist" in China, we call it "58.com", and go the category of "Company Register Agency". You know, to run a new business in China, there are a lot of paper work for bank and goverment, so there are many small company provide the "Register Service" to those who wanna run a buisness but know nothing about the register procedure.

3, Every agent publish their QQ(like msn, but you can talk to them instantly) and also the cellphone number. So I use my real name and real photo on my QQ, and ask them: "Do you provide site building service to your customer?" They say:"No, we don't do it"

4, Now I just make a phone call to them, and said: "Hi, I'm Dennis just talking to you on QQ", they say "Hi Dennis what can I do for you." Then I told them, when their new customer finished the register, and obviously they need a website. I could do it for them, and give you a commission at highest about 280RMB per customer, all you have to do is just make a ask.

5, 80% of the agents told me it's a good idea. And then I send the detailed document of my site PlanABC to them. And waiting for their phone call. (Commission A: 80RMB, Commission B:180RMB, Commission C: 280)

6, I told them, don't push to sell the site building service to any potential customer, only sell to the real customer, because them trust you. Oversell to potential customer would not work and make them go away.

7, If the customer is interested on my plan, I told the agent to ask the customer for about 50 RMB for buying domains. I told them: "Don't transfer the money to me, just tell me , hi dennis, someone want to build a website, you can go and start now", so the agent trust me and begin to work.

8, When the site is done, I ask the agent to show the site to customer, and they are all happy about my job, and pay to the agent, and the agent pay me, and keep the commission.

I have only 10 agent, it tooks me 2 days, and the last money, I make 21 sites, the average making is 450rmb, and I make almost 10,000 RMB (about 1500 USD) in the first month.

I'll keep developing more agents, and I'm really confidence to double my income.

What I want to say is, these agents are my channel, they have trust on their customer, and I could add value to their customer without competition to them, and even make them easy commission, that's why the system would work.

You could use the mathod to develop your system, build your channels. Channel sells more easier than yourself.
#$1500 #building #month #sell #service #web
  • Profile picture of the author animal44
    In other words a JV. 21 new customers in first month... Who needs cold calling :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author qu4rk
      Originally Posted by animal44 View Post

      In other words a JV. 21 new customers in first month... Who needs cold calling :-)
      Animal, I know that you are a big proponent of JV's. How could what he is doing be translated to the west for web design? Maybe accountants or business attorneys? But I'm in the US & I think these people are prohibited from accepting commission. Any thoughts?
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by animal44 View Post

      In other words a JV. 21 new customers in first month... Who needs cold calling :-)
      Actually - he is cold calling. Cold calling can be on the phone, in person, or via chat. He is contacting someone cold and offering his service to their clients.

      Awesome job Dennis - Keep building it up!
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      • Profile picture of the author animal44
        Originally Posted by qu4rk View Post

        Animal, I know that you are a big proponent of JV's.
        Wot gives you that idea...?
        Originally Posted by qu4rk View Post

        How could what he is doing be translated to the west for web design? Maybe accountants or business attorneys? But I'm in the US & I think these people are prohibited from accepting commission. Any thoughts?
        Search on "company registration agent" in your state. I use one for our offshore companies and they offer websites, though I don't know if they're outsourced or inhouse.

        Look in business directories to get other ideas. e.g. printers, Secretarial Services, basically anyone who does B2B. Though you can target better with a bit of research.

        Also consider those with reach and influence, e.g. CofC CEO/President.

        And of course look for people with reach in your existing customers - they can be your best partners because they already know you... And sometimes they'll allow you to make an offer to their customers for free if they think it will benefit their customers...
        Originally Posted by DaniMc View Post

        Actually - he is cold calling. Cold calling can be on the phone, in person, or via chat. He is contacting someone cold and offering his service to their clients.
        No he's not. He's prequalifying using chat. That's non intrusive, people don't have to respond. It doesn't interrupt their day.

        My definition of a cold call is where you've not had any previous contact and you're phoning someone blind in the hope of picking up a client. Like I've seen mentioned on here, scraping numbers blindly off the web to call. Very poor marketing...

        I had something like 300 calls from some twat of an organisation - who probably read a WSO - over the last three weeks offering SEO on a site which if they had've taken two seconds to check would have told them they didn't need SEO. What a waste of time and effort...

        If you've done your research and have a reason to call, then maybe cold call is warranted (though I'd always try alternatives).

        Firing a shotgun in the dark, hoping to bag dinner is going to leave you hungry...
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    I fail to see the difference - prequalifying via chat or phone LOL - what a distinction you are trying to make!!

    From the earliest days of my sales career "Cold Calling" never involved a phone. It meant going out into the market, contacting people cold, who have no idea who you are, and making sales.

    That is opposed to "Warm Calling" where you are reaching out to or visiting people who have already been in touch in some way.

    And - while most people do not enjoy 'Cold Calling" - by my calculations, it brings me profit. I do not see how that is a waste of time. I do all forms of marketing - it is my best producer.

    Dennis - keep reaching out to those people you don't know! Talking to new people is the real advantage in sales.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
    Look in business directories to get other ideas. e.g. printers, Secretarial Services, basically anyone who does B2B. Though you can target better with a bit of research.

    Also consider those with reach and influence, e.g. CofC CEO/President.
    Ok. Then what? I've found my group of potential jv participants, a whole list of them!

    ...I'm going to have to reach out to them at some point and in some fashion.

    Let me guess.... I shouldn't cold call them, right?

    What has been effective for you as a first contact method?
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    • Profile picture of the author animal44
      Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

      Let me guess.... I shouldn't cold call them, right?
      You could. And that would be far more effective and efficient than cold calling individual clients. Dennis is getting an ongoing stream of clients from a targeted group of partners with just a few calls.

      It's still asking strangers to trust you. Even though you're potentially offering them extra money, the best JV partners will be more concerned with their reputation. Testimonials will help...
      Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

      What has been effective for you as a first contact method?
      The biggest issue with cold calling is you're a total stranger asking someone to give you something. It's far better to have someone introduce you to a potential client.

      IMHO it's best to choose who you want to do business with, then set out to meet them, ideally by a referral. Not to immediately sell to them, but just make the connection.

      The way I get to someone is to ask around my network if anyone knows the individual I want to meet - or knows of anyone who might know them. Then I arrange for an introduction. Might be an email intro or maybe I'll take both out to lunch. This is very effective because it's not a stranger trying to sell you something, it's networking.

      Think of it like dating. You don't go telephoning random women you've never seen before, asking for a date. You'll never know what you'll get! But if you see a babe you like, you might ask around and arrange an introduction... Or you might walk up to her and say hello. But it's unlikely you'd pick up the phone and call her... or maybe some on this forum might!

      If you're just starting out, then start with people you know and already have a relationship with. We all get haircuts (well maybe some don't!), we all buy clothes, we all buy food, maybe we have a beer or a coffee or a meal out. We're in contact with business people all the time. Find out if they need your services. Do some work for them. Get to know these people, Then when you want to meet someone, ask around who knows the person you want to meet. Arrange an introduction.

      As I said the best JV partners are your own clients. So focus your main efforts on getting some clients who know a lot of other people... More potential for further networking and JVs...

      Hope I've made sense - it's been a long day...
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      • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
        Originally Posted by animal44 View Post

        You could. And that would be far more effective and efficient than cold calling individual clients. Dennis is getting an ongoing stream of clients from a targeted group of partners with just a few calls.

        It's still asking strangers to trust you. Even though you're potentially offering them extra money, the best JV partners will be more concerned with their reputation. Testimonials will help...

        The biggest issue with cold calling is you're a total stranger asking someone to give you something. It's far better to have someone introduce you to a potential client.

        IMHO it's best to choose who you want to do business with, then set out to meet them, ideally by a referral. Not to immediately sell to them, but just make the connection.

        The way I get to someone is to ask around my network if anyone knows the individual I want to meet - or knows of anyone who might know them. Then I arrange for an introduction. Might be an email intro or maybe I'll take both out to lunch. This is very effective because it's not a stranger trying to sell you something, it's networking.

        Think of it like dating. You don't go telephoning random women you've never seen before, asking for a date. You'll never know what you'll get! But if you see a babe you like, you might ask around and arrange an introduction... Or you might walk up to her and say hello. But it's unlikely you'd pick up the phone and call her... or maybe some on this forum might!

        If you're just starting out, then start with people you know and already have a relationship with. We all get haircuts (well maybe some don't!), we all buy clothes, we all buy food, maybe we have a beer or a coffee or a meal out. We're in contact with business people all the time. Find out if they need your services. Do some work for them. Get to know these people, Then when you want to meet someone, ask around who knows the person you want to meet. Arrange an introduction.

        As I said the best JV partners are your own clients. So focus your main efforts on getting some clients who know a lot of other people... More potential for further networking and JVs...

        Hope I've made sense - it's been a long day...
        Soooo... "networking"?

        Okay. Got it.

        Say.... how do you qualify them in this process?

        I mean, you spend all that time and energy setting up a referral-based meeting with a new prospect and it ends up that they would no way be interested, don't have the necessary budget or are just total jerks that I'd never work with?

        Then how do you get to enough numbers for that type of prospecting to pay off?

        Seems like, while an entirely worthwhile approach/endeavor, it should be done in conjunction with effective cold-calling into that market with an effective prospecting and sales process.

        I know you have an aversion to cold-calling and a preconceived idea about how an effective prospecting cold lists might go, but to be honest the effective ones are very far from that perception.
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        • Profile picture of the author animal44
          Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

          Say.... how do you qualify them in this process?
          What I describe above is not about selling, it's about establishing your reputation. You're getting yourself known to people who have influence and reach. Not to make a sale.

          I do make immediate sales from this approach, probably 50% of the time or more. And the clients are always good quality, none of the time wasters that IMHO you frequently get with cold calling.
          Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

          I mean, you spend all that time and energy setting up a referral-based meeting with a new prospect and it ends up that they would no way be interested, don't have the necessary budget or are just total jerks that I'd never work with?
          Jerks rarely make it to a position of influence (OK, I forgot about politicians , I mean in business...!)

          What you're looking for is potential JV partners or referrals with which you can borrow their credibility and influence. With a cold call, you have no credibility. You're phoning a random stranger, asking them to buy something.

          With this, you'll be introduced to people by someone who already has their respect and trust.

          Imagine the difference between cold calling someone and be introduced to them by Richard Branson? Do you think Branson's credibility would rub off on you...?

          It's kind of self qualifying in that you rarely get introduced to Jerks. People of influence tend to value their reputation, so they rarely associate with Jerks and dishonest people. There are exceptions, so you do need due diligence at all times.
          Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

          Then how do you get to enough numbers for that type of prospecting to pay off?
          If you've done your research properly you'll be lunching with someone who has a problem. If you're a web developer, maybe their website is not mobile optimised, if you're an SEO, maybe their site is not ranking... In our case, the hook in built into our elevator speech, where we describe what we do...

          So you drop this problem in the conversation, in a subtle way. Not as a sales pitch.

          More often than not they'll pick up on this and want to know more. I always avoid selling them there and then, instead I'll suggest an appointment later - we don't want to spoil lunch talking business...
          Originally Posted by jamesfreddyc View Post

          I know you have an aversion to cold-calling and a preconceived idea about how an effective prospecting cold lists might go, but to be honest the effective ones are very far from that perception.
          One of the cold calling experts on here said a while back that he had to cold call to feed his family.

          I started my business as an SEO in 2009 and it's evolved since then into a JV broker/Marketing Consultancy (I don't like those labels, but it does give a picture of what I do). In that time I've done almost no cold calling. The relationships I've formed have lasted. I've worked with most of my current core clients for at least two years. Some date much further back than that. Since the first year, most of my new clients were through networking or referrals. No cold calling at all.

          Notice the difference...?
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  • Profile picture of the author bojan92
    I appreciate the share. You are a good man!
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  • Profile picture of the author n3o
    nice idea for building substantial income ~
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  • Profile picture of the author dennischow
    To gain trust from your potential partner is not so easy, you need to put yourself in others' shoes. Here below are the things what I did after the phone call.

    I sent 3 documents by email to my agents:

    ------------------------------------------------------

    1, The PlanABC file. In this file, I explained the differences of the plans, and told the PlanB and C is much more attractive and 30% of my customers choose B, and 65% customers choose C. And if the customer don't want a business card in C, I could write a very good article for them and publish it on the biggest news website of China, Sina.com. It's very attractive, because most small local business owner think of that's very expensive to publish a article/news on sina.com, but actually, the cost is equal to the business card printing.

    2, FAQ for customer document. This file contains 20+ faqs customer might ask. Such as :
    --Do you have some demo sites? (I placed my demo site links in the answer.)
    --Any other costs after the site is done?
    --What should I do if I choose plan B, but I want to add some pages or make some modifications after one month? (The support package is 100RMB/month, 400RMB/6months, 600RMB/year, the discount is only available for agents, and they get 25% commissions of support packages, that's totally passive incomes!!!)

    and more...

    3, A "How to sell site service successfully" file, in this document, I write:
    --Don't try to sell at the beginning. Sell at the end of your registering service. Focus on your original business firstly, and once the potential customer become your client, you could sell the site service at the end of your own service.
    --If you want to sell a TON, then sell a pound firstly. Ask the customer to registering the DOMAIN of their company/brand firstly, it cost only 9 dollars, but that's really important to protect your company name/brand. You could toddon't have to build a site immediately, but you must registering the domain ASAP. That's good information to customer, and change the "Needs" to "Scaring". So they want to registering a domain name right now. Most local business owner know nothing about how to registering a domain, they need help..., if they register the domain from us, then they are more likely to choose the site building service from us. Because that's much more easier and save their time from outsourcing the job again.

    --------------------------------------------------

    These above 3 documents helps the agent a lot. And they learn something new from your file, that makes more trust on me.

    The second day, I call them: "Hi, xxx, did you read the documents I sent to you yesterday" "Yes, very detailed", they said, and then I told them I have some colored printing flyers, it would help them to introduce the PlanABC, if you are available, I could deliver these flyers to you today by myself or express.

    Actually, 4 of them says they are available, so I drive to their workplace, and have a face-to-face talk to them, and switch the business card, we build a much more tight connection and that would make the partnership more firm then they outsourcing the site build job to other web designer.

    Other 6 agents receive the flyers by express, the cost of delivering 100 A4 flyers in local city is just 12 RMB.

    I print 1000 copy of A4 colored flyers, cost me 140 RMB. So the total cost of flyers is about 200RMB.

    Actually, these 4 face-to-face agents sent me 14 customers, 3+5+4+2, and the rest 7 customer on the first month comes from the rest 6 agent I did not meet face-to-face. I'm trying to meet them in the next month, invite them a cup of coffee (actually, we don't like coffee, I'll invite them a lunch at KFC...), to make them more willing to be my partner.

    Note: The flyer has no contact information of myself, I leave a blank area, my agent could put their telephone number on it. So they could hold the customer tightly.

    I think these above would help you guys.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc

    Here below are the things what I did after the phone call.
    Yes, exactly, You need to make a contact at some point, there is no instantaneous "networking" that just happens out of thin air. You need to reach out to these people at some point and initiate a conversation and say "Hi, I'm Dennis just talking to you on QQ".

    ...That is a cold call and it can be used to initiate additional conversation, a promise to meet in the future, or even an outright JV agreement (one call close).
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc

    With a cold call, you have no credibility. You're phoning a random stranger, asking them to buy something.
    Who says you have to ask them to buy something?
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