Offline Clients-Where are you finding them these days?

6 years ago

Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay

I'm jumping back into offline clients, but it's been many moons since I've done so. Where are you guys finding leads these days? Craigslist has turned into an utter cesspool. Yuck.

Offline prospects are everywhere. What do you consider to be a lead?

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Charlotte Jay 6 years ago

I'm specifically looking for clients who are in need of a website update and content. Yellow pages isn't too helpful and is time consuming. I've considered postcard marketing but I wonder if it's just too "spammy"? IDK.
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- Mike Anthony 6 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay
  
  I'm specifically looking for clients who are in need of a website update and content. IDK.
  
  use a crawler that pinpoints older sites particularly ones still out there that are not optimized for mobile. We are doing that in another niche.
  
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  Charlotte Jay 6 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Mike Anthony
  
  use a crawler that pinpoints older sites particularly ones still out there that are not optimized for mobile. We are doing that in another niche.
  
  Oh nice. I've never used a crawler before. Forgive my ignorance. Is it a piece of software?
  
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  tritrain 6 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay
  
  Oh nice. I've never used a crawler before. Forgive my ignorance. Is it a piece of software?
  
  Scrapebox is one piece of software. It has a bit of a learning curve at first, but it is excellent. There are Youtube channels dedicated to it. I'm not familiar with any other scraper.
  
  I suggest that you sign up as a content creator on freelance sites or sites specifically geared toward creating content. Finding clients is a big challenge. I feel your pain.
  
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  yukon Banned 6 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay
  
  Oh nice. I've never used a crawler before. Forgive my ignorance. Is it a piece of software?
  
  Basically all it would be doing is looking at the top of the HTML source code of each business website looking for old non-responsive webpage code.
  
  Example:
  
  Old non-responsive webpage (not mobile)
  
  <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
  
  New responsive webpage (already mobile)
  
  <!DOCTYPE html>
  
  You can do the same thing manually from your web browser, it just takes longer.
  
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Jason Kanigan

6 years ago

There's an Offline subforum right here...your question will get a better response in there.

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Charlotte Jay 6 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

There's an Offline subforum right here...your question will get a better response in there.

Thank you, I forgot we had one lol
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faisalmaximus

6 years ago

I use Linkedin Sales Navigator to get leads, then call to convert the leads to action.

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Rose Anderson

6 years ago

Do you specialize in writing for a particular niche? If so, you can do some old-fashioned low tech searching such as, "Realtors Amelia island" or "dentists wherever" and see what comes up.

Then contact them with your offer.

Rose

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martinus

6 years ago

Networking.

Join various clubs.

For example in my town there a business alliance breakfast you pay monthly fee and there are lot of companies owners from small to big, you get reputation there and then do the conversion.

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Chris Brindamour

6 years ago

Charlotte,

If you are looking for offline clients, why are you looking online?

Are you looking to drive online traffic to your "brick & mortar" shop? If so you can find them all over the place. Any social media site, Google Adwords, BING...etc.

Chris

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mrskl

6 years ago

Creating shareable content is literally every website content goal but so few try to have their well written and well thought out content published offline for readers to enjoy.

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JasonTheFreeman

6 years ago

Contact local business owners in your area or extend your radius by several miles and contact business establishments in that radius.

or go to networking events or any other similar type of events.

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danieltaylor

6 years ago

There are other classified sites

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animal44

6 years ago

1. Collect all the advertising that drops through your postbox. Check the websites and see if they need work.

2. Check out the businesses you already buy from. You already have a relationship, so starting a conversation is easy.

3. Go through PPC ads for given search terms. Check out their sites and landing pages. IMHO there is a goldmine here for someone with even a basic knowledge of PPC ads, especially the local businesses who are displaying ads nationwide or landing on their home page. (and as a web designer, you create specific landing pages for their Ads)

4. Use Google. Search on "'powered by' niche location". This will give you the freebie wix, vistaprint, google sites and such like. IMHO, many of these won't want to pay... so educate them...

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jlwilliams

6 years ago

As much as it sucks, don't overlook good old fashioned door knocking. Aflac has a small army (not so small army) of people walking into businesses and asking. They get a ton of "no" but they find enough "yes" to make it worth while.

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helisell

6 years ago

He He.....shhh...you probably won't believe this but...he he......

they actually put their business name and details on big
boards right above where the business is.

It's true. Then when I walk in....they haven't figured out how I found them he he (snigger)

The thing is, I've been doing this for years and they (and my competitors) still haven't figured it out.

I don't mind though...it's good exercise...plus I get to have very meaningful and immediate discussions about the problems I can help them with.....

OK so 50% of the time I don't get any business but someone told me that was quite a good conversion rate compared with using email and other 'online' ways I think they called it.

I'm sure there are better ways to do it........I just haven't found one yet......except for maybe calling them on the phone which is not as good a conversion rate but I do get to talk to more of them.

I'm sorry for suggesting such a crude and inefficient method....but it could work for you when all else fails.

Good luck

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Charlotte Jay

6 years ago

Thank you! I got a good giggle out of your suggestion. My town doesn't have a walkable business district, so I'd have to try the next big city to do this. Do you find you gave "gatekeeper" issues on phone calls?

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helisell

6 years ago

Originally Posted by Charlotte Jay

Thank you! I got a good giggle out of your suggestion. My town doesn't have a walkable business district, so I'd have to try the next big city to do this. Do you find you gave "gatekeeper" issues on phone calls?

Not at all.

Go buy a book called smart calling.

Solves any gatekeeper issues.

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savidge4

6 years ago

Originally Posted by helisell

He He.....shhh...you probably won't believe this but...he he......

they actually put their business name and details on big
boards right above where the business is.

It's true. Then when I walk in....they haven't figured out how I found them he he (snigger)

The thing is, I've been doing this for years and they (and my competitors) still haven't figured it out.

I don't mind though...it's good exercise...plus I get to have very meaningful and immediate discussions about the problems I can help them with.....

OK so 50% of the time I don't get any business but someone told me that was quite a good conversion rate compared with using email and other 'online' ways I think they called it.

I'm sure there are better ways to do it........I just haven't found one yet......except for maybe calling them on the phone which is not as good a conversion rate but I do get to talk to more of them.

I'm sorry for suggesting such a crude and inefficient method....but it could work for you when all else fails.

Good luck

I cant agree more.... I would say the BIGGEST underutilized tool EVER. in a localized market... 50% is way doable.. and draw that over some time with multiple visits, I get into the 80%+ area.

This method is SO effective.. I actually do the unthinkable and get on a plane and rent a car if the location I feel the need to work warrants travel. Nothing says I deserve your business better than putting boots on the ground ( I wear boots LOL ) and holding babies and shaking hands.

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IPLease

6 years ago

I feel that the postcards may be a spammy technique used and not really all that beneficial. Do you have offline clients already that perhaps you can start a network with?

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offmarketinvestor

6 years ago

casinos, racetrack....sporting events,

not forums,blogs, youtube

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Claude Whitacre

6 years ago

The single best place to look for offline marketing clients is at paid marketing events.

Anyone who pays $500-$3,000 to attend a three day event is prepared to spend more money to help with their marketing.

I'm not talking about getting a booth, or speaking on stage (although speaking is my preferred way to get clients)....I mean just attending, and walking the halls between speakers.....starting small talk with attendees.

I've made far more money from these events than I have anywhere else, even if I wasn't a speaker.

I have two friends that each attend four of these events a year and do no other prospecting at all...and are both booked solid year round.

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Lmsamuels420

6 years ago

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myob 6 years ago

Originally Posted by Lmsamuels420

I use ringless voicemail marketing. A lot cheaper than postcards. I can find new leads with the tools provided and reach out to them all at once.

Never use ringless voicemail. Most landline and mobile carriers are now taking measures to block such irritating calls. Nothing can beat just "putting boots on the ground" and reaching out personally with outstretched hands.
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Michael Nguyen

6 years ago

If I wanted new leads, I'd pick up the phone. I don't really want to drive so I control the whole process in my office. If it doesn't work out, I move to the next lead.

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Ron Lafuddy

6 years ago

Originally Posted by Michael Nguyen

If I wanted new leads, I'd pick up the phone. I don't really want to drive so I control the whole process in my office. If it doesn't work out, I move to the next lead.

There is more business being done by phone today, than ever before. Given that virtually everyone in business, carries and uses a phone. The level of resistance to cold calling, displayed at times, in this forum, is out of touch with reality. It's 2018. Talking on the phone is the new norm!

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marengokid75 6 years ago

I agree with Ron....I can't tell you how many times I pick up the phone, do the pitch, and when I hang up, I feel the person I just finished talking to genuinely is glad I called. If they have a need and you can fill it, they won't hang up (if your pitch is on par, that is)
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Odiliangosselin

6 years ago

I think signage is the good option. Because now e-newspaper & e-magazines have already taken the place of newspaper & magazine. The only eye-catchy thing which is useful result-oriented is signage.

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explorerwhiz

6 years ago

Now in the day and age when everything is online, it has become quite difficult that you will be finding an offline business experience.

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Ron Lafuddy 6 years ago

Originally Posted by explorerwhiz

Now in the day and age when everything is online, it has become quite difficult that you will be finding an offline business experience.

Speaking of difficult to find. What do you think might happen to online business, if all of the offline businesses that support internet services, decided not to? Hmmmmm?
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Claude Whitacre 6 years ago

Originally Posted by explorerwhiz

Now in the day and age when everything is online, it has become quite difficult that you will be finding an offline business experience.

I have to agree. Now that all the retail stores have closed, all the small businesses have gone away, there are no longer any advertisers..and every business location is empty....you can only buy online.

I'm typing this from my now vacant store. I hope my house is still there. I'd hate to have to sleep online.
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trevordd Banned 6 years ago

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- Claude Whitacre 6 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by trevordd
  
  I agree with it, but anyway. I think there are some ways to do it
  
  Wait....there are still physical businesses, am I right? Offline clients are simply businesses that are physical. Every city has thousands of them.
  
  In fact, almost every person that works for someone else...you know...employees...work in one of these businesses. Ask anyone "Where do you work?". The answer is an offline business.
  
  How do you find physical businesses? Well....they aren't hiding. If they advertise anywhere...they are excellent prospects.
  
  And you can't miss them, they have huge signs in front of the building....
  
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ctrlaltdelete

6 years ago

It pays to have a family member who works at a bank. They get to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life--and put in a good word or two about your business. Word of mouth is my favorite way of marketing offline to local clients. They're my fallback during the odd dry seasons, whenever my faithful freelancer isn't making much success with generating leads from overseas.

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tg187

6 years ago

An ad in a trade magazine might be a good way of getting your message in front people in your niche.

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