17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

How I got my first 2 offline leads

by Joshua Rigley Banned
14 replies
It was actually fairly easy. All I did was offer a free consultation, and I posted an ad on craigslist, and a couple of local classified directories. In my ad, I explained how things like social media and video marketing can help them expand their business and so on.

Here's the url to my craigslist ad: saltlakecity.craigslist.org/biz/2016991286.html

I got one lead from craigslist, and the other came from one of the local sites.

This is my point: You CAN get offline clients much in the same way you can get online clients.

If you post in classified ads, local forums, and so on (basically, places where local business people hang out), you CAN get leads. You don't have to cold call or do snail mail or go out there and knock on doors, although all of those strategies can work.

If you want to get a business' attention, offer them a free service that would normally cost them hundreds of dollars (free consultation, free site evaluation, free script install, etc.) You can then upsell them on whatever services you offer.

Anyone else have success using methods like this?
#leads #offline
  • Profile picture of the author positivemagic
    Yes I agree! You can do it if you just put in the ads! Anytime you have ads out there, no matter where its at, it is another worker if you will, working to bring in people to your site! Wow and the more you have the better. God Bless you day!
    Signature

    Ps. What if instead of hunting people down until they begged you to stop... pre-qualified prospects actually sought you out and asked you what you do and how you do it? Click here.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2803601].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Trivum
    Thanks.

    It would be interesting to hear a follow-up on this. What types of businesses were they? (i.e. businesses doing a decent amount of business?) Also, of course, it would be interesting to hear if they become clients.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2803629].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
    Hi Joshua

    Hey - good ad.

    No wonder you are starting to get calls.

    Regards

    Bronwyn and Keith
    Originally Posted by Joshua Rigley View Post

    It was actually fairly easy. All I did was offer a free consultation, and I posted an ad on craigslist, and a couple of local classified directories. In my ad, I explained how things like social media and video marketing can help them expand their business and so on.

    Here's the url to my craigslist ad: saltlakecity.craigslist.org/biz/2016991286.html

    I got one lead from craigslist, and the other came from one of the local sites.

    This is my point: You CAN get offline clients much in the same way you can get online clients.

    If you post in classified ads, local forums, and so on (basically, places where local business people hang out), you CAN get leads. You don't have to cold call or do snail mail or go out there and knock on doors, although all of those strategies can work.

    If you want to get a business' attention, offer them a free service that would normally cost them hundreds of dollars (free consultation, free site evaluation, free script install, etc.) You can then upsell them on whatever services you offer.

    Anyone else have success using methods like this?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2803640].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tylerhamilton
    thats awesome! i've always loved to involve both online and offline marketing when running a campaign. a few months back had a nice little incent site going that i did very well with offline! I made a bunch of flyers with "have you seen the new ipad!? Want one FREE?!" and posted them all over local clubs and grocery store bulletin boards .. even had my younger brother pass them out in school!

    Glad to see other people aren't relying solely on the internet =]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2803682].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author lottoguru
      Great tip, I used to advertise with classified ads all the time. I'm off to start this again. I would often get a couple of request for more information all the time. I stopped early on in my online career because the gurus told me to stop, and stupidly I did.

      I have to admit that I got far to carried away with the online element and have missed out on that great big market of people out there. Time to diversify, lol.

      Thanks for the refresh.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2803771].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author peter.max
    Well done. It something to remember. Think of what your prospects read and advertise there.

    I placed a small ad in the local free news paper as a test last week and had 2 enquiries. I can only see them later this week as the whole of Australia comes to a grinding halt tomorrow. It is the Melbourne Cup. The horse race that stops a country
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2804028].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author All Night Cafe
      We have a little free newspaper called the Thristy Nickle.

      Ads are really cheap, we run our ad only two times amonth.

      On the 11th and the 22nd. we have other marketers.

      The ones that run all month long get fewer calls.

      Of course this is something to test.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2804042].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author russells
    Hey Joshua,

    That's great! I've used methods like these to get clients myself.

    It certainly works a treat!

    Congrats,

    ~Russ
    Signature





    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2804440].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BrainCopy
    Congrats!

    Now simply outsource the posting
    and you're golden!

    Best Regards,
    Anthony La Tour
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2804837].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author StokesM
      Joshua,

      This is what make people/businesses successful - thinking outside the box. You gave me a couple of ideas I haven't thought of til now. Keep up the good work.


      Wish You Much Success & God Bless
      Chris
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2804960].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author John Callaghan
        Great concept and a great ad.

        Imagine if you posted that same ad in local Craigslists sites all over the country. You'd be swamped with requests and then you could broker the leads to marketing consultants here on the forum.....hmmm sounds like a business opportunity to me :-)
        Signature

        "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
        from Invictus by William Ernest Henley

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2805148].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wfhblueprints
    I did something similar in facebook, using a page and my friends....used the word of mouth to get offline clients......ended up getting 2 clients, which then referred extra business!

    Getting Offline clients can sometimes be simpler than online ones!

    Regards

    Chris
    Signature
    [$5 WSO] Attract a HUGE Amount of Traffic For Less Than $0.05/click
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2805285].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Ryan Shaw
    Great tip on CL. I haven't tried posting much in the small biz section, but will do it now!
    Signature
    Visit Our Blog for Free Downloads, Videos, Interviews, and Tricks!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2805360].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Joshua Rigley
    Banned
    Thanks for your feedback everyone. Just wanted to clarify a couple of points:

    They didn't call me, they emailed me. Mind you, we did do calls (and in one case, a meeting), later, but it started with email.

    Also, these leads didn't happen overnight. One came a couple of days after I posted, and the other a few days after that. I suppose if I had posted to more sites, I would have gotten a bigger response.

    About the businesses: One was just getting ready to start up, and they needed help with affiliate marketing.

    The other was an established (but new) business. They already had a site, facebook page, and twitter. They wanted advice with traffic generation. I met with 4 people: Their marketing director, the company president, and a couple of managers. It actually went pretty well. I just made suggestions to improve their site, and gave some tips on traffic generation. Nothing hard about it.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2806398].message }}

Trending Topics