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Here's a Offline "spin" for you.... $7.5k/mo| 2 Deals | No Work | No WSO Required

by MRomeo09
32 replies
I've managed to pull this one off unintentionally a few times this year, just kind of ran into the opportunity and knew what to do with the pieces. Rather than explaining the nuts and bolts, let me just tell you the story of my first client and how it transpired.

The company was a "party rental" store. Tents, tables and chairs, that sort of thing. I had done some consulting for them in the past. The guy who owns it is about one of the biggest jerks I've met, but what can you do.

Unfortunately for them, they had a break in and someone stole all of their computers and equipment. They had no idea how to recover from the theft, and so decided to close their doors. He called me and let me know that he was shutting his doors.

But, here's the kicker, he still had some assets that were worth something. He had a website prominent on the Google Maps and #1 organically for most of his searches as well as a full page yellow pages ad.

So, what I offered to do is pay him $1k for the phone number and the website. He was MORE than happy to take it.

Then I contacted his closest competitor and did a lead generation agreement with him. For $80 per phone call generated. The phone number rings directly to his main business line now. We're generating on average 40 phone calls per month. $3,200/mo for nothing more than just putting a deal together. The party rental company is thrilled, their average order is for close to $2,000.

The next one was someone told me they tried to call a computer company to get their computer fixed and they were out of business. Hmmmmm...... I found a company generating 55 calls per week for computer repair business and they weren't even bothering to answer their phones anymore. I sold that stream of calls for $19 per call to a competitor.

You can find these companies pretty easily. Just get an outsourcer to go through a service category and call all the companies in the yellow pages, and make a list of the ones whose phone is disconnected, etc. You can get a list of eviction filings from the county, etc.

Anyway, it's sort of offline consulting, although more of a JV thing than anything else. This has more to do with Jay Abraham than anything else.

Might give you guys a few ideas about how to make some "bones".

Marcos
#$75k or mo| #deals #offline #required #spin #work #wso
  • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
    Hey Marcos

    Great story. Right place right time and then smart enough to do it all over again.

    Well done.

    Regards

    Bronwyn and Keith
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  • Profile picture of the author CPA Munky
    A sweet little method there. Will try it soon!
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  • Profile picture of the author Gee S
    I would be interested to know how you actually track phone calls so you know how many leads you're actually sending the businesses.

    Thanks,
    Gee
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    • Profile picture of the author thesanto
      Originally Posted by Gee Singh View Post

      I would be interested to know how you actually track phone calls so you know how many leads you're actually sending the businesses.

      Thanks,
      Gee
      Another way to track the phone call is by using the service by this website vumber dot com.

      Hope it helps!
      Henry
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  • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
    Dude that is a great story! Great job on negotiating $80 per call!

    To bad the owner who had the break in closed his doors, I wonder if he had any insurance on his place. His policy would cover theft of business and personal property!
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  • Profile picture of the author Kirahster
    That is really interesting. So do you bill the clients at the end of the month for all of the calls that have been made to the number?
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    Homes For Sale
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  • Profile picture of the author FormerWageSlave
    I understand how you got the number for the party rental place... you knew the guy and bought the number. How did you get the numbers for the computer repair place you mentioned? Contact the business owners and purchase, as well?

    Originally Posted by MRomeo09 View Post

    The next one was someone told me they tried to call a computer company to get their computer fixed and they were out of business. Hmmmmm...... I found a company generating 55 calls per week for computer repair business and they weren't even bothering to answer their phones anymore. I sold that stream of calls for $19 per call to a competitor.

    You can find these companies pretty easily. Just get an outsourcer to go through a service category and call all the companies in the yellow pages, and make a list of the ones whose phone is disconnected, etc. You can get a list of eviction filings from the county, etc.
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    grrr...

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  • Profile picture of the author Chad Heffelfinger
    Very nice idea Marcos! Nice and simple, yet you can make some good money with that method. I was kind of curious also as to how you track the leads from the phone calls if they just ring into their normal number like you said?
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  • Profile picture of the author theprofitguru
    Gee Singh You can use a service like kall8.com to track the calls.
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    earn money from home
    Best Atlanta Restaurants Atlanta Shopping
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  • Profile picture of the author John Callaghan
    Very creative! The sign of a true entrepreneur.
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    "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."
    from Invictus by William Ernest Henley

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  • Profile picture of the author russells
    Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a pretty good angle to get into.

    I'm looking into it now...

    ~Russ
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    • Profile picture of the author MRomeo09
      Sorry for the delay in the response.

      It's not really all that complex.

      I get AT&T to forward the calls to Kall8, then Kall8 forwards the calls to my client. I get an email every time the phone rings(cha ching).

      My VA does a report monthly, I have their credit card on file, and I whack it three days after they get their report. Easy Schmeezy. 1 page agreement, these are the leads, you pay $x per lead, cancel by either party at any time.

      Hope this clears things up. Enjoy.

      Marcos
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      We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up ... discovering we have the strength to stare it down. - Eleanor Roosevelt

      Your opinion of yourself becomes your reality. If you have all these doubts, then no one will believe in you and everything will go wrong. If you think the opposite, the opposite will happen. It’s that simple.-Curtis Jackson- 50 Cent
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  • Profile picture of the author Chad Heffelfinger
    Thanks for the updated answer Marcos. Nice and simple! There definitely seems to be some potential in this method.
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  • Profile picture of the author yoyo
    how do you contact the business and persuade them to use your number for leads, do you cold call or send letters and emails.

    and how do you contact the businesses that are bankrupt or gone out of business if they are not answering there phone.
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    • Profile picture of the author Art Peterson
      anyone know how to search the courts to find eviction records?

      Or is there some other way to find out if businesses are delinquent.

      Just looking for motivated sellers with good assets.


      ---As a side note... If your getting the website and phone number why not offer to buy their customer list.


      Thanks for the nice post
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      See How I'm Making Money Arthur Peterson

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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    Originally Posted by MRomeo09 View Post


    I found a company generating 55 calls per week for computer repair business and they weren't even bothering to answer their phones anymore. I sold that stream of calls for $19 per call to a competitor.


    Marcos
    How did you determine the exact number of calls going to this business if it wasn't in business anymore?

    ~Dexx
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    • Profile picture of the author rushindo
      Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

      How did you determine the exact number of calls going to this business if it wasn't in business anymore?

      ~Dexx
      I had the same question. Also, how do you deal with tons of customers calling the business and finding out its a different company? How do they respond to that?
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      • Profile picture of the author Ken Strong
        Originally Posted by rushindo View Post

        I had the same question. Also, how do you deal with tons of customers calling the business and finding out its a different company? How do they respond to that?
        This is a non-problem. The alternative is they would hit a dead end by hearing a disconnected number message. Then they'd have to find someone else anyway. Just explain to them what happened, or put it in the new company's voicemail message. I can't imagine anyone being upset at having their time saved and things made easier for them. At least they'll know what happened to the other company.

        I am interested in answers to some of the other questions posed above, though.
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        • Profile picture of the author rushindo
          Originally Posted by Dexx View Post

          How did you determine the exact number of calls going to this business if it wasn't in business anymore?

          ~Dexx
          Originally Posted by Ken Strong View Post

          This is a non-problem. The alternative is they would hit a dead end by hearing a disconnected number message. Then they'd have to find someone else anyway. Just explain to them what happened, or put it in the new company's voicemail message. I can't imagine anyone being upset at having their time saved and things made easier for them. At least they'll know what happened to the other company.

          I am interested in answers to some of the other questions posed above, though.
          Right. I agree it wouldn't be a problem. I'm just curious about what is actually said to the customers when they call. I should have asked my question differently.

          Brandon
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  • Profile picture of the author hoax
    Hi Marcos,

    I like your story very much. Smart work, just picking up whats others leave on the road.
    Inspiring too.

    Thanks for your share.

    hoax
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  • Profile picture of the author marketingstatic
    This is a great idea I work for a large phone company and our past customers if they don't pay their bill we will only forward a line for about 30 days at no charge after that the TN goes into a Pool much like an expired domain name you let go an it become free for someone else own. You then request a port the TN to your service known as line number portability. So what he eludes to is you would have to negotiate buying that TN using a phone provider who can request it on your behalf and then you control it and can forward the # to any place you like. If the new business doesn't pay you then you simply turn off the lead machine.
    Sometimes you might get lucky for a couple months finding a very nice phone company that would work with you since their not generating any further revenue from it and hope it goes unpurchased in the open market and ask the prior business owner to request the make an outgoing recording on the line stating to call new TN but this is not a good way to go as buying the TN for yourself.
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    Happy new Year 2019

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    • Profile picture of the author MRomeo09


      Yoyo- "how do you contact the business and persuade them to use your number for leads, do you cold call or send letters and emails.

      and how do you contact the businesses that are bankrupt or gone out of business if they are not answering there phone."

      I like the phone or in person. It's pretty simple really, just leave a message on their phone. "Hey John, this is Marcos. I have a check for you for $1,000 if you could give me a call today at 999-9999". I'll do anything until they call. Talk to neighbors, landlords, etc. Especially if the asset is good, ie a full page phone book ad.

      Art- "anyone know how to search the courts to find eviction records?

      Or is there some other way to find out if businesses are delinquent."

      Depends on your location. Just go to your county courthouse, and ask them. Alternatively you can find someone who works there and sign them up for $5 for every lead sheet they fill out for you on a business eviction. I used to have lead dogs in the county courthouse 6 years ago when I was doing a lot of real estate investing.

      Dexx- "How did you determine the exact number of calls going to this business if it wasn't in business anymore? "

      Had no idea until I "bought" the asset. I knew they had multiple locations, a good yellow page ad, and 3 websites in top 10 of google, and 8 years in business. They'll tell you if you ask.

      rushindo- "Also, how do you deal with tons of customers calling the business and finding out its a different company? How do they respond to that?"

      It's no big deal really, companies are bought and sold all the time, they get that. As long as you're friendly, competent and professional on the phone it's no biggie really.

      This isn't a "system" I devised, it's just a little deal I put together. One of many, I just thought it was interesting and could help some people. I don't propose to know all the answers, and how I did it has no bearing on how you do it. It's just an idea to use or not to use, hopefully in your travels you're able to find a way to turn this into some cash down the road.

      Hope I got everyone's questions, I'm doing a lot of travelling well into the new year so I just don't get around here very often.

      Marcos
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      We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up ... discovering we have the strength to stare it down. - Eleanor Roosevelt

      Your opinion of yourself becomes your reality. If you have all these doubts, then no one will believe in you and everything will go wrong. If you think the opposite, the opposite will happen. It’s that simple.-Curtis Jackson- 50 Cent
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      • Profile picture of the author Amber Jalink
        Originally Posted by MRomeo09 View Post



        Yoyo- "how do you contact the business and persuade them to use your number for leads, do you cold call or send letters and emails.

        and how do you contact the businesses that are bankrupt or gone out of business if they are not answering there phone."

        I like the phone or in person. It's pretty simple really, just leave a message on their phone. "Hey John, this is Marcos. I have a check for you for $1,000 if you could give me a call today at 999-9999". I'll do anything until they call. Talk to neighbors, landlords, etc. Especially if the asset is good, ie a full page phone book ad.
        <snip>

        Marcos
        Marcos - sorry for sounding a little "dumb" ... you say "Phone or in person"... if the number is disconnected how can you leave a message for them?

        Or do you research the business owner somehow?

        (i.e., some people close doors without bankruptcy which I would think then means it wouldn't be listed in a courthouse...)

        Note I'm not talking about the first party guy I'm talking about the computer company. How did you manage to get the Phone for yourself?

        Here in Canada they charge a kinda hefty fee to get a specific number.
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        Amber Jalink, Founder http://www.dime-co.com
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author WildGale
      This is a great little nugget and, of course, I had to pick up the phone and call a closed business. I've called a couple and am getting ring after ring. It's been years since I've heard a line ring off the hook. Is this some sort of phone account limbo land?
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    • Profile picture of the author LazyViking
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      I just now looked up the local (out of business) Dodge dealership phone# & called, the phone number is out of service (AT&T recorded message).
      Buy it, son! As fast as you can!
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    • Profile picture of the author yoyo
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Dude!

      You could make a killing with this.

      Remember about a year ago all the Dodge/Chrysler dealerships went out of business?

      I live in a small town (50k residents), & the most popular automotive center was the Dodge dealership. That Dodge dealership went out of business, just after the new local yellow pages was published.

      I just now looked up the local (out of business) Dodge dealership phone# & called, the phone number is out of service (AT&T recorded message).
      do the deal and keep us updated on it
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  • Profile picture of the author Money on the Side
    I have done this with florists in the past and have made a killing in February around Valentines Day. All I did was go to my local library and start going through the yellow pages all over the country and wrote down the telephone numbers of all the full page ads.

    I called the numbers when I got home and those that were out of service, I had transferred to me.

    Needless to say, when Valentines Day came around, I made an enormous amount of money in the course of two weeks.

    I'm not a florist...I hooked up with a company that wholesaled all the orders I took.

    Full page ads in the phone book cost a bundle...and it is a big reason businesses go ou of business, because no one uses the phone book anymore and they can't afford to pay the hefty price and not getting any leads. That leaves a lot of good phone numbers to grab and cash in on.
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    • Profile picture of the author WildGale
      Marcos,

      I just put together that you wrote this post and the subdomain post.

      Are you combining the ideas in your work with local clients? You made bucks off of a computer repair shop at the top of Google by forwarding the number. Do you also rank for the keyword phrase in other cases and sell the leads? It seems like that would be the ideal long-term strategy since you can keep your sites ranked. In any case, I love the idea you have posted here.

      Amanda
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      • Profile picture of the author MRomeo09
        I haven't tried to monetize THESE particular niches any further. Just set em and forget em. I do a lot of lead gen normally anyway, so this is just a different type of client acquisition.

        Marcos
        Signature
        We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up ... discovering we have the strength to stare it down. - Eleanor Roosevelt

        Your opinion of yourself becomes your reality. If you have all these doubts, then no one will believe in you and everything will go wrong. If you think the opposite, the opposite will happen. It’s that simple.-Curtis Jackson- 50 Cent
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  • Profile picture of the author davidpur
    i will try it a soon
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  • Profile picture of the author MWGrubb58
    Marcos,

    Pure thinking outside the box!

    You can do the same thing with under-performing businesses who are tired and just want to sell... Or you can take an existing business and do a little boosting to get the same result.

    Good job!
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