Google Places - Suggestions for finding clients? | Warrior Forum - The #1 Digital Marketing Forum & Marketplace

Rus Sells

13 years ago

The PPC Advertisers is a great place to start. The Yellow pages is one of the best resources as well.

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Bronwyn and Keith

13 years ago

Hi DS

Go to Google - type in the business type and check to see the businesses that already have a Google Places entry listed that isn't optimized and isn't listed on the front page.

The businesses with the most to gain are the ones that aren't on the front page of Google.

Then go get 'em.

Regards

Bronwyn and Keith

Originally Posted by DS Marketing

I'm looking for suggestions on how to best find clients that need help with optimizing their Google Places listings. For those who offer this service, what do you find works best?

I'm leaning towards hiring a sales rep, mostly to save time as I currently work full time. But I would love to hear other suggestions.

Thanks!

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redlegrich

13 years ago

Also check out the lower ranked companies and ones (GP listings) that are not yet owned/verified by their owners.

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Cringer 13 years ago

As Bronwyn and Keith suggest - go to Google Places and type in a keyword and see who has an UNverified business listing. This is a good way to approach businesses.

One tip I have found is if you can find a search phrase that will trigger a two box listing in Google search results, you have a good chance to turn that into a three box. This is from my experience.
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Chase Bateman

13 years ago

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willz605 13 years ago

I'm currently using...

yp
phonebook
google: just type in service...click the map
local newspapers, phila Inquirer
clipper coupon magazines....they cost $500-$1000 per monthly magazine listing
adwords

then the marketing....
a. facetoface
b. email
c. postcard
d. follow-up

no particular order
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DS Marketing

13 years ago

Thanks Everyone -- I appreciate the suggestions!

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rafterman

13 years ago

you shouldn't look for the unverified google places listing. You should look for the ones that have verified but still aren't on the first page. Obviously they have recognized the importance/need to verify the listing and be on GP, but don't have the means to achieve a first page ranking

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Neil K

13 years ago

Originally Posted by rafterman

you shouldn't look for the unverified google places listing. You should look for the ones that have verified but still aren't on the first page. Obviously they have recognized the importance/need to verify the listing and be on GP, but don't have the means to achieve a first page ranking

I agree. The unverified business listings would be a waste of time. Go for the verified listings as they are sure to know about SEO and GP or atleast listen to what you have to pitch to them.

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TE2

13 years ago

Originally Posted by rafterman

you shouldn't look for the unverified google places listing. You should look for the ones that have verified but still aren't on the first page. Obviously they have recognized the importance/need to verify the listing and be on GP, but don't have the means to achieve a first page ranking

Originally Posted by Neil K

I agree. The unverified business listings would be a waste of time. Go for the verified listings as they are sure to know about SEO and GP or atleast listen to what you have to pitch to them.

I have a different point of view...

They both have value! However, your approach to each is different.

Depending on their rank in the local results and even their industry, defines how you need to approach them. For example:

In a certain highly competitive, rich niche where the #1 local spot is unverified, do you think they aren't interested? The # 2 spot is verified and the number $3 and 4 spots are not. Do you think #'s 3 and 4 are interested and motivated? And for different factors/reasons than #1.

You have to sell to each of their unique situations.

Regards,

John

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rafterman

13 years ago

Originally Posted by TE2

I have a different point of view...

They both have value! However, your approach to each is different.

Depending on their rank in the local results and even their industry, defines how you need to approach them. For example:

In a certain highly competitive, rich niche where the #1 local spot is unverified, do you think they aren't interested? The # 2 spoeir unque sit is verified and the number $3 and 4 spots are not. Do you think #'s 3 and 4 are interested and motivated? And for different factors/reasons than #1.

You have to sell to each of their unique situations.

Regards,

John

I think approaching everyone but the top position would be a good choice. He's already number #1, what else can you do for him? Let's be real here, once you have a spot, it doesn't take much to maintain. Not what some people are allegedly charging here. What, a few hours week to post some blog comments and forum posts. You are providing a service, but it's a legitimate scam. This is all referring to the #1 spot. No businesses have optimized image file names, or a video with backlinks, or a gp listing with backlinks as far as I have seen. So most would be easily overtaken when it comes to the 7 box listing. combined listing I think a little harder because you're promoting the main domain.

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TE2

13 years ago

Originally Posted by rafterman

I think approaching everyone but the top position would be a good choice. He's already number #1, what else can you do for him? Let's be real here, once you have a spot, it doesn't take much to maintain. Not what some people are allegedly charging here. What, a few hours week to post some blog comments and forum posts. You are providing a service, but it's a legitimate scam. This is all referring to the #1 spot. No businesses have optimized image file names, or a video with backlinks, or a gp listing with backlinks as far as I have seen. So most would be easily overtaken when it comes to the 7 box listing. combined listing I think a little harder because you're promoting the main domain.

#1 was not aware of place pages (nor were several others) and hence was not verified. Once it was brought to their attention, they were VERY interested in staying there.

My method is to (and I can't believe I am sharing this openly when I could sell a WSO) tell them how to claim their place page for free - no strings attached.

This results in some doing it themselves and many asking me to do it for them. That results in initial sales where they have asked for my services because I'm the expert. And because of that, I sell lots of other services to those that need it and filter out those who don't (and some of them ask for help with other things in the future).

The power of this model should be obvious.

Regards,

John

ps - I forgot to answer your question "What else can I do for them?" Answer - I can keep them there.

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fritzseo

13 years ago

best way I heard of is: send an email first then a letter to 20 of the same kind of businesses; 20 lawyers. Say that you are giving an exclusive for the first lawyer that signs up for a year contract; mention his top competitors in letter so he gets worried. You will get a couple interested people as they wish to keep their competitors out.

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rafterman

13 years ago

Originally Posted by fritzseo

best way I heard of is: send an email first then a letter to 20 of the same kind of businesses; 20 lawyers. Say that you are giving an exclusive for the first lawyer that signs up for a year contract; mention his top competitors in letter so he gets worried. You will get a couple interested people as they wish to keep their competitors out.

I'll maintain that sending the email is not the best way. Also, you'll come across the embedded email forms in the webpage and not even get a real email address. I'm betting the person who manages that inbox is not going to pass it on because you didn't write the email to him or her.

I'm going with

research leads
stop by with a free brochure/booklet, haven't decided yet.
say that i'm a new business, (soft sell/not sell)
offer free information in the booklet/brochure
and at the end have a short personalized evaluation of the current webpage with a few attributes:

backlinks, heading, content, etc and then put where the prospects website stands in reference to these attributes.

we'll see if it works

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TE2

13 years ago

Originally Posted by fritzseo

best way I heard of is: send an email first then a letter to 20 of the same kind of businesses; 20 lawyers. Say that you are giving an exclusive for the first lawyer that signs up for a year contract; mention his top competitors in letter so he gets worried. You will get a couple interested people as they wish to keep their competitors out.

This approach actually does work.

The downside is that it does not always create a happy client. Some of them feel like they have been strong armed into the deal. It's money that they weren't planning to shell out and you used some pretty strong leverage to unexpectedly remove it from their account. For example - Lawyers are an especially testy group.

John

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iranklocalmarketing 13 years ago

yes, this is a sneaky tactic..however, make sure you have your site ranked before your send the email. If they can visually see your site ranked in real time...it's often a no brainier for them. it's truly plug and play!
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adsenselive

13 years ago

YP in the UK is on its last legs, I used to work for them and they gave me share options at £3, they listed at £6 and within 12 months were at 60p - this is due to massive loss of ad revenue due to the internet. I no longer advertise in YP, they wanted £490 per annum for an ad that (With their own tracking) gave me less sales enquiries than I get people phoning me with the wrong number.
End of rant and back to the post - I have used Google Places to rank my new website clients in No.1 in Google with no advertising costs what so ever. My clients love it already so I will watch the post to pick up tips on maximising keyword usage

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rafterman

13 years ago

I'll agree if you leveraged your services to other businesses to the business in the #1 spot, that would be a good idea.

Now I don't agree with a WSO for telling people how to tell other people how to claim their google places spot. Click "business owner?", verify over telephone.

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iranklocalmarketing 13 years ago

helping them claim there business listing should be nothing more than a way to get your foot in the door. It's really powerful if you do it for them in their own office. People like free stuff..then you hit them with a service fee to optimize and rank it along with all your other services you may offer.
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contentment1st

13 years ago

I'm much like some of your other responders above. Simply typing in a specific search turns up so many unclaimed, poorly formatted Google Listings, that I'm now using this as a catalyst for putting together my weekly list of places to visit or contact.

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srtyker

13 years ago

Getting the right clients is the key and there are truly some great suggestions in this thread.

The real problem is gathering intelligence about potential clients before making the call or email or letter. THis gives you confidence that you can actually do it. It is ironic though that because so many local business dont understand the power of google places, they often start with denial of the offers. I have actually done an offer in the warriors for hire section, where I do all the leg work that helps you get organized and get the clients much easier and much quicker - with loads of intelligence data. Hope this helps, if you serious about this stuff, the link is below.

http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...arch-work.html

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RKCastillo

13 years ago

I use the Local Lead Maximizer software to find all of the unverified Google Place pages and then use a bunch of different strategies to contact those business owners, i.e. emails, post cards, DVDs, Cold Calling.

The software also can check for the Google Pack and find the unverified listings in the Google Pack who have been pre-ranked, pre-SEOed and are already getting traffic.

Should be an easy sell from there.

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thehypnoguy

13 years ago

Follow the link in my signature. I have free video content that I have gotten great feedback on. Enjoy and I hope it helps.

Martin

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Bennette 13 years ago

Others have made great suggestions already so I won't repeat what has been said.

What I like to add if you're considering adding a sales person is to have them do face to face networking. They can talk about the importance of Google Places with the business owners.

The second thing that has worked well for me is to do speaking engagements.

Both strategies have gotten my foot in the door for other services.
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SiteSmarty

13 years ago

Email spamming prospects is a bad idea. Once I get a client I ask them to refer me to others in their industry that want the same type of services I provide them. I did this in the web design business and it works for local business SEO also.

This way you only need a handfull of clients to keep you hopping.

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