What are you charging for Google Places?

60 replies
One of my customers recently gave me a copy of an Internet Marketer's sales pitch for Google Places. It's targeted to a niche medical industry. Their cost is $2,995 one time and guarantees top placement in Google Places. If the client should fall they'll work to restore placement for $347 month.

I haven't broken Google Places out as a standard alone service...yet.

Wondering if anyone would share what they charge and any helpful info on your model/system.

Thanks.
#charging #google #places
  • Profile picture of the author localdominator
    I would suggest searching the forum a bit. There are a bunch of threads regarding this that have some very good insight.
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    • Profile picture of the author DMCAPROS
      That prices seems a bit outrageous for what it takes to get ranked in Google Places. I only charge $299 for that service.
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      • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
        Originally Posted by PHXSEO View Post

        That prices seems a bit outrageous for what it takes to get ranked in Google Places. I only charge $299 for that service.
        It's really not....

        But I can understand why you may feel that way. Really... if you look at the cost of advertising. And the value of having a page one rankiing, you can meet in the middle.

        I would not undervalue the service.

        Think about it... Actually... Call the Phoenix New Times and ask for AD RATES.

        Lets say... 3"x4" ad for just one week...

        Then come back and tell me that's too much. At $699 it is a no brainer. At $299... You devalue the service. Of course... if you are using it as a loss leader... I don't blame you. People tell me I am devaluing web design at $599 for 5 pages. But others sell them for even cheaper.

        Heck.... I have sold websites for $149 just to get my foot in the door.

        Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

        I guess it also depends on your target demographic. I generally target businesses in different ways with different campaigns.

        Cold Calling... 500k to 2mil in Revenue. Less than 5 employees. Just makes it easier to get the decision maker on the phone. AND... You know they have the money.

        Other forms of Marketing... People already spending money RECENTLY on advertising. You know they spend money. You know they aren't happy with the results. You educate them on the amount of traffic they are missing and how you can solve their problem FAST. While actually reducing their marketing budget or funneling those dollars into SEO and Social Media, while maintaining Print, Radio, and Television for brand management.

        You show them results at a $699 to $1499 set up fee and monthly, then you get them to do traditional SEO as well.

        A Sunday Newspaper ad can run $3,000 for one day. A YellowBook360 SEO campaign is EASILY $1600 per month. I study the market and what other marketing services are charging. So $299 would sound too good to be true if you were to approach me.
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        • Profile picture of the author msuazo1
          I never knew that ads on the paper were that expensive...but I see that they add to the value of what we would be offering them. As part of your monthly SEO do you replace images and videos with new ones? and also what are some other strategies that you use to optimize the listing? thank you for the info
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          • Well, I'm definitely expensive compared to most here.

            I charge 995 a month for 2-3 months, depending on a few factors.
            I charge an extra 200 - 300 per month per dupe.
            Then 195 monthly maint, limited to 2 hours a month.
            Then an extra hourly fee for extra support beyond that, if needed.

            NOTE: I'm always booked up with a waiting list at these prices. Partly because of the way I've branded myself and partly because I'm trying to go into semi-retirement (cutting back from 70 to 40 hours a week :p) so am very selective about who I take on.

            But I do a ton of extra stuff that most people don't do or have never heard about and have some totally white-hat techniques no one else even knows about that really work. Plus in the market I specialize in there is lots of extra work involved for a variety of reasons. So what I do is DEF not just a quick form fill of a Places app. I sometimes have 4 hours of research and comm with a client before I'm even ready to touch their Place page.

            I also do consulting, training, coaching for other SEOs or companies that offer Places optimization. Working on trying to standardize the fees and packages for that, so don't have firm prices yet and sort of base the price on the client's needs. Many times it's an SEO with an especially complicated client case, so I'm training them on my advanced tips PLUS how to deal with their client's specific Places issues.

            So that's an overview of how I price things.
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            • Profile picture of the author teaball
              Originally Posted by 5starAffiliatePrograms View Post

              Well, I'm definitely expensive compared to most here.

              I charge 995 a month for 2-3 months, depending on a few factors.
              I charge an extra 200 - 300 per month per dupe.
              Then 195 monthly maint, limited to 2 hours a month.
              Then an extra hourly fee for extra support beyond that, if needed.

              NOTE: I'm always booked up with a waiting list at these prices. Partly because of the way I've branded myself and partly because I'm trying to go into semi-retirement (cutting back from 70 to 40 hours a week :p) so am very selective about who I take on.

              But I do a ton of extra stuff that most people don't do or have never heard about and have some totally white-hat techniques no one else even knows about that really work. Plus in the market I specialize in there is lots of extra work involved for a variety of reasons. So what I do is DEF not just a quick form fill of a Places app. I sometimes have 4 hours of research and comm with a client before I'm even ready to touch their Place page.

              I also do consulting, training, coaching for other SEOs or companies that offer Places optimization. Working on trying to standardize the fees and packages for that, so don't have firm prices yet and sort of base the price on the client's needs. Many times it's an SEO with an especially complicated client case, so I'm training them on my advanced tips PLUS how to deal with their client's specific Places issues.

              So that's an overview of how I price things.

              These are tough times for many small biz people, so I just get them a verified for free... what it takes 10 minutes!?

              Most have such crappy websites that I suggest that they move to get it updated/moved off of yahoo stores, etc so it can be optimized proper. That's when they get an idea from the people who referred them to me about what a difference it makes.

              The difference is a proven difference. I set them up with measurement before I verify the listing... for about a week or two. And, only for the most broad keyword that I think I can get them to show up for in the 7 box.

              When somebody has had a website for 5-10 years and only gets 20 hits a month at most, then just verifying gets them 300 ... well, they want more ... right?

              You want to impress them? bring along a couple of SEO books... make sure they are thick.

              "If you want to do this SEO yourself, sir, I recommend these books... especially the chapters on analysing data statistics. These books have the best statistical algorithms to use for analysis."

              Gets 'em everytime.

              TB
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              • Originally Posted by teaball View Post

                These are tough times for many small biz people, so I just get them a verified for free... what it takes 10 minutes!?
                We must be in a TOTALLY different business. :p

                I have 2-4 hours invested in the client before I even get to the place that I can even log in. If you are doing THOROUGH research that is going to fix their problems and get them ranking it sometimes takes that long to do it right.

                Yes if all you do is a quick form fill, 10 minutes is enough so free would be fine.
                But doing a quick form fill won't get someone ranked either.
                There's a heck of a lot more to it.
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                ADVANCED Google+ Local Training :: Also offering White Label Local SEO
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  • Profile picture of the author mouseffects
    I believe this all depends on the customer/industry.

    Our services aren't like selling yellow pages ads where all quarter/half/full page ads cost the same. I base my pricing on what I call "Customer Value". That is, how much one customer will add to my client's revenue line. This is not a one size fits all industry.

    For example, if I should get a mom-and-pop restaurant one more customer because of something I did, that customer "value" is somewhere around $7-$10 to this restaurant (a meal). These people would be hard pressed to justify $3000 for advertising. They would have to get about 300 extra customers BEFORE they make any profit. It's absurd to think they would pay that.

    Someone in the construction industry might only have to pick up 3-5 additional customers to get to a positive ROI. They may pay, but more realistically, somewhere in the $1000-$1500 range would be an easier sell and still great revenue for you.

    However, a dentist, doctor, surgeon, lawyer, etc. would probably only need one and that is your $200+ customer.

    In my business, I chose to tailor the price to the client realizing that what I do for the money only requires a couple hours of work. I'm content to offer mom-and-pops the service for about $297 per month (sound better than $300), which still equates to around $150/hr.

    I do a little research before going in so I can give them a taste of how many new customers they COULD expect from being on page 1 of Google (Places). That helps them justify the cost in their minds and makes the sale easier for them to accept. I also equate it to what they are used to paying for offline in which case, comparably, $300/mo. is a small fee.

    On the other side of the spectrum, I work with larger clients that pay me $2500/mo. There is little I have to do to justify this amount because they already know what one more customer means to them. (I don't have anyone paying me more.) These customers are harder to get to though.

    The name of the game is "homework". You have to have an idea of the "Customer Value" before you propose.

    When I was in the mainframe compute industry (a long time ago) we had "home runs" that we always were working on. These were the high-priced customers. There were always a handful we were chasing. But, our daily bread and butter were the quickies - the smaller businesses - that could make decisions fast. We made our living based on them and only had the home runs happen periodically. I base my business on that same premise.

    I've been in this business for about 12 years and my mom-and-pops make up the majority of my clients. Only about 15-20% of my clients are the biggies but the revenue it generates is a higher percentage of my over-all income. Even though I have smaller fees to these little guys, I still don't work that hard to earn my money. (It's work time right now and I'm playing on the Warrior Forum)

    I hope this helps someone. I've always believed in the concept and it continually works for me so it has to be a valid one. (NOTE: I'm not saying that someone can't make a living on the big guys. I just know a lot of people starving trying to accumulate enough of them to get to the point that they are successful.)

    Good luck no matter how you do it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dmagnet
      Originally Posted by mouseffects View Post

      I believe this all depends on the customer/industry.

      Our services aren't like selling yellow pages ads where all quarter/half/full page ads cost the same. I base my pricing on what I call "Customer Value". That is, how much one customer will add to my client's revenue line. This is not a one size fits all industry.

      For example, if I should get a mom-and-pop restaurant one more customer because of something I did, that customer "value" is somewhere around $7-$10 to this restaurant (a meal). These people would be hard pressed to justify $3000 for advertising. They would have to get about 300 extra customers BEFORE they make any profit. It's absurd to think they would pay that.

      Someone in the construction industry might only have to pick up 3-5 additional customers to get to a positive ROI. They may pay, but more realistically, somewhere in the $1000-$1500 range would be an easier sell and still great revenue for you.

      However, a dentist, doctor, surgeon, lawyer, etc. would probably only need one and that is your $200+ customer.

      In my business, I chose to tailor the price to the client realizing that what I do for the money only requires a couple hours of work. I'm content to offer mom-and-pops the service for about $297 per month (sound better than $300), which still equates to around $150/hr.

      I do a little research before going in so I can give them a taste of how many new customers they COULD expect from being on page 1 of Google (Places). That helps them justify the cost in their minds and makes the sale easier for them to accept. I also equate it to what they are used to paying for offline in which case, comparably, $300/mo. is a small fee.

      On the other side of the spectrum, I work with larger clients that pay me $2500/mo. There is little I have to do to justify this amount because they already know what one more customer means to them. (I don't have anyone paying me more.) These customers are harder to get to though.

      The name of the game is "homework". You have to have an idea of the "Customer Value" before you propose.

      When I was in the mainframe compute industry (a long time ago) we had "home runs" that we always were working on. These were the high-priced customers. There were always a handful we were chasing. But, our daily bread and butter were the quickies - the smaller businesses - that could make decisions fast. We made our living based on them and only had the home runs happen periodically. I base my business on that same premise.

      I've been in this business for about 12 years and my mom-and-pops make up the majority of my clients. Only about 15-20% of my clients are the biggies but the revenue it generates is a higher percentage of my over-all income. Even though I have smaller fees to these little guys, I still don't work that hard to earn my money. (It's work time right now and I'm playing on the Warrior Forum)

      I hope this helps someone. I've always believed in the concept and it continually works for me so it has to be a valid one. (NOTE: I'm not saying that someone can't make a living on the big guys. I just know a lot of people starving trying to accumulate enough of them to get to the point that they are successful.)

      Good luck no matter how you do it.

      I have been in the advertising industry for a long time. Most of my clients have been small mom & pop businesses.

      I understand the small price of a meal being only $7-10. These small tickets can be very deceiving though, especially in the restaurant industry. Keep in mind most people eat 1095 times a year.

      What if the average frequency of the customer is once per week? That would indicate that this same customer actually spends between $364-$520 a year. How many customers does a business need to justify the expense?

      So in this case only one new customer a week would translate to an additional $18,928-$27,040 in additional gross revenue for the year. Usually a 400%-500% return is considered pretty good in the advertising world.

      When I figured this return I was still VERY conservative because most people that go to a restaurant will at least go with another person. So an average "ticket" for two people would be $14-$20. Those same two customers would spend $728-$1040 per year.

      I used to think the same way. "It's only $10." Many business owners need to be educated on the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) model. It's just not fair to say that your efforts brought in a measly $10 customer when in reality that customer is worth $520 annualized.

      For more info on Customer Lifetime Value I'd recommend Jay Abraham.
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    • Profile picture of the author David
      Originally Posted by mouseffects View Post

      I believe this all depends on the customer/industry.


      However, a dentist, doctor, surgeon, lawyer, etc. would probably only need one and that is your $200+ customer.


      The name of the game is "homework". You have to have an idea of the "Customer Value" before you propose.
      I agree totally. One client of mine was able to cancel his $3000 a year yellow pages ad, and my sales copy brought in 1/3 more work.. so add that up and that's what I'm worth to him.

      What we can and should charge depends a lot on the client's margin and some genres get more leads/inquires/sales from Places than others, it depends... on several factors

      Home remodeling guys are reduced to doing handy man work in a lot of geographical areas, they are strapped for cash.

      Other genres perform MUCH better from a Places listing rather than an organic listing
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  • Profile picture of the author KristofferIM
    I charge $247-497 for the setup of the listing. If they want me to work continually to get citations and improve rankings, it's another $97 per month at minimum.
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Thank you Mouseeffects and KristofferIM, both of you provide valuable information.

    Can I ask, do either of you just do Google Places? Or a mix of internet marketing?

    This pitch was tailored to "getting new patients in the new economy" by getting an "endorsement" from Google (ranking in places) and doing nothing else. If the IM has been successful making this his business for now, kudos to him.
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  • Profile picture of the author mouseffects
    I (reluctantly) design websites to get my foot in the door if needed but my main money comes from local traffic. Google places is my initial offering most of the time but then I upsell to other services - mobile, video, organic seo, etc.

    I say, "most of the time" because sometimes the industry I'm courting has different interests. For instance, I've found that pizza places are more apt to understand mobile coupons and text marketing so I begin there. Typically around here the chains and franchises have already claimed the Places too so to offer that is harder than the mobile marketing.

    I guess, just like I mentioned above about one size doesn't fit all applies here too. I try to get a feel of the industry and apply the right marketing method as it applies.
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Thank you for the info and tips.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
    I charge $300 for the mothly mnaintenance fee. Not only do I continue with the citations, but also provide updates to the clients on monthly impressions received for their GP page.

    I live in the suburbs of Chicago. The major newspapers here are the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. For a 1 column inch ad, those newpapers charge $600+ for a single showing. By comparison my price is a bargain!
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    • Profile picture of the author Jay Rhome
      Originally Posted by Tiduslite8 View Post

      I charge $300 for the mothly mnaintenance fee. Not only do I continue with the citations, but also provide updates to the clients on monthly impressions received for their GP page.

      I live in the suburbs of Chicago. The major newspapers here are the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. For a 1 column inch ad, those newpapers charge $600+ for a single showing. By comparison my price is a bargain!
      Nice way to look at it. A good comparison to show prospects.

      You guys charge way more that I do. I only saw this as a cheap entree point to offer more services. I realize that with your price ranges it can be a full business model in itself.

      I admit that I hate SEO, and even outsourcing it, as it's basically letting Google control a part of the business. I don't want clients calling because they're not at the top spots anymore. I deal with many other aspects of consulting that are more hassle free.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
        Originally Posted by Jay Rhome View Post

        Nice way to look at it. A good comparison to show prospects.

        You guys charge way more that I do. I only saw this as a cheap entree point to offer more services. I realize that with your price ranges it can be a full business model in itself.

        I admit that I hate SEO, and even outsourcing it, as it's basically letting Google control a part of the business. I don't want clients calling because they're not at the top spots anymore. I deal with many other aspects of consulting that are more hassle free.
        It's harder to set up prices when it comes to Lawyers and Doctors, but setting a price for businesses such as Hair Salons is relatively easy.

        My monthly fee is $300 X 12 months = $3,600 per year

        Hair salon typical client spend $60+ per visit. If that client only comes back once per month it equals $720 per year

        I am probably going to be able to help that business get 5 new clients in less than 2 weeks. With just 5 new clients they will have made back their yearly cost for hiring me. And, as long as I'm working for them I am not working for any competitors within 5 miles of their door.
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        • Profile picture of the author DH5
          nice. thanks.
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    • Profile picture of the author Randy Miller
      Originally Posted by Tiduslite8 View Post

      I charge $300 for the mothly mnaintenance fee. Not only do I continue with the citations, but also provide updates to the clients on monthly impressions received for their GP page.

      I live in the suburbs of Chicago. The major newspapers here are the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. For a 1 column inch ad, those newpapers charge $600+ for a single showing. By comparison my price is a bargain!

      Thanks for all the great suggestions on this thread. Tiduslite8 brings up a good point, traditional advertising is usually expensive and very poor at tracking results. Local Search Engine Market by comparison can offer metrics back to the small business and is quite often under-priced given the value provided.

      The important thing to remember is to discover how you can help the small business owner. Problem solvers are worth so much more then mere Google Places peddlers.
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      • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
        Originally Posted by Randy Miller View Post

        Problem solvers are worth so much more then mere Google Places peddlers.
        I prefer the term... Difference Maker.


        Cause I make a difference.
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        • Profile picture of the author Randy Miller
          Quote:
          Originally Posted by Randy Miller
          Problem solvers are worth so much more then mere Google Places peddlers.

          Originally Posted by Amir Luis View Post

          I prefer the term... Difference Maker.


          Cause I make a difference.

          Much better!

          Checked with my boss and he just upgraded me to Difference Maker

          sweet!
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    • Profile picture of the author dereksemmler
      Originally Posted by Tiduslite8 View Post

      I live in the suburbs of Chicago. The major newspapers here are the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. For a 1 column inch ad, those newpapers charge $600+ for a single showing. By comparison my price is a bargain!
      Don't snatch up all of the suburbs...I'm just starting to do my research on targeting local businesses for Google Places listings.

      Enjoying this thread so far as everyone is offering extremely helpful information. It is interesting to see the different approaches in how some people tailor their fees based on the business that they are working with while others charge a flat rate for everything.

      I could see the flat rate potentially limiting your clientele - or limiting your earning potential. Maybe it is a more quantity x lower price > less quantity x higher price? It would be interesting to examine how the rates being charged improves or hinders your ability to land clients.
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      • Profile picture of the author David
        Originally Posted by dereksemmler View Post

        Don't snatch up all of the suburbs...I'm just starting to do my research on targeting local businesses for Google Places listings.

        Enjoying this thread so far as everyone is offering extremely helpful information. It is interesting to see the different approaches in how some people tailor their fees based on the business that they are working with while others charge a flat rate for everything.

        I could see the flat rate potentially limiting your clientele - or limiting your earning potential. Maybe it is a more quantity x lower price > less quantity x higher price? It would be interesting to examine how the rates being charged improves or hinders your ability to land clients.
        no kidding.. a lawyer client of mine said her gross sales dropped $10k a month when she disappeared from Places, other genres don't gross that much in 2 months, others gross a bunch but their profit margin is minuscule.

        Charge what the market will bear, I tell prospective clients I have to gauge the strength of the competition before I give them a price
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Thanks, Tiduslite8. I am learning that Google Places is the only thing some do, like the IM that targeted my customer. Like Jay Rhome, I too have devalued this but more from a lack of time to fully learn it and it's value.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
      Originally Posted by Creativegirl View Post

      Thanks, Tiduslite8. I am learning that Google Places is the only thing some do, like the IM that targeted my customer. Like Jay Rhome, I too have devalued this but more from a lack of time to fully learn it and it's value.
      Let's face it, our customers like fast results. Typical SEO work can take some weeks before results start showing up.

      But if you do a credible job with their GP, then the results are visible a lot sooner. You can always upsell other services later, but realistically? you're going to get referrals just based on your GP work.
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  • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
    I charge anywhere from $495-$1295 depending upon how much a new customer is worth to them. Then from $295-$795 monthly to keep them in the top placements. Both in Places and Organic.

    This isn't the only service I offer either. I also offer a lot of different services for both online and offline to be able to present myself, and my company as well versed in all aspects of marketing. The services to offer depend upon the business itself.
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  • Profile picture of the author localdominator
    Here you go. Some more input from another thread like I mentioned before

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...-question.html
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  • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
    I know that I already chimed in on this thread, but did want to add a little to it.

    In April, 2010 a buddy of mine opened a taxi service in my area. It was just him and one van. At first he was getting maybe 10 calls a week. To make ends meet he was going to commuter train stations and basically hoping for fares. He already had a website up.

    Now, this is a old high school buddy that I'd typically see a few times a year when the old group got together. When he told me what was going on, I offered my help, for free, until we got him on his feet.

    Did some minor SEO work on his website, but really went to work with his Google Place page. To add in to the mix, he had already contracted with Yellow Pages for a minor ad...but it wouldn't be visible in the phone books until they were sent out in October.

    Within 2 weeks of the work I did with his GP, his business took off. By his account (then) he was getting 3-4 new clients per day that told him they'd found him on Google. Of those new clients 80% were repeating within the same month, at a average fare of $15.

    Let's lowball that for a moment: 90 new clients X $15 = $1,350
    Now add on another 80% for the repeat: $1,080
    So, just for new customers he was looking at $2,430 in new business

    He also was contacted by 3 trucking companies in the area that wanted him to set up accounts with them for their out of town drivers (some were just being taken to local hotels, others to airports). He figures that each of those contracts is worth about $32,000 per year.

    Now: He says that he is getting between 80 - 100 calls per day, and converting 60% of them into actual fares (He really needs to get some more vehicles and drivers, as it is he has gained 2 more vehicles and 3 more drivers). Again, going low on the estimate: 48 fares X $15 = $720 per day in fares minimum

    Do you think he feels I am charging him too much at $300 per month for my services?
    The really funny thing is when call volumes drop a bit, he calls me to verify that he is still ranking well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    I don't know why it is JUST NOW that I stumbled upon this thread.....

    There are so many excellent and valuable replies....

    I don't even know where to start....

    MouseEffects makes a VERY valid point about not being a one size fits all.

    Minimum Set Up... $699 + $200 per month

    That's just me... You can do whatever... But as someone else pointed out. Other forms of media are far less effective and FAR more expensive. So the Cost vs Value is DEFINITELY there.

    I live in a town of about 1 million people, and a small ad in the weekly free press is over $500. That's just for one run. It usually takes a two month period of consistent advertising to see results. According to the Account Executive that was trying to sell me.

    This just gave me more ammunition.

    So... I can easily justify $699 set up... $999 set up... $1499 set up... and the monthly maintenance cost. Charging any less is just leaving money on the table and devaluing the service.

    What mouse effects said about offering web design as a foot in the door makes sense to me also... even though I sell loss leader websites constantly.

    The thing is... Google Places Optimization (GPO) is so much more effective for their ROI. If they have a website that sucks... I can redesign no problem. Especially since we already offer that service.

    I am playing with some offers now...

    Pay $1200 for GPO set up and $250+ (pending on work involved) per month. Then I will optimize and give you a FREE website!


    If the client want's to cancel the GPO maintenance... then I only charge $50 per month hosting for the free website!

    Why not... YellowBook gives free websites and charges $79 per month hosting.

    The only reason I would offer the free website is because a lot of sites out there do not have direct response marketing oriented content.

    I want to give my clients results, right? Right.

    So.. just throwing a website at them is going to do no good.

    A site unseen is no site at all.

    But one optimized with marketing principles and listed with GP will increase conversions.

    Just my take...

    I do agree with the fact that we all have to be flexible. It's really case by case as to what value we provide.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dmagnet
      I understand the desire to charge more because it can be justified. However, if the client ever gets wind of this it can definitely backfire. So if a competitor contacts your client and offers it for less then what do you do? How would you respond if that same competitor accused you of "jacking up" prices.

      This is something that I have experienced over the years. This is what happened in the print advertising industry. I'm referring to competitors that drop there prices so low that it makes your price appear to be way too high.

      I can understand the concept of you get what you pay for. I am curious though because there is such a wide variance of price points being shared on this thread.

      So in addition to the question "What are you charging for Google Places?" I would be curious to know what are you providing to the client for those fees?
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      • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
        Originally Posted by Dmagnet View Post

        I understand the desire to charge more because it can be justified. However, if the client ever gets wind of this it can definitely backfire. So if a competitor contacts your client and offers it for less then what do you do? How would you respond if that same competitor accused you of "jacking up" prices.

        This is something that I have experienced over the years. This is what happened in the print advertising industry. I'm referring to competitors that drop there prices so low that it makes your price appear to be way too high.

        I can understand the concept of you get what you pay for. I am curious though because there is such a wide variance of price points being shared on this thread.

        So in addition to question "What are you charging for Google Places?" I would be curious to know what are you providing to the client for those fees?

        Results...

        First and foremost.

        I owned a service business before this one. There were a lot of people cheaper than I was. I was actaully the most expensive. It all comes down to your marketing message and how you present yourself.

        If you don't present yourself or your company well... You can leave money on the table like your competittors that are nickel and dimeing.

        When the economy went south... I increased my marketing and raised my prices.

        Never felt a bump.

        You may lose a client or two that are focused on price... But I am focused on service. Attention to detail, and results.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
        Originally Posted by Dmagnet View Post

        I understand the desire to charge more because it can be justified. However, if the client ever gets wind of this it can definitely backfire. So if a competitor contacts your client and offers it for less then what do you do? How would you respond if that same competitor accused you of "jacking up" prices.

        This is something that I have experienced over the years. This is what happened in the print advertising industry. I'm referring to competitors that drop there prices so low that it makes your price appear to be way too high.

        I can understand the concept of you get what you pay for. I am curious though because there is such a wide variance of price points being shared on this thread.

        So in addition to question "What are you charging for Google Places?" I would be curious to know what are you providing to the client for those fees?
        This may sound a bit off, but let me go through my reasoning for my prices. My start-up fee (including 1st month) is $600. Monthly maintenance fee after the first month is $300. So a client would pay me a total of $3,900 for the year.

        During that year I would continue to add citations to their GP page, along with adding reviews that they gather together, updating their info, keeping track of any trends for search phrases that may gain in popularity, etc. They also have a exclusive deal with me that will keep me out of the hands of their competitors within 5 driving miles of their door.

        Now, let's say they didn't pay me for more than the first month. Okay, that frees me to work for their competitors. If I did 12 different clients in the same field (lawyer, hair salon, etc), that works out to $7,200 per year per field.

        I'm actually taking a loss by tying myself down to just 1 client. So if they would like to go with someone that offers to do the job for less, I smile, thank them for the experience, and then move on.

        I've had one client that did change their mind about letting me go after 2 months had passed. I had to tell them that I was already working for chiropractor a few blocks away.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tiduslite8
    I am getting ready to approach a Chiropractor in my area and was wondering how you priced them? Did they have an issue with that initial setup fee and your monthly charge? The ones in my area seem to charge a session fee of like $45.00 - $50.00. I'm just trying to find a fairly reasonable package to approach them with and still make it worth my time, etc. Thanks for any advice..
    Okay, that is from a PM I was sent. I don't have enough posts yet in the forum to reply, so figured I'd make it a open reply.

    The chiroprator's client pay $45-$50 per session. How often will a typical client return? Once a month, twice a month? Is the typical client someone that will continue to return throughout the year?

    Basically, talk with your potential client about their business. You know what you'd like to charge, but you want enough information to show them that you are the biggest bargain they will ever see.

    My rates are the same whether the client is a doctor, lawyer, hair salon...mainly because I'm lazy in regards to my prices. For Google Places my start-up fee is $600 (includes first month) and $300 per month, so for a year it's $3,900.

    At a client rate of $50 per session, returning once a month for a year, a new client is worth $600 to the chiropractor. If my work only gets them 7 new clients in the first month (HA!), then they'll still see a $300 profit at the end of the year. And that is only with 7 new clients.

    How you price your business is up to you. The main thing to consider is TALKING WITH YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENT. Do your research as well. Go in with a list of keywords that get good search volume, and show the client where they are currently ranking. If you'd like, you can set your total yearly fees based on the value of 10 new clients for that business...if you are sure you can deliver above that amount.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    Anytime you are selling a service based on value vs cost. That fills a need, and reduces cost on other expenses, while increasing ROI on marketing dollars.... I don't think you can go wrong.

    It is a true win/win....
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  • Profile picture of the author russellprisco
    I totally agree about delivering value and results. One thing I did not see mentioned here so far (unless i missed it) that goes along those same lines, is the number of searches the targeted keywords receive.

    Granted, everything is dependent on industry as well, but let's say we're talking about the same niche.

    The value decreases for a chiropractor in a smaller suburb that only receives 1/10th of the search volume that a chiropractor receives in a large metropolitan city, even though they're both in a decent niche (not great, but decent though) profitability wise...

    Which actually makes me wonder, what numbers are you all giving to your potential clients?

    Are you giving them Broad, Phrase or Exact match data?

    Thanks,

    Russell =)
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Good point Russell. My chiro customer has weak competition and search volume is low. In rebranding him to sports performance and injuries I was able to greatly increase the monthly search volume for our areas. And I've found industry specific terms that I'm confident he could rank and get some attention from professionally or in the Austin market if he wanted.

    I use exact.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    Just did a deal with a chiro to rebrand himself for Auto Accidents... he said they pay better and last longer as clients.


    Just sayin...
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    • Profile picture of the author Randy Miller
      Originally Posted by Amir Luis View Post

      Just did a deal with a chiro to rebrand himself for Auto Accidents... he said they pay better and last longer as clients.


      Just sayin...


      BRILLIANT! Thanks Amir, you've just given me a great idea for rebranding a client that I have.

      thanks,

      Randy
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  • Profile picture of the author Blue IXXI
    This is an awesome thread. I'm getting SO many ideas. Thanks all!

    Couple of questions on how to implement this in my offline biz.

    For those of you already doing this in your offline business do you...
    1) provide any kind of monthly reporting that shows what you did the client? What does that report contain?
    2) Do you offer any kind of guarentee? If so, how do you phrase that?

    Thanks so much!
    James
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    • Profile picture of the author Sean D Kelly
      How do you generate the leads for your services? Going through the classifieds strikes me as a good way to go about it. Maybe even call up the newspaper acting as an interested customer and find the actual price. More ammunition to go into the call with. Though I am curious as to how you get your foot into the door without offering something like a free website. I do feel like offering something free at the start is a great idea though
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      Loving life on a beach in paradise
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      • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
        Originally Posted by beelzebot View Post

        How do you generate the leads for your services? Going through the classifieds strikes me as a good way to go about it. Maybe even call up the newspaper acting as an interested customer and find the actual price. More ammunition to go into the call with. Though I am curious as to how you get your foot into the door without offering something like a free website. I do feel like offering something free at the start is a great idea though
        You are on the right track... In my local area the free weekly paper is over $500 per 3x5 add and up. Actually.... maybe it was 2x5... Either way.

        That is for one printing and distribution.

        So charging a business anything under $1000 is totally doable for this service.

        If you want to offer something free for this service... Which is always a good idea. Offer a free Google Maps Listing. (or verification).

        I actually like giving a free website to them as well, you can mirror their site if it is worth a darn.

        If it isn't.

        You can create something direct response oriented and get them better results.

        The key advantage is having the ability to register with WebMaster tools... and sever access to upload the KML file.

        Also, if you give them a website you can bill in an extra $30 per month hosting.
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  • Profile picture of the author eshber
    What do you think a restaurant owner would pay for this service? As i could possibly have a meeting with a restaurant owner tomorrow.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    As you can see from my signature I generally charge a minimum of $699 for optimization.
    Plus $200+ for maintenance of the listing. Ensuring page on placement and constant positive reviews with a little reputation management.

    The last thing they need is someone posting bad stuff on the web about their lifes work.

    Really... look at what they are already spending in advertising.

    Where are they advertising now?
    What is there average ROI?
    What is the average dollar amount of revenue per year of new customers?

    Also, your price should be dependant on the amount of work it is going to take to get them there...

    Will you have server access to upload the KML file? Is there website Marketing oriented, or was it done by some web designer that knows nothing of marketing principles that work?

    Those are a couple of sample questions that will give you a governor of what they will be willing to spend, and what is fair to you.

    If you have an android phone you might show them the google maps APP on your phone, letting them know that by XMas 2011 more than 50% of the population will have smart phones already.

    And with affordable prepaid plans like Cricket Wireless and Metro PCS, even people who don't own computers carry the internet with them in their pockets.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sean D Kelly
    With all the changes recently I have lost track, what is the differenec between a google maps listing and a google places listing?
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    They are basically one in the same now... Google Business is Google Places which is Google Maps....


    Make Sense?

    Google Places is the business listings on google. Which has integrated and the main source for businesses on Google Maps.

    Potato Tomato.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sean D Kelly
    Cool, thanks. So you would recommend giving them a free listing to get the recurring income of maintaining it? I like that but seems a shame to give up the setup fee. I'll keep brainstorming
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    I offer a free listing... Then Flip it to a Complete Optimization Set up. Quick transition so they do not even know they are being sold until they pull out their credit card.


    Easy peasy...
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  • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
    True that 5star.... It is really hard to put a number on a case by case scenario.
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  • Profile picture of the author iwebresults
    This is a bit of a twist, what is your minimum charge per hour, I just looked at odesk and they had programmers charging $25 hour, I charge $40 and I thought I was being competitive! I can't afford to work at $25 an hour
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  • Profile picture of the author robbishop
    Hi guys,

    Is it possible to get a business a GP listing if there are no listings for their search term? Or this sort of thing out of our hands?
    Rob
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    • Profile picture of the author Amir Luis
      Originally Posted by robbishop View Post

      Hi guys,

      Is it possible to get a business a GP listing if there are no listings for their search term? Or this sort of thing out of our hands?
      Rob

      I have found this to be out of my hands.... but if someone knows something I don't.... Feel free to share.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mary Wilhite
    I am finding Google Places to be a lot harder to get rank, so I think that it's worth a try.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anna Howard
    One can go in finding various websites offering cheaper and affordable services of getting ranked with in a search engine then the one you mentioned..... Whats required is just proper R&D .......
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  • Profile picture of the author Creativegirl
    Good idea on the thick books. I've been mentoring a couple of clients here and there with freebies and they are learning first hand 1) why you hire a marketer and 2) how labor intensive it can be.
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  • Profile picture of the author bmsmarketing
    I charge between 200-300 a month normally. I tell them its 400 and cut them a 50% discount and im still fine. 200 a month, clients usually have no problem signing up for that.
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  • Profile picture of the author rotten72
    Originally Posted by Creativegirl View Post

    One of my customers recently gave me a copy of an Internet Marketer's sales pitch for Google Places. It's targeted to a niche medical industry. Their cost is $2,995 one time and guarantees top placement in Google Places. If the client should fall they'll work to restore placement for $347 month.

    I haven't broken Google Places out as a standard alone service...yet.

    Wondering if anyone would share what they charge and any helpful info on your model/system.

    Thanks.
    That sounds like a GREAT deal. Give me $2995 and if we don't get you there it's ONLY $350 a month, but heh you may NEVER get there
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  • Profile picture of the author danielmcclure
    This thread has been very educational and it's great to see how other warrior are using their marketing skills with local businesses! Got a few things to takeaway that I'll probably integrate with my services business!
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  • Profile picture of the author scottmcleod
    Hi I am new to this forum - I have been reading this because I have set up a few google place accounts for friends and thought about it as a business. I wanted to ask - when you set up google places for a business do you keep it on your google account or do you set up a google account for them, giving them control.....I live in Scotland and I'm sure there are plenty of business here. One of the business I set up on google places is a furniture company and they get around 800/900 visitor a month and I know for a fact they had a customer who spent £7000 with them just last week who found them on google places...Good Eh
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