What are you charging for Google Places?

I would suggest searching the forum a bit. There are a bunch of threads regarding this that have some very good insight.

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 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.

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.

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.

Thank you for the info and tips.

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, 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.

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.

Here you go. Some more input from another thread like I mentioned before

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...-question.html

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.

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.

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.

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....

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 =)

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.

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...

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

What do you think a restaurant owner would pay for this service? As i could possibly have a meeting with a restaurant owner tomorrow.

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.

With all the changes recently I have lost track, what is the differenec between a google maps listing and a google places listing?

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.

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

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...

True that 5star.... It is really hard to put a number on a case by case scenario.

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

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 am finding Google Places to be a lot harder to get rank, so I think that it's worth a try.

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 .......

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.

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.

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

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!

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