Another giant entrant into the local marketing business

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This company is a monster. They already have 4,000,000 customers, and have an incredible brand positioning with small business owners.

Unless you're an offline business owner, you probably don't even know who they are or what they do.

Deluxe

They're traditionally in the checks and forms business. But it seems they've come on really strong as an internet marketing powerhouse, offering sledgehammer services through a suite of branded subsidiary entities.

Website dev
Email marketing
Traffic generation
and an online, small business community called PartnerUp

LP:Marketing for Small Business

They're promoting via massive talk radio ad campaigns in multiple major markets across the US. Millions of dollars in ad budget.

Are you on your game?
#offline marketing #business #entrant #giant #local #marketing
  • They also have direct mail campaigns, I know because I was at a family member's office and I saw them.
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    • Hey Man...I'd like to talk with you about your Google Maps experience...I have a number of projects I'm about to post......
  • Yeah, they're no joke and I think they intend to grab some serious market share in record time.

    They will be a force to be reckoned with because they have massive $ behind the effort.
  • I scoff at these large companies doing the local thing. When it comes right down to it this company will assign sales reps to manage tons of accounts and the small business owners will end up just being another account number.

    I might be wrong and we'll see, they do look like a player. But that can be overcome by the savvy consultant.

    My advice to local offline companies/consultants is to build that relationship by going out and meeting your clients and of course always offer value and over deliver.
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    • ATT markets directly to their existing client base and sells web services as an add on... still that doesnt stop new competitors from entering the field and thriving every day.

      Yes. If I had a pair of white gloves, I would take them off and slap them on both sides of their face and then turn around say

      With that I would start to walk toward the door, then quickly turn around again, and say, "I SAID Good day Sir", and walk out!

      That would show em!
  • The advantage they have is their account reps already have direct numbers to decision makers at small businesses, and working relationships established.

    They might not do as good a job as a great, local consultant, but Holiday Inn isn't as nice as a great Bed and Breakfast.

    It's just nicer than the half of them that are gross, and I am confident in exactly what quality I will get for my money. That has powerful appeal.

    I'm not trying to recommend them over local, just agreeing with the OP. They are a lot harder competition then many offline consultants have seen before. Be on the top of your game.
  • The funny thing is that it's all been done before. There were some really large companies hustling low end website packages back in 1998-1999 too. At one point, even CitySearch.com was desperately trying to figure out how to generate revenue and got into the web dev business.

    I would say that it's one thing to sponge off your existing database of 4 million accounts.

    It's another, completely different, tell-tale sign that you've created four serious separate business units as standalone entities, and then are hustling an integrated services approach by running traditional media marketing spots all across the US.

    I don't know their process yet, but I intend to find out very quickly.
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    • Thanks for posting this Michael. I've actually been an affiliate for them for nearly six years through Shareasale, selling not only checks and promotional products but web design services, emailing, domain registration, logo design, just about everything. It has made my consulting job a lot easier for my clients with 50% commission level including bonuses.
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  • Yes, one of my buddies got sold on their $79.95/mo deal.I wasn't interested in doing his site, so he finally caved in :-)

    I can't see anything special in what they offer. They're just adding to their bottom line. That's it.


    Thomas
  • One thing I noticed is that they are making the, "Get on the first page of Google" guarantee and its just PPC advertising.
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    • As an affiliate, it makes nearly effortless ousourcing.
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  • I see. It looks like you can also market them through CJ
  • I researched a company many years ago in Melbourne (Australia) who were operating a similar promotional system.

    The venture fell apart because the sales reps. were making promises that couldn't be kept and, furthermore, the back-up from the Company after sign-up was appalling.
  • You can play up the fact that what you get from them is "cookie cutter". Your client is special. He needs a form fitting solution, with detailed care to ensure he's hitting those secret sweets spots.
  • If I'm a local business owner in........say........Phoenix, I would benefit greatly from working with someone who knows the Phoenix business climate, the Phoenix customer base....one who directly knows my competition & understands what it takes to stay ahead of them....one who can customise a marketing plan taylor made for my specific needs....one who can come to me personally when I need his/her (that means alot...)

    .....not some one from Minnesota, who has no clue about my local target market.....not someone who can only offer me "cookie cutter" solutions....

    With 4,000,000 clients as they say....i'm sure the "custom" website they would make me would look like 100,000 template based sites they have....and I would only get lost in a numbers shuffle...

    My best selling points to my clients are my accessibility, my personal attention, my knowledge of local target markets....

    Game On...
    ~Ken
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    • I agree Ken - well said!
    • I understand what you're saying Ken, and in principle, I agree with you - to a point.

      First of all, in my opinion, it's a serious error in business philosophy to underestimate the competition. Now if it were just these guys and then all the small players, then I'd say sure, no problem.

      But now, there's the perception of "gold in them thar hills" and the rush is on again for everybody and their brother, trying to talk small business owners into this or that. So small businesses are getting inundated with offers to do this or that. When that happens, business owners will turn to trusted vendors with established relationships. They don't care about the "template", they care about THE RESULTS OF THE TEMPLATE. And we both know that a template website can deliver the exact results as a finely-crafted work of customized digital glory.

      With dedicated account reps with specific accounts to manage, in many cases... PRE-EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS, I don't know that you can say that their clients are just numbers, and that you'll be able to somehow deliver a better customer experience. In fact, small guys might be more attentive because they have fewer clients - but they are less responsive because they have fewer resources with which to manage the relationship and deliver the services.

      Yes, people can still go out and make money in the services business.

      No, it's not the pretty picture with happy little trees that so many people want to paint.

      I know, I know... there I go being all realistic and crap again. What a downer, huh.
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  • Seems like I get a new mailer from these guys every other day..

    It's who I get my business checks done through and they have really good customer service. I have a rep that touches base with me about once a month to see if I "need anything" or if there's any way he can help.

    They're going to be a force to be reckoned with for sure.
  • There are several big companies that have migrated into the offline arena.

    We are probably the only ones that call it that... but whatever....

    Does this mean that my piece of the pie is going to get any smaller?

    I doubt it. I just keep pushing forward no matter what. There are just as many new businesses registered as there are baby's born every day.

    I believe it is a good thing to Look at the competition, but a bad thing to Stare.

    Being cognizant of their tactics and behaviors is one thing. But making fear based decisions as a result has never worked out for me.

    I enjoy sharing the market. Why?

    Because you know you are in a viable industry when the big boys jump all over it too.

    Also.... the more advertising that these companies do helps me. It helps create top of the mind awareness. So when I contact these business owners, they know they need an online marketing presence. Why? Because some billion dollar marketing campaign told them so. Do they remember the number of the radio commercial? Or the constant barrage of television commercials done by the yellow page companies offering Internet Marketing?

    No.

    These companies planted the seed. They made my job easier.

    Thank you Big Box Internet Marketing Companies.... Keep it coming.
  • There's certainly plenty of opportunity. It just requires someone to understand the dynamics of the market, and create a compelling story... more than just "Hey, I can get your site to #1 in Google".

    Yeah, so can about a hundred other boiler rooms in Bangalore.
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    • Have PPC account.. Will Get you on first page of Google.
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  • Is that really what some companies are doing...guaranteeing 1st page results and then they just use PPC?!

    Please tell me that's a joke.
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    • Actually, it isn't!
    • I can and do guarantee 1st page results within 72 hours, but it is not just with PPC. That's how I make the big bucks.
  • I love those big companies. You can easily contact their clients six months down the road and offer "customized" and creative internet marketing, knowing they haven't received any recently... ;-)

    Out of curiosity, I checked their testimonials page and researched those websites. With the exeption of one (little competition), they couldn't be found in top pages of Google, organic or maps...

    I also visited their PartnerUp social site and found the same as above.

    To me, their clients will be my new income stream. I've done it before with other big players. This one will not any different.

    Please, be aware, I don't build websites. I only provide marketing solutions.


    Thomas
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    • Yeah, that is what the Mom & Pop shops said when Walmart came in too.
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  • LOL!

    Big Boy doesn't care that we can come in and swing a few deals by being relational. They are going mass. Raking in hundreds of millions while we fight for a $10K deal.

    Plus, never underestimate the "clue" held by the average business owner.

    They could be getting reamed by Big Boy and we can say, "Hey Big Boy has a thermometer up your butt."

    "Really? I don't feel anything."

    "What?!" we reply.

    "Anyway, so what? What makes you different?"

    "Well, we're relational," we say. "Big Boy uses a metal rod and we employ the latex glove approach. See, we're relational. Personal touch."
  • Marcos, it's funny you just mentioned "building to sell" method. I've been working on it for several months now and I think it's never been a better time since the BIG GUYS moving in...


    Thomas
  • I don't think the sky is falling Tim. I think the market is continuing to evolve, as it has since the NSF decided to privatize teh interwebs.

    It's certainly changing the game for small market guys trying to hustle up on the street.
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