$5,000 deal! And how I got it...
Hey there everyone I thought I'd share this with you all.
So this morning I closed a $5,000 web deal (50% upfront) and I feel I should share how I did it. The strategy isn't revolutionary but hopefully it can help someone.
I've been doing web design for clients since early 2009 but recently began using this strategy.
First of all, I do zero cold calling (I'm a wuss) and I get all of my clients through email. It's what works for me and it's what makes me continually take action.
Anyways, first of all I just find a bunch of sites (400+) that could use some help. Majority (75%ish) are pretty crappy.
I then proceed to contact them all in a "personal" way via email. Basically just telling them I feel like I can help and I'd like to show them what I can for them.
If they are interested I then have a free mockup created for them. (the mockup is not a working site, its an image file created in photoshop.)
From there they can decide if they want me to turn that image into a working live site for them.
Some tips that I learned along the way:
1.) Make sure they know that the mockup is just a design concept and that it is coming to them as an image file (prospects sometimes expect working sites)
2.) Do everything you can to meet them in person to show them the design. (about 50-75% of the prospects I meet with become clients opposed to about 20% who just want to see what I can do for them, still worth it though)
3.) Once they tell you they want a Free Mockup, make sure they know that the only obligation is that they give you a definite "yes" or "no" on whether they want to move forward or have you recreate another design for them.
4.) Ask for example sites, alot of business owners have sites that they like (normally it's their competitors)
5.) Work within a specific niche. Let them know in your email that you are a web development/ internet marketing company that is dedicated to Professionals in "their niche" . (My response rate almost doubled when I did this)
6.) Before you create their Mockup as for their budget. This way when you send them a proposal or ask for a check face to face you can feel completely confident that you aren't "overpricing" them. This also allows you to possibly get more money out of each client, that's what happened with me and the deal I closed this morning. (attached is the email response of him giving me his budget)
I outsource the majority of my work to a few designers on Odesk. You can have a mockup made on Odesk for about $20-$25. (make sure you use a "fixed-price" setting when hiring).
Anyways, that's what I did to get the deal this morning and I have closed several similiar deals using this exact method.
Hope this helps someone!
Dan
So this morning I closed a $5,000 web deal (50% upfront) and I feel I should share how I did it. The strategy isn't revolutionary but hopefully it can help someone.
I've been doing web design for clients since early 2009 but recently began using this strategy.
First of all, I do zero cold calling (I'm a wuss) and I get all of my clients through email. It's what works for me and it's what makes me continually take action.
Anyways, first of all I just find a bunch of sites (400+) that could use some help. Majority (75%ish) are pretty crappy.
I then proceed to contact them all in a "personal" way via email. Basically just telling them I feel like I can help and I'd like to show them what I can for them.
If they are interested I then have a free mockup created for them. (the mockup is not a working site, its an image file created in photoshop.)
From there they can decide if they want me to turn that image into a working live site for them.
Some tips that I learned along the way:
1.) Make sure they know that the mockup is just a design concept and that it is coming to them as an image file (prospects sometimes expect working sites)
2.) Do everything you can to meet them in person to show them the design. (about 50-75% of the prospects I meet with become clients opposed to about 20% who just want to see what I can do for them, still worth it though)
3.) Once they tell you they want a Free Mockup, make sure they know that the only obligation is that they give you a definite "yes" or "no" on whether they want to move forward or have you recreate another design for them.
4.) Ask for example sites, alot of business owners have sites that they like (normally it's their competitors)
5.) Work within a specific niche. Let them know in your email that you are a web development/ internet marketing company that is dedicated to Professionals in "their niche" . (My response rate almost doubled when I did this)
6.) Before you create their Mockup as for their budget. This way when you send them a proposal or ask for a check face to face you can feel completely confident that you aren't "overpricing" them. This also allows you to possibly get more money out of each client, that's what happened with me and the deal I closed this morning. (attached is the email response of him giving me his budget)
I outsource the majority of my work to a few designers on Odesk. You can have a mockup made on Odesk for about $20-$25. (make sure you use a "fixed-price" setting when hiring).
Anyways, that's what I did to get the deal this morning and I have closed several similiar deals using this exact method.
Hope this helps someone!
Dan
Local Web Marketing
For more of my knowledge, go to my blog at MatthewWellington.co.uk