Local Internet Marketing Consulting Website

You could offer a free consultation/evaluation of their website (which in reality will be your sales pitch).

As suggested in http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-its-free.html thread - do not charge per hour but per project.

A giveaway I use is a free basic listing on your local directory site. This is a great lead generator.

Make friends with any local printing (or t shirt printing) firms in your area - this is where local business people go when they're in the frame of mind for improving their business - pay the staff at the printing firms for referrals.

Works for me anyway.

The type of website you develop depends upon your target
market, what other marketing materials you're using (if any)
and what the objectives of your site are.

For me, I focus on one niche and drive traffic to a lead capture
page offering a high value report/audio/video/DVD that's directly
related to their biggest problems right now.

I use this format because I'm targeting one niche market
internationally.

If you're targeting local businesses generally, you'll probably
use a different model.

I put them into an autoresponder series to build trust,
credibility and warm them up to the idea of enquiring about
my services.

I also send them a weekly newsletter with valuable strategies
related to the needs of the niche and it's at least 80% high
value content to 20% offers.

Simple. Don't charge by the hour - charge by the value of
the results you're delivering to the client.

Depending on your skill set and if you use outsourcers there
are many services you can offer.

In the first niche I went after, I offered them high-priced
consulting on the front end and then web services on the
back end.

In 2006 I changed niche and model and offer the autoresponder
service on the front end and a backend of additional services
such as high-priced consulting.

Give away high value information of interest to your target
market.

What their burning problems? Create a high value freebie
that addresses those concerns directly.

Time is one of your most valuable and non-renewable
assets so don't give it away free willy nilly.

People rarely value things that are free.

In my first business I used to give away 1-hour free
consultations (like a fool!) and nearly half of the people
who booked wouldn't call or would forget.

I remember the frustration when I'd prepare for the
call and then the phone wouldn't ring. Arrrgh!

I therefore modified it to pre-qualify people thoroughly
before scheduling that free consultation instead of
giving it right away to everyone.

For example, I get people to e-mail me further details
of what their situation is and what they want to be
different with their lead generation etc.

So don't give it away as the first free offer on your
website.

Instead, offer a free consultation later to people
who have proved by your pre-qualification steps
that they're ready and able to buy your services.

Dedicated to your success,

Shaun

Two years ago, in the UK, I was charging £25/hour just to manage Google Adwords and Yahoo Overture accounts. There's good money in it if you can make the right contacts.

So, who are the right contacts? It's that little business clique often called the Chamber of Commerce.

If there is no business community in your area, perhaps you can even start arranging business breakfasts: find a local (up to 20 miles) venue for breakfast and allow everybody round the table a 1 minute "what I do" presentation to the rest.

If such breakfasts are run, then go to them!