MoBuzz

Here ya go ; )
http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...available.html

HappyGayleen

Is Lime Cellular similar in pricing to AVID? Why did you choose Lime?

MoBuzz

I think there over all pricing was pretty close, with Limes start up being a little less.

DigiMan

Many Thanks & Kudos to MoBuzz...

We, the Warriors on your Thread, owe you a huge debt of thanks for not only the generosity of your excellent advice but also for the time you have taken to help us. (Those are my personal feelings…and I am sure others here feel the same.)
Sincerely, DigiMan

DigiMan

Marketing Insight: The Last Great Local Niche -- Pt. 1

MoBuzz replied, “I live in Napa Ca which is huge for tourist. I will be launching my local mobile directory next week as I think the best way to reach tourist is thru Hotels, B&Bs, visitor centers and such. Hopefully I am correct”

MoBuzz, whether you realize it or not, you suggested mining an immense and virtually overlooked niche of ‘local’ marketing. I broadly speak of popular tourist destinations in rural, 'natural', or wilderness areas throughout the USA.

Rural Tourist Towns are probably the last great unexploited market for online services, especially mobile.

Each rural tourist town is a small goldmine for mobile marketers. Sure, one small rural tourist town may not seem like much of a market (at least not in comparison to a major city). BUT, In spite of a small local population, a popular tourist town—and its surrounding area—will have a significant number of 'mom & pop' tourist businesses, representing a big potential market for online services (hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, restaurants, bars, tourist attractions, C&W music halls, outdoor outfitters, and etc). And if you dominate several tourist towns, your collection of small goldmines will add up to a substantial business. (That business model was once very successful and profitable for ‘hard copy’ marketers of tourist rack brochures.)

Most saliently, Rural Tourist Towns are barely served by marketers and providers of online and mobile services (at least from what I see in the Midwest). So, each rural tourist town is a small goldmine untapped by mobile marketers.

My local markets of Eureka Springs, AR and Branson, MO perfectly illustrate my above stated claims and contentions.

None of my clients have an online presence beyond a basic non-optimized Google Places listing and/ or a cookie-cutter Wix-type website. I'm not aware of any having a real mobile site.

In fact, an inadequate and/ or non-existent online and/ or mobile presence is fairly common for many local businesses in rural Midwestern tourist towns, including the most popular vacation destinations. Most still rely on rack brochures, newspaper ads, and the local chamber of commerce to promote their businesses. Aye, if one looked hard at Midwestern tourist towns, they would find a mammoth market of small and mid-size businesses whose online presence is often years behind the times.

There is virtually no local competition from marketers or providers of online or mobile services. There is truly a shortage of genuine web developers and designers in rural or wilderness resorts. In my tourist town, not a single local business or reputable freelancer builds sites or offers any online or mobile marketing services.

A sharp marketer might perceive a goldmine in my backyard waiting to be developed. That is true…but this raw goldmine is not easy pickings.

Rural Midwestern businesses have weak online marketing for various reasons.

We, the backwoods folks, are late in getting the technology—broadband & cell towers--that city people have enjoyed for nearly a decade. Broadband came to Eureka Springs and Branson just a few years ago. Outside of those two towns, it is either expensive satellite broadband or old-fashioned dial-up at maybe 42 kps. Until recently, the lack of internet AND CELLULAR infrastructure inhibited the growth of online services in rural Midwestern Tourist Towns. ...but times are a changing fast.

Making matters worse, tourist towns get hucksters who drift in for the season and move on afterwards. In the recent past, a notorious con artist rolled into town, claimed to be a web developer, razzled & dazzled a lot of my local clients, and charged them a grip of money for what amounted to lame Wix-type sites....then he split town.

The once-naive rural Midwest is a favorite target for telemarketers. Some of my clients have been sorely disappointed by telemarketer schemes promising 'free' websites...and then raking them over the coals on backend charges (such as, for hosting their crappy websites).

There is now a general distrust of salesmen pitching online services. Granted, I have a big edge as a well-known local business. But even so, I am confronted with a great deal of skepticism regarding the value of online marketing...thanks to their poor past experiences with such. Also, unfortunately, small towns can be narrow-minded with long memories; therefore, bad experiences can linger long, working against anyone attempting to break the ‘ice’ again.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that some ‘bread & butter’ mobile services, such as the SMS marketing discussed on ‘our’ Warrior thread, probably won’t work in a rural setting. Thus, selling online services to rural businesses can be a somewhat different ballgame than what most Warriors are used to.

IN ESSENCE, the real problem is my clients’ ignorance of what constitutes proper online development and marketing. Most think a Wix or GoDaddy cookiecutter website is sufficient...and nothing more is needed. Thus, naturally, they have been disappointed with the results of their online efforts (not realizing their online failure is a consequence of their own ineptitude). So, many are reluctant to embrace (i.e. BUY into) new online services.

On the bright side, as far as online & mobile marketing goes, my clients are acutely aware that ‘hard copy’ advertising is becoming less effective. Every year they need fewer rack brochures printed because each year less brochures are being grabbed from my brochure racks. They realize that something different is desperately needed soon.

IN AN OZARK WALNUT SHELL, there is a great potential market for mobile services in rural tourist areas. But the online marketer must scale a wall of distrust and ignorance. HOWEVER, if somebody can crack the first few walnut shells, word of mouth spreads like wildfire in small towns...and the first marketer who breaks those initial shells could not only pick up many many accounts but would also enjoy a monopoly for his online services (rural folks tend to stick with folks whom they trust, valuing trust over the lowest pricing).

I hope my above novella provided some useful info, serving as a meaningful contribution to this thread.

If any Warriors care to hear more, I will write Part 2, providing insights on how to market to small town folks, which are a different breed of cat from mainstream big city customers. (My info is based on my 29 years of marketing 'hard copy' to Tourist Town small businesses...and hopefully, some of my hard copy marketing experience has not been made obsolete by the Internet. )

Wishing Great Success to All,
DigiMan

HappyGayleen

What generous people! Both MoBuzz and DigiMan are generous with both tiime and expertise. It is uplifting to see such generosity of spirit! Not to mention useful.

MoBuzz

Thanks for the great insight DigMan. Here in Napa much of the tourist destinations are "up Valley" where the wineries are located. I would love to hear some of your strategies on reaching out to the more rural folks.

DigiMan

Reply to MoBuzz -- Some Ideas of My Own

This is not Part 2 of my Insights post...but rather a reply to your last suggestions.

You are about to do in Napa what I hope to accomplish in the Ozarks, which is to introduce and sell mobile marketing services in a Tourist Town. So, I thought I'd share a few ideas from my end, presenting my notions for cracking the Small Tourist Town walnut shell.

I am not sure if your concept for a local mobile directory is quite what I envision. My notion of a local directory site consists of several key components, which includes mobile sites.

Step 1: ‘Business Category’ Directory Website

My thought is to build a ‘standard’ website structured as a directory site for specific business categories. For instance, my nine bed & breakfast clients would get their own local directory site. The home page would feature an image slider showing each client. Followed by a promotional article extolling the virtues of the local B&Bs in general. Then, finally, a few ‘featured business’ spots on the home page.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT of the ‘main’ directory website would be giving each client a unique page comprised of a business listing in the style of Google Places (or maybe simply ‘import’ their Google Places’ listing page into my directory site to serve as my site’s business listing for them…because I have seen that done on another site…but how that was done, I don’t know yet).

[You might think that a directory website with business listing pages is overkill and even unnecessary in light of mobile sites. You see, I have a very specific reason, involving a new & original online service.The client’s business listing page, as well as his mobile site, would deliver the new service. This ‘new’ service is very ‘specific’ to rural tourism: it would not be relevant for a ‘big city’ local business. Thus, it is not something that those in mainstream online marketing have probably seen on their radar (as far as I can tell). I dare say it is the ‘online’ reinvention of the primary ‘hard copy’ marketing strategy for small tourist towns. If I didn’t live where I do and work in the business that I am in (for last 29 years), my idea would never have occurred to me. Anyway, that’s why the directory website is necessary. Perhaps I will send a PM sharing a few details.)

STEP 2: Client Mobile Sites

Each client in a particular directory site would get their own ‘basic’ mobile site (ostensibly, for ‘FREE’). However, the clients’ mobile sites must be ‘tied to’ the main directory site. They wouldn’t be allowed to ‘attach’ the ‘free’ mobisite to their own main website. My Grand Objective requires me to maintain complete control of content.

The clients’ mobile site would serve two main purposes: One, it would do what you already imagined, which is to act as a place for the QR business cards to take a mobile consumer for a discount coupon. And, two, it would act as the ‘vehicle’ to deliver the new service (hinted at above).

As far as distribution of QR Business Cards goes, I have 426 old-fashioned ‘hard copy’ brochure racks located in places where tourists frequent. So, I figure that I can attach something to my brochure racks displaying the QR Business Cards. Distribution of the biz cards is the easy part.

(By the by, MoBuzz…think about brochure racks used for rack brochures. Historically, you find brochure racks in virtually every motel-hotel lobby, every restaurant, and almost everywhere else in every tourist town. Surely, you got one or two old hard copy dinosaurs, like me, in Napa. So, work a deal with a dinosaur to use his brochure racks for QR Card distribution...plus that would save you lots of time by not having to individually deal with many ‘location’ owners…your local dinosaur already has permission to place brochures at their locations….cut a deal with the dinosaur…and then just walk into ‘locations’, place your cards on his racks, and go. BY THE BY AGAIN, you would be naïve to depend on hotel employees, restaurant cashiers, and etc to pass out your QR cards—good in theory but rarely works out in reality.)

Step 3: A Mobile Site for the ‘Category’ Directory Website

The Category Directory Website would have a ‘redirect-type’ mobile site ‘attached’ to it (because I don’t think a ‘responsive’ site will do what I want). The Directory MobiSite’s home page would simply list each client as a ‘button’. Click the button and go to the client’s mobile site. Of course, I would jazz up the Directory MobiSite a bit with a nice image and some promo copywriting. But the object is to redirect consumers to a client’s mobisite.

Step 4: A ‘City Info’ Directory Website (with Mobile Site)

After a few ‘business category’ directory sites are built, a ‘general’ city info / directory website might tie everything together nicely. I can present articles about the ‘subject’ tourist town, announce upcoming special events, feature ‘premium’ local businesses, and etc. BUT most importantly, the general directory site would ‘prominently’ direct viewers to the ‘business category’ directory sites. (Also, I am thinking that the main directory website should be ‘responsive’, if possible, thereby taking care of the mobile site with ‘one stone’.)

Step 5: Where is the Beef?

How do I ‘monetize’? The Clients’ MobiSites is where I foresee the big bucks will come.

Well, again, the basic mobile site is ‘free’. Also, the mobi site is not leased to them either (although I might tag them for ‘hosting’). BUT I would charge them dearly for the 'add-on' services, such as the QR Business Cards and my new ‘top secret’ service.

On the ‘category’ directory sites, maybe I could sell ‘featured’ listings on the home page. Also, I could charge for ‘enhanced’ business listings (for their ‘independent’ listing page on my directory site). PLUS, I could use this angle to offer the service of ‘optimizing’ their Google Places listings.

On the main directory site, maybe I can sell local ads….and ‘featured’ business spots.

Custom content creation for their business listing and mobisites might be another revenue stream.

In Conclusion...AM I NUTS?

An online pundit told me that my ‘site complex’ described above is unnecessarily complicated; that I can achieve all my objectives with less ‘site structure’.

My staff has debated with me over the need for the ‘category’ directory sites. ‘Overkill’ and ‘too much complexity’, they clamor! ‘Just do one general ‘city info’ directory site!’ BUT all my clients fit into 7 nice neat categories. And methinks that if all clients were placed on a single general directory site, it would become a cluttered unwieldy site, thereby minimizing each client’s site exposure. I don’t know…maybe my online inexperience has me thinking naively and wrongly (but fu*k it, I am the boss…and I will do it my way until someone gives me a good reason not to).

On the other hand, my clients are excited about the prospect of the ‘category’ directory sites with attached ‘client’ mobisites. And they are dying to see if I can adapt their favorite ‘hard copy’ marketing method into a new online service (definitely doable for someone with web dev skills, which is not me). Also, they like the idea of a truly professional ‘city info’ directory site (which my Tourist Town doesn’t really have…for a laugh, go to www.eurekasprings.com to see my Small Town’s OFFICIAL city website!)

At this juncture, I am torn. My clients love my overall grand scheme. But the naysayers might be right about ‘too complex’…because after 4 months of long nights and weekends studying code, I still have not got anything off the ground: I can’t get the necessary customizations to my WordPress templates to function correctly or totally look right. Sigh!

Well, MoBuzz, I hope I shared a little something of value with you.
And I desperately invite you to blow holes in my Grand Concept (for a dinosaur’s own good).

Best wishes,
DigiMan (or so I hope to become)

Benjam1n

Hey MoBuzz, great thread and congratulations on the success of your business.

I think that when it comes to any offline business, the key to getting started is picking one idea, creating a plan and sticking to it. There are so many fantastic ideas on this forum, you could quite easily find yourself lost and overwhelmed. To those that are just starting out in mobile marketing and are reading this thread, take action on MoBuzz's idea and don't come back to the Warrior Fourm until you have got it off the ground and have paying clients!!! :-)

And definitely take a look at what WillR has to offer, he's got some awesome products that can add a lot of value to your offerings (no affiliation what so ever).

I have a couple of questions tho Mo, I love the 30 day free trial idea. If you're truly committed to making it work for businesses, I see very few turning down a monthly subscription after 30 days is up, as you said. However, with the 30 day free trial are you paying for:

1) The keyword for the business (or do you get them free with your service provider?)

2) The auto-response for opt ins (or do you leave out the auto-responder for the free trial

3) The material and printing costs for the table cards, beer mats, card holders etc.. for each individual business in order to build their own list. If not, how do you go about getting them to build their own list?

(Thinking out loud) I suppose the more that you do for them in terms of printed materials, the more likely they are to want to keep at it (speculating to accumulate), but still interesting to know what you include.

Or do you simply offer them the bare essentials and then say they can have all of these extra's with the monthly subscription?

Also, do you tie your clients in to a certain amount of time (3 months, 6 months etc)

By the way, an extra income stream that I haven't seen mentioned so far is charging extra for texts to be sent out on people's birthdays. With my service provider, you can choose the date you want texts to be sent to individual numbers. So for a restaurant, for example, they could send out a text four weeks before someone's birthday to say "Come down to RESTAURANT for your Birthday Celebrations with at least 8 guests and we'll chuck in 6 bottles of wine and a birthday cake!!". You could then charge yuor client $xx.xx for xxx birthday texts sent (work it on an hourly basis, number of texts etc)

To get birthdates, it is simple. Create a service review form which is given to customers after they're meal which gives them the chance to "win a free meal". You can ask for any information you want, including birthdates and 99% of people will happily fill it in. Your client then just keeps a spreadsheet and fills it in for each card, name, bday and phone number. If you create a template, you can use the same one for all businesses, just addd their logo/business name each time.

Hope this helps!! Looking forward to your reply MoBuzz!

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

tylerjaysen

yea this is a good post. We are getting bombarded with emails promoting the latest local mobile marketing course. They are good but the one thing they leave out is the selling part. If you don't like to sell or talk to businesses then you're gonna fail miserably. If you can offer a trial period to client to show them that having an app is beneficial and that it will bring them more business then they will jump on board.

DigiMan

Reply to MoBuzz -- Reaching Out to Rural Folks

The 'MoBuzz' persona, as presented on this thread, would go over real well with rural folks. You've exhibited old-fashioned virtues that would open doors in Small Town America.

Let me describe you thru the eyes of a rural Midwestern business owner--how he/ she would see you...and thereby judge you.

You are genuinely helpful without asking for anything. You get high marks for common courtesy and good manners. You are patient; you respond nicely to tenderfoot questions without getting impatient. You speak plainly...and don't talk down to regular folks in spite of your superior knowledge of highfaluting technical stuff. You don't make your audience feel 'dumb' (and that's a real sensitive point with country folk when dealing with city folk).

You 'inform' rather than 'hype'. That would make you real popular in the Ozarks. To be sure, an educational seminar about your 'technology' that concludes with a soft but pointed sales pitch...that is probably the MOST effective sales strategy for a new outsider. [In a small town, presenting an 'educational' sales pitch--"let me explain why my tractor works better than your current one or a new Ford tractor"--produces much better results than a hype pitch promising 'HUGE Profits if you ACT IMMEDIATELY because tomorrow my deal is gone", because country folk don't like to be rushed or pressured.)

The MoBuzz demeanor and disposition displayed here gives the impression that you care about people...and that inspires my 'small town' trust...and motivates me to think, 'I'd like to do business with this good guy rather than that slick salesman offering me the moon for the lowest prices'...thus, you sold me on your services without ever pitching anything...that is great Small Town salesmanship!

In an acorn shell, just present yourself as the MoBuzz of this thread...present yourself FIRST as a courteous, helpful, informative online expert who truly cares about helping my business to succeed...then after I sign your contract, be there to help me when I have a snag with your technology, rather than sending me to India. Give small town folks all that...and you will end up with the town eating out of your hand.

DISCLAIMER: Does 'rural' Napa truly reflect typical 'small town' America? The property value of a dozen or so pf your vineyards probably could buy half my small town. So do the local businesses of Napa wine country really fit the profile of those in most Rural Toursit Towns? I bet those Napa business owners are more worldly and tech-savvy than the average Midwestern rural local business. So, in truth, I can't speak authoritatively about your unique region.

DigiMan

Benjamin, the opening paragraph of your post probably offers the best advice on this thread to an online newcomer. After a nice comfortable cozy routine of producing hard copy for over 2 decades, I find trying to learn how to develop an online business is difficult due to the overwhelming amount of info out there. No sooner than I think I found my direction then I discover some info that seems very important...but invariably sidetracks from my ultimate objective.

I believe I will print out your paragraph and it place under the glass of my 'real' desktop to serve as constant reminder.

Thanks, Ben, for your insight.

DigiMan

Easy Way to Get Customer Birthdays

My clients get their customers' birthdays and other personal info by offering a big birthday-only discount...a Birthday Club, so to speak. Works like a charm with locals...but a meaningless technique with tourist customers.

polc

nice...i dont believe in investing in online i just belive is doing job in online like freelacncer fiverr

DigiMan

Does your Fiverr job entail dressing up in a frog costume, jumping up & down on a bed, and singing 'Zippy-Doo-Dah'?

Daniel LaRusso

Dude, how did you find my fiverr gig?

It is unwise to trust all you read on the internet.
- Benjamin Franklin

oleskool

I have learned more from this thread on SMS marketing than I have from all of the WSO I have purchased. I have the information now I can see myself putting it to work thanks to the information presented here without a cost.

Thanks to all of the Warriors that have given their experience freely.

MoBuzz

WOW Thanks for all the kind words DigMan, and of coarse all of the useful information.

In the "city" of Napa business owners are pretty savvy, as well are the wineries up valley. BUT the small towns where they are located are full of mom & pop businesses. If we can partner with them and help them to grab a bigger piece of the tourism pie, I think everyone will be happy in the end.

Benjam1n

No probs Digiman, glad I could provide something of use for all the great info and time you've invested into the thread.

I've been one of the biggst culprits myself. I get an idea, start the ball rolling and then think of something else. If I had just stuck to my first idea and worked hard at it, i'd have been going for years and probably be making some good money!! It's definitely all about discipline and frame of mind.

The businessman that gets an idea and launches is going to make ten times more money than the businessman that learns and learns. Don't get me wrong, learning is incredibly important but it is useless if you are not going to put your knowledge into action!!

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

MoBuzz

You beat me to it haha

That is a great idea. Thanks

DigiMan

MoBuzz...don't forget my suggestion about using brochure racks (for rack cards / rack brochures) as a means to distribute your QR Code Business Cards. It would be worth talking with whoever runs the local 'rack card' delivery service about using a slot or two on his racks.

MoBuzz

Oh I did not forget : ) This is def something that I will be sure to do. GREAT IDEA and thank you

Ideally the hotel will hand my card to their gust when they hand them their key card.

In a perfect world anyway

Benjam1n

Awesome MoBuzz, thanks for your help. I am in the UK and we do not have a service provider (that I can find) that can offer the services as cheap as you can.

However, you have certainly given me some excellent food for thought and ideas that I will definitely be implementing.

Now I am going to take my own advice, get out there, start selling and not come back to this forum until I am helping businesses generate new customers and making some money!!

Good luck all, anyone can do it and everyone who is succesful in this business, once knew nothing about it!!

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

DigiMan

Benjamin...You Pulled Off a Great Encore....and TY Again!

"The businessman who gets an idea and launches is going to make ten times more money than the businessman that learns and learns. Don't get me wrong, learning is incredibly important but it is useless if you are not going to put your knowledge into action!!"

Your words are the best advice on this thread. And your new advice strikes me to the heart like a dart dead on the bulls'eye.

For the past 10 years, I stuck my head in the sand and thought 'online is nice but hard copy is forever.' My ledger books prove I was wrong. So I come to online as a complete novice, totally overwhelmed by an unfathomable amount of ideas and info.

There is too many areas to study or know everything. You made realize that I must specialize...and end my long learning mode. You are so damn right...I have learned a great deal over the past year...but it has not earned me one red cent yet. So, to use a crude expression, it is time for me to either 'shyte or get off the pot'. Thanks for the cold splash of reality.

Benjam1n

I know exactly what you mean Digiman.

Now lets both get focused, get out there and make some damn money!!!

Nobody is better than you and nobody is smarter than you my friend. I wish you all the best.

"You become what you think about most of the time" - Think BIG!!

DigiMan

ATTENTION! *** Hot off the Press! *** DigiMan’s Swan Song!

I belabored my own sub-topic of Rural Tourist Towns long enough. And as Benjamin sagely said, “get out there, start selling and not come back to this forum until (you are) helping businesses generate new customers and making some money!!” So tallyho and off I shall go. BUT I did promise a Pt 2 of my treatise on ‘You Know What’ subject, which follows below.

This was DigiMan reporting from the Web trenches deep inside the Ozark Mountains…and wishing all ‘Happy Online Hunting!’

Marketing Insights: The Last Great Local Niche -- Pt. 2

As the title of a Jimmy Buffet album said, “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes”. That is the best advice that any marketer can remember when approaching a new market outside his/ her mainstream, especially if rural Tourist Towns are the target.

America is not a culturally homogenous country. It is a nation of many cultures and subcultures.

Two years ago I lost the keys to my front door. I never replaced them. When I leave on trips, the front door is left unlocked. When I return, nothing is ever gone or disturbed. Could I do that in Los Angeles or San Francisco? That’s one example of cultural difference.

When you seek to market your wares to a culture different from your familiar one (such as a Rural Tourist Town -- aka ‘small town’ culture), you will immensely improve your chances of success if you understand their mindset and respect their values.

Trust is often the top consideration when a ‘small town’ local business decides whether or not to do business with you. If you can inspire their trust, making them feel you will do right by them, you’ll usually get their account over the Fast-Talking Power-Hype Hustler pitching a better price and a few extra perks for immediately Acting Now.

When you first walk into a small town, always remember that you are an OUTSIDER. Local folks are generally polite and courteous to everybody…not just because you might be a tourist who may spend bucks in their establishment but also because that’s the Small Town Golden Rule for treating other people. BUT don’t let outward appearances of common courtesy fool you into thinking you got an open door. Again, ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU ARE THE OUTSIDER, and that means you aren’t really trusted (until you do break the ice). Make no initial assumptions based on first appearances.

Small Town folks generally prefer to take people at their word. But too often ‘outsiders’ have mistaken a trusting disposition for gullibility. So, propositions from outsiders are often viewed with a high degree of skepticism. ALSO, remember there is a ‘history’, even if it has degenerated into a ‘rural legend or myth’, of slick city salesmen viewing country folks as bumpkins and thus easy marks…hence there exists an inherent suspicion toward the motives of new outsiders.

Too much razzle-dazzle hype, such as what’s found on more than a few WSO squeeze pages, would probably backfire. Be real and speak plainly when explaining why your deal serves their needs better than anything else….because that inspires their trust more so than proclaiming ‘You must ACT NOW to get my early-bird discount…because this dime sale’s price is skyrocketing rea-a-lly fast!’ TRUST ME, that kind of hype won’t cut a fat hawg with country folk!

Small towns are the original social media. For example, in my town, the president of the Garden Club owns the best bed & breakfast. She is a chief ‘influencer’. So, if her new mobile site produced more customer calls, she would crow about it to her fellow business owners in the Garden Club. Then her followers and rivals would want to emulate her mobile success. OR if the Pastor of the most popular church got a shiny new mobile site that impressed him, his congregation would hear about it too (and you can’t go wrong by getting a ‘thank you’ printed in the church bulletin). Word of mouth spreads real fast in small towns. Win over a couple top local influencers and—Bingo!--your online & mobile services become an easier sell.

There is a downside to the Small Town Social Media Effect. Offend only one local business owner or local influencer…and your boat is forever sunk. Again, news spreads like wildfire (as well as gets exaggerated along the grape vine). Also, small town memories last very long.

The local chamber of commerce, tourist commissions, and local business associations are highly important institutions in rural tourist towns. They present an excellent way to get introductions to local business owners--especially by way of ‘educational’ seminars.

If I wanted to hold a seminar on The Joys of MobiSites, I’d call the Chamber and the Downtown Business Association…and after those two calls, I wouldn’t have to lift a finger to get a room full of local business owners (that is, of course, if the Chamber and Association were persuaded that I had something worthy to ‘teach’).

Small towns are hungry for good live presentations. Seminars might be fairly commonplace in big cities. But professional seminars are an infrequent event in a small town. So, it is easy for a good show to pack a room.

Don’t assume that Rural Tourist Towns will automatically appreciate your offer of a beneficial technology.

While Warriors might be skeptical about a particular WSO, they are already pre-sold on the wonderful benefits of technology. Whereas rural Midwestern small businesses are NOT entirely convinced that online technology will do much to serve them.

Many view technology as a necessary evil. Why would anybody deliberately live in the country? To enjoy a simpler and slower pace of life! THUS technology is anathema to their way of life.

Marketing to rural businesses is all about convincing them that a mobile site (or service) is an essential business tool that will grow their bottom line. They won’t buy a mobile site, per se, but they will buy a profitable TOOL.

Free trial periods are an excellent sales tactic. Small Town people can be a tough sell…because until a local reputation is established, a new Outsider really needs to show them some results before they write a check. (In the alternative, impress a local influencer or ‘wow’ the local business owners with a great seminar.)

Do NOT overprice your services. Just because rural places are outside the mainstream doesn’t mean you can get away with charging a ‘country bumpkin’ premium. Rural Midwestern small businesses might be somewhat technologically ‘unsophisticated’…but they can do a Google search and find out what online prices are for similar services.

Don’t misconstrue ‘frugality’ for ‘tightfistedness’. Most Rural Tourist Towns have a truncated business year amounting to the length of their ‘tourist season’. What local businesses make during the tourist season, that money must carry them through the economically dead months of the off-season. So, if a local tourist business doesn’t immediately jump all over your wonderful great offer, it doesn’t mean they aren’t interested…it just means they might be counting their dollars and contemplating whether your offer is worth parting with some of their off-season nest egg.

THE TIMING OF YOUR OFFER IS VERY CRITICAL. If you approach a local business owner during the off-season or at the beginning of tourist season, your chances of making a sale are usually poor…because they are feeling poor during their yearly financial down time. The middle of the tourist is the prime prospecting time…after they built up some new cash flow.

IN CONCLUSION…

Small Tourism Towns are the shale oil of Internet Marketing. There is a huge reservoir of untapped wealth out there in the countryside….but unlike West Texas sweet crude, it ain’t easy to extract shale oil. It takes more work upfront. Not all mainstream methods may work. Some adaption of standard techniques is probably necessary. A different approach to ‘drilling’ must be taken. BUT when those oil pockets are tapped, an extensive field of gushers is the reward.

Good luck to all…and adios until my own online oil field is built,
F. Preston Mitchell (aka DigiMan)
Ozark Promo Works

DigiMan

DigiMan

MoBuzz, I would DEEPLY Appreciate....

A few posts back, you will find one entitled, "Reply to MoBuzz -- Some Ideas of My Own". Therein & thereat is to be found the sketch of my own battle plan. But before I charge off on my Quest for the Holy Online Grail, I would deeply appreciate your opinion about my plan, especially pointing out any flaws or naive notions.

BY THE BY, based on long experience, your plan of getting front desk clerks to pass out QR Cards is dubious at best (unless you gave Management an incentive to make it so...but even then, good luck). Front desks get hectic. Hotel guests tend to arrive in spurts. The clerks also have to answer the phone...while serving those standing in front of them. Adding another chore to their burden, especially a non-job related one, is likely to be mostly 'overlooked'.

You might have better luck trying to get your QR Cards on the maid cart...and let them place your QR Cards in the rooms (if Management gives their blessing).

'Location Owners' can be a dicey bunch to deal with, especially when you are hoping they will distribute your 'paper' for no charge. (By the way, 'Location Owner' is the traditional 'hard copy' jargon.)

You won't get much play if they perceive your 'work' might impose work on THEIR employees whom THEY pay. But many do understand that distributing your 'hard copy' promoting their fellow local businesses serves the greater local economic good....that is, they can be understanding so long as it doesn't cost them anything.

In some areas, location owners expect to get paid for allowing you to place your paper in their establishment. In Eureka Springs, I don't get charged. In Branson, I do.

WORSE YET, be careful not to step on pre-existing arrangements that Location Owners may have with local 'hard copy' dinosaurs...or your paper may wind up in a garbage can. (That's what happens to upstart 'claim jumpers' who try to impose their shyte on MY locations. Get the pix, Bud?) Step carefully...because if it comes down to you the new Outsider and Billy Bub the Local Dinosaur, I bet you lose.

You would be well advised to deal with the Local Dinosaur, especially in a true Small Town setting. The Dinosaur already has the juice with your essential Location Owners.

By the way, I am laughing my azz off to see an online sharpie depend on 'paper' to pull off his online game plan.

Well, damn your eyes, MoBuzz, you drew me into another post when I swore I was leaving...so you truly owe me what I asked from the 'get' herein.

Oh say, MoBuzz, are you any good at hammering together websites & mobisites from scratch? If so, what do you think about taking the Midwest by storm? If that might pop your cork, let's do lunch via PM or Skype (or whatever else you online folks prefer).

Thank you,
DigiMan

DigiMan

MoBuzz...I revise my opinion about using Front Desk Clerks IF...

One of my clients provides the local motels & hotels with 'slip jackets' in which room key cards are inserted. Of course, my client's ad is printed on those slip jackets. That method makes your idea practical....that is, if your local hotels & motels aren't already locked in that arrangement with somebody else....which is probably the case.

fitlife

I've gotten some great ideas and feedback from this thread, which has prompted me to ask what the general opinion is about a mobile app and WSO called Goxbee. I am building my mobile marketing business and have been following the thread about Goxbee, but I am somewhat skeptical and wonder how others feel. I would appreciate any insight from anyone who has posted or been following this thread and/or the Goxbee thread.

DigiMan

FitLife -- Promo APP vs MobiSite with SMS Mkting

I have not built my first mobisite yet...but I have done exhaustive research on all major areas of mobi marketing...and I can report what the best mobi gurus might tell you.

One of the great debates in Mobi Mkting is:


The general consensus is that a MobiSite backed with a SMS Mkting campaign is your best bet for now. But sometime in the future, Apps might dominate. I concur with their rationale for that assessment.

A properly done MobiSite can be viewed by most types of mobile devices whereas Apps only work on specific mobile devices. An Android app won't work on an iPhone. Thus, you will need to make at least two versions of your app...one for iPhone and the other for Andy.

How do you deliver a Mobile App for installation on a consumer prospect's phone? That's the thorny part. There are various ways that vary in complexity and effectiveness...but I have not found any simple method...other than placing your app on an established app marketplace, which entails fees (and an often lengthy approval process to get your app accepted...or I am told by those who have done it).

Ideally, I would to host the app on my client's site for download....which is easy enough to accomplish...but it is a download WITHOUT automatic installation...and I think therein is the big catch....because it adds another step in the whole process for the consumer to use the app....download the app file, find the app file in their phone, and then initiate installation....how many people might say 'fuk it, this thing ain't worth the trouble (of performing those extra steps to install)". What do you think? I am torn on that point.

NOT EVERYBODY HAS A SMARTPHONE or iPHONE that does apps. I have clients who are still stuck with 'dumb' phones because their 2-year contract has not expired...but their dumb phones can still access the internet and view a mobile site.

EVERY CELL PHONE--dumb or smart--can receive text messages. Thus, sms marketing catches everybody.

That's my 'general' answer for you.
Sorry I can't offer any info about GoxBee.

mcfcok

Just catching up on this thread so i haven't read all the posts. So have your new clients been impressed with the numbers of new customers provided to them via these lists?

worthapennyseo

Hello MoBuzz,

I would like to avail this system, is this for sale? And is this available outside the US?

jclaybrooks

Hey MoBuzz thank you for such a GREAT post! I just purchased WillR's landing page script. I was wondering if you would mind sharing the email you send to businesses. I am planning to use click2mail to personalize postcards with the owner and business name. I can send out 1-2 hundred a week and follow up with the businesses that are interested. I'm trying to come up with a quick message that will create enough curiosity to get the business owner to go to the page and watch the video.

KenChen

Hi MoBuzz,

Thanks for sharing your valuable experience. It makes me learn a lot.

You have gain some from SMS marketing. That is great to sound that.

I have a question after reading these commands. I know the SMS campaign can work on not only traditional cell phone but smart phone. However, the increasing population of using smart phone might change this situation. Some people switch to use "what's app", "LINE", "Viber" which are free from text which is charged. The question is how will you solve this potential question in the future. Further, do you have any strategy to imply your campaign in smart phone's market?

Because English is not my first language, it might lead to some misunderstanding for my question.
Sorry for that.

I am looking forward your reply and thank you in advance.

Have a good day
Cheers,

Ken

MoBuzz

Yes things are great, thanks for asking.

Hi I sent you a PM


" Hi my name is Jason. I am with MoBuzz Mobile Media. We are a marketing company located here in Napa. I put together a presentation video to show you how we can help bring in more customers for your business. Our program is highly effective and very affordable. Currently we are offering a 30 Day FREE Trial. Check out YOUR video below for more info."


I am not sure I understand your question sorry.

"text messages" are only a small part of what we do. The real value to the
client is having a professional manage their SMS program for them. Not to mention the features such as text to win, text to vote, appointment reminders and of coarse trackable mobile coupons.

Every cell carrier that I know of offers unlimited free text now.

MoBuzz

Hey DigiMan, sorry for the late reply. In all honestly is sounds a little overly complex to me. But you are a smart guy and I may be missing something reading this at 2 am lol.

I so WISH I had those "racks" you talk about that target tourist.

I have just launched my mobile directory. IF ONLY I HAD RACKS ALL OVER THE CITY TO PROMOTE IT. I will def take your advice and look for the dinosaur : )

My advice is this... Set up a mobile directory. Pre populate it with 30 or so businesses. I would say 2 in each category. Put QR codes in all your racks and distribute to B&Bs ect. Once you can show traffic you should have no prob collecting $49 per client that is listed. Then you can up sell with menu pages, sms ect ect ect

Shoot me an email if you wish to peek at my mobile directory for ideas : )

KenChen

Sorry to make you confused.
In my country, people have to pay for every text (it is not unlimited.). so I have this question. If the text cost becomes an extra fee for your client or their consumer, what will be happen?

and QR codes are usually demonstrated on smart phone, right?

I love QR codes, cause I do not have to type long URL.
Further, it can cause people's curiosity to know what content it is.

Other questions, what is the limitation to launch this plan out of local market( you mainly operate it in local, right?) Since it is a electronic marketing, why not range it broader?

What is the degree of sanctification for your client in terms of coupons? Does it make them gain significant profits?

Is it possible to extent the trial time to 60? I think that the client can compare the difference between first 30 days and the last 30 days. Not just compare the outcome between before and after the plan.

Sorry again, I am a newbie in this area and I have poor English to express my thinking.

I hope you do not mind it and give me some suggestion.

Look forward for your reply.

Thank you in advance.

fitlife

Sorry for the delay. I haven't been on the forum for a while. Your feedback was very helpful and I appreciate the time you put into it. It gave me an overview, which will help me make a better decision whether or not to pursue the master license that Goxbee is offering.

Danielm

Awesome info, Mobuzz!

Quick questions. About the offer for the free mailing to the deals list for the businesses that are signing up. You mail them once to help them build the list as part of the deal? So if you are sending deals daily and after a month or so have enough to fill the first month, are you trying to find 30 new clients a month or are you giving them 1 blast to the deals list every month as part of the sign up then the list members get deals from the same 30 businesses every month?

Also, has anyone considered using SignalHQ for SMS? I was looking into them, they don't do white label but you'd be managing the clients yourself so should it matter? They charge by the subscriber not the message so I thought for a daily or a few times a week list it might save a ton of money every month in fees?

Thanks.

MoBuzz

Hope that made sense?

Danielm

Totally does, thank you. So you might not really have 30 days of deals booked consistently after the first 30 businesses that put up the fliers and signed up with you. As time goes on some of them might want to continue paying monthly not only for your services doing their own list, but also for 1 blast a month to try to grow their own list more.

MoBuzz

Exactly. I actually prefer to keep it about 20-25 so that I have room to fit in a blast for a new prospect

Daniel LaRusso

Question.if you are using twilio to do this, couldn't you grab one phone number, and use it for everything, just adding keywords?

Like, use 555-555-1212

Text Napadeals to 555-555-1212 to get on the main deals list
Text joesPizza to get deals there
Text mountainCoffee to get deals there
Etc.....

It is unwise to trust all you read on the internet.
- Benjamin Franklin

MoBuzz

Yes I think you could but personally I prefer short codes. Also they do not have all the feature that lime does. For someone that does not use resellers or need some of the other feature it could be a good fit.

MyNiche

How are your clients doing in regard to their own efforts to build their SMS customer list?

Are you finding that you have to do it for them, or are they slowly or quickly learning how to do it themselves?

How much time do you put into an average client to get them up and running with SMS marketing?

Thanks for this great thread!

ejunkie

It makes sense to me.

However, i think both of your ideas can work in tandem.

Of course, by testing we can get a more clear & realistic picture of what's working.

I have to say that both of your thoughts on this is brewing new ideas in me. Thanks a lot.

adam2526

Mobile marketing is the wave of the future, and i think its great that you took the time to explain to people how you made money on mobile traffic, thanks for this and i hope many affiliates gained knowledge off this

JDub07

I like selling the Google Places stuff. People's first instinct when trying to find where a restaurant is or stuff like that is to type it into Google on their iPhone.

MoBuzz

I agree 100%. I would add that Google Places is the BEST place for mobile marketing leads.