Two Offline Businesses that You Can Start Right Away (Even for Newbies)

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I work with individuals, groups, and businesses with publishing.

If you're looking for an offline biz you can start right away and doesn't have a huge learning curve, I suggest using a Print on Demand platform. (Lulu.com is incredibly versatile, but you can do a search for others.)

1. Find businesses that have a Before-and-After transformation. High ticket business: think weight loss, plastic surgery, house renovations, etc. Lower ticket: hair salons, carpet cleaning, etc.

2. Find businesses that need to show off their work: photographers, bakeries, artists, etc.

Create books that are designed to showcase these businesses. You aren't creating a best seller. You're creating something that will build their brand, show off their work, and help them get more clients. Books have more clout than just a brochure.

~POD platforms have plenty of tutorials for their sites, so you can learn on there.

~ I would suggest doing one book for yourself or for free for someone else as a learning experience and as a sample first. You don't have to, but I did.

~ If you need help with editing, cover design, etc., you can outsource.

~ These are only two possibilities. There are dozens more you could come up with.

(Sorry that this is so short, but it's late and I am heading to bed.)
#offline marketing #businesses #newbies #offline #start
  • I'm intrigued by the concept, but I have 2 questions.

    1. How would you get clients?
    2. How much do you charge?

    Okay, I lied. I have 3:

    3. How difficult is it to get business people to do this?

    Added (more, sorry):

    4. Are some niches easier than others to get into?
    • [1] reply
    • Hi Robscom

      An easy to use calculator to help you find out how much to charge. For know more and want to work smoothly click on the link below:

      https://www.approveme.me/hourly-rate-calculator/

      This will definitely help you. Please check it and let me know your experience.
  • Okay so you're saying create a look book and sale that service to businesses? If that's the case ; I think the challenge would be getting the before and after pictures. So few people take them -- or take them well -- or remember to take them.

    I enjoy the idea but I'm unsure of the time it would take to actually create the look book itself.

    Please correct me if I'm wrong about your concept.
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Hey, Rob!

      1. I have used networking, word of mouth, and approaching business owners.

      2. Usually around $995, but I've gone higher and lower. It depends on the market.

      3. It's not difficult if you explain the concept to them in a "getting you more clients" way. (Not that they beg to throw money at you, but it's a lot easier than other things to sell, IMHO.)

      4. I find that photographers are the easiest to work with. They are usually very competitive and most of them can make back my fee with only one or two clients.

      Yes! Very much like a Look Book.

      Some businesses take before and after pictures (or just after) so they can post them on social media. If they have good pics on social media, they understand the concept of needing pics to make sales.

      The time for the first book will take longer than your 2nd, 3rd, etc. There is a learning curve. (But it's not really that bad. )

      Hope this helps.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
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  • Thank you! Those are really great ideas! You got me thinking...
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • I enjoy this idea for nail and hair salons. We are asked to make look books in school and keep them updated. It'd be awesome to go to the beauty industry and offer the service itself ; so it's not just a "look on istagram" kind of thing. I appreciate you selling the idea for the rest of us. And not doing so in a $9.95 report.
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • You are very welcome.

      I think if you made your own Look Book, you'd get a lot of clients who would like to have one of their own.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • Passed this by a bunch of photographers yesterday and I was a little surprised at the level of enthusiasm, not just from the Pros. Even Amateur photographers want to be published! :-)

    I think this forum could do with more simple ideas like this and if you wanted to do a WSO, I just might buy it... :-)
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Thanks! I actually did run a WSO back in 2011 (different market, but this market is a bit easier than the one I originally worked with back then). It was a $5 Hotsheet. (Sold quite a few copies.)

      If you need any help, just let me know.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • I noticed with the print-on-demand that there was a minimum purchase order. Are these books for the clients to give away to prospects or are they to just have one that they show to their prospects?
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • It depends on the POD platform you use. Some have a minimum order.

      They can be to show clients their work, or they can be a book for sale, or they can be given away as a bonus for purchase, etc.

      Lots of possibilities.

      Bonus: Photographers in touristy areas (where I live is one) can put together a book with considerable retail potential.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • Off online marketing is good, if you looking for earning good income then offline marketing it will take little time
  • Sounds really good. Worth trying but won't a photographer just call in a printer after buying the idea? Especially if price becomes an issue? Thanks, we'll get back to you...
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Nope. For three reasons:

      1. A printer won't give him/her a professionally-published book. They are now a published author along with being a photographer. They won't be selling books from the trunk of their car.

      2. They have no idea how to lay out a book for printing. Plus setting up the cover, etc.

      3. Price isn't an issue if you present it the right way and you work with photographers who can make your fee back and more with just one client. (Think wedding photographers, portrait photographers, etc.)

      You're not selling a book. You're selling the idea that they have their work published.
  • Is your price of $995 for one book or multiple books?
  • @debdigga

    That is to help them publish one book title.
  • To clarify - one book title, but how many copies of the book are included in the price? Are they given access to the POD source so they can print the books themselves whenever they need more or would that process go through you also? If the ordering does go through you, what is the addition amount the client would need to pay?
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • @debdigga

    That doesn't include any copies. They are given access to the POD source for ordering.
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    • You are very welcome. Hope it helps.
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  • Bob Ross has done this for his construction company and also sold it to contractors. You include this with your written proposal/estimate to prospective clients. Remember to also include past customers reviews - in the before and after pics of their project. Maybe a copy of your license and insurance, trade certificates, news clippings, associations etc etc.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Hey, great post and comment replies. Ya'll got me thinking.... a look-book would be great tripwire sale for travel destinations. I glossy picture book of stunning imagery of local hotspots, in destinations I promote as a travel affiliate. I could run a viral contest on social media, promoted ONLY to photographers in a specific destination, asking them to submit their BEST local hotspot photos. A $300 1st place, $200 2nd place and $100 3rd place prize offering should be lucrative enough to get TONS of high quality imagery for a look-book. (The photographers would all have to agree that their submissions are mine to do with as I please, win or lose.) Then, it could be used in any number of ways...
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Hey, I didnt finish my post!

      1) Sell it for $4.99, (plus shipping and handling that covers your cost) to build a "buyer's list" of people highly interested in my destination. A cool incentive would be that with purchase, they will get $20+ off any bookings or subsequent purchase. Just send them a coupon code in their first autoresponder follow up email. And now that they are on my email list, they will of course receive other relevant offers from me from time to time

      2) Use the book as a prize in another social media viral contest, where everyone who gets 5 or more people to like share and comment will get a free copy (less shipping and handling, which covers your costs) Only people that will bother with all that liking, sharing and commenting are people that really want to know more about the destination. Mintsapp.net can run such a campaign. Anyway, now I have a list of highly interested prospects that can number in the 100s or even 1000s.

      3) Email all the photographers an affiliate link to sell the look-book (see #1 above). they get 100% of the $4.99 sales price (remember, your costs are covered by shipping and handling) With potentially 100s of photographers, most of which have THEIR photos in the book, will VERY ACTIVELY promote that book (after all, they want everybody to know they are PUBLISHED photographers). No, I wont make any money on the book, but I will get a flood of travel prospects that are very interested in that destination, so with a good email follow up campaign, they will soon be travel buyers!

      Ramblings of crazed marketing maniacal.
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  • I like this idea (nothing helps build a business' credibility than having an owner who can say 'I wrote a book on that topic') but what if you're not a great 'face to face' salesperson?

    The quick workaround is to work with a partner.

    One partner takes care of content creation and lead generation using online resources. The other partner gets in those physical doors, makes all the necessary handshakes and seals the deal.
    • [1] reply
    • The beauty of Shay's method is you don't have to be a great salesperson.
      You can get started immediately, with the skills you currently have and get great results.

      Don't complicate the simple system that she has devised. It's simple for a reason.

      There are no special sales skills needed or involved, when they want what you have to offer.

      Creating reasons for unnecessary partners, is just looking for excuses to not get started.

      Meanwhile, the market goes begging for people who can/will fulfill this kind of work

      Ron
      • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • I guess the best way to start this kind of offline business is marketing yourself, your talent, and knowledge to people who needs your expertise.
    You will be paid based on the work that you have done, and I believed with this you can start
    your business no huge capital needed all you have to make sure is the quality of your work!!!
    • [1] reply
    • Tell me in which of Shay's posts did you see either of those things?.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
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  • great ideas, keep it up
  • As has been said, this is a simple concept/system. Don't complicate it.

    You're not looking to convince people that it's a good idea. You tell them what you do, and the ones who are interested go, "That's awesome! Tell me more!"

    Trust me: I've gone the "convincing" route, and it sucks. LOL Just look for people who want what you're offering.
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