Offline Marketing - First Contact

I'd focus on a specific market...

Like realtors, lawyers, etc.. Some market that has an easy measurable, easy to prove results and push sales.

Your salesletter should say something like

"Anyone can build a website, Anyone can get people to it... But will it produce leads?"

Focus on the pain points, twist a knife in their gut on the issues that bother them most.

Thanks Dano for the input.

Have you found sending letters to business people and companies that don't know you useful/productive in your efforts?

Nope!

Truth is nothing beats a phone call...

Cold call...

Make friends...

Offer a free consultation...

Maybe even offer free other things if possible...

Expect a sale in a 6 week window...

First you make friends with the receptionist, then the sales team (they're hurting for leads, hopefully), then friends with the owner of the company or head lawyer/realtor or whatever niche, then you close the deal with a nice rounded package.

Dan

Interesting.

I was planning on giving away free 30/60 minute consultations (thinly disguised sales pitches).

I am confident enough to do the cold calling, I guess I will test it and try and develop a script I can use to secure clients.

Thanks for the insight.

I thought cold calling was dead 10 years ago? (unlike SEO or article marketing, don't want Troy to have to get all dresses up again, the funeral was 10 years ago). I like the consultation idea.
A short PPC campaign is quick and easy and produces the best results, but takes a little cake.

Dogscout...

Yes, ppc but the right words that convert are gonna be like $10-20 per click... Even if you have the cabbage to do it, testing and perfecting a landing page is rough until you get it right...

Cold calling isn't easy, but it's far from dead. My sales guy out here in Vancouver, B.C. was getting me about 3-4 gigs per month (Big jobs too) just with cold calls, but there was a long courting process to get the gigs.. But really... it's easily repeated.

It worked...

Dan

Letters definitely work, but it costs $$$. I had success with sending letters but took the time to personalize to the niche. If you group them it isn't too bad (send out a batch to lawyers, then do a batch for salons, etc.).

You could also combine methods. Pick 100 businesses that you think are a good match, and then send them a letter but follow up with a call. This turns a cold call into a warm one.

Matt

Hi Endgame,

this may sound a bit costly, but if you made a dvd (containing your presentation, service, pitch), this would have a higher perceived value and you'll build a relationship with them that beats a letter.

If you send this dvd to 100 prospects it can cost you $1-2 for the mailing and hope you have the supplies. If these clients are going to spend big bucks, then the costs of the dvd, supplies, postage is a drop in the bucket compared to the profits you can make.

HTH

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. I need to put down some cash evidently to get eyeballs to the offer, I am just wondering where to put the cash. I may do some small tests over the next month and spread the risk.

MagicMel,
Is that a technique you actually use? If so, it could be an interesting one to think about and explore. If I would get replies from it, as you said, it would be worth the expense of doing it.

I have considered the Adword's route, but wasn't sure it was an effective one. I seem to stand corrected on that one thanks to Dogscout's advice.

Heya,

I try and deciede three things before we make any sort of move:

The sort of services we want to sell
The region
The niche

Once those are sorted out, I move onto the approach which is usually:

direct mail or
commission only salesman offering a low cost workshop.

I really don't like emails and I never use contact us forms - as personally I ignore any solicitations that come through our forms...

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the isight. I have got all the three questions you ask answered and I am all prepped and ready to go. All I need now is the clients!

I have made a somewhat classic mistake of taking a significant amount of time to get ready when I perhaps should have been looking at how to attract customers and refined my processes as I was taking on customers etc. There is still time to rectify this though I feel.

Whilst I gather data and get ready to mail out, I am going to run some low-budget PPC campaigns and do some cold-calling (useful skill to have and one I'd love to refine).

I think the advice to segment by industry/niche is a really cool one as well. From initial research, financial services companies often need a lot of help on their online marketing and have a good cash flow to pay you for the work.

This thread has been excellent from the few replies it has had in terms of giving me some perspective on my options and potential approaches. Thanks to everyone so far.

I'm going to "split-test" my approaches and then I'll drop by this thread again and update with some results.

Cold calling definately still works but it is getting tougher. Because it works more people are doing it!

The difference I find though, is if you are working for yourself you will gain trust much quicker not being a general salesperson trying to chase the next dollar.

Be personal as soon as you can on the call! Let them know you are a real human being and that you are indeed a business owner like them trying to help.

Not everyone will listen, its a numbers game like anything but if you stick with it, you could setup appointments every day with a little work!

Also, try Gumtree, your in the UK, it works!

Just test ads on there! ; )

GoGetta

Hi Gogetta,

Thanks for that. Gumtree was part of the plan, I didn't like to rely on it however as a strategy. Thanks for the encouragement and the tip though, I shall definitely put that into practice.

No Probs Mate,

I use Gumtree in the background. When making first contact, my rule of thumb is to use every possible route to market as I can!

GoGetta

Hi Alex,

Good luck. Regardless of all the advice here - I suspect, like many of us, you will take it and make it your own. Somehow, you find your own groove and way of working that suits you.

To be honest, it might be best to throw yourself in there a little unprepared. Although it will be scary - I'm betting you won't drown, you will swim and swim well!

Hi Alex

Direct mail can and does work though hitting the phones first would be more productive as you can waste a lot of money for very little return especially if you are not fab at copywriting.
Focus on their needs first, and get them agreeing with you. Make them an offer. I also sell in the offline arena. I have found local newtorking groups useful. Have you looked at speednetworking. We picked up three clients from this avenue in less than a month. I am sure they will have a group in Newcastle. You can also present at them..well worth considering.

Take Care

Denise

Thanks again guys,

And thank you Steve for the kind words. I think you are exactly right. The preparation was a comfort zone and an ideal excuse to prevent me from doing some of the more intimidating stuff. This thread has helped me with that, and as you said, I'll probably customize the advice given to suit and fit me.

Thanks again.