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The Best High Value Door Opener?

by nctom
7 replies
I'm new to offline marketing and all it entails. I am looking for the best way to approach brick and mortar businesses. From what I've read it seems these businesses are being approached everyday from people selling SEO. I'd like to differentiate myself by giving them a valuable service for free in order to establish my credibility, and them upsell them on more services.

It needs to be something where the customer can see results in a short amount of time. Something I can outsource so it doesn't cost me a lot of time or money.

Some examples I thought of from looking through this forum and a couple of WSO's I bought are:

Writing an article and having it disributed.
Same thing with a press release.
Review their Google Places listings.

What else would you suggest?
#door #high #opener
  • Profile picture of the author SgtBadass
    Originally Posted by nctom View Post

    I'd like to differentiate myself by giving them a valuable service for free in order to establish my credibility, and them upsell them on more services.
    WOOOAAAAHH!! Hold yer horses, that won't establish credibility, it'll get you more hassle than it's worth.

    I've found that the less a customer pays, the more of a complete pain in the ass he is. I charge one customer 9K a month and another $450, guess which one is on the phone bitching every day?

    All you'll get with free services is cheap clients. A far better way to approach is to say "I could do your SEO but you probably couldn't afford me".
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    Free mini-guide to offline marketing : http://www.sembusinesstactics.com/

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    • Profile picture of the author nctom
      Originally Posted by SgtBadass View Post

      WOOOAAAAHH!! Hold yer horses, that won't establish credibility, it'll get you more hassle than it's worth.

      I've found that the less a customer pays, the more of a complete pain in the ass he is. I charge one customer 9K a month and another $450, guess which one is on the phone bitching every day?

      All you'll get with free services is cheap clients. A far better way to approach is to say "I could do your SEO but you probably couldn't afford me".
      It's hard for me to believe you get great response with this approach when they already have a bunch of people trying to sell them SEO.

      I didn't plan on being dirt cheap, I just want to get my foot in the door.
      I would also ask them if they had money in their budget for my services before I gave them anything.
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      • Profile picture of the author SgtBadass
        Originally Posted by nctom View Post

        It's hard for me to believe you get great response with this approach when they already have a bunch of people trying to sell them SEO.

        I didn't plan on being dirt cheap, I just want to get my foot in the door.
        I would also ask them if they had money in their budget for my services before I gave them anything.
        Because people will only buy on price if there's nothing else to buy on. You'll be thinking that you have to be the cheapest to be in with a chance - you don't.

        I went to see a guy who had been quoted 90 and 350 and we decided we'd take nothing less than 500. He went with us because we spoke to him about the work.

        If something is too cheap then it's cheap for a reason. Grab the book called "Influence" by Robert Cialdini and it'll explain why people buy stuff.
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        Free mini-guide to offline marketing : http://www.sembusinesstactics.com/

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        • Profile picture of the author jj_jon
          Originally Posted by SgtBadass View Post

          Because people will only buy on price if there's nothing else to buy on. You'll be thinking that you have to be the cheapest to be in with a chance - you don't.

          I went to see a guy who had been quoted 90 and 350 and we decided we'd take nothing less than 500. He went with us because we spoke to him about the work.

          If something is too cheap then it's cheap for a reason. Grab the book called "Influence" by Robert Cialdini and it'll explain why people buy stuff.
          Hi, thanks for the book recommendation - just downloaded it from Amazon.
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  • Profile picture of the author ADukes81
    Be honest.

    It works.

    I agree with what SgtBadass says in the cheaper the customer pays, the more problems.

    I am dealing with a guy right now that calls 3-5 times/day and it's driving me insane. It's 11:30 Vegas Standard Time and he has already called me 3 times.

    Get out and talk to people. I went to my first BNI meeting two weeks ago and I have an appt this afternoon with a dentist from the group who is looking for a site re-design and SEO. I just got a call from another BNI member about SEO for his auto repair shop. It is $465 for the year, but one referral will cover that. went into the BNI meeting to meet people and build relationships. It takes time, but it works.

    Here is something I try to live by;
    If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business.
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  • Profile picture of the author jargonbust
    amazon i don't understand why people are crazy for amazon
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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    The problem is you are viewing all businesses as having the same needs, problems, and desires.

    That's like asking "what is a guaranteed way to pick up a girl at the bar?"

    Every girl is unique -- including what she'll find appealing about how you approach her etc.

    The same applies for businesses.

    You want a high value door opener?

    Find a high value problem that you can fix --then approach them with a solution that can fix their problem in the most effective, efficient, and highest ROI possible for the quality of results you can deliver.

    This shows you have at least put effort in to THEIR business' needs (as opposed to some generic offer of SEO, website re-design, yadda yadda, etc. that they get spammed with daily by cold calls and emails)

    If you are looking for something that you can approach multiple businesses with, then you need to find a problem that those businesses will all have in common -- but approach them as if THEY are UNIQUE.

    Simple.

    ~Dexx
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