Ewen that's easy for me...

I would say "You may have pulled the trigger and accidentally shot your ear off - do you really want to spend your day tweeting, face booking, and blogging..."

Followed by - " If you want to - by all means get an ace designer put up an inter web site and a true expert to do the SEO work. But remember, if you've got a solid million dollar empire always keep doing what made you successful - ohh - and if you're not already doing it - start knocking out zillions of postcards - done well they always dramatically bump up the revenues and profits and you can mention your sparkling new website"


Steve

Ok guys,

We know this, a few of these A grade clients have come throgh
our Craigslist advertising.

We want more of this type of client.

And we want less of others.

So we want our message directed at those we want only.

They are on Craigslist.

Just got to divert them to us and away from others.

Knowing this, what would be attractive to them?

Best,
Ewen

This conversion seems like it from the Twilight Zone? Is that reference dating me?

Anyway... I agree there is no way to "participate" without a LOT more info on the market and business type?

I have been a student/watcher of Internet marketing for a couple of years. I have a full time corporate job, but I would try to integrate internet marketing into the job. One time, I was able to convince a group of similar businesses to advertise on AOL. This was back in 2000.

In my spare time, I decided to dabble in creating a website for a business. This client was about to agree to a Flash website. This was a problem because it would not work on the iPhone. The client did not know it wouldn't work.

I started off with a 1and1 Business Site. It was ugly, but the client liked it.

The website was finished and approved before she went to the "Flash" vendor.

In the meantime, I was listening to marketing podcasts and heard about Wordpress. I decided to redo her site in Wordpress.

Since that time she was mentioned in an Airline Magazine as a place of interest, mentioned I the Wall Street Journal, and named one of the best shops on CBSLocal.

With Google Analytics, I can show her that 20% of the traffic comes from CBS. Also, the CBS site got all of their info from the site. They never called the store.

How can you tell?

The wording is taken from the site.

The information came from previous articles and interviews with my client. She knows the customers and the business. There is nothing fancy about the site. There are many things that can be done to improve conversions.

The success is attributed to knowing what the client needs.

Since that time, I was lucky enough to stumble upon the Bob Ross Postcard. I thought this would be great for my client to increase her offline exposure.

It worked. The benefit was that I am know able to walk into any other business and talk to them about anything related to small business marketing.

Since starting the postcard, I have sold 4 websites (2 more to close this week).

This is not meant to be self promotion, all I am trying to tell people to do is get one client and work up.

If you were wondering who was my first client....it was my wife. We own a womens boutique clothing store. I am never in the store.

I knew what she wanted:
- more customers
- simple system
- hands free

With this experience you can walk into any small business and talk to the owner in simple terms and they will know, like, and trust you.

Most business owners do not have time to keep up with their own lives, let alone worry about Internet marketing.

Go out there and fill that void.

OK, here's the challenge you've set up. I've gotten good clients from Craigslist. And I've gotten lots of schlock. I want to write an ad that gets more meat and less schlock. I'm targeting million dollar businesses who are successful and now want to enter the online world.

If they're a restaurant making $1M they're clearing $20,000 to $40,000 take home in a year and can't pay me. So I don't want them. If they're a chiropractor making $1M they're taking home $400,000 and a new patient is worth $1,000. So they can afford to pay me a lot. If they're an attorney making $1M, they're taking home something in that area or a little more and can afford to pay me. So I'm going to target people who are in professional services and not retail.

They're making good money and want to go online and they're on Craigslist. Why? Because they want to see what's out there. They want to see what people offer. How to figure out what they should look for when they hire. What do people emphasize. I want to attract the ones who would be good clients, so I'm going to assume they are marketing savvy, they've done advertising before, and they want to know how to make their direct mail or yellow pages success translate to the web. And I want to show them that I can do that better than others advertising on Craigslist. And I'm happy for cheapskates not to identify with my ad. I don't want cheapskates to call me and waste my time. I want my ad to qualify them out as well as qualifying in the good prospects.

So, here's first stab:

Are you Too Successful to Hire a Web Designer from this Board. (5 Ways to Figure it Out)

You're running a successful business, maybe it's a professional service - could be blue or white collar. Maybe you're an attorney, a medical professional, a building contractor. Whatever it is, you've figured out how to bring in business better than your competitors. Probably you're better than your competitors. Your customers or clients love you. And now you want the exposure the internet can bring you.

That's a great goal. And it's VERY doable. But not if you're working with most web designers you'll run into. Here's why (you'll see it's a natural conclusion from your own experience), and what to do about it.

You're more successful because you're special in your market. I don't mean warm fuzzy special the way your mother thinks of you. I mean you do something different, you approach your business differently than your competitors. Your clients like that and tell others. And out in the real world, there's lots of "friction". To interview professionals, you have to make lots of calls, or appointments, drive around. That's a hassle. So, if you're a good chiropractor, lots of people in your neighborhood will come to you.

In your internet neighborhood there's no friction. Everyone on your block (page one of Google) is a chiropractor. The next "door" (website) is 2 clicks of a mouse away (back click, click on another listing on the page). So you have to get people to understand why you're special IMMEDIATELY.

And most web designers won't do that. They can't. Because that's marketing. And most web designers are graphic artists. Hiring them is like buying a pretty sign and hoping it will distinguish you from all the other professionals with pretty signs crowded around you. You have enough experience to know that won't work.

So, what do you do? Hire a web marketer. And how do you tell the difference? Here are the tell tale signs:
(Then list some things you do that graphic designers don't. Add testimonials that show you know what you're doing.)
.
.
.
So, YES, this is a great project - getting you on the web. And YES, you can be very successful with it. When you choose wisely.

Give me a call and we can talk through your project, identify how you're special, and see if we're a good fit.
...

OK, that was stream of consciousness and very wordy but that's why you hire Ewen, to make it sing.

$2 Million Business Owner Says: "Marketing Online Is A Waste Of Time!!"


The other day, I met a confident business owner named Robert. Robert ran a successful company that was grossing over $xxx a year. What this man revealed to me, was completely shocking. As successful as Robert was, he told me he didn't even have a company website! He also told me that he thought "marketing online is a waste of time".

Robert confidently reassured me that he had no desire to market online. His business was already highly successful, and he had no "time" to focus on other things. However, knowing what I know about basic math and economics, I decided to put his confidence to the test.

I proceeded to draw a "Heirarchy of Opportunity" for this man, in the shape of a pyramid. Then I cited time as the most valuable "opportunity" that Robert could have. Its no secret, but time is the most elusive barrier that any business can face. Time is also what prevents most businesses from expanding. It doesn't really matter what you call it, becase it always has the same effect. A business can't grow. It becomes smothered under a wall of ineffecient business practices.

After this man answered some very simple questions, I was able to show him that 70% of his time was spent on... you guessed it, the phone! Only 20% of those calls were relevant to his business in the first place.

To make matters worse, these were problems that could have easily been handled with a simple website. Whether it was a FAQ, or proprietary automation software... he had no idea that most of these tasks could be automated!

That is why you are reading this message right now. I meet several clients a week just like Robert, and its always the same story. To remain uninformed about the luxuries of technology, is to keep your business chained to the floor.

80% of people are going online to contact businesses now. And only 50% of businesses have websites. It is my job to tell you - its time to close that gap. If you prefer leaving money on the table, and keeping your business chained to the stone age, then this service is not for you. But if you are ready to take your business to the next level, you can call XXXXXX today at XXX-XXX-XXX.


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Ps. Keep in mind this is a first draw. I'd have to rewrite it several times before I posted it on CL.