Case Study MUST READ: If you prospect with Craigslist, you NEED to read this

12 years ago

Seems like a good read and lesson! Yup, there are firms that will charge 5k-25ks and there are people, that will actually pay this rate.

Thanks
1 reply

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bwh1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by TeamBringIt

Seems like a good read and lesson! Yup, there are firms that will charge 5k-25ks and there are people, that will actually pay this rate.

While I have no doubt that there are heavy hitters which pay 10 - 20k for a site I wonder if that client is going to post at CL?

What I could see is that a lot go for a free ride at CL.

Which one YOU would have chosen of the ad would have been real?

G.

P.S. by the way. Not even ONE focused on a websites main focus - getting new leads for a customer.

A few of those posts looked like a PHP tutorial. Guess a normal business owner gives a s...t about that.

I would write my offer like...
------------------------------------------------------
In respect to your CL Ad.........

Dear Mr....

For references, visit our agency with a portfolio of existing clients at www. blablabla. com

Our main focus about a clients site is that it must GENERATE NEW BUSINESS for him. Ultimately the real value of your new site will be a share of the value from new deals it generates.

It's not an expense, it's an investment.

Your website is part of your Marketing system (at least it should be) so it's design is actually not the most relevant part as a nice look not necessarily equals results. It has to be good looking, to be found in search engines and convert visitors into new customers.

We highly recommend you to take this into consideration and to build your site based on DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING for that it's not just another "digital business card" which non of your potential new customer will ever find unless you advertise it on TV, radio and print.

Build your site with us and we take care of your main problem - finding new clients online.

We usually charge a setup fee of $ 2'500 for a optimized portfolio including a responsive business website incl. mobile site, Facebook page, Google+ and LinkedIn profile.

Additionally but optional, an ongoing maintenance of your portfolio, your online presence, will guarantee you prime exposure and an optimized return on your investment. We offer customized packages for that based on the possibilities in your market.

All above focus on leveraging your business by driving more leads and clients to your company.

We would be glad to help you get more clients.

Call us, send email or Skype us at....

----------------------------------------

Would that be a cool offer or a turn off?? I'm happy to get feedback.

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bwh1

12 years ago

Could you guys please tell me if such an approach is a go or a turn off for CL responses

Originally Posted by bwh1

------------------------------------------------------
In respect to your CL Ad.........

Dear Mr....

For references, visit our agency with a portfolio of existing clients at www. blablabla. com

Our main focus about a clients site is that it must GENERATE NEW BUSINESS for him. Ultimately the real value of your new site will be a share of the value from new deals it generates.

It's not an expense, it's an investment.

Your website is part of your Marketing system (at least it should be) so it's design is actually not the most relevant part as a nice look not necessarily equals results. It has to be good looking, to be found in search engines and convert visitors into new customers.

We highly recommend you to take this into consideration and to build your site based on DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING for that it's not just another "digital business card" which non of your potential new customer will ever find unless you advertise it on TV, radio and print.

Build your site with us and we take care of your main problem - finding new clients online.

We usually charge a setup fee of $ 2'500 for a optimized portfolio including a responsive business website incl. mobile site, Facebook page, Google+ and LinkedIn profile.

Additionally but optional, an ongoing maintenance of your portfolio, your online presence, will guarantee you prime exposure and an optimized return on your investment. We offer customized packages for that based on the possibilities in your market.

All above focus on leveraging your business by driving more leads and clients to your company.

We would be glad to help you get more clients.

Call us, send email or Skype us at....

----------------------------------------
*

I'm happy to get your feedback. OP, please tell me if I should run a thread for this, OK.

G.

Thanks
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Arzak

12 years ago

Originally Posted by bwh1

Could you guys please tell me if such an approach is a go or a turn off for CL responses

I'm happy to get your feedback. OP, please tell me if I should run a thread for this, OK.

G.

There are some punctuation and grammar issues. This may just be me, but the "Dear" part for some reason makes me picture the person as a cheap foreign worker, especially when combined with the punctuation/grammar!

Thanks
1 reply

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bwh1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Arzak

There are some punctuation and grammar issues. This may just be me, but the "Dear" part for some reason makes me picture the person as a cheap foreign worker, especially when combined with the punctuation/grammar!

Thank you to point that out, I would have to ask proofreading before I actually would use this (never had a English lesson in my life to be honest).

My question was if that kind of approach look like cheesy and is more of a negative advertising for me or do you think that the part to focus on customer benefits could convince more then telling - look what I already did and how good I am.

G.

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dnjoseph1

12 years ago

Definitely. The interesting thing is that there was no USP from that company at all. Why should I spend $20k on a website with your company? What makes you so special? Didn't really answer those questions for me.

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ClayWhite

12 years ago

Originally Posted by dnjoseph1

From $300 all the way up to $20,000. Yes, you read that number right. I was quoted by the above company $20,000 for a website. The most interesting part of this is that this company obviously has businesses that gladly pay those fees.

I posted a job on oDesk for someone to design a Groupon like site and I got a quote of $60,000!!

The crazy thing was that they have built over 30 of these websites at that price.

Just wanted to share

Thanks
1 reply

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leeannprice

12 years ago

Thanks for sharing those results.

Pricing all over the map for basically the same product. And the number of replies - staggering.

Interesting case study and snapshot of a commodity service like providing web sites.

Lee Ann

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dnjoseph1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by leeannprice

Thanks for sharing those results.

Pricing all over the map for basically the same product. And the number of replies - staggering.

Interesting case study and snapshot of a commodity service like providing web sites.

Lee Ann

You're welcome Lee Ann. Funny how that is huh? How such a service can very quickly be turned into a "commodity". I hate that word. It just shows how important it is to stand out amoungst the ever growing sea of competitors. The man who can do that will make a LOT of money!

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Anthem40

12 years ago

Love the insight into the ensuing pitches. Great idea!

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Jason Kanigan

12 years ago

The feedback, and the pricing on the high end, should demonstrate to anyone (you!) that YOU choose your clients. YOU choose how much money you make.

Our limiting beliefs cut us off at the knees almost all the time.

Yes, "First In Wins."

And you see the importance of standing out from the crowd.

'Course, you can do this badly, too...(What the heck is a "500 page" website?! and the "resume" one...I like info, but that was waaay too much.)

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dnjoseph1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

The feedback, and the pricing on the high end, should demonstrate to anyone (you!) that YOU choose your clients. YOU choose how much money you make.

Our limiting beliefs cut us off at the knees almost all the time.

Yes, "First In Wins."

And you see the importance of standing out from the crowd.

'Course, you can do this badly, too...(What the heck is a "500 page" website?! and the "resume" one...I like info, but that was waaay too much.)

Ha! When I saw the 500 page website, I cracked up laughing. Totally clueless as to my wants. That resume was very impressive, but EXTREMELY overwhelming. The funny thing is, none of them really had me saying to myself "I've got to hire this guy if its the last thing I do!"

That brings us full circle...what can we do to position ourselves high above any and everyone else?

Great point about pricing! WE choose exactly how much money we want to make with our businesses. It's funny how it takes something like this to get people to raise their web design prices from $249. Well...that and not having enough money to pay your bills, feed your family, invest in your business, and fill your gas tank after spending over 50 hours on perfecting ONE website from start to finish. It gets old REAL quick.

After getting that $20,000 quote from that company, I'm contemplating raising my rates YET again. And the funny thing is, people will continue to pay them without qualm.

Warriors! It's fun having the ability to take on ONE website client each month if you want, and still make enough money to cover your expenses, pay your bills, reinvest in your business, save, and STILL have money left over.

Thanks

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xlfutur1

12 years ago

Wow, that is insane how many responses you had to that ad. I guess when you consider that people from all over the country are responding, it is no surprise.

Proof that you definitely have to stand out from the crowd to cut through the clutter.

I have had success by offering advice and guidance in the email response. I have even done quick videos offering advice on keyword research, SEO and other stuff. When you position yourself as a teacher first, the trust factor goes way up because the prospect feels that you are in their best interest.

I just picked up a doctor's website after a bunch of emails, and then a phone conversation advising him on what to do (he basically needed help with deciding on Wordpress or some other platform)

I read somewhere recently that "trust" is the new currency. Spending a little time building trust first can definitely have an effect on the bottom line.

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dnjoseph1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by xlfutur1

Wow, that is insane how many responses you had to that ad. I guess when you consider that people from all over the country are responding, it is no surprise.

Proof that you definitely have to stand out from the crowd to cut through the clutter.

I have had success by offering advice and guidance in the email response. I have even done quick videos offering advice on keyword research, SEO and other stuff. When you position yourself as a teacher first, the trust factor goes way up because the prospect feels that you are in their best interest.

I just picked up a doctor's website after a bunch of emails, and then a phone conversation advising him on what to do (he basically needed help with deciding on Wordpress or some other platform)

I read somewhere recently that "trust" is the new currency. Spending a little time building trust first can definitely have an effect on the bottom line.

This is an interesting strategy you use. I guess it would fall in line with "Education". By educating them, you naturally build trust with them. I really like that point of view. The only downside I can see, is if someone is trying to use this strategy with multiple people. It can get really time consuming and tiring.

Other than that, this is a fabulous strategy. Thanks for the input!

Thanks

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Wyteria Jacobo 12 years ago

Yes, trust definitely is the new currency.

DNJoseph, thanks so much for sharing this. It gave me new insights into my pricing structure. I haven't been charging enough it seems. The guy who offered to do it for free had me ROFL and the ones who merely quoted without asking you intelligent questions showed they were only in it to make a quick buck.
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- OnlineStoreHelp 12 years ago
  
  At least here in Hawaii, I have replied to a few of these ads and frankly, if they are posting on Craigslist, they want it cheap. One guy I talked to didn't want to pay over $25 an hour and that is not the type of client I want.
  
  My Fiance's company just brought in some "heavy hitting" design firms that all wanted to charge between 10 and 20k. They charge that because their overhead is so ridiculously high. One firm was owned by a local magazine group and they will never quote less than 6K since that is their fixed costs. When questioned on the high prices, their answer, "well you get what you pay for."
  
  The other ones are all "branding" firms. These guys are another piece of work since they all want to tell you how they are going to brand you. Really? Company has been in business 16 years, has a great local following, lots of awards and you are going to brand them? I swear branding firms are looking for one thing, how can they win an award for the website they created, not how can it drive sales.
  
  None of them talked about how the site was going to help them drive customers to their restaurants. None of them talked about streamlining their marketing. None of them even talked about the search patterns around the main keywords and how people were finding them. And none of them talked about the tools available to companies in their industry.
  
  Yet, after all that, her assistant that ran the search was blown away, impressed and wanted to hire them on the spot which shows you how dumb those in charge of the selection process can be.
  
  Let me apologize to anyone I might have insulted in my rant. I have a feeling I am not talking about anyone here but if I am, sorry, I am just to damn honest to play these games with companies.
  
  Edit: I am getting all my work through referrals right now. I do such a great job for my customers that they end up telling everyone about me. So yes, trust is a huge thing right now.
  
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  JMJ 12 years ago
  
  Interesting post. Thanks.
  
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msu

12 years ago

Awesome - thanks for sharing.

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Hesster

12 years ago

I'm not surprised at the amount of replies you got. I replied to a listing in my local area asking for a copywriter and got a phone interview. During the interview I asked the person how many replies they received, and while I don't remember the exact number I do remember it was well over 100. I suppose the bar of entry for writing is lower than web design, because everyone thinks they can write.

Reading through the replies, I'm somewhat surprised how many people jumped straight into mentioning price and how much cheaper they are. I'd be willing to bet most of these replies are either canned responses or templates the sender tweaks slightly for each listing.

I'm sure the way the ad was written has something to do with it too. Like a lot of Craigslist gig/job posts, it's extremely vague. Most of the postings that don't state a ridiculously low rate want to talk money before they give you enough information about what they want. I can understand not giving a business name, but at least mention the industry and what you need your site to do.

I think that's why so many of the responses throw everything but the kitchen sink or mainly talk about themselves and fail to list a USP. How can they talk about the prospect's needs if all they know is the poster wants a web site of X number of pages? It's like playing blind man's bluff.

Thanks
2 replies

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Blayze

12 years ago

This is so funny! ...and mildly sad for our industry.

I responded to a Craigslist ad in November and have made a good amount of money working for a client that posted in the "gigs" section with a headline that read "Looking for an experienced web designer"... at the time I didn't realize they were a company with two locations and three different divisions - all of which needed a web overhaul.

I responded a day after the ad was posted and later found out that they got 50+ emails the first week and invited in about 10 people.

The owner of the company emailed me back within 15 minutes after I sent this email to them... feel free to steal it and make yourself some money. :p

Hello!
My name is Blayze. I realize that you posted this ad yesterday, and I'm sure you've received a ton of replies. However, I just saw the ad and wanted to let you know that if you are still looking for someone to help with your website, I am very interested.

I have about four years of web development experience. I am more of a "web business person" than a web designer. While I create pretty sites, my clients have enjoyed the fact that my background is Internet marketing and I get the phone ringing and people coming through the door. My background is in education (college and high school), sales, and marketing. And unlike a lot of computer-types, I am great with people and love interacting with customers.

You should call me if you're looking for someone who:

understands and has worked with Google products including Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and AdWords.
can drive traffic to websites using various social media outlets, keyword research, blogging, forum posts, and other fun tricks.
and someone who thrives on and enjoys mental challenges that test her aptitude.

You can check out a sample of my web work here: link to my online portfolio

I can also send you a resume/bio if you're interested in learning more about me to find out if we have a match.

It would be great if we could set up a time to talk. If you still have this opening, or have a need for any other services, please get in touch with me at the number in my signature below or reply to this email. My current schedule is flexible so I can meet at your convenience.

Thank you and have great day!

~Blayze

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3 replies

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Jason Kanigan

12 years ago

I don't see anything in the email that makes it stand out. I think you got lucky and were one of the handful the owner decided to call back.

Did you ever find out the specific reason they called you back (that would be my Question #1)? Were you awarded the project?

Originally Posted by Blayze

This is so funny! ...and mildly sad for our industry.

I responded to a Craigslist ad in November and have made a good amount of money working for a client that posted in the "gigs" section with a headline that read "Looking for an experienced web designer"... at the time I didn't realize they were a company with two locations and three different divisions - all of which needed a web overhaul.

I responded a day after the ad was posted and later found out that they got 50+ emails the first week and invited in about 10 people.

The owner of the company emailed me back within 15 minutes after I sent this email to them... feel free to steal it and make yourself some money. :p

Hello!
My name is Blayze. I realize that you posted this ad yesterday, and I'm sure you've received a ton of replies. However, I just saw the ad and wanted to let you know that if you are still looking for someone to help with your website, I am very interested.

I have about four years of web development experience. I am more of a "web business person" than a web designer. While I create pretty sites, my clients have enjoyed the fact that my background is Internet marketing and I get the phone ringing and people coming through the door. My background is in education (college and high school), sales, and marketing. And unlike a lot of computer-types, I am great with people and love interacting with customers.

You should call me if you're looking for someone who:

understands and has worked with Google products including Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and AdWords.
can drive traffic to websites using various social media outlets, keyword research, blogging, forum posts, and other fun tricks.
and someone who thrives on and enjoys mental challenges that test her aptitude.

You can check out a sample of my web work here: link to my online portfolio

I can also send you a resume/bio if you're interested in learning more about me to find out if we have a match.

It would be great if we could set up a time to talk. If you still have this opening, or have a need for any other services, please get in touch with me at the number in my signature below or reply to this email. My current schedule is flexible so I can meet at your convenience.

Thank you and have great day!

~Blayze

Thanks
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John Durham 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

Were you awarded the project?

Accrding to her post, she made alot of money working for that client, so yeah, it looks like she got it from what I understand.
- Thanks
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Blayze

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan

I don't see anything in the email that makes it stand out. I think you got lucky and were one of the handful the owner decided to call back.

Did you ever find out the specific reason they called you back (that would be my Question #1)? Were you awarded the project?

It helps that I'm pretty cute, too. haha

When I worked in a college, I helped 400+ find jobs. My job was directing a career services department and we were responsible for career placement - including networking with employers, and writing resumes and cover letters. I learned to tap into what an employer really wants From owning my own business, I know what a small business owner really wants and I try to write in a way that speaks to their deeper (not posted in the ad) concerns.

The men at this company told me that when they met me, they knew they were going to hire me but had to interview the rest of the people they scheduled...$6,000 later, I'm still working on their first site and have 2 more to go. Fun times. They did say that they liked my online portfolio which has 9 sites that I have made and my own personal website which is a simple 5 page slider.

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. I've been lurking here for a long time and this site is such an awesome resource. I appreciate all of your knowledge! It's been so valuable to me.

Thanks

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mojo1 12 years ago

@Blayze

Pretty interesting response. Your email may have spoken to the internal convo the biz owner was having that secretly wished for a web geek that not only gussied up his web site but could also make their phone ring too. You know that rare breed of sales and tech.
- Thanks
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Sys4

12 years ago

It's simple, yet covers all the basis. Compared to what the OP received, your executive summary obviously would have stood out from the pack. The other take takeaway, perhaps entering the fray later in the fight increases your visibility.

I see you're new (at posting on the WF), please don't be put off by some random who either didn't fully read or understand your post declaring your success "lucky". Some are here simple to help, encourage others, and learn and have nothing to sell or prove to themselves.

Congratulations on landing the gig!

Originally Posted by Blayze

This is so funny! ...and mildly sad for our industry.

I responded to a Craigslist ad in November and have made a good amount of money working for a client that posted in the "gigs" section with a headline that read "Looking for an experienced web designer"... at the time I didn't realize they were a company with two locations and three different divisions - all of which needed a web overhaul.

I responded a day after the ad was posted and later found out that they got 50+ emails the first week and invited in about 10 people.

The owner of the company emailed me back within 15 minutes after I sent this email to them... feel free to steal it and make yourself some money. :p

Hello!
My name is Blayze. I realize that you posted this ad yesterday, and I'm sure you've received a ton of replies. However, I just saw the ad and wanted to let you know that if you are still looking for someone to help with your website, I am very interested.

I have about four years of web development experience. I am more of a "web business person" than a web designer. While I create pretty sites, my clients have enjoyed the fact that my background is Internet marketing and I get the phone ringing and people coming through the door. My background is in education (college and high school), sales, and marketing. And unlike a lot of computer-types, I am great with people and love interacting with customers.

You should call me if you're looking for someone who:

understands and has worked with Google products including Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and AdWords.
can drive traffic to websites using various social media outlets, keyword research, blogging, forum posts, and other fun tricks.
and someone who thrives on and enjoys mental challenges that test her aptitude.

You can check out a sample of my web work here: link to my online portfolio

I can also send you a resume/bio if you're interested in learning more about me to find out if we have a match.

It would be great if we could set up a time to talk. If you still have this opening, or have a need for any other services, please get in touch with me at the number in my signature below or reply to this email. My current schedule is flexible so I can meet at your convenience.

Thank you and have great day!

~Blayze

Thanks

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SYS4 - White Label Web Design

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dnjoseph1

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Hesster

I'm not surprised at the amount of replies you got. I replied to a listing in my local area asking for a copywriter and got a phone interview. During the interview I asked the person how many replies they received, and while I don't remember the exact number I do remember it was well over 100. I suppose the bar of entry for writing is lower than web design, because everyone thinks they can write.

Reading through the replies, I'm somewhat surprised how many people jumped straight into mentioning price and how much cheaper they are. I'd be willing to bet most of these replies are either canned responses or templates the sender tweaks slightly for each listing.

I'm sure the way the ad was written has something to do with it too. Like a lot of Craigslist gig/job posts, it's extremely vague. Most of the postings that don't state a ridiculously low rate want to talk money before they give you enough information about what they want. I can understand not giving a business name, but at least mention the industry and what you need your site to do.

I think that's why so many of the responses throw everything but the kitchen sink or mainly talk about themselves and fail to list a USP. How can they talk about the prospect's needs if all they know is the poster wants a web site of X number of pages? It's like playing blind man's bluff.

You have made a very valid point. It was funny though, because a lot of the ads posted are just like that...vague. However, I can understand your point of view.

It's interesting they got so many replies for a copy writing job...of all jobs. That's definitely crazy. What did your initial email to the company look like?

Thanks
1 reply

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Hesster

12 years ago

Originally Posted by dnjoseph1

You have made a very valid point. It was funny though, because a lot of the ads posted are just like that...vague. However, I can understand your point of view.

It's interesting they got so many replies for a copy writing job...of all jobs. That's definitely crazy. What did your initial email to the company look like?

I don't have the listing or email anymore, but as I recall the listing specifically asked for someone local so that's what I stressed. I live in Boise, which has a metro area of around 650,000 so I figured there wouldn't be a ton of people who matched their location. I changed the subject line to something like "Boise area copywriter responding to your Craigslist ad" and mentioned the local weather in the message. Just something like "Hope you've enjoyed the sunshine we've been having."

Other than that, I just outlined my background and provided some samples. It turned out they wanted someone to come in and work on site (20 miles away) for $8 an hour so I didn't take the job.

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RedShifted

12 years ago

This is something I did like a year ago.

But I never made a thread about it because I figured most people already realized this stuff.

Yes, you will get an avalanche of people contacting you. People will STILL be emailing you for the next 2-4 weeks guaranteed. So make sure you take your ad down.

When I ran this study, I was enlightened in a different way. Which was the fact that everyone who contacted me, was trying too hard to sound like either:

a) A professional web designer
b) A professional web design firm

Rather than focusing on results or the "cheese" so to speak.

I also realized this, its a complete utter waste of time replying to posts on Craigslist. If you're playing that game, you're playing the wrong game.

The way to use Craigslist is to MAKE YOUR OWN ADS that ADVERTISE WEB DESIGN.

You will get much more qualified leads that way, and you'll get a much better volume.

I have posted various ads on here over 7-8 months ago.

Another guy has posted a great CL ad on here just a few weeks ago. About how he's getting 3-5 responses a day with just 1 of his ads. So by messaging people individually, you're just wasting time imo.

Although I stopped doing web design (I got involved in something I like 1000xs better) I still use Craigslist to find leads.

What I do now is mostly tracked jpeg thumbnails that link to youtube. Then I have a tagging script saved, that I just load into the bottom of each ad. You need to consider the fact that many people are typing in terms that are not in your ad, into the search box. So to maximize traffic and extend the life of your ads, always keyword stuff them on the bottom.

Once I started using theatre and humor in my videos, it was game over. Nothing has converted as well as an entertaining video, with a strong plug at the end. The leads are much more qualified, you've already build a good rapport through your marketing, and they're much easier to sell.

I believe that your marketing is even more important than your sales pitch. Its doing the job of making a first impression, and you need to distinguish yourself immediately, in a way that noone else is doing. Once again, humor works great for this. If you can make a person laugh in your marketing, with a well written pitch on top of that, you'll be golden. Doesn't matter if you market on CL, youtube, facebook... just make sure your marketing is as good as it can be.

There are guys on here who would argue with that viewpoint, and say something like "the job of your marketing is just to get people to raise their hands". But I completely disagree. That stuff may have flew years ago, but these days things are a lot more competitive. Thats why your marketing really needs to stand out now more than ever. It should entertain or charm people to build trust/rapport, prescreen, prequalify, position, then pitch.

-Red

ps. you should change the title of this thread to:

"Craigslist Case Study Reveals: Why You Shouldn't Waste Time Messaging Prospects".

Thanks
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ronr 12 years ago

Great idea and totally overlooked thing to do, put yourself in the prospects shoes and see what you are up against.

One of the morals of this thread is that on Craigslist it's a buyers market for website services. When a business has 50 different sources to choose from it's extremely difficult not to become a commodity.

Ron
- Thanks
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damasgate

12 years ago

I ran an ad myself and I saw the overwhelming responses. I find it somewhat discouraging in my opinion.

If you want to get the leg up though I would recommend setting up a Google Alert with RSS feeds that would allow you to get updated whenever something new comes up in that section.

For more opportunities, I find that the web design section also has multiple opportunities.

Thanks

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scottgallagher

12 years ago

DUDE, thank you!!! This is a great study. Really glad you did this and posted your findings. I think this is very helpful

Thanks

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Arzak

12 years ago

Interesting stuff! I noticed a significant number of the responses had issues with spelling/grammar (taking into consideration your removal of some details) and none really called out to me.

I checked out most of the links and there was one guy with an impressive site. Even if the responses aren't so great, wouldn't you guys still at least take a look at their work? Might miss a good opportunity!

Thanks

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Arzak

12 years ago

I was very interested and put up my own post. After all, these guys are potentially my competitors! I put up the post a bit before midnight and received 5 responses in 1.5 hours. Received 17 in total so far. I don't want to take away from OP's thread or anything so I'll just leave a few of my own results so far.

1st response: The guy simply pasted his resume in the body, no greeting or anything else (no portfolio or example work either). Also attached it as a PDF and DOC. Resume states he worked at IBM for 13 years, Century 21 for 10 and knows 6 languages. He owns a traffic and lead-generating site and charges monthly.

Other information:

3 people were from outside the country

One was a firm owned by 2 brothers with offices in Canada and Germany charging $10-20k, huge clients (Trump, Canon, Honda, several big-name Universities) - Similar to the OP!

4 people pasted their resume or a bunch of other stuff in the email body which resulted in poor formatting and me not bothering to read

Thanks

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Volux

12 years ago

Great information.

Thank you for sharing this!

Thanks
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liveformusic

12 years ago

Fascinating.

I am primarily an SEO, and y'know, with all the CL ads I've responded to, I've never gotten a rely either! (I was almost beginning to think these ads were hoaxes, and they had some hidden agenda, but I don't know what that could be, so I guess they're legit!)

I would think, in most cases, a quick reply to each respondent would be warranted, but then again, I'm old school. It's a pretty rude society now.

Thanks for posting those emails. Great reading.

Yesterday, I charged clients $300.00 for a website, starting tomorrow I'll be charging $20,000.00

I'll see how that goes.....

Originally Posted by dnjoseph1

Warriors,

I've spent a lot of time in the past replying to ads on Craigslist in the "Gigs' section where people were looking for web design help. Of all the times I've replied to someone, I've never had any responses. I'm sure these people were getting other emails from designers and marketers. But I wanted details. Sooo....

I placed the following ad in my area on Craigslist February 13th at noon...what ensued gave me the exact insight I was looking for.

Ad Begins
------------------------------------------
Medium Sized Business Needs Web Design (Minneapolis)
Thank you for taking the time to view my post.

My company is looking for a website to be designed. We have a strict deadline, so we would need to know an estimate on how long your design would take.

We are going to have approximately 10 pages of content. We have a couple of videos that we are going to put on the website. We need something that is very professional, as that is the industry we are in.

Please email me with your quotes, and any questions you may have. Thank you.

Ronald Matthews
---------------------------End Ad

Some Stats

the 1st reply came in within 5 minutes of the post going live
I received over 50 emails over the next 4 days
I only read in detail the first 5 emails
After the 5th email, the responses started to overwhelm me...seriously...it got crazy

Lesson I Learned

You NEED to be one of the FIRST people to respond to these types of posts to have any sort of consistent success. Not only that, but you need to address the prospects needs and ask the right questions.

Most Interesting Fact Learned

Fortune 5000 companies respond to these craigslist ads. I was contacted by a VERY large web design firm. One of the largest in the US.

Price Ranges

FREE (yes, really)
From $300 all the way up to $20,000. Yes, you read that number right. I was quoted by the above company $20,000 for a website. The most interesting part of this is that this company obviously has businesses that gladly pay those fees.

Attached is a WORD document containing almost every reply I received.

Warriors...this is a MUST READ! Seriously, some of these responses blew my mind. Some people were professional, while others were absolute idiots. Some wanted me to call them. Others wanted me to email. One guy even asked me to text him....seriously?

Take some time and read each reply. If you were a business owner looking to hire someone, which of these ads would YOU reply to?

What I'm hoping this will do for you is give you a nice angle to go after these type of leads with.

I should also note that I have deleted all last names, as well as company information, phone numbers, emails, and website samples. I'm sure you can understand why.

And lastly, if anyone happens to view this thread who was one of the people who responded to me...I'm sorry for getting your hopes up. :rolleyes:

This took about an hour to put together, but I think it will help a lot of people out. Feel free to share your thoughts and questions! ENJOY!

Daniel

PS. THERE IS NO WSO COMING OUT BASED ON THIS. I REPEAT, I AM NOT COMING OUT WITH A WSO. THIS IS A FREE CASE STUDY I DID IN MY SPARE TIME.

Thanks

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Case Study MUST READ: If you prospect with Craigslist, you NEED to read this

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