Aug 14, 2010
No Big Ideas Here – Just some more tips to save money and make it work for you.
1.) Establish Yourself (or fake it till you make it)
You know deep down in your gut you aren’t a seo firm. So what Set up a domain name, get a business license, get insurance (don’t put this off if you can avoid it). Set your site up with google local. Make sure you rank for something that a client would search for.
2.) Establish your own marketplace.
This can be on your seo site, or even an entirely separate site. Make it look nice – and you will have a place to put all those sites you don’t sell…. or to just keep churning out sites “made by” your firm. Sell them on flippa, or wherever. Or just keep them. List whatever site you want to sell on the marketplace at really crazy rates — when your customers google it they will think you are giving them the deal of a lifetime.
3.) Get your proposals in order (this is a make or break thing)
There are a ton of “seo proposals” on-line. I hate them all . I’ve been using Proposable lately. Let’s me “SEE” what they are doing with my proposal. However, you will have the occasional client with out access to the internet for whatever reason. You’ll have to break out the paper then.
4.) Use contracts.
Never promise that your clients will achieve (or keep) top x rankings. Be careful promising exclusivity – ie you can’t keep yourself afloat only doing one restaurant, one contractor, etc…
5.) Don’t over do it.
If you are busy with 5 clients don’t take on 30. But make sure you have some padding. I like to keep a bunch of little clients and a few big ones to make sure that if I lose one it isn’t the end of the world.
6.) Set up systems.
When you tackle a new market keep all your content, images, etc… It will help you break into a new market. There isn’t a reason why you couldn’t sell roofing websites all over the country. If you are smart you will use tokens and store in databases to really churn out fast sites. (hmm maybe I’ll let you use my system if you ask nicely)
7.) Where the real money is
The real money isn’t selling the website. It’s maintaining it. Setting up systems for lead collection, marketing, keeping in touch with their customers, etc… Don’t forget hosting. If I sell you a site for $1000 dollars but charge you 29.99 a month to host it – I make 1300 bucks in one year. If they agree for us to maintain twitter, facebook, etc… it’s another 250 every other month or so. If they pay us to help with on-line marketing it’s more, to do seo it’s even more…
Get the picture?
8.) Be a pro.
Even if you don’t feel like a pro – you know more then they do. Don’t assume just because you are a first time “seo firm” that you aren’t good at this. I work for a number of “seo firms” that don’t know how to do anything. They hire me to create forms, build systems, and my favorite — install wordpress sites. They are just salesmen that know links are needed – but not any creative ways to get them. I work for others who are technical wizzes but just now how to do things – not how to rank, or really wow their customers.
9.) Don’t forget video.
I still remember the day I told one of my plumbing contractors that I was going to follow him around for the day and get him to explain what he was doing. He flipped – then let me talk him into it. I told him I wouldn’t charge him at all if it didn’t work.. in fact I’d only charge him 100 dollars a client. I put my time and effort where my mouth was…….. and then I:
Broke it down into a dozen how to videos that show him being an expert, clean, professional, and polite with his customers. Put it up on it’s own site and youtube channel.
He’s driven (and been paid handsomely) hundreds of miles because people were willing to pay HIM more – since they “knew” him from the videos. After paying about 1500 dollars he bought the site for 4k (his idea).
10.) If they are local you are the photographer as well.
Go take shots of their office, the people, etc… a good camera is about 200 bucks. I guarantee that once you do this you won’t just be the “nameless” website guy anymore — in fact everyone in that office will be telling their friends, and other businesses about this amazing web firm they just hired.
11.) Be creative – and be their marketing wiz at the same time.
Just about anything you can do locally gives you an edge and makes your next client easier. Just prove it – show it – sell it – maintain it. Then show them how they can increase their customers other ways. Show them how to collect leads, how to e-mail market, how to go web 2.0, etc…. it’s all more money in your pocket.
I have a local auto repair shop handing out ice cream coupons and the ice cream shop handing out almost free oil changes. Both are happy as well – both pay for the printing – and both pay me every month to keep their sites up.
Just help them make money and you are the hero.
12.) Get some cards
Last and not least – get business cards. Set up a referral system, etc… don’t forget to market yourself.
That’s all folks.
I know I didn’t sell you a $997 info product on how to do this. But I’ve been doing it for years – and it’s a way to support your family if nothing else. I also find it fun and it’s cool to be the “hero”. I’ll see if I can’t come up with some ways to make it easier on you if I get some requests.