Comments on: Selling Local Search

By: Convert Offline - Everybody’s Doing It | Website Promotion is not Voodoo

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:30:36 +0000

[...] thought I’d go ahead and document a recent client experience I’ve been talking to a few folks [...]

By: Christina Niven

Christina Niven — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:26:42 +0000

You said: “To test the website, we will simply borrow a trick from the direct mail industry. In direct mail, what they do is to create two mailers, shuffle the deck, and mail them out. When you track the results, one will get a better return than the other. So, they kill the loser and try to create a new ad that will beat the previous winner. Then repeat.”

Excellent point, well put.

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:18:39 +0000

Yes, that’s an interesting point. I guess the small business owner in me says you need to do something for them before asking them to do something for you (pay you!).

But, the danger here, especially for a one or two man shop is that you can waste unrecoverable time on non-profitable tasks that could have been otherwise spent talking to a likelier client or working on your own projects.

It’s a puzzle, Tim, but it’s a good one to think about.

By: Local Search Hound

Local Search Hound — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:14:26 +0000

David, thanks. As soon as I read Miram’s comment I realized what a challenge it was going to be. It is so complicated and there is so much to talk about it. This exercise really helped me. And it gives me something to build on.

Miriam, I wouldn’t argue with your approach at all. And I’ve sold and trained people to sell that way exactly. I’m just starting to feel like asking people for their time is not much different from asking for their money. Value should be provided before asking for either. In the end, it might depend on who initiated the contact. Me or the client. That’s a big factor.

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 20:37:14 +0000

David -
You made my jaw drop until I saw your ‘just kidding’. You’d better not give up blogging! I’ll tell mom if ya do!

I confess, I have had issues with giving too much time to clients as well without getting down to brass tacks. Something I’ve noticed - not a happy trend - is that many of the potential clients who take up the most time before contract signing end up being the ones who decide not to go with you. That can be tough, particularly as we have never thought it right to bill for pre-contract consultation. It’s a puzzle.

Tim, this is an absolutely fantastic post. I really applaud you in writing this and think you’ve got it right.

One thing I’d point out is that I tend to ask questions about the client’s business FIRST, before I start talking about what we do. It helps me to tailor even my most initial words to them to their specific needs.

Well done!
Miriam

By: David Mihm

David Mihm — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:46:09 +0000

Tim, yet another great post. It is just too hard to keep up with you these days so I have decided to give up blogging. (Just kidding! I’ve just been too busy but hope to return in March.)

I love the way you are able to condense all this information into a short presentation. You’ve really got it nailed & I hope you will not mind if I borrow some of your talking points.

One of the things that I struggle with is that I waste a lot of time with potential clients because I am not forceful enough in setting the agenda for the initial call or meeting…but that was because I didn’t really have one until now. It had been backwards, where it was a free-for-all with me asking clients about their business & it really should be the other way around–explain SEM first & then ask them what pieces of it apply to their business.

Great post.