Building or Improving Websites for Local Businesses

[SweetTooth]

I know a lot of successful people got their start by building websites for businesses.

Lets say I know good design and copywriting, so I can get these local businesses set up with an exceptional shopify or wordpress site. Lets say I'll do it for a small monthly fee or a one time larger fee.

Every time I call up local businesses, they either aren't interested (which is why they don't have one in the first place). Or their website looks like it was made in 1995.

I'm in sales, but I've never done telephone sales. I've thought about going to these stores in person but the time and gas spent would be insane. How do I go about getting a hold of the person in charge over the phone? Then convincing them that they need a professional looking website, and I'm their guy?

 

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[marklov]

Funny thing is you don't need to convince business owners why they need a website.

It's not they are not interested, almost every business owners in this age knows why then need a website but don't know why they should buy from you and if they don't buy from you they are going to buy from someone else even if it's a crappy version of what you might be offering.

They days off pitching you need a web presence ....and collecting them big 8-10k cheques
because "people aren't finding you" is drawing to an end.

Times are a changing....Business owners want to know what it's in it for them.
What's their ROI.
How many will they get.
Will it improve sales/generate leads.


That's the type of website you can look at a business owner and tell them.

An investment to get a website and upkeep on the internet cost this much.

The separate matter of advertising and getting your website to generate the results you want is approx this much....

Putting this all together and my service fee is this much.

They want websites that make them money and not ones that look nice on a business card.

Give them that you have no problem collecting $10-$12k cheques because your website will bring
the revenue that justifies your price and you are confident in that.


On the other hand....

it's possible peddle $499 websites and sell 14 a week but what value is that offering?

Your just creating garbage for other serious guys to clean up....

Similar to cheapo seo services.

When a real SEO guy lays their 2k discounted package onto a business owner and they balk because
some guy called before hand offering to get them ranked for $99 ridiculous.....

What road you choose is up to you.

 

[Andy Black]

Might be worth reading the third link in my signature too.

 

[SweetTooth]

Funny thing is you don't need to convince business owners why they need a website.

It's not they are not interested, almost every business owners in this age knows why then need a website but don't know why they should buy from you and if they don't buy from you they are going to buy from someone else even if it's a crappy version of what you might be offering.

They days off pitching you need a web presence ....and collecting them big 8-10k cheques
because "people aren't finding you" is drawing to an end.

Times are a changing....Business owners want to know what it's in it for them.
What's their ROI.
How many will they get.
Will it improve sales/generate leads.


That's the type of website you can look at a business owner and tell them.

An investment to get a website and upkeep on the internet cost this much.

The separate matter of advertising and getting your website to generate the results you want is approx this much....

Putting this all together and my service fee is this much.

They want websites that make them money and not ones that look nice on a business card.

Give them that you have no problem collecting $10-$12k cheques because your website will bring
the revenue that justifies your price and you are confident in that.


On the other hand....

it's possible peddle $499 websites and sell 14 a week but what value is that offering?

Your just creating garbage for other serious guys to clean up....

Similar to cheapo seo services.

When a real SEO guy lays their 2k discounted package onto a business owner and they balk because
some guy called before hand offering to get them ranked for $99 ridiculous.....

What road you choose is up to you.

Right. Instead of just telling them that I can make their site more professional and modern. I need to tell them how much their sales can skyrocket. And how much they're losing in sales by not having a monetized site. Great eye-opener.

 

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[IGP]

The trick is finding small businesses that are already spending money on advertising.

Convincing Joe Mechanic who doesn't do any business on the web to pony up for a website is not gonna fly.

However, convincing someone spending 10K/month on advertising already is a different story. At that point it's just about math and you can demonstrate an ROI if you improve their conversion.

So, where do you find these people you ask...

How about people buying ads in your local or neighborhood paper. People buying ads in the offline Yellow Pages. People buying billboards. People buying radio spots. etc.

Research them...
Find the ones with shitty sites...
Clearly demonstrate what's wrong...
Show them how to fix it...
Show them the increase in ROI...
Close the deal...

 

[marklov]

Right. Instead of just telling them that I can make their site more professional and modern. I need to tell them how much their sales can skyrocket. And how much they're losing in sales by not having a monetized site. Great eye-opener.

You also need to be able to do it.

Be able to know if you develop a websiteit will produce double even triple
what they are paying you.

There has to be that confidence and actual proof in the pudding.

That is what will set you apart and have your phone ringing with other enthused business owners
who heard about sally's site over coffee or something.

Getting them on the phones...lol heres a funny thing.

Most of the times they are the ones that answer the damn phone.

The only time someone likes being sold is when they either pursue the purchase
or what you offer is a no brainer to them.

Out side of that it's "what can you do for me?"

They have heard all the technical smooth talking from being bombarded with sales calls daily.

You need to hit the non-technical points.

The areas that hit home with them.

Find that and their tone tells you you hit the problem that needs to be solved most.

Digging up their problems cane tricky too....because almost no one likes talking about their problems.

So you need a follow up so they can envision the problem going away.

Then Solve it.

And in doing so satisfy their "NEED"


If what you're looking to do is just redesign websites that's not where the sustainability long term is.

 

[Andy Black]

The trick is finding small businesses that are already spending money on advertising.

Convincing Joe Mechanic who doesn't do any business on the web to pony up for a website is not gonna fly.

However, convincing someone spending 10K/month on advertising already is a different story. At that point it's just about math and you can demonstrate an ROI if you improve their conversion.

So, where do you find these people you ask...

How about people buying ads in your local or neighborhood paper. People buying ads in the offline Yellow Pages. People buying billboards. People buying radio spots. etc.

Research them...
Find the ones with shitty sites...
Clearly demonstrate what's wrong...
Show them how to fix it...
Show them the increase in ROI...
Close the deal...

^^^ This.

"Help the people in motion."

 

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[Andy Black]

You also need to be able to do it.

Be able to know if you develop a websiteit will produce double even triple
what they are paying you.

There has to be that confidence and actual proof in the pudding.

That is what will set you apart and have your phone ringing with other enthused business owners
who heard about sally's site over coffee or something.

Getting them on the phones...lol heres a funny thing.

Most of the times they are the ones that answer the damn phone.

The only time someone likes being sold is when they either pursue the purchase
or what you offer is a no brainer to them.

Out side of that it's "what can you do for me?"

They have heard all the technical smooth talking from being bombarded with sales calls daily.

You need to hit the non-technical points.

The areas that hit home with them.

Find that and their tone tells you you hit the problem that needs to be solved most.

Digging up their problems cane tricky too....because almost no one likes talking about their problems.

So you need a follow up so they can envision the problem going away.

Then Solve it.

And in doing so satisfy their "NEED"


If what you're looking to do is just redesign websites that's not where the sustainability long term is.

^^^ This too.

I always tell prospects "You don't need a website. You need phone calls/bookings/sales."


Again, lots of my hard won learnings in the third link in my signature.


What's the gatekeeper there for?

To prevent certain types of calls.

AND to forward other types of calls.

Be the second type.