2019: Becoming Unemployable (Local Lead Gen)

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

You can call or text them back.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

True, and I've got an auto text reply set up when I miss a call on my business number.

I don't want to seem like an a$$ by not answering their call after having called them initially.

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

UPDATE:

Not much came out of the voicemail blast. Mostly "Do not call me again" responses. A couple showed interest but ultimately went nowhere. I've been continuing reaching out over email with no results.

I've been using @Jeremy Ellens post as inspiration for creating a case study offer: How We Grew Our Marketing Agency to $720,000 Selling Quizzes - LeadQuizzes Blog

I like the idea of offering a case study to gain first clients instead of just generically selling my services. For example: "We're going to generate 250 patients this year for 5 local cardiologists"

In the post, they chose to grow their client's email list by 100k in one year. I feel like that's easier because those signups accumulate and there's no extra monthly spend or costs to figure out.

The problem I'm having is coming up with a compelling offer with my services. I'm just not sure what the exact "product" of the case study should be. Leads? Customers? Sales?

And also how do I figure out how many leads/customers I can generate for them before they sign up?

I don't want to promise 1,200 leads in a year and then come nowhere close to that ya know?

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Charnell]

Mostly "Do not call me again" responses

Don't let that dissuade you. When I was cold calling I can't tell you how many times I would call/email the same person every week or every other week then 2 months later they're interested.

What's it take like 7-15 "touches" before a prospect agrees to talk? Sometimes you get lucky on that 1st touch. A few more on that 2nd. So on and so on.

The problem I'm having is coming up with a compelling offer with my services. I'm just not sure what the exact "product" of the case study should be. Leads? Customers? Sales?

Have you looked at what your "competition" is doing? Done a search for "marketing firms plumbing" or "lead gen plumbing" or whatever your niche is and check out what the big guys are doing.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Have you looked at what your "competition" is doing? Done a search for "marketing firms plumbing" or "lead gen plumbing" or whatever your niche is and check out what the big guys are doing.

That's a good idea. Gonna do that now.

 

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[ExaltedLife]

Go read Spin Selling, post haste.

All your questions fall into the "S" part of Spin. Once you get down to the "N" you will have better results in your quest.

Good luck, we're pulling for you.

I second this, SPIN Selling is in my opinion the king of sales books. If you understand it you can use it to sell anything

 

[MHP368]

This is way out of my orbit so forgive me if this is a stupid quesion but...

Why us the business model a flat monthly consult fee?

Could you just build lead generation landing pages for those particular industries in those locations and then work on SEO / pay for ads tonget traffix then just resell the leads to the clients for a fee?

I feel like you'd see a lot more dollar signs doing that. Like , if it cost you 10 dollars a lead and 1 in 10 convert but its for 3000 dollar roofing jobs i'd imagine negotiating things so that you double your ad spend in profit wouldn't be hard.

Again , just shooting from the hip.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

This is way out of my orbit so forgive me if this is a stupid quesion but...

Why us the business model a flat monthly consult fee?

Could you just build lead generation landing pages for those particular industries in those locations and then work on SEO / pay for ads tonget traffix then just resell the leads to the clients for a fee?

I feel like you'd see a lot more dollar signs doing that. Like , if it cost you 10 dollars a lead and 1 in 10 convert but its for 3000 dollar roofing jobs i'd imagine negotiating things so that you double your ad spend in profit wouldn't be hard.

Again , just shooting from the hip.

I've thought about that and discussed it in other threads too. My long term goal is to get out of the client gig and have brands in each niche. I'd like to have full control over the lead gen process.

The big question for me is how can I guarantee the quality of the leads? Once I send a customer a lead, it's out of my hands. It's on them to close the deal.

There's also a lot more work managing ad spend, CPC's, profitability, pricing, etc...and I'd rather not be an accountant. I'd much rather build an asset and collect a check each month.

Another model I've thought about that I've "stolen" from Andy is to rent/lease out the landing page.

For example, I could have a pest control brand "PestPros" with a landing page + ads targeting multiple locations around the country. I would have all of the CPC data and be able to quote a leasing fee to someone in each location.

The fee would cover the ad spend of the campaigns + profit margin.

Not only are they buying the leads, but they're buying exclusivity in that location.

Of course, it would still have to make sense for the customer cashflow wise. A small mom & pop may not be able to afford a $1K/mo lease, but an established company might just to scoop up those leads away from the competition.

I still need to work out a reliable method of delivering the leads...hmmm

Lot's to think about

 

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[d7laungani]

One problem I want to bring up from my relatively small outreach campaign is that I have trouble getting past the gatekeeper by cold calling. The second I mention Google Ads I get a hang up and when I make it past the gatekeeper is that the business owners behave the same way as well.

I suspect because of the number of marketers they get inundating them with google ads outreach that they have turned a cold eye to anything to do with Google Ads. What have y'all done to avoid this problem. If it helps to give context I am in the U.S and have specifically tried this in Texas.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

One problem I want to bring up from my relatively small outreach campaign is that I have trouble getting past the gatekeeper by cold calling. The second I mention Google Ads I get a hang up and when I make it past the gatekeeper is that the business owners behave the same way as well.

I suspect because of the number of marketers they get inundating them with google ads outreach that they have turned a cold eye to anything to do with Google Ads. What have y'all done to avoid this problem. If it helps to give context I am in the U.S and have specifically tried this in Texas.

Hey fellow Texan! Hopefully we’re not competing too closely...lol

I’ve tried to stay away from cold calling (probably to my detriment) because of this. I’m sure they get hammered by marketers all the time.

I’ve also toyed with the idea of generating leads before reaching out to them.

What if we could generate a lead, and then call them?

What if we could generate 10 leads, send them to the prospect, then say “Hey I’m the guys whose been sending those leads. Hire me...”?

Perhaps we’d have a better chance...

 

[d7laungani]

Hey fellow Texan! Hopefully we’re not competing too closely...lol

I’ve tried to stay away from cold calling (probably to my detriment) because of this. I’m sure they get hammered by marketers all the time.

I’ve also toyed with the idea of generating leads before reaching out to them.

What if we could generate a lead, and then call them?

What if we could generate 10 leads, send them to the prospect, then say “Hey I’m the guys whose been sending those leads. Hire me...”?

Perhaps we’d have a better chance...

Howdy lol,

So I did try that. Again small data point with one guy but the problem is still the same. Let me go into further detail.

@Andy Black mentioned this idea somewhere else as well. I started off by calling this company and then getting in touch with the company owner. To preface I found this company through a local ad booklet I got in the mail so I know they were willing to spend on marketing.

I talked to the company owner about Google Ads and mentioned I was someone new willing to help him out for free and he was interested. He said to send him an email with more details. So instead I setup ads for his niche and directed them to his company phone number and not his personal cell number.

Two weeks go by before I set up the campaign and it is running smoothly. I tracked three calls and saw that a representative picked it up and dealt with it so I delivered on the proposition of bringing in leads first.

I then email him as he asked originally with an analysis of the competition in his ad space as Andy has shown in the past aka "show don't tell" + I mentioned the leads I delivered to him (albeit to the company number). He didn't reply.

I then follow up with a call and he replies saying he read the email but is not interested, which baffles me.

This baffles me because I thought I did everything right logically. "Show don't tell" - deliver the leads first and then have a conversation. What has been your experience so far with this idea?

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Howdy lol,

So I did try that. Again small data point with one guy but the problem is still the same. Let me go into further detail.

@Andy Black mentioned this idea somewhere else as well. I started off by calling this company and then getting in touch with the company owner. To preface I found this company through a local ad booklet I got in the mail so I know they were willing to spend on marketing.

I talked to the company owner about Google Ads and mentioned I was someone new willing to help him out for free and he was interested. He said to send him an email with more details. So instead I setup ads for his niche and directed them to his company phone number and not his personal cell number.

Two weeks go by before I set up the campaign and it is running smoothly. I tracked three calls and saw that a representative picked it up and dealt with it so I delivered on the proposition of bringing in leads first.

I then email him as he asked originally with an analysis of the competition in his ad space as Andy has shown in the past aka "show don't tell" + I mentioned the leads I delivered to him (albeit to the company number). He didn't reply.

I then follow up with a call and he replies saying he read the email but is not interested, which baffles me.

This baffles me because I thought I did everything right logically. "Show don't tell" - deliver the leads first and then have a conversation. What has been your experience so far with this idea?

Probably just need to try more people. You can use CallRail to forward to 10 different numbers all at once.

We can’t expect everyone to bite the hook on the first try.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Well, not what I was expecting but my dad wants me to help him with his new e-commerce venture.

I guess this could be considered my first client? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

After working in the recruiting space for 20 years, he said he's burnt out and wants a second income stream. (maybe he's read the books? probably not though his birthday is coming up...)

He wants to pay me as a consultant through my own company, if anything it could be a good case study.

I'll continue reaching out to local businesses though...going to pound out some videos to send to LinkedIn connections on Monday morning.

 

[MHP368]

’ve tried to stay away from cold calling (probably to my detriment) because of this. I’m sure they get hammered by marketers all the time.

Yeh but they also get thirty emails a day from marketers , hell my gmail filters the spam before I even see it.

Cold outreach on linkedin , literally a site for networking and you'll see crappy response rates too.

If it makes you uncomfortable its probably the thing you should be doing. Little life thatip Anythingfrom a nurse a, if it tastes good or feels good its probably bad for you , if it tastes bad? Thats the medicine , boring? Makes you stronger and smarter

By all means play to your strengths but somehow I cant imagine a scenario where sending cold emails is the strength.

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

True. I’ve designed and ordered some flyers to hand to business owners in person.

Also a “mentor” I’ve talked to has given me some good advice about reaching business owners in my particular town.

A handshake > email where I’m from.

 

[sonny_1080]

@PizzaOnTheRoof

Where'd you go?!? This was a year ago? I'd love to hear how you're doing.

One thing though... aside from your Pop's wanting to work with you, you never mentioned how reaching out to your existing network went. Did you ever do that?