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Are Audits Enough? Trying To Offer More Value Upfront

Devampre

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In an effort to offer upfront value to potential clients, I've been giving free audits for their digital presence (Website + Social Media) and giving them tips to improve it. However, I'm beginning to feel either that:

-Perhaps it isn't valuable enough to make them want to talk with me.
-It comes across as nerdtalk/TMI (even though I don't use complicated jargon or abbreviations.)
-They already get similar people offering them the same thing and feel like they are being sold to/gamed (I don't sell them anything when I open, it's just a friendly introduction and the audit.)
-Sending them a video and PDF in a DM makes them uneasy?

So now I'm trying to think about other ways to offer these people value, but it can be a little tricky. I tried brainstorming, but I feel like my creative juices aren't flowing at 100% at the moment. Anyways, here's some other ideas I had for value I could give them:

-Logo redesign?
-Website mockup?
-Logo video from something like after effects?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and expertise on this matter. :)
 
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amp0193

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In an effort to offer upfront value to potential clients, I've been giving free audits for their digital presence (Website + Social Media) and giving them tips to improve it.

As a business owner, I'd find this valuable.

In two years, and probably a hundred cold emails regarding web services... not one has offered anything specific to our website, or how to improve it. They just email copy/paste templates.

If this is what you're doing, and you're not getting traction, maybe you should take a look at your delivery and what you're writing in your emails or saying on the phone.

-Website mockup?

Probably a waste of time. That's a lot of work.


-Logo video from something like after effects?

Might be interesting to do what you're already doing (picking apart their website) and doing it via a video format instead. I'd sure as hell watch a video that proposed to have tips on how to make my site better, if it showed up in my inbox.
 

NVaz

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other ways to offer these people value,
Offer an overview of their competitors digital presence. Don't do the video, ask first if they are interested, if they reply THEN you make the video, this way you don't waste your time.
 

Andy Black

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I don’t do cold emails, but I get my fair share of copy/paste web design, SEO, VA, and app development emails and LinkedIn PMs.

The giveaway is that they take too long to get to the point.
  • “I know you’re busy so I’ll get to my point.” (So why did you say that?)
  • “May I ask you a question?” (You just did!)

I’m already hovering over the delete button if there’s a video to watch. You’re going to have to sell me hard on watching a video.


What about helping people who ask for help, and being seen to do so?

I’m in a few Facebook groups of brick and mortar business owners. Firstly, the group owners invited me in to help their members with Google Ads.

Next, I start answering questions where I can.

Then I drop a short video explaining how Google Ads works for that type of business.


Does that help?
 
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Andy Black

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In two years, and probably a hundred cold emails regarding web services... not one has offered anything specific to our website, or how to improve it. They just email copy/paste templates.
I do this all the time when dealing with businesses. If I spot a typo or broken link I just send a quick note with it highlighted on a screenshot. Pretty easy to do. Conversations start but I don’t do web dev so I don’t take it any further.


@Devampre ... The emails that I’d send doing this are super short:

“Hi,

Spotted a wee typo:

<screenshot>

Andy”

.

“Hi,

I get this when I click on the Facebook link on your website:

<screenshot>

Andy”

.

“Hi,

Your ad for car insurance shows up when I searched for home insurance?

<screenshot>

Andy”


Hmm... are these cold emails? I fire them off and keep moving. The goal isn’t even to get a reply... it’s just to show them something they need to fix.


@amp0193 ... PM me your website and I’ll send you a similarly short reply.

Funny how my email would be shorter and more custom to you, and more likely to initiate a conversation than many emails trying to initiate a conversation.
 

amp0193

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Hmm... are these cold emails? I fire them off and keep moving. The goal isn’t even to get a reply... it’s just to show them something they need to fix.

These are better than almost any cold email I've ever gotten.

You could read the whole thing in just the subject line preview.

Guaranteed... I would open and read this email.
 

Andy Black

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You could read the whole thing in just the subject line preview.
Whoa. I never even thought of the subject line preview thing. I just don’t like all that throat-clearing and time-wasting cr@p. Now you bring it up... I do use the subject line preview to decide which are spam, and it’s often so obvious from that first line.

If I sent those emails to initiate a conversation then what sign off would get a reply from you as a biz owner @amp0193?
 
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Andy Black

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Guaranteed... I would open and read this email.

Step 1: Sell the click.

Step 2: Keep their attention.

Step 3: Get a response.

Step 4: Take it from there?
 

amp0193

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Step 1: Sell the click.

Step 2: Keep their attention.

Step 3: Get a response.

Step 4: Take it from there?

Exactly.

I think once you get a response... a "hey, thanks!" or something along those lines, you've got an open door to a follow up email with a short pitch.
 

Devampre

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My initial approach was something along the lines of @EarlOfChina's B2B LinkedIn thread. I felt like I had to give more value and that's why I led with an introduction video and audit.

Perhaps, starting out with just one thing that can be screenshot makes more sense to get the ball rolling, as @Andy Black has said.

I do this all the time when dealing with businesses. If I spot a typo or broken link I just send a quick note with it highlighted on a screenshot. Pretty easy to do. Conversations start but I don’t do web dev so I don’t take it any further.


@Devampre ... The emails that I’d send doing this are super short:

“Hi,

Spotted a wee typo:

<screenshot>

Andy”

.

“Hi,

I get this when I click on the Facebook link on your website:

<screenshot>

Andy”

.

“Hi,

Your ad for car insurance shows up when I searched for home insurance?

<screenshot>

Andy”


Hmm... are these cold emails? I fire them off and keep moving. The goal isn’t even to get a reply... it’s just to show them something they need to fix.


@amp0193 ... PM me your website and I’ll send you a similarly short reply.

Funny how my email would be shorter and more custom to you, and more likely to initiate a conversation than many emails trying to initiate a conversation.


I might try a little less to deliver value until there is more of a dialogue. It's entirely possible that what I was giving them came across scammy/spammy. I mean from a brief connection request message to a video and pdf on how to improve their social media/website... I can understand how that might be a little unusual for some.

I think I'll try this with my next connections.
 
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