Finally started a somewhat successful business, but hit a wall and I'm stuck.

[itsjoshlee]

I started learning online marketing a few years ago (SEO, copywriting, web development, email marketing, etc...) and was picking up some gigs here and there. I started taking things seriously at the beginning of this year and it went pretty well.

I started doing freelance copywriting, got a few retainer clients, and even hired a VA. For a while, I was doing one-off projects, but then landed a few cold email lead gen clients on monthly retainers. Those campaigns were hit or miss. Those clients have moved on and I'd rather do another offer, honestly.

The year is winding down and it looks like I'll barely have any MRR at the beginning of the year. I'd really rather not go hunting for one-off projects, so I'm trying to think what kind of offer I should have.

I would love to do pay-per-lead lead generation, but I'm not sure how to get started with that. I don't want to lose money getting leads and then finding out I can't sell them. Or pre-sell a client, but know know how much it costs me to get a lead.

I just feel frustrated since I started to feel some success, but now I'm back at square one.

 

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[Paul David]

Pay per lead is an older offer now although it can and still does work.

Let's say you contact a Med Spa company and offer them a pay per lead system. Then i call them and offer them a pay per appointment system (and it only counts when lead turns up for their appointment).

Which offer sounds better?

To do either model though you need to have a general idea on how much its going to cost to get a lead or appointment arrival. You may have to lose some money initially to get that data.

 

[itsjoshlee]

Pay per lead is an older offer now although it can and still does work.

Let's say you contact a Med Spa company and offer them a pay per lead system. Then i call them and offer them a pay per appointment system (and it only counts when lead turns up for their appointment).

Which offer sounds better?

To do either model though you need to have a general idea on how much its going to cost to get a lead or appointment arrival. You may have to lose some money initially to get that data.

Thanks, Paul. I like what you said about offering appointments instead of leads. It's a better offer from the client's perspective, I'd be able to charge more, and - since I would be a more important part of their business - they should churn less, right?

What I would love to do is figure out how to do this in a vertical and then, if the numbers make sense, also take over fulfillment. So instead of just taking, say - 20% of profit by providing appointments - I could take 100% of the profit.

So, I think the best thing for me to do right now is to find a vertical, generate some leads (or appointments) to see what my cost would be, and then find business owners to sell these leads to.

 

[khurram]

I started learning online marketing a few years ago (SEO, copywriting, web development, email marketing, etc...) and was picking up some gigs here and there. I started taking things seriously at the beginning of this year and it went pretty well.

I started doing freelance copywriting, got a few retainer clients, and even hired a VA. For a while, I was doing one-off projects, but then landed a few cold email lead gen clients on monthly retainers. Those campaigns were hit or miss. Those clients have moved on and I'd rather do another offer, honestly.

The year is winding down and it looks like I'll barely have any MRR at the beginning of the year. I'd really rather not go hunting for one-off projects, so I'm trying to think what kind of offer I should have.

I would love to do pay-per-lead lead generation, but I'm not sure how to get started with that. I don't want to lose money getting leads and then finding out I can't sell them. Or pre-sell a client, but know know how much it costs me to get a lead.

I just feel frustrated since I started to feel some success, but now I'm back at square one.

Thanks, Paul. I like what you said about offering appointments instead of leads. It's a better offer from the client's perspective, I'd be able to charge more, and - since I would be a more important part of their business - they should churn less, right?

What I would love to do is figure out how to do this in a vertical and then, if the numbers make sense, also take over fulfillment. So instead of just taking, say - 20% of profit by providing appointments - I could take 100% of the profit.

So, I think the best thing for me to do right now is to find a vertical, generate some leads (or appointments) to see what my cost would be, and then find business owners to sell these leads to.

You should go with a flat fee model rather than pay per lead and use the best SEO practices.

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

I started learning online marketing a few years ago (SEO, copywriting, web development, email marketing, etc...) and was picking up some gigs here and there. I started taking things seriously at the beginning of this year and it went pretty well.

I started doing freelance copywriting, got a few retainer clients, and even hired a VA. For a while, I was doing one-off projects, but then landed a few cold email lead gen clients on monthly retainers. Those campaigns were hit or miss. Those clients have moved on and I'd rather do another offer, honestly.

The year is winding down and it looks like I'll barely have any MRR at the beginning of the year. I'd really rather not go hunting for one-off projects, so I'm trying to think what kind of offer I should have.

I would love to do pay-per-lead lead generation, but I'm not sure how to get started with that. I don't want to lose money getting leads and then finding out I can't sell them. Or pre-sell a client, but know know how much it costs me to get a lead.

I just feel frustrated since I started to feel some success, but now I'm back at square one.

Online marketing is great.

Serving online marketers is a nightmare.

I like to go where I'm celebrated, not just tolerated.

If you start going after real businesses who are committed and HAVE to get customers and clients this week... and you can do that for them reliably... you'll have an endless stream of multi-year clients (which will solve your MRR).

@Paul David said Med Spas, but really any small local business that needs repeat customers (Dentists, Chiropractors, Nail Salons, Hair Salons, Massage, etc.) ...

The benefit with these is they have a 1-7 year lease and usually have money in the bank earmarked for advertising. As long as you can do it profitably for them.... you'll keep 'em