The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.
Marketing, social media, advertising

NursingTn

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
212%
Jan 30, 2019
126
267
Even better:

Spend one hour learning each business that you encounter. Then spend one hour either 1) writing up a one page report for each business on exactly how its marketing process to build brand awareness and customer acquisition channels can improve or 2) make a video of the report.

Afterward, ensure you get that report to the business critical decision makers, e.g. CEOs, marketing manager, etc.

Do this by sending a personalized cold email with the report, mail the report to the business, connect with key figures on social media and send a video of the report, etc.

Key idea: Deliver value first and foremost, even if it's free, and build up your client database. You're a nobody at this time. To become a somebody, you need to give an excellent taste of what's to come for people who go to you for marketing consultations. Ultimately, you are creating a network of leads for yourself.

Don't bother cold calling, emailing, anything unless you have value to give right then and there. You'll increase your likelihood of success.
 

Grinder20

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
173%
May 28, 2019
124
215
@Chip01, congrats on starting your agency and setting some goals and guidelines to help get you there. My question is if you had a testimonial (assuming it was good), why are you giving away free trials? What kind of leads are you developing for this client that isn't happy? Are the leads not vetted/screened properly? In my opinion, your job is to open the door and his is to close it. 32 leads is 32 leads. Start charging for your work and time.
 

Chip01

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
106%
Aug 4, 2019
81
86
27
Scotland, UK
INTRO

Hi everyone

After reading a lot of progress/execution threads on here, I have decided to start my own. Here's a brief introduction:

- 22 years old
- Live in Scotland
- Have a 1 year old son
- Have started a digital marketing agency
- We offer social media management, SEO, reputation management and web design. We also do Facebook Ads
- Majority of work is going to be outsourced online
- Currently have a client on 2 month free trial (SMM client with Facebook ads, £1000/month if client wants to stay and payment for free trial backdated) - ends on 26 August
- Business largely resembles @Sean Marshall's guide to starting a digital marketing agency thread with a few tweaks
- Have received a testimonial from previous trial client but don't know how to use it effectively

What I Do Each Day

Currently my daily tasks look like this

- Look for potential clients to contact
- Cold email 5-10 businesses
- Read (currently: Fanatical Prospecting and TFLF)
- Do work for trial client

I am aware my daily tasks are pathetic and need a shake. I am looking to add cold calls to my list, more cold emails and networking events too. Currently still work a 9-5 so struggle to cold call during the week.

Goal

- £5k in monthly recurring revenue (by 31 December 2019)

Problems

- Marketing/prospecting properly and efficiently
- Too much action-faking
- Free trial client not impressed with work done (even though I generated 32 leads in 2 weeks using one Facebook Ad)
- Same client possibly wants to meet in my office (...i don't have an office) on Monday as he's in my area

Tomorrow's Goals

- Cold call 10 businesses
- Cold email 20 businesses
- Look for and sign up to local networking event
- Sort out packages offered

I am going to try to update this as regularly as possible (hopefully daily or bi-daily) with the first one starting tomorrow, so you can all hold me accountable

Feedback, no matter how harsh, is always appreciated

Thanks for reading
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Chip01

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
106%
Aug 4, 2019
81
86
27
Scotland, UK
@Chip01, congrats on starting your agency and setting some goals and guidelines to help get you there. My question is if you had a testimonial (assuming it was good), why are you giving away free trials? What kind of leads are you developing for this client that isn't happy? Are the leads not vetted/screened properly? In my opinion, your job is to open the door and his is to close it. 32 leads is 32 leads. Start charging for your work and time.

So my testimonial came from my first client who had a 2 week free trial. At the end of the trial he told me he couldn't commit to it at the time because of their financial situation (probably wanted 2 free weeks of social engagement and brand awareness)

After this I had a meeting with a dentist who was keen but not on the price of my service (which at the time was £1000/month) for social media management including numerous Facebook ads. He wanted a free trial before making any commitment and suggested 2 months as he felt 2 weeks would not justify the work done

The testimonial I received was some really kind words, however I've not managed to secure a meeting to use it (other than the dentist)

As for the leads, they were generated via a Facebook ad offering £500 one of the dentist's procedures (priced at £3000). He claims that they have contacted all of the leads but none of them have answered.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Chip01

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
106%
Aug 4, 2019
81
86
27
Scotland, UK
Even better:

Spend one hour learning each business that you encounter. Then spend one hour either 1) writing up a one page report for each business on exactly how its marketing process to build brand awareness and customer acquisition channels can improve or 2) make a video of the report.

Afterward, ensure you get that report to the business critical decision makers, e.g. CEOs, marketing manager, etc.

Do this by sending a personalized cold email with the report, mail the report to the business, connect with key figures on social media and send a video of the report, etc.

Key idea: Deliver value first and foremost, even if it's free, and build up your client database. You're a nobody at this time. To become a somebody, you need to give an excellent taste of what's to come for people who go to you for marketing consultations. Ultimately, you are creating a network of leads for yourself.

Don't bother cold calling, emailing, anything unless you have value to give right then and there. You'll increase your likelihood of success.

Hi @NursingTn, thanks for the advice.

I have tried this previously - I sent free, personalised digital marketing audits via email to potential clients. The return I've had on these has been 0 and it takes a while to do this for each client. I could say, though, that not all of these emails have been sent to the decision maker
 

Grinder20

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
173%
May 28, 2019
124
215
So my testimonial came from my first client who had a 2 week free trial. At the end of the trial he told me he couldn't commit to it at the time because of their financial situation (probably wanted 2 free weeks of social engagement and brand awareness)

After this I had a meeting with a dentist who was keen but not on the price of my service (which at the time was £1000/month) for social media management including numerous Facebook ads. He wanted a free trial before making any commitment and suggested 2 months as he felt 2 weeks would not justify the work done

The testimonial I received was some really kind words, however I've not managed to secure a meeting to use it (other than the dentist)

As for the leads, they were generated via a Facebook ad offering £500 one of the dentist's procedures (priced at £3000). He claims that they have contacted all of the leads but none of them have answered.
Gotcha, I see where you're at and why you're still offering trials, that makes sense. You're definitely going after the right kind of clients that can afford $1000/mo., retainer for your services. Best of luck to you!
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top