Getting to Business Owners Cheaply

Thanks for all the tips....

I think I didn't make myself clear.... I too have beat my head against the wall with "Small business" owners. That is NOT my target.

I am not after the business who NEEDS help... I am after the business that is successful who wants more... the person who is always looking to do better and will do whatever it takes (legally) to make things happen.

I am qualifying people every step of the way and already have clients itching to learn more about what I am doing.

My focus was to find some clever ways to get things done without going broke getting to the check signer. My High Impact door openers do the job and my career as a magician helps me to get people interested in talking with me at networking functions .... (Do a killer trick to explain a point without letting people know you were a professional magician.... works for me)

Just want to do things faster.

Thanks for all the people watching my backside.

Millard

I have a couple different issues with the way you are going about it Millard...

First off I think trying to get out of prospecting as cheaply as possibly isn't the answer. And I'm not necessarily talking about "customer acquisition" costs either but "prospecting" costs.

At this point do you have any idea of what your "product" is and what your profit margin will be? That's obviously key. Next comes trying to figure out the lifetime value of a customer-- not a prospect but a customer.

From there you can determine how much you can afford to spend on your prospecting and ultimately customer acquisition.

From my perspective I've found the more you can afford to spend on prospecting the better. "Cut-rate" methods of prospecting leads to "cut-rate" clients.

The second thing that I'm not particularly big on is the use of your personal time for prospecting. To me that's a huge waste of your most valuable commodity which isn't your money but your time. All of us are far too guilty of throwing our own personal time at problems such as prospecting when money is a cheaper alternative and ultimately will force you into creating a "system" for your prospecting. You going out and networking with people, without "sifting" out the non-prospects before hand is perhaps the worst "system" you can have-- incredibly inefficient.

I'm curious-- you said you are "qualifying" clients every step of the way-- what sort of methods are you using?

There's definitely some Great advice and opinions in this thread...

But I don't think some are reading Through and understanding Millard's post.

I could be wrong... But in this case the product has a Proven track record and others like David Frey are having No problems using the type of methods Millard is referring to...

Helping small businesses market better is a whole different Problem...

In Millard's situation, there are Multiples of businesses and Professionals that are very reachable...

Because Most understand that people/consumers Love to be Appreciated & Need to be Appreciated.

It's called Customer Appreciation programs... I know the business well as I'm sure others do...

Millard, let me know if I'm reading this one wrong... I might be.

By the way, just getting through my email messages for those who contacted me...

Phil

Sandy,

As you probably know, there are Many reasons why people would rather use Craigslist than most Boring Realtor web sites...

Since I track Craigslist news amongst other interesting stuff...

Some might enjoy the following and get a few Ideas & Answers...

The Architecture and Ambition of Craigslist
http://blog.topix.com/archives/000095.html

http://24hoursoncraigslist.com/subs/nowplaying.html

Phil

I'm curious...it sounds like a few of you are in agreement that small business owners who need the help - do NOT want the help or do NOT follow through.

Does anyone have any experience selling them how-to info products? Such as marketing manuals or turn-key marketing materials.

Is the mom/pop business market open to marketing/sales type of products???

[GordonJ]

Hubert Simon. Wrote one of the best little books and one of the least recognized ones too; circa 72-73.

"Out of the Rat Race and Into the Chips"

Second best ten bux you can spend, after you have a copy of Fly Low and Collect the Dough that is.

Back in them thar days of long ago...NEWSLETTERS were the big info products sold to small businesses. Hubert sold several, one to restaurants, I remember reading it in, I believe the late 60's sometimes, when I had aspirations of being "Chef Ramsey" on Hell's Kitchen. Had the temperment, couldn't cook for crap...anyhow.

Jump ahead a few years.

Dan Kennedy. He didn't discover or invent the "KIT", but he took it to...for you MAD TV fans...

a...

whole...

nuther....

LEVEL!.

And the small biz kit has been successfully sold for years. They are industry specific...Joe Polish with his Carpet Cleaning.

The Nielsen kids (then) with their Coupon Kit. Their mom with House Cleaning. (More Entrepreneurial but the same idea).

A chiropractor probably receives an offer a week for some info KIT to improve his her business...and of course the 15k or more seminar too.

Dry Cleaners. Restaurants (still)...

To answer the question Copy Cub...YES. There are still plenty of people marketing to small businesses. And no, it may not be worth it.

In Millard's case he has the business background that allows him to say, "Hey, I've been there, done that, and here are the mistakes I've made..the same ones I see you making today..." And then into his pitch.

I think it pert near impossible for a Copwriter or a Marketer to break in to this very crowded Business CONSULTANT field...where you can't swing a comatose marketer without knocking down a few turkey lipped BUSINESS CONSULTANTS.

Doesn't mean there ain't room for more. Just as in Jim Straw's Millionaire in a Year Course, there is ALWAYS room for those that work and follow directions, or at least follow the Masters that have come before.

I present myself as an INDEPENDENT MARKETING APPRAISER.

And offer a FREE appraisal of their current marketing strategy...it's hard to turn down FREE...and using that research and K N O W I N G what advertising costs in my area, what marketing COULD be done...I can present either an on going consultancy program, or a one off, here's what to do. AND, if they choose to do any advertising...

I advise them to USE ME rather than an agency or (heaven forbid) any Rep or anyone PAID by any media. They are biased and their checks depend on selling the business owner advertising. MY pay comes from actually doing something that COULD help their business...and this is where the other part comes in...

I don't care who it is, or what they DO...any and EVERY copywriter, consultant, marketer for hire...has been told NO THANKS (even if we've been paid) on our ideas for THEIR business.

You can still sell KITS. Courses. Newsletters. (All being done to the tune of millions of dollars)...or other stuff.

There are, in my opinion, lowing hanging fruit in the orchard to pick.

Gordon Jay (Mr. INDEPENDENT Marketing Appraiser) Alexander

PS. And I even tell you about some of them in (bet you saw this coming, right?) http://www.flylowcollectdough.com Fly Low and Collect the Dough.

It's hard to say who buys my info-products, although I assume that many of the people who buy my "Business Card Breakthroughs" are small business owners.

What I had in mind when I made my comment was based on when I did website reviews. Still do, sometimes - but even though I'm trained in doing so, and even though people had PAID for my opinion - they'd argue with me. Wouldn't make the changes, even though I'd carefully explain the reasoning and cite research.

Got so frustrating I quit doing it.

Diana
http://www.PublicityTrafficSystem.com
Drive traffic to your website through the power of FREE publicity!

John Jantsch...
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/john-jantsch.htm
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/

And
David Frey...
http://www.marketingbestpractices.com/

Amongst Many other's Don't seem to have any problems Finding their Niche customers.

But of course we can all have different opinions on what Works and what doesn't.

Phil

Gordon, Phil, and others,

It is not me having a problem getting business owners to listen or pay me....

Two cases.... I was with my wife eating at a nice Chinese buffet when I saw the owner shaking his head no to two sales people....

After the salespeople left, I asked the owner if he bought the ads, he said no. I then suggested a few ideas just to be a nice guy. The owner refunds my dinner and I give him my card. I get a call at 10:30 AT NIGHT the next Saturday with the owner asking for my help...He has TOO MUCH business!
Then I come in the next day, create a simple flyer... The owner then gives me a certificate written in Chinese saying that all I have to do is just hand this in and get any meal free...anytime... Now listen, I wasn't trying to get a client... I was just doing a favor for a good restaurant... Over the next couple of years I got over 2000 dollars in food for my frineds and I from that simple gesture...

Next, I walked into a meat processing shop looking to get some meat. I talked a few minutes with the owner and set up a retainer deal, PLUS I haven't had to pay anything for meat for four months.

Getting the deals isn't hard... I just want to kick it up a notch and leverage my time a bit more.... Can I do a Robert Allen and be dropped in a city anywhere and make cash as a consultant? Yes, I can.

I just want to do it faster. Better. More efficiently.

And that is what I look for in a business. A success who wants more.

Warmly,

Millard