I have been getting lots of questions about how I sell online marketing services to small business owners using 30DC skills. Here are a few FAQ's so far:
QUESTION: How do you charge your clients- per hour, per month, per project, etc...?
SETH: I always charge up front-fees, and I usually charge an up front fee with a monthly fee. (Never hourly. That's suicide.) I have begun to raise my monthly fee, and I will gladly lower my up front fee in order to get a high monthly fee. So far I have continued to raise my prices with each new client, and I haven't hit a ceiling yet.
QUESTION: How many hours per client do you estimate you spend per day/week/month?
SETH: I work a lot, but I also have tons of free time. I love to work, since it's for MY business. LOVE it. I go to the ends of the earth for my clients, because I remember what it's like to have a J.O.B. You know? But it's a great lifestyle. I can work whenever I want, so it's really nice. If I want to lounge around all day, I can. If I want to work like a dog, I can. (But most of my time I spend working on figuring out new ways to land more clients!)
QUESTION: I am assuming you are mainly using the TDC methods with MS, TB, WPD...in this case, how do you set up client accounts...
SETH: Yes, I use them. But I do not send my clients to these tools. They don't want to know how to DO any of this stuff. You don't need to tell them HOW you do it or what tools you use. Just show them where you can get their site to show up. Focus on search volume numbers, and demonstrate why it's important to only target keywords that actually GET TRAFFIC.
That is a big misconception. They all think they want to rank for thier business name, you know? Wrong. Focus on the Big 3: 1. Market Research 2. Traffic 3. Conversion.
QUESTION: Do you set up client subscriptions under your account and you include their monthly subscriptions in your rate or do you set them up with independent accounts and then take the affilate commission?
SETH: You already know everything you need to know to help small business owners get new clients online. Don't focus on the tools. Focus on what the client wants. Ask questions and they will tell you exactly what solution to sell them. They don't want to know the details...that's what they pay you for. Focus on asking questions like: "What online marketing systems have you tried in the past?" "How many new customers do you need per month?" "What is your budget?" "What is your timeframe?"
Every time they ask you a question, quickly answer it and ask them another question. When you show them that you are totally focused on them and their needs, THAT'S when the sale is made. Dead serious, it's that easy.
My biggest "Services" I offer are:
1. Pay-Per-Click management (Google Adwords)
2. Organic SEO
3. Google Local optimization.
For some clients, I do all three. I now won't consider a client for less than $500 per month. I hope to soon land a client for $1000 per month.
I have gotten some large up front payments. ($2-3000 per client.) That helped me get on my feet. But the good money is in the high monthly fees. That how you build a good lifestyle where you don't have to worry about closing new clients so often.
QUESTION: Did you set up your own IM business website?
SETH: Yes, but that's so freakin' easy. You don't need much. It's not the primary sales tool. I got a trickle of inquiries from my Google Maps (Local Business Center) listing, but that is not the best way to land clients. Not a necessary step, other than having a presence online.
If anyone else has any more question, fire away!
