Running your own local marketing business can be done by outsourcing. Companies like Fiverr offer a cache of talent to pull from.
This is a collection of some of what has worked for me over the years.
Local Business Rules when Outsourcing
I have made many mistakes along the way. As a result there are now a set of RULES and procedures to follow. I am going to share those rules and procedures with you.
You are not under any obligation to follow these rules.
From the Local Business RULE BOOK – the TOP TEN
Just in case you want to short-cut some of the headaches associated with outsourcing to Fiverr or anyplace else.
RULE#1 – always have the client sign a legal agreement. I do this to protect myself against copyright infringement and whatever else.
postscript:
I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV so I cannot advise you.
RULE #2 – never volunteer the information to the local business clients that you are “outsourcing” using Fiverr. Or outsourcing at all for that matter.
postscript:
People can react unpredictably in this regard. For the most part I find people don’t care HOW the work gets done so long as it gets done.
RULE #3 – don’t get too comfortable with just one 5r gig provider.
postscript:
I have learned that outsourcers are often companies or a team. Meaning the wiz-bang logo you got first time won’t be as nice or as creative the next.
RULE#4 – Always say thank you to your gig provider. Remember you only paid $6 for whatever it was. Keep your expectations in check and be polite.
postscript:
Good Karma paves the road to riches.
RULE#5 – Package ALL your deals and do not offer substitutions. Just like in a restaurant, the cost of the plate is $xx.xx for a huge value. Value added costs extra. I stick to this to avoid getting bowled over. People will often try to get lots of somethings for nothing.
postscript:
I assemble a package of one desired thing and a couple of so so, but necessary, things. This way you can charge more because of the package.
Example #1: Free website with purchase of hosting and logo design.
Example #2: Free FaceBook page with purchase of website and logo design.
RULE#6 – Sell your client the work NOT the results. Be very specific.
postscript:
Example #1: a 5 page website including “about us”, “contact”, “home page”, “Jobs we do”, “Reviews”.
Example #2: for $75 our design team will come up with 5 different designs – choose the one you want and you get 3 modifications.
I have found that when I tried to sell the result (ie website so your customers can find you) – their expectation of how MANY customers should be calling can be unreasonable.
RULE#7 – Limit the number of do-overs.
postscript:
The best way I have found to keep the revision requests to a minimum is to provide the new client with a very detailed questionnaire about the job they have hired me to do. This will include such things as examples they like and hate, colors, etc.
I provide this AFTER they have paid for the work. This questionnaire does three very valuable things for you.
1. You have all the information to pass on to your outsourcer.
2. You can catch errors in communication. Example: the client may have said they want a just a website but from their answers they need an eCommerce site (more money)
3. They can’t come back at you and say they wanted something different than what you produced.
Be clear that the product cannot be started until the questionnaire is filled out completely. Make that part of your original signed agreement.
RULE#8 – Get paid up front. ALWAYS! If they won’t pay you at least half, you may never be able to collect.
postscript:
I find that suspicious types of people can’t be trusted either. If you aren’t comfortable being firm about money then at least keep the work on YOUR server and do not move the files until they have paid.
RULE#9 – Never answer the phone.
postscript:
Turn off your ringer and let people leave a message. Schedule your call-backs so your time isn’t eaten up with telephone conversations.
Sometimes nit pickers will want to move a pixel here or there or be weirdly fussy about a color. These folks can be time wasters and will call you 10 times a day.
RULE#10 – Don’t promise something will be done in less than 30 days. Even if it’s done in 24 hours.
postscript:
I found that because the majority of the world thinks in terms of “hourly wage” and not in contract work. If you sell someone a “done-for-you” website for $350 and then give it to them in 2 days – they won’t be happy!
The question on their mind will be
“why should I pay you $350 for something that only took you a couple of days?”
Hold on to completed work for at least 30 days. UNLESS they pay EXTRA for expedited performance.
BONUS RULE#11 – Never be afraid to fire a client.
postscript:
I find a difficult client never gets less difficult. The amount of time they can suck from your day isn’t worth anything they are paying. Spend that time looking for better clients.
Some of the Ways I Use Fiverr
Now that you read over our top ten rules I hope that didn’t scare you off. There really are some great opportunities in serving your local business market and here are some of the things that have worked very well for me.
Having your own website is a must. Plus it gives you credibility and you get to use some of the gig’s on fiverr.
You should also include an autoresponder on your site for local businesses that are interested. Come up with an autoresponder series and individual series for each of your “specials” or “sales”
I like to advertise on Craigslist, Kijiji, the local paper, and the bargain paper.
Each advertisement is for ONE service ONLY. And it is specific.
The ads say something like “Free Website” or “Business Branding Package” half off.
On the website there is ONE PAGE for each special that the ads direct them to. Each page has a clear call-to-action with the email, optin, and phone number.
PLUS have built in urgency in the ads and landing pages – example: Deal Ends Friday!
Every medium I advertise on will be the same special.
How to get Rave Reviews when Starting out
It’s tempting to want to offer free services in exchange for accolades. We tried this an although a couple of “friends” said nice things, the majority wanted more stuff for free and are still whining I won’t give more and more. When you give your service away to chronic freebee seekers is like feeding stray cats!
People in your neighborhood that will benefit your business are the same people you can use to increase your own business.
For example consider your local printer. Maybe your local printer could use a website, or a Google+ business page. In exchange for that you could be a “reseller” for them and they could write a rave review about your local business service.
Here is an example of how this works:
You offer a branding package deal to the local business market that includes a new website, new logo, new business cards.
Fiverr gigs cover the website, header, logo, and business card design. The cards you will have printed up at the local printer and sell to your customer at the same cost as the printer would have sold them. Because of your new partnership – you will buy the service on behalf of your client at a reduced rate.
Happy customer, happy printer, happy you.
Upsell, Upsell, Upsell
With every package special you promote, be sure to allow for upsells and cross-sells.
For example you advertise “Free Business Card design with Logo purchase” When they buy that you immediately offer them a header for their website, or a facebook page etc. Strike while the iron is hot!
Our Biggest Money Maker
Continuity!
Get paid every month and do nothing.
How?
Sell a 5 page website $350 and instead of having to go through explaining how they need to use your affiliate link to sign up for hosting and choose a domain and pay for that and renew each year…
Make it simple as pudding for them.
$350 for the website
$15/mo for hosting and domain.
If you use html static sites you can effectively have unlimited websites on one hosting package at a place like GoDaddy.
Your first sale pays for years of hosting.
Now you go and get another one and REMEMBER you are also getting $15/mo each.
How many businesses in your area need a website? 200? That’s $3000 in continuity each month to DO NOTHING!
Get More Customers
Going to get business takes a little bit of front end labor but pays off big time.
Gather all the local papers and go through them to see who is advertising their service. Housekeepers, plumbers, carpet installers, etc.
You are looking for the small business entrepreneur with a little budget.
Verify they don’t have a website – or at least don’t have a decent one. Get their address and send them a postcard or letter. Make sure its hand written for the personal touch.
Pay $6 to have a website built for them. Don’t buy a domain yet, just put them in your business websites subfolder.
In the letter write:
“Hey,
My name is _______ I serve our local businesses with the best and and most affordable marketing service around.
I noticed you didn’t have a website so I had my design team make one for you.
Because we have heard such good things about you and your [cleaning/painting/etc] company I wanted to offer it to you first.
What’s the catch?
No catch – it’s yours for $xxx.xx plus cost of domain and hosting.
Please let us know by Friday.
Often once a person SEEs their website already completed they won’t want to let it go. Also by saying the words “offer to you first” and “by Friday” imply that if they don’t take it their competitor will.
It doesn’t always work for but it often does. In some instances I have had to work out a monthly payment plan for their website.
**Alternatively you can start your very own town directory and just leave the websites in a sub-folder and just charge a monthly fee for the listing.
In Conclusion
I will suggest that you don’t combine your personal hosting and autoresponders with your clients. Keeping this business separate from yours is just good business practice in my book.
Here is a list of service providers to help you in your new local business venture. These links are my affiliate links and I hope you use them if you found this helpful.
GoDaddy – of all the hosting companies I have used over the past decade, GoDaddy (although has disappointed me on occasion) is the overall winner.
Aweber – Start with a FREE trial. There are others but I stick with Aweber.
Genesis – best themes and support. I have the PRO Plus All Theme Package. Best deal ever! You get all the excellent new themes from now until eternity.
BONUS income generating idea. Here are two additional ways to get revenue from Genesis (studiopress).
1. Re-Sell the theme to your client
2. Become a StudioPress affiliate and put your link at the bottom of your clients website.
By the way ShareASale is one of the best places to find some good things you can promote as a local business marketer.
I sincerely hope this set off some bells in your brain and you are totally wired to get going.
It has been my pleasure to share this with you.
* Please enter your email in the box below to be on my mailing list *
SPECIAL FREE REPORT – How to make GOOD money by spending only $6.
Now that you have waded through all the good information above you might want more info on how to leverage outsourcing into a local business and income. And I mean you can REALLY do well – I know for a fact because I have done it.
I am spilling the beans!
Here it is packaged in this report – all in a tightly packed – all meat report – for anyone who is willing to take action, including MY secrets to profit using fiverr resources.
I also include a couple of things that I have never written down any place else. – I’ll tell you more on that later [*hint* – read to the end].
Understandably NOT everyone will take action, and not everyone will have the same two ideas. You see in this report I give you tonnes of tools and suggestions but if you have any imagination AT ALL, you can totally build on these ideas and come up with some pretty heavy game-changers of your own!
If you have no idea what I am talking about watch this five minute video that explains a bit more what you will be trading your $6 for:
It will probably make things better for online marketing, and all other persons needing outsourcing for their business. Including the brick and mortar businesses. Plus if you are just looking for a way to start a business this is a truly valid avenue to explore.
Using fiverr.com for Income
There are other places online to hire and to hire yourself out. The general gist of this Outsourcing Report is adaptable for most. For myself I have easily exchanged $6 for $75 – and have done it on a regular basis. I could easily be exchanging $150 for each $6 but I don’t because I like to completely undercut my competition. It makes me smile 🙂 when they can’t figure out how I’m providing services soooooo cheap!
I am a big fan of self employment and this is something that does take ethics (if you want to do this for any length of time) and a little front end work. This isn’t a overnight fix to poverty or a magic wand.
So what does this turn you into you when you spend $6 to get this report? Well, you can become a business broker, a digital freelancer, a service provider, or anything you choose to hang on your shingle.
Just watch the FIVE MINUTE VIDEO for more on the report. I believe this is the best $6 you will spend this week.
AND
Money Opportunities Using Outsourcing Gigs
~ Behind the Scenes ~
You are about to read some top income ideas that I have developed and “borrowed” over the last couple of years. I know they will benefit you.
All YOU need to do is take action.
**If you find this helpful I would appreciate it very much if you use the affiliate links I have provided when you set up your new business.
As well – at the end of the report I have provided an optin form that will put you on my mailing list. You will get emails about business development promotions including any bonuses I am offering.
PLUS whatever underground stuff being tested that is working.
You will NEVER get anything that says “Make $45,9875.98 in 48 hours” or similar.
Simply because – if that product actually did exist, I would probably keep it under my hat 🙂
Be aware that this report is provided under the same policies (found in the footer) as the rest of this website. Basically I cannot guarantee any results for you.
The World of Outsourcing
Fiverr has many competitors so you aren’t stuck finding people to do work just on fiverr.
Just Google Fiverr alternatives and you will see a bunch to choose from.
