Funny thing is that there are so many Online Marketers that want to work with Local Business but the sad fact is that most of them don’t even have a client yet. The reason I say it’s funny is because I know it’s not from a lack of trying. It’s more as a result of not having had the opportunity to show an offline client just how brilliant your work is and how it can help their business grow.
In sales there is a concept called the ‘buying temperature’. This means that whenever you are trying to sell someone something that at anytime during the sale the buyer is either hot or cold towards what you are pitching.
The aim being to get your prospect so fired-up about what you are selling that they are ready to sign the check before you even mention price. But when you don’t even get the chance to talk to them the temperature of course stays in the icy cold region.
That’s where using “Foot in the door” tactics comes in… I mean it makes sense that if you have the right key then getting in out the cold just got a whole bunch easier.
Think of it this way… you and I know that almost every local business needs either SEO, PPC, a Website Upgrade, a Mobile Friendly version of their site, A Mobile App and so the list can go on. But, do you think that they will talk to you about these higher cost or recurring income items straight off the bat? Not as readily, that’s for sure. In fact, your most likely going to get a power slam put on you by the gatekeeper the moment you even try to talk to them about any of these things.
It doesn’t get any colder than that… but hey that doesn’t mean you give up, it means that you just need to get smarter about how you approach them. And these approaches I affectionately call, “Stealth Mode Tactics”. You see, my goal is to convert every business owner I meet to high-end recurring income programs. Why? Because that’s what is going to enable me to enjoy a great lifestyle and build a business that you only have to work a few hours a week in because you have the cashflow to pay others to do the work for you.
However, the reality is that this wuill only happen when your client or prospective client knows, likes and trusts you enough to do this level of business with you. Well, that’s not the only way… they could also have been referred to you by someone that knows, likes and trusts you. Either way, the ingredients required are the same. That’s why I use under the radar “Stealth Mode Tactics” that help to get your foot in the door super-fast so you can work on becoming a trusted advisor for their Online Marketing needs.
The simple fact is that you know a truck load more than they do about Online Marketing. How do I know that? Because it’s your passion, not theirs. Their baby is their business. They think it, speak it, breathe it, eat it, drink it and wallow in it all day. You are their lifeline to a better business. One that provides them with more leads or customers so they can sleep better at night knowing that they have dollars in the bank and business that is healthy and growing, just like a baby should. You may not have though of yourself as a savior but in a sense this is what you are.
You see, in many cases a business owners worst enemy is themselves. They get all confused about what to do to market their business and then end up spending money on people and things that screw them over. But people like you and I who live by a code of integrity and honor just need a chance to show them that we are the real deal. That’s where having at least 1 or 2 stealth strategies to use comes in mighty handy…. and really a stealth mode tactic is nothing more than an offer that is almost too good to be true.
It’s an offer that makes it easy for a Gatekeeper to say yes to you or for a business owner to want to give you a shot at their business, the offer has to be something that has high perceived value and low or zero perceived risk to them. In fact, they’d feel bloody stupid saying “no” to you because surely you’ve lost your marbles and are not thinking right to be making such an outrageuos offer in the first place.
So here’s a super simple tactic that you can try right away… and just in case your thinking how to approach a prospective client in the first place, just call them up as this offer (if you come accross as genuine and confident) is to good to refuse. You will still get a few that are not interested but that is great news becasue you are looking to build a client base of people who say “yes” to you, not let nay sayers knock you down.
How this works is really quite simple… the LAW of RECIPROCITY comes into effect here. Meaning that the majority of people that you give something to for nothing will feel a subconscious urge to give back to you… and that’s what you’re looking for, a chance to prove your worth.
Stealth Mode Tactic Explained…
So here”s the deal… offer to do a free article on their business.
When you call them up you can stell the Gatekeep or whoever that you are a copywriter and you are doing an article on their industry, or a product or service in their industry and you are looking for content for your next publication.
Explain to them that you will need to interview them for 10 or 15 minutes and that this will go out to dozens of Online Publishers which will help them get more visitors to their website.
And guess what you get when you do the interview? A goldmine of information about their business as well as helping them to get to know, like and trust you. Then, my friend youo are on your way to the Mother Load!
If you really want to ramp up the future buying temperature you can also offer to put the article on the clients website or blog as a bonus if you like, or any number of other ways that you could think to leverage this service (i.e. think Social Media).
Oh, and by the way, do you know how much easier it will be now to get your client to do something like a regular article for their site that you can add to their Blog (even better if they don’t have one as you can get it built for them) and start cashing in monthyl checks immediately?
Before that though, I would definitely offer to do a free website or traffic analysis of their business and then get started working with them on the areas that they have the biggest need in first.
Then, before you start any more work… make sure you GET PAID for your services.
Seriously, if you can’t get your foot in the door using a strategy like this then perhaps Local Business is not for you.
But I gotta tell you that local business are not going to go away for a very long time and that there is still a massive opportunity for you and I to make a ton of money helping them with their Online Marketing.
… So if you have a passion to work with Offline Clients and haven’t found the right way to approach them that works for you, then pick up the phone and start calling business today and see how it works for you.
This is a time of year when business owners are looking for new ways to get more leads, sales or customers… and that means your odds of getting your foot in the door are even greater!
