Make Money Helping Local Businesses
I have a great opportunity for you to make a lot of money.
No hype. Facts.
I’m doing this myself, only on a limited scale, because I also have other businesses to attend.
Let me explain.
Go to Google and enter the name of the place you live in (or a nearby one) and see which small and medium sized local businesses come up. Click on their websites and explore them.
What do you see?
Are these sites nice and do they look great?
Do they use the title tag well?
It the message compelling?
Would you buy there, based on their site?
Do they catch email addresses to create and grow a list?
And, most important of all:
Do you think the sites sell extra products or services?
I bet that the vast majority of the sites you look at can be improved. Some drastically!
Am I right?
It’s easy to make a statement like that, because:
- the average local business owner is busy, way too busy running his/her local business and…
- the average local business owner has absolute no idea how to profit from the Internet as an extra and possibly large income source.
And by mentioning these two facts I just described a HUGE problem and an amazing opportunity for you.
You see, many local business owners struggle to keep their head above the water. Most of them are quite smart, but still, keeping their business running - for lots of them their business is running them - takes almost all of their time.
That’s why they simply can’t find the time to educate themselves and learn about the advantages of an online presence.
That’s where YOU come in.
All you need to know is how to create a great website.
And some basic SEO knowledge about how to use long tail keywords and get back links, as geographical marketing of local brick and mortar businesses is easy… competition is low and the potential for profit is enormous.
“But… they already HAVE a website Case, you just sent me there”.
Right!
And I repeat: how many of these sites are making money online? Huh?
These website owners may have thrown away a ton of money on websites that might look pretty, but never delivered any significant sales. In fact many web design companies are charging anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000 or MORE for fancy web design that does squat. Put simply they’re ripping off business owners.
Which would you rather pay?
$20,000 for a fancy sign that might bring you $500 in sales a year or $10,000 a year for a part time girl who stands on the sidewalk and brings in customers who spend $50,000 a year?
That’s the difference between a fancy website and a “direct response” website.
Ask just that one question to the local business owner: “How many sales do your website generate in a month?” Don’t be surprised by the answer!
YOU can help them, I mean really HELP them. By generating online sales, while at the same time YOU make lots and lots of money.
And I can help you achieve that.
Because there’s this great report, one of the best I’ve read, written by Andrew Cavanagh called “Offline Gold For The Online Marketer“.
In this report, Andrew explains everything you need to know to start this ‘Local Business’. In detailed, easy to follow steps. You’ll discover things like:
- the basic 6 step system to go from zero to getting paid,
- how to get business owners to love you,
- how to avoid being seen as a salesperson,
- practical questions to ask,
- establishing value,
- how to avoid phone tag hell,
- how to get a steady stream of referrals,
- how to position yourself as the source of internet marketing advice.
Here’s a free video. Click that link and check it out.
Then go ahead and get your copy of “Offline Gold For The Online Marketer“.
You won’t regret it.
Read it over the weekend so you can start making money on Monday.
And let me know what you think of it.
Post your comments below.
Tags: local businesses, make money online, offline
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June 5th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
This is a brilliant idea, Case.
I have never thought of that.
Now, do you have any idea on how much I should charge for helping them.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I agree with Raymond, this is a great idea to earn some income if you have the extra time. And like Raymond asked, what rate would be reasonable to charge?
June 5th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Read the report. Andrew will give you indications. And they are not low, I guarantee!
June 6th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Another thing to add to this is the fact that most SEO firms or consultants that these small businesses have already been contacted by charge A LOT of money for their services, and they’re very vague when explaining what they exactly do.
I’m experienced this myself as a small business owner before I started learning SEO myself. Companies would call me and ask for $8,000 to optimize my website, which was barely doing that much in sales each month!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
This is a genuine case of application of SEO knowledge. Many Business Owners just create websites just for the sake of an online presence and moreover they dont put the necessary resources so as to maximise earning online. Well as Case just described, SEO is something that is really in vogue now as business owners are getting to know the full potential.
June 7th, 2008 at 12:21 am
I tried this for my hometown: Poughkeepsie, and i found alot of horrid websites.
Have you ever looked at the website for Harvard Law School? It’s pathetic…i could probably do a better job of designing a school website.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:08 am
Right! SEO firms earn a lot of money. Lots of them do not guarantee anything.
So, what are you waiting for?
Ah Poughkeepsie! Was a guest at the famous CIA, the Culinary Institute of America long time ago. It was Superb!
Their website is a great example of a good one. A PR of 7, 2,470 pages indexed and 656 backlinks (all in Google)! Nothing to help there!
If I were you, I’d go for Harvard!
June 7th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Hi Case:
I agree. This whole ‘offline’ niche is incredibly huge plus it’s a stroke of strategic genius for the online marketer.
I know for a fact, from my days out ‘on the street’ hustling mobile windshield repairs in Houston, Texas, that 99% of storefront business owners are totally clueless on even basic web stuff.
I remember the last few years of my business (before I came over here to S.Korea to teach English) when it was getting worse every year…if I would have been consciously aware of this approach, the transition into a very well paid business would have been ultra easy.
Anybody with even a basic knowledge of web technology and just a few basic strategies and any personality at all (because you do have to ‘talk to people’) could really do very well in the offline market.
I know that if I was back in the US right now, I’d be doing this without any shred of a doubt.
Really, I think if Andrew, or anybody esle, takes this idea and develops it further…..it’s a goldmine for him/her too. They could literally create an almost national ‘agency’ in a very short time.
With the off-the-charts price of gas nowadays, storefront businesses have got to be really hurting and are most assuredly open minded to better utilization of the internet.
Regards,
Art
June 7th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Hi Art.
How’s South Korea today?
Yes, you’re right. Although I wouldn’t use the percentage you’re using, it’s a vast majority who has no idea of all the possibilities.
Time to think about returning?
Regards,
Case
BTW: Andrew Cavanagh already earned tons of money, both on and offline.
He appears regularly on 40 commercial radio stations across Australia, writes for several newspapers in Australia and the USA and is a member of the Australasian Medical Writers Association.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Thanks for a very thoughtful article. I’m in the middle of starting up an ecommerce site and I need all the good advices I can get.
June 8th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
This is a great idea and one that can net you a lot of money quickly. The problem is in a HUGE town there are usually tons of other people thinking the same thing…
June 10th, 2008 at 5:18 am
Great idea, but I think I would have to learn a lot more about SEO before I offered my services.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Brilliant. Aren’t a lot of people already doing that though?
June 11th, 2008 at 11:03 am
That is a brilliant idea, lot of small and medium sized local businesses did not know how to make more sales online. But one need lot of seo idea to real help them to achieve this and make money too.
Cheers,
Lovely
June 11th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Never think about it before, because I live in South East Asia and the volume of ecommerce is still low. People just use internet to open friendster, facebook or checking email. There are few people trust internet in my country. However, thanks for sharing.. It give me some tought too!
June 11th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
I don’t know how many local businesses I speak with who do not understand why their fancy website never makes the phone ring. For many of them these little touches you mention are all they need.
But instead of contacting the small business, find out who is building these sites and offer your services. It will cut down on the “clients” you have to deal with and make it so you spend less time chasing jobs and more time doing them.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
That’s a great idea! I’m gonna try this kind of prospecting someday soon. =)
June 12th, 2008 at 7:22 am
I have tried to give it a thought but i guess it may become complicated and it is not as easy as it seems in the article. It has a cost factor and most of the local business owners will be reluctant to try this. If you have some skills and you have a good portfolio that may just be good enough.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:29 am
This is a great idea, and let me suggest two alternatives. First, build a site and rank well for a geographically specific term, like Topeka real estate agents. Depending on the term and location, ranking #1 should be a snap. Then either sell the site to a local business who can benefit from the site, or sell them links from the site to their site.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:57 am
This is a great resource to get more involved in your LOCAL community. Sometimes we get so mesmerized by the “World Wide Web” that we overlook the diamonds in our own back yard. (I think somebody wrote a book about that. “Acres of Diamonds”)
Nice article.
Tim Wright
June 18th, 2008 at 6:52 am
You are absolutely right about this. I started this about a week ago. I have to blog posts up on a blogger blog and I am getting nice local trickle traffic. I am even on page one for a few longtails. Once I get some link muscle behind this experiment who knows what will happen.
Also as an added contribution to your great blog, I believe that slices of the hybrid cars niche will be taking off.
June 21st, 2008 at 3:00 am
It all depends on how many people are searching online for the services or products provided by the local business owner.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
The technique I’ve used for contacting local businesses is to look at the chamber of commerce for the locality and find which designer designed it. Then i visit their web page and check out their portfolio.
Most small towns have websites designed by one person, and they usualy aren’t that great. But usualy the person designing the site is a great person, which is what alot of people don’t understand about small businesses. You’ll be a lot more successful if you don’t try to hussle or impress people and just talk them into a way of understanding. Thats how I’ve had the most success.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Read the report. Andrew will give you indications. And they are not low, I guarantee!
July 26th, 2008 at 4:07 am
hi Read the report. I remember the last few years of my business (before I came over here to S.Korea to teach English) when it was getting worse every year…if I would have been consciously aware of this approach, the transition into a very well paid business would have been ultra easy
July 30th, 2008 at 3:47 am
Its different for a small town businesses. Mostly they would think that a website is a waste for them because of their business coverage are limited to their town. Not many would spend for websites.
August 17th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I have to agree that most local business owners have not realize the full potential of internet marketing. It is time for some basic education.
- Rif Chia
August 26th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Great post.Enriching!
September 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am
Really nice effort the explain the very tough issue, Thanks
September 4th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
In detailed, easy to follow steps. You’ll discover things like:
- the basic 6 step system to go from zero to getting paid,
- how to get business owners to love you,
- how to avoid being seen as a salesperson,
- practical questions to ask,
- establishing value,
- how to avoid phone tag hell,
- how to get a steady stream of referrals,
- how to position yourself as the source of internet marketing advice.
September 9th, 2008 at 6:20 am
i think most people don’t know the advantage of the internet marketing. but if blog like this is spread among them i think they can it a try
September 28th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Brilliant Idea.. and internet marketing is a very useful and effective tool..
Thanks for sharing.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:52 am
“Wow! An Excellent idea which never i thought. Internet can make every thing and you are well known in your local and it would be very easy to start business and earn easily.”
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:41 am
All you need to know is how to create a great website.And some basic SEO knowledge about how to use long tail keywords and get back links.