Traffic leaks for local projects

[Nat]

I'm finally out of school and have been taking action now that I have enough free time to really invest into building. By no means am I an expert in ORM/SEO/Internet Marketing/Website building, but this is the niche that I'm most familiar with and I really like inter-personal work. So, I'm looking to offer online review management services, local seo, and other internet marketing services. However, for starting out I've really tried to focus on review management (online reputation). Because I know quite a few local businesses, I sent out a handful of ORM letters to businesses, pretty similar to the BHW method. I also sent out some of these letters to local businesses I didn't know. I found about 10 businesses without listings for managers/owners and I emailed them or used contact forms. I've cold called a few places without good results. I've experimented with some Craigslist posts, but the section is so heavily spammed I doubt anyone has seen it. Then, the past week I've been building up my LinkedIn contacts (all local) -- I asked a question about LinkedIn outreach here. I've contacted a zillion different people on LinkedIn hoping that this would be a unique enough way that I'd get some responses or calls back. I have gotten one call from LinkedIn which was cool, but the guy had literally just signed up for vendasta.com. I've been spending a lot of time trying to find some places where the people in my local area / state congregate online, but I haven't come up with much. There are obviously lots of online communities in niche professions that really need the services I'm offering, but there's no way to tell how many will be local. I'm trying to go after an audience that isn't fully aware of the numerous ORM/review site management options that are out there.

Can anyone give me some advice for getting some clients?

Some possibilities I've thought of for continuing the search for clients:

• Continue to send out letters to local businesses
• See how expensive advertising in a local newspaper is
• Buying Facebook/AdWords ads for only my local geographic
• Possibly try to get a story in a local newspaper or local blogs
• Go in-person to some local meet-ups or conventions for a professionals in a niche that is review sensitive and try to hand out business cards

 

[Ryuzaki]

Continue to send out letters to local businesses

I'd do this for sure until I hit everyone locally with bad reviews at least once. Simply to plant the seed in their heads.

See how expensive advertising in a local newspaper is

This could work especially for a second mental impression on the guys above and as a way to reach people who aren't online much but do recognize the importance of it. The late adopters and resistors are going to be a waste of time though. Not sure you can avoid some spend on them though.

Buying Facebook/AdWords ads for only my local geographic

For sure, this seems like a very cheap method to repeatedly pound people already online. The fact that you're local and can meet in person should remove a lot of fear based barriers too. If you can put together a site with success stories and examples and really split test the funnel, I see this as being very profitable. You can probably run the ads on LinkedIn too, not sure as I don't use that site, but I imagine the CEO's and marketing department heads would be easy targets.

Possibly try to get a story in a local newspaper or local blogs

One time, I walked into the office of a newspaper and pitched a story. The next day they came to my house and we talked and they took one picture. Day after that, I was in the front portion of the newspaper with a full two-page spread. Zero resistance. If the story is local and good, then they are typically dying for help. Journalist life must be a million times easier to follow a lead than to discover one. Doing their job for them almost guarantees a win.

Go in-person to some local meet-ups or conventions for a professionals in a niche that is review sensitive and try to hand out business cards

Definitely. Close in person. Your success rate on any one interested will be incredibly higher than online and snail mail pitches. Get in the trenches!


You could consider running ads in local industry magazines too, or better yet pitch them a story and get it run more like native advertising, even if you have to pay some amount of the ad cost too. You can be very persuasive in this manner versus a small ad or even a full page ad.

Good luck! I'd definitely try to rank locally for any related terms too. That's probably near zero competition and consistent eyeballs.

 

[Flex]

Get on your local news. Cable news, etc. Get your business in front of eyes talking about how to deal with your business in the digital age. This will get you a larger set of eyeballs and cost minimal time investment.

 

[Nat]

If you can put together a site with success stories and examples and really split test the funnel, I see this as being very profitable.

This would be great... unfortunately, I don't have any success stories or data from clients since I've only done this on a really small scale... and I'm trying to get started.

One time, I walked into the office of a newspaper and pitched a story. The next day they came to my house and we talked and they took one picture. Day after that, I was in the front portion of the newspaper with a full two-page spread. Zero resistance. If the story is local and good, then they are typically dying for help. Journalist life must be a million times easier to follow a lead than to discover one. Doing their job for them almost guarantees a win.

This is awesome. Did you already have a type of 'story' or did you create one? For instance, pretending you are in the niche I'm going after... Did you contact the paper saying that you're a young, local entrepreneur who just graduated with honors and here is this awesome niche you're creating a business around that nobody knows about (and online reviews and website management/optimization can really )? OR did you contact them and tell them about a local client who's online reputation you've just successfully managed and saved them face when an irrational ex employee tried to ruin their business. OR did you pitch fear to the newspaper about a liability most businesses aren't aware about?

I dont know if I described that well...

Definitely. Close in person. Your success rate on any one interested will be incredibly higher than online and snail mail pitches. Get in the trenches!

I'm definitely planning on always closing in person, that's one reason why I'm trying to stay local. Its just a little scary to try and start showing up to business events as a really young, inexperienced person. Its a little hard to identify meet-ups that will be worthwhile though.

You could consider running ads in local industry magazines too, or better yet pitch them a story and get it run more like native advertising, even if you have to pay some amount of the ad cost too. You can be very persuasive in this manner versus a small ad or even a full page ad.

Ok, so what you're saying is to try to pay a local industry magazine to feature me as a story instead of buying an ad? Didn't quite know what you meant by "get it run more like native advertising."

Good luck! I'd definitely try to rank locally for any related terms too. That's probably near zero competition and consistent eyeballs.

Thank you so much for such a thorough and helpful response! I mean it. The only hesitation I've got right now is the fact that I still haven't gotten a client. I would really like to get 2-3 clients and get my hands dirty. I've done freelance web services to in-person people before, but its never really been a 'business.' I know I'll be more comfortable talking to potential clients once I have a few clients. What I'm saying is I'm trying to get a little more experienced before I try to drop a bomb.

Get on your local news. Cable news, etc. Get your business in front of eyes talking about how to deal with your business in the digital age. This will get you a larger set of eyeballs and cost minimal time investment.

Do you have any tips for getting on the local news? Thanks for the feedback

 

[Ryuzaki]

Did you already have a type of 'story' or did you create one?

I had a story. It was real, unique to the area, and it was hip and made them seem to be on the ball and in the in-crowd. Not only was there the benefit of having dropped a story in their lap, but there were those secondary benefits of making themselves and their readers feel a little more cool and intertwined in the local community. It was far more personalized than the typical crap they publish day after day.

Instead of republishing Associated Press clips on politics and world events, or even dissociated local stories they never even drove out to or had custom photos and interviews, I gave them it all. They'll be facing budget crises and cut-backs like everyone else. The more you can hand them, the more likely you'll get in the paper, and possibly a two page spread like I got.

It was Native Advertising. It was all about me. Who I am, my history, what I do now, how I got involved, how it's unique and interesting, some success points to validate it, my past and upcoming products at the end. It was all a segue from not knowing about me to investigating the product, not even a soft sale. But it worked because it piqued interest. Parents told kids, kids talked at school, church gossip, etc. The thing is, people know you and they'll talk about it just because it's a tiny claim to fame, or they're interested in starting something similar, etc.

I'm being long-winded but you see how this would fan out from there. The ears that need to hear it eventually hear it.

so what you're saying is to try to pay a local industry magazine to feature me as a story instead of buying an ad?

Exactly, and like above with the newspapers this might cost you nothing. Or you can slang some cash for a call-to-action or at least having contact details in the story so people can reach out to you. You'll need a website, I'm thinking. It's part of how people will feel you out before calling or filling out a form so you contact them.

 

[Flex]

This would be great... unfortunately, I don't have any success stories or data from clients since I've only done this on a really small scale... and I'm trying to get started.



This is awesome. Did you already have a type of 'story' or did you create one? For instance, pretending you are in the niche I'm going after... Did you contact the paper saying that you're a young, local entrepreneur who just graduated with honors and here is this awesome niche you're creating a business around that nobody knows about (and online reviews and website management/optimization can really )? OR did you contact them and tell them about a local client who's online reputation you've just successfully managed and saved them face when an irrational ex employee tried to ruin their business. OR did you pitch fear to the newspaper about a liability most businesses aren't aware about?

I dont know if I described that well...



I'm definitely planning on always closing in person, that's one reason why I'm trying to stay local. Its just a little scary to try and start showing up to business events as a really young, inexperienced person. Its a little hard to identify meet-ups that will be worthwhile though.



Ok, so what you're saying is to try to pay a local industry magazine to feature me as a story instead of buying an ad? Didn't quite know what you meant by "get it run more like native advertising."



Thank you so much for such a thorough and helpful response! I mean it. The only hesitation I've got right now is the fact that I still haven't gotten a client. I would really like to get 2-3 clients and get my hands dirty. I've done freelance web services to in-person people before, but its never really been a 'business.' I know I'll be more comfortable talking to potential clients once I have a few clients. What I'm saying is I'm trying to get a little more experienced before I try to drop a bomb.



Do you have any tips for getting on the local news? Thanks for the feedback

The tip is simple, contact them and pitch your story!

 

[Jarred]

Go in-person to some local meet-ups or conventions for a professionals in a niche that is review sensitive and try to hand out business cards

Go to the Googles and type in your: state/city * association

This should provide you with a nice list of associations that will park 20-30 business owners in from of you and let you speak on a topic of you choosing as long as it gives some value to their members.

Example, a search for the in Nevada turned up several options like - https://www.nevadacpa.org/members/speaker-bureau

Find a local Toastmasters group if you suck at giving presentations.