Local Internet Marketing- Worth it?

[Chris]

Two interesting things:

Just was listening to a podcast on local internet marketing and hyper-
local sites such as http://citysquares.com/ & . Wanted to know if
anyone had any experience with this or what their thoughts were on it
as far as how businesses can optimize their hyperlocal presence.

Here are the links: http://www.semsynergy.com/hyperlocal-growth-marketing-opportunities/
Another link: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/yahoo-neighbors-could-be-huge/2305/.

Also, I also noticed a website offering local SEO services:
http://www.geolocalseo.com/ Even though Geo targeting PPC campaigns,
claiming local listings, etc. may seem pretty basic to an SEO expert,
most people who own local businesses likely don't have a clue how much
of this works. Is offering such services to local businesses in your
area a good idea?

[Corey Creed]

Yea, there are several ways to go about this.

There are some businesses like David Kyle's that specialize in local
search (www.planetsearch.com) and really know their stuff. There are
others that just know the basics and can charge less for just doing
the basics right. I've also heard of companies here in Charlotte that
have gone through the yellow pages and simply told businesses that
their money would be better spent online. They get a simple website
and/or some other simple things going for them for a cheap price.

Of course, the better work you do, the more referrals you get, etc.

[Chris]

Its interesting that there are companies that solely focus on local
search and do well at it. It makes sense, when the first place people
are turning to find anything local is a quick Google search. I wonder
how soon it will get to the point where the yellow pages are in the
same position as the newspapers are now.

[Corey Creed]

Yellow pages are hurting right now, that's for sure.

The tricky part to taking local clients that would typically advertise
in the Yellow pages is that most of them have very little money to
spend (especially in this year's economy). So throwing a few hundred
dollars at a phone book and not needing to come up with any real
significant ad is very appealing.

Most small businesses and small business owners are struggling
financially and running non-stop to keep up with the normal day to day
activities.

Getting these people to take a break and put some money into their
online presence is simply asking too much of them.

The exception is lawyers, doctors, and some other types like that.

[David Kyle]

Corey hit the head on the nail. Here is a great article by Dennis Yu on the
economics of local search:

http://www.blitzlocal.com/review-the-economics-of-local-search-advertising-webcast/

[Chris]

I certainly agree. That was an interesting post by Dennis Yu. It
seems that in almost any business the people who really don't have the
money to spend on a service are the most headache to deal with and
need lots of hand holding vs. those who have the money for the
service.

That leads me to wonder-while you don't want to waste time going after
small business owners that don't have the $$ for IM, for a small
internet marketing company, what are the best type of clients? What
is the "sweet spot" as far as clients that either big enough in size
(corporations) or have the funds for hiring and internet marketing
firm (Corey mentioned doctors & lawyers) but are not too huge that
they would need a large IM company?

On Oct 9, 10:26 am, "David Kyle" <da...@realestatecharlotte.com>
wrote:

> Corey hit the head on the nail.  Here is a great article by Dennis Yu on the
> economics of local search:
>

> http://www.blitzlocal.com/review-the-economics-of-local-search-advert...

[David Kyle]

when you find the answer to that question, let me know. It's a question I
struggle to find the anser to every day.

[Corey Creed]

I am planning on teaching a one-day class on how to take clients. But
here is the brief story.

I've been taking clients since 2003. Over the years I've worked for
over 100 websites in almost every industry. Every year I would look
back at every client I worked for and how much they paid me. I would
then think about how much work, energy, time, and frustration each
client cost me.

Here's what I learned...

Good clients are not determined by how much money they gave me. They
are not determined by how little work it took. Good clients can be
found in almost any industry, of any size, and anything else.

So what determines a good client?

Good clients are determined by the mutual respect we had for each
other. If the client respects you, and you respect the client, it
always works. You set pricing appropriately. They don't bug you.
They don't question everything. You don't need to justify
everything. You just do your best. They appreciate it. The
communication is effective and beneficial.

Now, of course you still need to produce reports, teach then the
basics, etc.

So how do you get those clients? I ranked all my clients over several
years. I then took all the "A" clients and looked at how I originally
obtained them. At one point 90% of them all came the same way.

(Is anyone still reading this? Who wants to know? I bet you can
guess.)

[Chris]

Corey, I'd love to know how you got your A clients. I'm guessing you
got them via referrals. But I bet the answer will be in your new
class ; ).

[Corey Creed]

Ha!

(No, I did not mean to be a tease. I just did not want to make one
big gigantic post that no one would read.)

So here's the answer...

90% of all my "best clients" all came not just from a referral, but
from ONE referral. Interestingly, the original guy was someone I did
a really good job for at a very low rate. He did not have much
money. So even though it was a great deal for him, he stopped fairly
soon.

But he had great contacts! Over the next two years or so, he sent
many excellent opportunities my way. Some of them worked with me for
many years, and continue to do so.

The lesson? In the beginning, take every client you can - time
permitting. Don't just do a good job. Do a KILLER job. Once you are
too busy, drop your least favorite clients. Tell the clients that
appreciate you that you take business only on referral basis.

The key to having good clients is to keep dropping some on a regular
basis. It's critical

Those are some random thoughts. I think David Kyle and I have had
similar conversations.

Is that what you have found, David?

Corey