Ok, so a big factor regarding offline marketing is reaching the right businesses/niches.

You want to make as much as possible per client as you can because having 10 clients that pay $1k a month is way better than having 40 clients paying $250 a month.

You should price your services according to what value you are giving your customer, and therefore the higher value each customer is to a client the more you can make. You also need to factor in the lifetime value of a client since a brand new customer is probably going to return and spend more money in the near future.

So I thought a list with high customer lifetime value would be awesome to come back to so we know exactly who to market to first. In some niches they don't necessarily make so much off of one sale but customers tend to come back more often, like hair salons. You can easily whip out a financial calculator and roughly workout the present value of a customer that keeps coming back for the next 3 years if you know what your client makes from each visit.

I will start it off with a couple I got from a product or two:

• Accountants
• Lawyers
• Mechanics
• Auto Body repair shops
• Car Dealers
• Dentists
• Doctors
• Chiropractors
• Construction Companies
• Carpentry and remodel services
• Plumbers
• Restaurants & Bars
• Hair Salons & Stylists
• Specialty Shops
• Aerial Services
• Beauty Salons
• Blinds & Awnings
• Builders
• Burglar Alarms
• Carpenters
• Carpet Cleaners
• Cleaners
• Courier Services
• Day Nurseries
• Electricians
• Estate Agents
• Fencing Services
• Flooring Services
• Garage Services
• Hotels
• Jewellers
• Landscapers
• Letting Agents
• Locksmiths
• Painters & Decorators
• Paving & Driveways
• Pest Control
• Plant & Machinery Hire
• Printers
• Pubs
• Recruitment
• Removals
• Restaurants
• Roofers
• Security Services
• Sign Makers
• Solicitors
• Storage
• Taxis
• Tree Work
• Van & Truck Hire
• Vets
• Day Care
• Photographers
• Financial Advisors
• Plastic Surgeons

Feel free to add any niche you think falls in the high customer value category. I will constantly be adding new additions to the thread to the original post

Thanks for the list, I am also seeing a lot of buzz on Tanning Salons being a good candidate.

Day care
Landscaping
Photographers
Financial advisors

My bread and butter is plastic surgeons. Never forget them.

NIce list.

Def a great list to start with - thanks!

How about good categories for customers with a potential customer list? Im having a hard time with this one. I want to target companies who have re-occuring clients/customers or ones that would come back over time for whatever it is they offer. Seem to draw a blank after the basic doctor, dentist list.

I just look on the yell directory, that's a VERY good list!

The list is very helpful. I would add Architects separately from construction companies.

Thanks for the list, great share.

How much small businesses will pay, all depends on where they are located, how much competition there is, etc. However not a lot of small businesses will
pay $1000 per month for seo.

Companies are willing to pay $1000 in SEO if you can actually come through.

Well, the whole point of this thread is not to go after businesses that make $50 a pop [in that case, yes they'll frown upon $1k].. but rather to go after those that make $800+ per customer. If you can bring in an extra 5 customers a month [not undoable] they would be happy to pay you $1k. Usually these are the kind of businesses where they will tell their friends to go their as well.
Everybody wins with high customer (lifetime) value

driving schools?

Originally Posted by Sazzle

Maybe it's where I am in the world (UK). But I've got the impression that very very few small businesses would fork out $1000 a month for SEO. Anyone else?

For that sort of money you'd have to guarantee results or you'd lose out. Perhaps even pay someone to go to the premises and pretend they saw their website on Google....

Btw, thanks for the list man. Much appreciated.

True, i am UK too, in bigger cities you may get that amount, where i live in the country it would be very difficult but not impossible.
Just remember you are offering your skill so dont go in too low.

Raevinn thanks to you I got a smack from my little daughter. While reading your thread she saw your avatar!! She said Baaaahh pappa what are you watching!!!!

Originally Posted by dragon123

True, i am UK too, in bigger cities you may get that amount, where i live in the country it would be very difficult but not impossible.
Just remember you are offering your skill so dont go in too low.

I used to live in the country, it can be harder to find businesses, but no matter where they are based, you should charge what you can offer.

And remember if each customer is worth £200-£500, and you can increase their sales by 5 - 10 each month......?

Def food for thought...

Actually Guys I want to target companies who have re-occuring clients/customers or ones that would come back over time for whatever it is they offer. Seem to draw a blank after the basic doctor, dentist list.

The best way to look at this is to determine the lifetime value of a client. For example, I have several oil change / quick lube customers paying $750-$1000 per month for SEO. Yes, their per customer visit charge could be as low as $19.00 or so with coupons, discounts etc. However, the lifetime value of a new customer can certainly add up when you start the possible upsells of headlamps, bulbs, wiper blades, radiator flushes, transmission flushes / filter changes, air fileter changes, air conditioning recharges etc, etc. You get the picture.

On top of the SEO packages, I sell them on reminder card / email programs for their customers. Build a list and over time you can see what the intervals are in which the average customer returns for service, you then schedule email blasts or reminder postcards which you can add coupons or special offers for upsells. You can add a loyalty card program where every 10th oil change is 50% off, etc etc. The possibilities are endless. Don't be too quick to judge by what the initial transaction cost might be and whether or not SEO can be justified by that, look at the bigger picture. Oil change / quick lubes and other lower dollar businesses spend big $$ on advertising, you need to convince them your way gets better results.

good info here...

This is a fantastic post. Will really help focus my sales team. Tomorrow will be a good sales meeting.

Another good niche to add is Optometrists. I know Doctors is up there, but I think it helps to further break down the types of common practices.

Target real estate - you'll make a killing.
I know a guy who has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in this niche but he was doing craigslist instead.

I'd like to add that I myself am targeting a niche for site rental where it's a one-time customer but a very costly offline service, around $10k. (This is my first time)

How do you find high paying clients in another country though? Like a plastic surgeon in Brazil doesn't get paid as much as his American counterpart.

I don't see Tattoo Artist on that list. I know they can use our help as well.

Out of the list you provided, I would narrow it down even further (ensuring to stick to business with high margin / high lifetime value per client) and go with these:

• Lawyers
• Chiropractors
• Construction Companies
• Dentists
• Plumbers
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Solicitors
• Financial Advisors
• Plastic Surgeons

Keep in mind that a lot of professional have limited time and are usually booked out, and do not have time for or need any extra clients. I'd say Dentists would fall under this category.

One more I would add is:

• HVAC

Originally Posted by KevinA

Out of the list you provided, I would narrow it down even further (ensuring to stick to business with high margin / high lifetime value per client) and go with these:

• Lawyers
• Chiropractors
• Construction Companies
• Dentists
• Plumbers
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Solicitors
• Financial Advisors
• Plastic Surgeons

Keep in mind that a lot of professional have limited time and are usually booked out, and do not have time for or need any extra clients. I'd say Dentists would fall under this category.

One more I would add is:

• HVAC

With restaurants and hotels it's near impossible to get past the 'gate keeper'. The CEO/owner will rarely get on the phone and answer.

Originally Posted by fuzzy_corleone

With restaurants and hotels it's near impossible to get past the 'gate keeper'. The CEO/owner will rarely get on the phone and answer.

I disagree. I've never tried offering any services to hotels before, but you can definitely get through to restaurants.

Sometimes they pick the phone up themselves, but you just have to know the industry your calling and plan accordingly. For example, if you want to call a restaurant you'd want to contact them Monday - Wednesday around 3 P.M. where there isn't a lunch rush and just about getting ready for dinner. You'd also want to avoid dinner time and Friday and Saturday of course.

Also, if you find out the owner's name, or decision maker's name, in advance, the next time you can pass through since you know what your talking about and not just asking for them to put you through to the "owner".

Great tips! You can also look for new gyms that are opening up.

What about ethnic niches and cultural niches? A lot of obscure TV shows have very devoted followers. Same with comic books (especially manga), films, musicians etc.

thx a lot, this is a very useful list .

frick yeah, thanks a ton. Building knowledge bank and this is one of a couple threads I've bookmarked today.

Originally Posted by fuzzy_corleone

With restaurants and hotels it's near impossible to get past the 'gate keeper'. The CEO/owner will rarely get on the phone and answer.

That's true in many cases, with the bigger restaurants. But approaching smaller family owned restaurants, you will often meet the owner face to face (go in around 3pm to 5pm).

With hotels I completely agree with you.

Nice list, thank you