Pretty much similar to HunWarriors method. I'll go ahead and re design shitty local business Websites. So far, for the area. I've come across 11 for 'Plumbers in.....' . I'll go Ahead and re design them today & tomorrow. I'll be contacting them via direct mail. Idealy with a screenshot of the old & new Site with a link if they wish to check it out and feel free to contact my number if they wish to take it off my hands.

I'll also include a list of new features (plugins) and explain what they entail. Get them sent out over the weekend and post results later next week. Aditionally, Pricing will be around £400.

Cool idea. Do you just use one template for all the plumbers?

Originally Posted by seanjohn

Cool idea. Do you just use one template for all the plumbers?

There's some decent Free Themes if you search on Google, Which i'll probably use and just mix them up a little. So they're not all the same. Same with Electricians, Builders and so on! I'll post up a sample of the old and new site in a little while.

One thing you might want to try...if the company has an email address, try to add them on Facebook.

Once added on FB, share them the image of the new site you "designed especially for them" and offer it to them there. Speed up the process just a tad. Also, throw in a free FB fanpage or something like that if you need to increase conversions.

Cheers. Can you reccommend a few essential Plugins for something like this?

I've been doing the same about a week, adding them on facebook. I've redone at least 20 sites and no ones even writing back-- going to cold call today...

Originally Posted by singingsleep

I've been doing the same about a week, adding them on facebook. I've redone at least 20 sites and no ones even writing back-- going to cold call today...

To be fair, do half of these Companies even bother with Facebook? Try direct Mail. You may get a better responce.

Originally Posted by Jon0

Pretty much similar to HunWarriors method. I'll go ahead and re design shitty local business Websites. So far, for the area. I've come across 11 for 'Plumbers in.....' . I'll go Ahead and re design them today & tomorrow. I'll be contacting them via direct mail. Idealy with a screenshot of the old & new Site with a link if they wish to check it out and feel free to contact my number if they wish to take it off my hands.

I'll also include a list of new features (plugins) and explain what they entail. Get them sent out over the weekend and post results later next week. Aditionally, Pricing will be around £400.

I'm thinking about this as well. do you just design a front homepage to show them or do you transfer all the contents from their old site so they can look at a full working demo?

this should be interesting, have a ton of shabby sites in my area so be good data to see what converts

Originally Posted by theag

I'm thinking about this as well. do you just design a front homepage to show them or do you transfer all the contents from their old site so they can look at a full working demo?

Obviously you'd copy their business details and put it on the new site. Just print screenshots of each page on their site. Make it look as good as possible with relevant plugins. Show them an Old site/New Site comparison with a list of all it's new features & mail it them, via Post. If you get 2 out of 10 clients, You've done a very good job.

Need a hand with what Plugins you'd use for this venture. First go at Wordpress so a few heads up would go a long way Cheers!

If you ask me, you are selling yourself far short by designing sites upfront and then saying "hey look I redesigned your website" - hoping that they will even notice.

If you must follow that path, set up one website as a subdomain/URL of your own website, where you have a general plumbing site set up. Give them that link rather than making a unique one for each client.

Originally Posted by krzysiekz

If you ask me, you are selling yourself far short by designing sites upfront and then saying "hey look I redesigned your website" - hoping that they will even notice.

If you must follow that path, set up one website as a subdomain/URL of your own website, where you have a general plumbing site set up. Give them that link rather than making a unique one for each client.

You mean, Design a new site around Plumbing & then ask if they'd be interested in a similar design or that design.

Originally Posted by Jon0

You mean, Design a new site around Plumbing & then ask if they'd be interested in a similar design or that design.

I got the same impressiom of you selling yourself short. thats why I asked if you just design a front page or the complete thing. because you could just set up a general template for each niche and edit the business name etc like krzysiekz suggested and show them a screenshot of that compared with their old site and a comment like "your new site could look like this" and then when you signed the client you overdeliver and create him an even nicer design which will make him happy and ready for upsells like SEO.

Originally Posted by theag

I got the same impressiom of you selling yourself short. thats why I asked if you just design a front page or the complete thing. because you could just set up a general template for each niche and edit the business name etc like krzysiekz suggested and show them a screenshot of that compared with their old site and a comment like "your new site could look like this" and then when you signed the client you overdeliver and create him an even nicer design which will make him happy and ready for upsells like SEO.

Would this increase conversions though? Is there really too much a difference re designing their site and sending them a screenshot in the post to showing them a screenshot of a template and saying 'Your new site could look like this'?

I don't think they're talking about increasing conversions. They're saying you're selling yourself short by wasting time designing a unique site for each prospect that you may not even close. So use one design as an example as opposed to making a new one for each prospect.

This would probably work better if you selected a niche with more tech savy people, and I don' think plumbers really care about aesthetics. See - Plumber's Crack.

Originally Posted by mark27

This would probably work better if you selected a niche with more tech savy people, and I don' think plumbers really care about aesthetics. See - Plumber's Crack.

Worth a go. You'll never know unless you give it a pop. Obviously, i'll be exploring dozens more niches!

Originally Posted by skillz

I don't think they're talking about increasing conversions. They're saying you're selling yourself short by wasting time designing a unique site for each prospect that you may not even close. So use one design as an example as opposed to making a new one for each prospect.

Thanks for explaining. This'd be the best Option.

Originally Posted by skillz

I don't think they're talking about increasing conversions. They're saying you're selling yourself short by wasting time designing a unique site for each prospect that you may not even close. So use one design as an example as opposed to making a new one for each prospect.

Exactly!

Anyone able to point me to a half decent Plumbing theme? Free if possible. The two i've come across are pretty common, and pretty dire/Not attractive.

Tried attaching a screenshot. Upload problems.

Yep, you can use this for many local businesses. I think there is a plugin for booking appointments online you can install for say, like for hairdressers or masseurs, restaurants etc.

Originally Posted by Jon0

Anyone able to point me to a half decent Plumbing theme? Free if possible. The two i've come across are pretty common, and pretty dire/Not attractive.

Tried attaching a screenshot. Upload problems.

Send me a pm with your requirements. I have artisteer and might be able to knock something up half decent

Let me know what you've seen so far so I can see what you don't want!

Charge a monthly reoccurring bill not a lump sum, and it seems cheaper to them. I do $49/mo everything included. To a business owner, that's cheap and its reoccurring/passive income.

And...don't email, direct mail, or Facebook them, get a suit and tie and walk right in that bitch and cold sell to them. I can land 6/10 by doing this plus charging reoccurring monthly. Adds up and is easy money.

Also, don't redesign the whole site. Just homepage. Take a screenshot and print it on high gloss paper to present/compare to the old site. I've learned that it's the professional guy that grows the balls to come out from hiding is the one who sells the most. It's business

Originally Posted by MitchHoward

Charge a monthly reoccurring bill not a lump sum, and it seems cheaper to them. I do $49/mo everything included. To a business owner, that's cheap and its reoccurring/passive income.

And...don't email, direct mail, or Facebook them, get a suit and tie and walk right in that bitch and cold sell to them. I can land 6/10 by doing this plus charging reoccurring monthly. Adds up and is easy money.

Also, don't redesign the whole site. Just homepage. Take a screenshot and print it on high gloss paper to present/compare to the old site. I've learned that it's the professional guy that grows the balls to come out from hiding is the one who sells the most. It's business

Being in the UK It maybe better doing a one off price of £400-£450 because if you did £30/$50 it'd leave you with less going monthly, after tax. I'll try direct mail and see how it goes. I've had a few designs off Dotcomdesigns and they're considerably better than the clients' sites! I'll also throw in a monthly hosting at £10.

Originally Posted by Jon0

Being in the UK It maybe better doing a one off price of £400-£450 because if you did £30/$50 it'd leave you with less going monthly, after tax. I'll try direct mail and see how it goes. I've had a few designs off Dotcomdesigns and they're considerably better than the clients' sites! I'll also throw in a monthly hosting at £10.

The idea of charging monthly is this...businesses usually pay with a business card that is linked to a business account = lots of money in that account. It is proven that by charging monthly you get more out of each customer then if you charge a lump sum. Why do you think there are so many more "subscription based" software plans out there?

It's because half the time, even if the business wants to cancel their website, they are either a) too lazy b) keep forgetting c) don't even remember that they are being charged each month.

Most of the time when a business sets up a website, they will not take it down unless they go out of business. It's just unethical to them. You charge a lump sum of $450, I make $600/yr per client. Now...90% of my clients will have their website over a year. idk what you pay for tax but I still believe you would get more bang for your buck by charging monthly. Then again, that's the glory of owning your own business. You can do whatever the hell you want, you don't have to listen to ppl like me :P

My $0.02

I agree. I want a monthly income not just a one off and it does sound more of a deal that one large lump sum.

I sent out 15 packets to businesses without websites. I want monthly too. I asked for £30 ($47) a month. This included the website, hosting, domain name and submission to GP. That was 10 days ago and I didn't get a response.

I've since discovered that the major web design company in my city charges £99 a year for exactly the same service minus the GP submission. It means my price was 3 times higher than the professionals! And their websites are seriously good, way better than I can produce.

I need to undercut or offer better value. They're charging £8.25 a month with hosting so it doesn't leave me much to play with.

Originally Posted by dotcomdesigns

I sent out 15 packets to businesses without websites. I want monthly too. I asked for £30 ($47) a month. This included the website, hosting, domain name and submission to GP. That was 10 days ago and I didn't get a response.

I've since discovered that the major web design company in my city charges £99 a year for exactly the same service minus the GP submission. It means my price was 3 times higher than the professionals! And their websites are seriously good, way better than I can produce.

I need to undercut or offer better value. They're charging £8.25 a month with hosting so it doesn't leave me much to play with.

Try to add more to the pack. ie. facebook page, twitter page, ping list, custom promo video spoof (fiverr). Just some little things. Put a weight on the fact that your sites are FULLY OPTIMIZED as compared to 'many other web companies' meaning they are much easier to rank.

In my experience by doing this I have been blowing the competition out of the water. The difference is, were everyone is doing these direct mailings and shit....I throw up a quick mockup, print it out, and walk right in the place of business looking for the owner. I pressure them and I make the sale. I don't even give them an opportunity to throw my offer away.

To me that's just how business works. It's called offline marketing for a reason.

Tax is pretty much 29% over here Self Employed. Provided you make less than £35k or so. I'll go with the £450 + £10 monthly hosting for now & see how it goes. That would be £445 a year per client/$698. Which would be around $98 more than you'd make per client? Numbers game for sure. Will have a pop at it!

Originally Posted by Jon0

Tax is pretty much 29% over here Self Employed. Provided you make less than £35k or so. I'll go with the £450 + £10 monthly hosting for now & see how it goes. That would be £445 a year per client/$698. Which would be around $98 more than you'd make per client? Numbers game for sure. Will have a pop at it!

Yeah, nothing wrong with testing bud. Good luck!

Just received said themes. Been to Poundland for a pack of 50 envelopes. Cheap as shit! Any ideas on a 'covering letter' you'd include your mail?

Tried to install wordpress on my primary domain & a subdomain using Hostgator/Fantastico de lux however, it takes me straight to the GoDaddy page. Probably a basic error somewhere. Anyone point me in the right direction? I've had a browse on G but nothing prevails as of yet.

Cheers

Edit - Never thought to use the live Chat Support. Idiot. Haha.

Originally Posted by Jon0

Tried to install wordpress on my primary domain & a subdomain using Hostgator/Fantastico de lux however, it takes me straight to the GoDaddy page. Probably a basic error somewhere. Anyone point me in the right direction? I've had a browse on G but nothing prevails as of yet.

Cheers

Edit - Never thought to use the live Chat Support. Idiot. Haha.

How are things going? are you getting a response?

Originally Posted by MitchHoward

How are things going? are you getting a response?

Waited half an hour in the queue. They told me what to do. But as i was copying the code they gave me, they closed the chat Back to the queue we go!

Originally Posted by Jon0

Tried to install wordpress on my primary domain & a subdomain using Hostgator/Fantastico de lux however, it takes me straight to the GoDaddy page. Probably a basic error somewhere. Anyone point me in the right direction? I've had a browse on G but nothing prevails as of yet.

Cheers

Edit - Never thought to use the live Chat Support. Idiot. Haha.

How much are you hoping to charge businesses for making websites for them!

Looks like you haven't changed your nameservers? Is the domain registered at Godaddy? If it is have you changed the nameservers to point at your Hostgator hosting?

Originally Posted by dotcomdesigns

How much are you hoping to charge businesses for making websites for them!

Looks like you haven't changed your nameservers? Is the domain registered at Godaddy? If it is have you changed the nameservers to point at your Hostgator hosting?

Like the Sarcasm! All sorted now though. Pricing, Is £450 too steep, would you say? Baring in mind this is a one time payment. With the option of a £10 hosting fee.

Originally Posted by Jon0

Like the Sarcasm! All sorted now though. Pricing, Is £450 too steep, would you say? Baring in mind this is a one time payment. With the option of a £10 hosting fee.

No, it is definitely not too cheap. Remember, you're not selling a basic website, you're helping the company get their brand online (or updated to the new "2.0", not 1999). You're not selling a website, you're giving them ability to start gathering new leads through the internet. You're not selling a website, you're providing them a way to stay current and competitive with their competitors who have already been online for 10 years.

Ok! Having a little trouble getting rid of the 'Recent Comments', 'Archives', 'Categories' & 'Meta' areas on the Wordpress site. Anyone give a heads up?

Make me feel good, that i have motivated people to make action.

+ Rep for you taking action buddy!

Originally Posted by Jon0

Ok! Having a little trouble getting rid of the 'Recent Comments', 'Archives', 'Categories' & 'Meta' areas on the Wordpress site. Anyone give a heads up?

trying editing your widgets. Some themes have default widgets in the sidebar so if you set them up yourself you can remove the ones that are being used when u first install the theme.

I have same method as you but what I do Is i post it on local website ads and news paper

Originally Posted by smk436

trying editing your widgets. Some themes have default widgets in the sidebar so if you set them up yourself you can remove the ones that are being used when u first install the theme.

Yep, just found that however Archives doesn't seem to want to leave the page

Originally Posted by rulez05

I have same method as you but what I do Is i post it on local website ads and news paper

And have these produced any results? Tried direct mail?

Originally Posted by Jon0

Yep, just found that however Archives doesn't seem to want to leave the page

I replied to your pm but someone already told you the answer. Archives is the same, drag it off and then refresh and it should be gone

This method works. Risky, but it works.

Tip to save LOTS of time:

Don't design the site in CODE, instead DO IT IN PHOTOSHOP.

Get your template, screenshot it. Edit the screenshot in photoshop. If they give you the go-ahead, time to code.

I've been going back and forth on this tactic for a few months now actually. It's pointless to design sites in advance when you don't know if you're going to get a response.

Why not just send out emails letting these people know that you've redone their design for them? Ask them if they're interested in seeing it, and wait for a response. There's no sense in wasting time on people that might not even open your emails. If someone gets back to you, put up a demo and send them a link.

~blackhatdiva~