$50k/month working T, W & Th only.
- Thread starter markmarkmark
- Start date
markmarkmark
Newbie
- Mar 16, 2016
- 39
- 35
Does anyone know how to get a moderator to approve your post? I have a very lengthy post in this thread that is still awaiting moderator approval. I am not sure if there is a process to get this going or???
- Aug 7, 2019
- 519
- 169
How long ago was this post? Give it some time it may take a while. mine are usually approved within 24H
markmarkmark
Newbie
- Mar 16, 2016
- 39
- 35
I got so busy working I have not updated this thread.
TLDR;
I am now at $39k/mo, with a pre-tax revenue of $27k. More importantly, I have automated several of my daily tasks and have machines doing most of the work. I am about to start an actual marketing campaign - right now all of my clients are referrals.
Longer version
I got pulled into two industries where I got the most profit for the least amount of time. I decided to focus on those industries and take the LocalSEO tactics and building out more elaborate solutions.
I have built out a custom CRM and several funnels very specific to the two industries I focused on. The funnels involve email & text drip campaigns, combined with lots of re-targeting ads on Google/YouTube/Facebook/Instagram.
I have trained my clients to do two things:
- produce LOTS of videos (I will explain below)
- publish Facebook Page posts
Video creation
The power of this medium cannot be over-stated. 6, 15 & longer (usually 30-60) second videos for YouTube ads. Longer videos that I have transcribed into blog articles (I will elaborate below) and weekly (bombbomb) videos usually around 1 minute that are emailed out to past clients & potential client lists. It is NOT easy to get your clients to create videos and I have found myself becoming a "life coach" in my attempt to get them to create videos. Once they do, we get very quick and measurable results and the client gets comfortable with the technology & the process (that is the big issue) and they start producing on a regular basis. We use YouTube & Facebook/Instagram videos for middle of the funnel (someone has interacted with our brand). Delivery is pretty cheap compared to Search PPC and video is simply a more powerful medium than anything else I have seen (no one wants to really read these days).
Video blogging (our SEO solution)
Our most successful clients create 12 minute (or longer) videos of the services they offer. I instruct the clients to think about who they would like to contact them and what service that person would want. Create a video talking to that person about that service. Features tell, benefits sell! State the problem the customer may have, your solution and then give an actual example of when you offered that service to a customer and it helped them. We transcribe these videos. We do a couple of Google Searches based upon the video topic and grab 4-8 FAQs. We get the client to answer the FAQs in their words and then we post all three items (video, FAQs, transcription) to a blog post. We also create & embed 3 schema objects = video, FAQ, article. We are shooting for 2,500 words or more, thus the 12 minutes plus. Often clients will not provide that so we will have a blog post that is really 2-4 videos + transcription combined, where that makes sense = topic wise.
Facebook Page Posts
We get our clients to take photos of their work and post it with "keywords" in the copy. The posts are meant to showcase their work and the copy should have something positive to say about their customer with words around the service they offered and the location. I built a tool that listens to their Facebook feed and copies & modifies the post and re-posts it on their Google Business Profile (formerly GMB). This is HUGE! We are tracking quite a few calls (high intent) from the number listed on their GMB profile (we use twilio #s and forward the calls). We found it easiest to train the client to use the facebook app on their phone. We also copy the Facebook Page Posts into content on their websites. Our goal is to get the client to get the customer to like their page, so they can tag them in the post. This gets the engagement on the post to go up quite a bit (law of reciprocity = they say nice things about the customer in the post) and we often turn the best posts into Ads.
Google Business Profile
This is still HUGE for our clients. We ensure this profile is FULLY filled out! We want to post often (see Facebook to Google automation tool above). We also have a tool for our clients (used to use grade.us, but built our own) to request Google reviews after every service is provided = our clients usually have the most 5-star reviews of anyone in their area/industry). We track several calls/sales to Google Business Profile.
Google/Bing PPC
This is where I have put most of my personal attention. I have spent a lot of time learning some advanced concepts around Google PPC and optimizing my client's spend. I may create a separate post about that. Suffice it to say, our conversion rates have improved dramatically in the last year or so.
Google LSA
This was HUGE, but it seems it is a "red ocean" again. We got all of our clients going on this and it started out great. Now there are so many that do it, my clients usually do not spend 10-15% of their budget on LSA.
Re-targeting
We have built a lot of automation tools and logic with Facebook/Google to deliver our ads to people that are interacting with their brand (or their competitors brand) and have some "advanced" campaigns around budget matching frequency of ads. This has proven to be very effective.
Mailers
We automated some tools with a data append company and an online stationary company to send mailers to certain customers that interact a certain way (too long to explain). Similar to the ads changing over time = you look at our product today, it is in your feed for 7 days. If you still do not buy an ad for it with 15% off coupon in your feed for days 8-14, still no buy? coupon for 25-30% off for days 15-21, etc. We also send coupons via mail. We try and make all visual ads (youtube, facebook/instagram videos, google display & mailers) to look as "identical" as we can = reticular activation.
Next steps
My next big goals are building out a project management system (building it in clickup now) so that instead of a job (I am the lynch pin) I have a business and my sub-contractors can work w/o my direct supervision AND our quality stays "high" (at least where it is now). Once that is done, then I plan on building out my own marketing funnels (remember I do NO marketing for myself = all referrals). I think that is when my income will shoot up.
My goal now is $100k/mo within 12 months. bonus: read atomic habits & the compound effect (or at least that is something I did) and learn Python.
TLDR;
I am now at $39k/mo, with a pre-tax revenue of $27k. More importantly, I have automated several of my daily tasks and have machines doing most of the work. I am about to start an actual marketing campaign - right now all of my clients are referrals.
Longer version
I got pulled into two industries where I got the most profit for the least amount of time. I decided to focus on those industries and take the LocalSEO tactics and building out more elaborate solutions.
I have built out a custom CRM and several funnels very specific to the two industries I focused on. The funnels involve email & text drip campaigns, combined with lots of re-targeting ads on Google/YouTube/Facebook/Instagram.
I have trained my clients to do two things:
- produce LOTS of videos (I will explain below)
- publish Facebook Page posts
Video creation
The power of this medium cannot be over-stated. 6, 15 & longer (usually 30-60) second videos for YouTube ads. Longer videos that I have transcribed into blog articles (I will elaborate below) and weekly (bombbomb) videos usually around 1 minute that are emailed out to past clients & potential client lists. It is NOT easy to get your clients to create videos and I have found myself becoming a "life coach" in my attempt to get them to create videos. Once they do, we get very quick and measurable results and the client gets comfortable with the technology & the process (that is the big issue) and they start producing on a regular basis. We use YouTube & Facebook/Instagram videos for middle of the funnel (someone has interacted with our brand). Delivery is pretty cheap compared to Search PPC and video is simply a more powerful medium than anything else I have seen (no one wants to really read these days).
Video blogging (our SEO solution)
Our most successful clients create 12 minute (or longer) videos of the services they offer. I instruct the clients to think about who they would like to contact them and what service that person would want. Create a video talking to that person about that service. Features tell, benefits sell! State the problem the customer may have, your solution and then give an actual example of when you offered that service to a customer and it helped them. We transcribe these videos. We do a couple of Google Searches based upon the video topic and grab 4-8 FAQs. We get the client to answer the FAQs in their words and then we post all three items (video, FAQs, transcription) to a blog post. We also create & embed 3 schema objects = video, FAQ, article. We are shooting for 2,500 words or more, thus the 12 minutes plus. Often clients will not provide that so we will have a blog post that is really 2-4 videos + transcription combined, where that makes sense = topic wise.
Facebook Page Posts
We get our clients to take photos of their work and post it with "keywords" in the copy. The posts are meant to showcase their work and the copy should have something positive to say about their customer with words around the service they offered and the location. I built a tool that listens to their Facebook feed and copies & modifies the post and re-posts it on their Google Business Profile (formerly GMB). This is HUGE! We are tracking quite a few calls (high intent) from the number listed on their GMB profile (we use twilio #s and forward the calls). We found it easiest to train the client to use the facebook app on their phone. We also copy the Facebook Page Posts into content on their websites. Our goal is to get the client to get the customer to like their page, so they can tag them in the post. This gets the engagement on the post to go up quite a bit (law of reciprocity = they say nice things about the customer in the post) and we often turn the best posts into Ads.
Google Business Profile
This is still HUGE for our clients. We ensure this profile is FULLY filled out! We want to post often (see Facebook to Google automation tool above). We also have a tool for our clients (used to use grade.us, but built our own) to request Google reviews after every service is provided = our clients usually have the most 5-star reviews of anyone in their area/industry). We track several calls/sales to Google Business Profile.
Google/Bing PPC
This is where I have put most of my personal attention. I have spent a lot of time learning some advanced concepts around Google PPC and optimizing my client's spend. I may create a separate post about that. Suffice it to say, our conversion rates have improved dramatically in the last year or so.
Google LSA
This was HUGE, but it seems it is a "red ocean" again. We got all of our clients going on this and it started out great. Now there are so many that do it, my clients usually do not spend 10-15% of their budget on LSA.
Re-targeting
We have built a lot of automation tools and logic with Facebook/Google to deliver our ads to people that are interacting with their brand (or their competitors brand) and have some "advanced" campaigns around budget matching frequency of ads. This has proven to be very effective.
Mailers
We automated some tools with a data append company and an online stationary company to send mailers to certain customers that interact a certain way (too long to explain). Similar to the ads changing over time = you look at our product today, it is in your feed for 7 days. If you still do not buy an ad for it with 15% off coupon in your feed for days 8-14, still no buy? coupon for 25-30% off for days 15-21, etc. We also send coupons via mail. We try and make all visual ads (youtube, facebook/instagram videos, google display & mailers) to look as "identical" as we can = reticular activation.
Next steps
My next big goals are building out a project management system (building it in clickup now) so that instead of a job (I am the lynch pin) I have a business and my sub-contractors can work w/o my direct supervision AND our quality stays "high" (at least where it is now). Once that is done, then I plan on building out my own marketing funnels (remember I do NO marketing for myself = all referrals). I think that is when my income will shoot up.
My goal now is $100k/mo within 12 months. bonus: read atomic habits & the compound effect (or at least that is something I did) and learn Python.
Last edited:
- Oct 11, 2021
- 1,171
- 162
Wow it's been almost 3 years and you're still kicking
msyaz
Senior Member
- Jan 6, 2008
- 949
- 680
This is one of the few journey threads thats worth to be bookmarked imo.
By the way, if you're not required to work physically with clients, why dont you migrate ??
If you migrate to another developed country with much lower tax, you can easily maximize your income.
By the way, if you're not required to work physically with clients, why dont you migrate ??
If you migrate to another developed country with much lower tax, you can easily maximize your income.
markmarkmark
Newbie
- Mar 16, 2016
- 39
- 35
You are dead on and I have looked at several places to live (Costa Rica, Peru are at the top of the list). We are taking care of my wife's elderly relatives and they are not leaving this place. My kids are entrenched in activities and have full lives here, so here I am. It is not so bad. I am looking at business structures for "better" tax bills for us. We shall see what the next few years delivers. Right now I want to focus on building out the next level.
markmarkmark
Newbie
- Mar 16, 2016
- 39
- 35
UPDATE: I signed $8.2k/mo in new clients (2 - $2,500, 2 - $1,500 & 1 - $200). The $200/mo ones are far & away the biggest pains in the butt, no joke. They are not sure if they are getting their value ;-). I took them on as a favor, not sure how long they will last. I have clients that pay me from $200 - $5k/mo and all the biggest complainers, second-guessers (of my ability), etc are the lowest paying clients.
I have referred the last 7 people to another company, only taking on the big dogs (minimum $1,000/mo) moving forward.
Believe it or not, my favorite clients are the $1,500. The solution is really solid (they make money) and they never reach out to me. The $2,500 (not all) act like they own you (it is a big bill each month) and the lessor paying clients (not all) often second guess everything I do and ask ridiculous questions (ex: are we using enough hashtags in our posts, I read that is really important, etc ;-), "Dude, just answer your phone and do phone sales, stop questioning what I do"!
I have referred the last 7 people to another company, only taking on the big dogs (minimum $1,000/mo) moving forward.
Believe it or not, my favorite clients are the $1,500. The solution is really solid (they make money) and they never reach out to me. The $2,500 (not all) act like they own you (it is a big bill each month) and the lessor paying clients (not all) often second guess everything I do and ask ridiculous questions (ex: are we using enough hashtags in our posts, I read that is really important, etc ;-), "Dude, just answer your phone and do phone sales, stop questioning what I do"!
markmarkmark
Newbie
- Mar 16, 2016
- 39
- 35
Long overdue update. I got my MRR up to $42.5k/mo (I know M & /mo is redundant). At that point something happened in our industry that hit my client book and I lost 40% of my MRR over an 8 week period. My profitability is ~65%.
Good wake up call for me. Like an investment portfolio having all stocks in one industry, when the industry takes a hit, so does the portfolio.
I decided to take some time and reflect on how best to handle this industry down turn. I spent some time (like all of us now) learning about ChatGPT, the OpenAI playground and Prompt engineering.
I decided that I wanted to stay focused on my industry and offer more services. I want to offer levels of service that range from $500 (or $600, I have not decided)/mo up to $2,500/mo.
Few things I have done/doing:
1) Spent some money ($8k so far, probably $4k to go) in development to expand the tools I offer my clients. I reversed-engineered a tool that several of my clients were paying $200/mo for and another one that a smaller group of them were paying $1,050/mo for.
2) "Trying" to put a lot of what I do into clickup.com and build a workflow for sub-contractors to do the actual work (vs me). This will reduce my profit margin, but expand how many clients I can have and hopefully ensure quality.
3) Going through training on SEO. This is the single biggest challenge for me. Right now the services I offer are HEAVY on Ads (Google, Bing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, offline (postcards, etc) & CRM automation (drip campaigns, notifications, etc). I want to get my clients organic leads also.
4) Sub-set of SEO - chatgpt, openai playground, midjourney, canva image ai = create content for search engine ranking at scale.
My end goal (for now) is to have the following client book:
- 30 clients at $500-600/mo
- 30 clients at $1k/mo
- 20 clients at $2.5k/mo
Trying to build a business vs a job (I have a great paying job right now = everything is on me, I am the bottleneck/single controller).
I am both excited and intimidated by the SEO journey. It is something I have long wanted to focus on, but just didn't. I was offering a LocalSEO solution that was "easy" for medium to easy competitive industries (think local dog groomer or local carpet cleaner), but not for highly competitive "local" searches (think attorney = tons of high paying competition).
Good wake up call for me. Like an investment portfolio having all stocks in one industry, when the industry takes a hit, so does the portfolio.
I decided to take some time and reflect on how best to handle this industry down turn. I spent some time (like all of us now) learning about ChatGPT, the OpenAI playground and Prompt engineering.
I decided that I wanted to stay focused on my industry and offer more services. I want to offer levels of service that range from $500 (or $600, I have not decided)/mo up to $2,500/mo.
Few things I have done/doing:
1) Spent some money ($8k so far, probably $4k to go) in development to expand the tools I offer my clients. I reversed-engineered a tool that several of my clients were paying $200/mo for and another one that a smaller group of them were paying $1,050/mo for.
2) "Trying" to put a lot of what I do into clickup.com and build a workflow for sub-contractors to do the actual work (vs me). This will reduce my profit margin, but expand how many clients I can have and hopefully ensure quality.
3) Going through training on SEO. This is the single biggest challenge for me. Right now the services I offer are HEAVY on Ads (Google, Bing, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, offline (postcards, etc) & CRM automation (drip campaigns, notifications, etc). I want to get my clients organic leads also.
4) Sub-set of SEO - chatgpt, openai playground, midjourney, canva image ai = create content for search engine ranking at scale.
My end goal (for now) is to have the following client book:
- 30 clients at $500-600/mo
- 30 clients at $1k/mo
- 20 clients at $2.5k/mo
Trying to build a business vs a job (I have a great paying job right now = everything is on me, I am the bottleneck/single controller).
I am both excited and intimidated by the SEO journey. It is something I have long wanted to focus on, but just didn't. I was offering a LocalSEO solution that was "easy" for medium to easy competitive industries (think local dog groomer or local carpet cleaner), but not for highly competitive "local" searches (think attorney = tons of high paying competition).
sscaz
BANNED - Discussion of Prohibited Activities
- Jul 18, 2022
- 5,693
- 5,815
Why not more to tax less country like Dubai, living expenses there are like 3k$ month so you'd save up quite a lot instead of wasting it on taxes