How much do you think I should charge for this?

I'm looking to start my first ever offline marketing.

I am going to local food places that don't have websites and build them for them, of course I can explain all the benefits of this to them "if your menu isn't online you're going to lose potential customers"

I can offer:

- Full webpage: logo, up to 5 pages, contact forms, images etc etc
- SEO

I'm hearing people say anywhere from $300 - $2,500 and charge per hour after that, but since I am new and have no portfolio yet I am ok with charging quite low until my portfolio grows.

Anyone doing the same thing as me please let me know what you think.

If you're inexperienced I would keep it near the lower end to start off with, $300-$500 per site. You will find out quickly how your prices stack up in the marketplace.

Remember, you can always raise your prices quickly for new customers if you find that you are underpriced. Also, you have the option of upselling your customers with mobile sites, Google Places, Videos, etc in the future, so its important to capture a customer first and then move from there from a position of strength.

MagicMike said:

If you're inexperienced I would keep it near the lower end to start off with, $300-$500 per site. You will find out quickly how your prices stack up in the marketplace.

Remember, you can always raise your prices quickly for new customers if you find that you are underpriced. Also, you have the option of upselling your customers with mobile sites, Google Places, Videos, etc in the future, so its important to capture a customer first and then move from there from a position of strength.

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Yea that was the range I was thinking, I really don't ever seeing anyone paying $2,500 unless they are a huge site and I'm sure they would go with a professional.

Checkmate: you are really doing it in professional way. first you need to build the business. then business will come automatically.

I strongly disagree with the low price thing. My first offline client in 2009 was a mortgage company and I charged them $2,500 for a wordpress site and they handed it over without blinking. I then got a client who wanted a fashion blog in my local area and it was $3,500 without hesitation. Two weeks ago, I talked to the owner of a small local pizza shop and charged them $2,500 for it and he was fine with it.

On the other hand, when I was building sites for "internet marketing experts", they'd baulk at paying $500 so I quickly changed my audience.

Here's why I noticed they didn't mind paying. I told them that I wouldn't make them a website that I wouldn't market for them. I told them that all of my website design projects come with certain marketing services like on page SEO and Local Listings so their site would be found.

I told them there were tons of people that would offer them websites but it was like opening a new store front in an abandoned part of town.

When I position the website and the marketing as one, I become the obvious choice.

Oh yeah, I'm also extremely confident when I present the offer which makes it easier.

Checkmate said:

Yea that was the range I was thinking, I really don't ever seeing anyone paying $2,500 unless they are a huge site and I'm sure they would go with a professional.

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Dude, you should be marketing yourself as a professional. If you don't consider yourself one then maybe you need to work on that a bit first!

I have always to wanted to get into the offline world but I feel it's gonna be harder than online.But 1 day, my goal is to do some big business in offline.

Yeah, I'm finding that confidence is key to this game. Even if you don't know the answer, you can tell them that and do all nighters until you figure it out! Offering the website and marketing it is important because if they dont have a site up already, they certainly would be disappointed if they didn't get a ton of traffic after you set it up. Expectations.

Guys and Gals;

Essential question. How to find those who hasn't website? Do you walk around writing names of the businesses and than looking on internet if they have a website??

Tytus said:

Guys and Gals;

Essential question. How to find those who hasn't website? Do you walk around writing names of the businesses and than looking on internet if they have a website??

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Not 100% sure what you are asking, but iif it's "how do I find businesses without websites?"

- look through yellow pages ads and try to find listed companies on the Internet

- look through google places and check for companies that don't have a website

Taco Bell said:

Dude, you should be marketing yourself as a professional. If you don't consider yourself one then maybe you need to work on that a bit first!

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Yea, but I am looking to build up my portfolio which has 0 sites done for clients. I just want to offer a bit cheaper just to start or do you think off the bat I just charge the market standard?

Taco Bell yes that's what I was asking . Thanks. Anybody else has an other method to do that?

Checkmate said:

Yea, but I am looking to build up my portfolio which has 0 sites done for clients. I just want to offer a bit cheaper just to start or do you think off the bat I just charge the market standard?

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I haven't been doing much local work since I moved, but when I first got started I did a few free websites to add to my portfolio. I do work full time in IT, and do web dev on the side. I moved to another state which the majority of the small businesses don't have an online presence or they only use CL and Thumbtack. I just had some business cards and postcards printed up and plan to start mailing them out along with physically going to the businesses.