10 ways local businesses can sell (whether you're a realtor, HVAC dude, retail shop, restaurant)
Sold millions online and off... bought a retail biz (that was 6 yrs old) and we already had a record Aug our 1st month & set to smash old Sept records as well
🧵👇
T#32
Sold millions online and off... bought a retail biz (that was 6 yrs old) and we already had a record Aug our 1st month & set to smash old Sept records as well
🧵👇
T#32
#1. Local SEO is massive
If a pipe breaks, the average US citizen is likely to quickly google “plumber near me”.
This is the real estate you want to be in:
👇
If a pipe breaks, the average US citizen is likely to quickly google “plumber near me”.
This is the real estate you want to be in:
👇
For our store, if you type in “children’s clothes near me” we’re at the top (incognito mode), even beating out Carter’s.
(but failing in Google ads as we haven't started them)
Here’s how to dominate this map:
(but failing in Google ads as we haven't started them)
Here’s how to dominate this map:
#1a. Get reviews (ask your friends, ask people you work with) just get some 5-star reviews showing up
#1b. Make sure your address is completed in Google My Business.
Google loves itself. It will give you priority over others if you play by their rules.
#1b. Make sure your address is completed in Google My Business.
Google loves itself. It will give you priority over others if you play by their rules.
We got a storage unit recently… the manager walked me over to an iPad and said “can you take a picture of this QR code?"
I did, it pulled up their Google review page. “Can you leave us a great review?”
You can’t say no at that point. Genius
And they dominate local storage
I did, it pulled up their Google review page. “Can you leave us a great review?”
You can’t say no at that point. Genius
And they dominate local storage
#1c. Have a website
W/ the biz we bought, we could add value right away, because the shop didn’t have a website
So that pushes it down the organic ranking (website almost done)
#1d. Notice the FB page shows up & shows the 5-star rating. That's eye-catching & excellent for SEO
W/ the biz we bought, we could add value right away, because the shop didn’t have a website
So that pushes it down the organic ranking (website almost done)
#1d. Notice the FB page shows up & shows the 5-star rating. That's eye-catching & excellent for SEO
#1e. Hire someone on Fiverr to do some white-hat ‘background’ SEO stuff.
It’ll cost a few hundred bucks and take a few months to see results, but it helps.
They’ll set up a sitemap which Google likes, and make your website more efficient
It’ll cost a few hundred bucks and take a few months to see results, but it helps.
They’ll set up a sitemap which Google likes, and make your website more efficient
#2. Email ALL your customers at least 1x per week
Your best customers are returning customers. Every single customer you work with should be contacted by email 1x per week.
“What if I do one off transactions like real estate?”
Your best customers are returning customers. Every single customer you work with should be contacted by email 1x per week.
“What if I do one off transactions like real estate?”
I’d follow up minimum monthly as you meet plumbers, bathroom remodelers, you can share your contacts with them. You can also share pictures of recent houses you’ve been in, people love that.
Two keys with email marketing:
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Two keys with email marketing:
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#1. Be valuable
#2. Be entertaining
All starts w/ the Subject Line
The Subject Line has one goal: to get the email opened. That’s it. Not sell. Not explain the mysteries of the universe
But you can’t just put “aliens invaded” and be fine as you need a payoff in the email body
#2. Be entertaining
All starts w/ the Subject Line
The Subject Line has one goal: to get the email opened. That’s it. Not sell. Not explain the mysteries of the universe
But you can’t just put “aliens invaded” and be fine as you need a payoff in the email body
I tested this idea this week.
I decided to try a blatant “20% OFF dresses this weekend” subject line. Here’s the open rate.
Yuck.
The first email we sent was different.
Check the stats on next tweet 👇
I decided to try a blatant “20% OFF dresses this weekend” subject line. Here’s the open rate.
Yuck.
The first email we sent was different.
Check the stats on next tweet 👇
“A private message from the new owners.”
That was the subject line. The stats?
More than double the open rate as the blatant "buy our $%&^"
Not a fluke, as next week went with a similar strategy
That was the subject line. The stats?
More than double the open rate as the blatant "buy our $%&^"
Not a fluke, as next week went with a similar strategy
I won’t go into too much about email as that’s another thread… but essentially as a local business, mix:
Information + entertainment + ONE call-to-action.
In the first email, I shared the story how our accountant told us “you are crazy for buying a brick and mortar store!"
Information + entertainment + ONE call-to-action.
In the first email, I shared the story how our accountant told us “you are crazy for buying a brick and mortar store!"
"Everything is going online.” He told us.
We received a dozen replies from customers excited for us. (people replying to an email means your email ends up NOT in junk too)
Email is important because:
1. It keeps you top of mind
2. It makes you a trusted name
And
👇
We received a dozen replies from customers excited for us. (people replying to an email means your email ends up NOT in junk too)
Email is important because:
1. It keeps you top of mind
2. It makes you a trusted name
And
👇
3) (most important) People are lazy and don’t want to find more service providers especially if you treat them well
*Bonus - put at the bottom of every email a link for them to leave a review on Google. You’ll pick up 1 or more each time.
#3. Hold events
*Bonus - put at the bottom of every email a link for them to leave a review on Google. You’ll pick up 1 or more each time.
#3. Hold events
Events in retail are some of the biggest money makers.
For people like financial advisors, they’re famous for holding their ‘dinners’ etc. Even if you scoff at that stuff, it works.
It also TAKES work. You gotta have the right team in place to pull it off.
For people like financial advisors, they’re famous for holding their ‘dinners’ etc. Even if you scoff at that stuff, it works.
It also TAKES work. You gotta have the right team in place to pull it off.
Couples/Families love excuses to get outta the house, if you can offer free family fun, ppl will come
For our b&m, we hold store events, but also private ones where kids model our clothes. Those parents then go back to our store and buy hundreds of $ of stuff
Which leads to 👇
For our b&m, we hold store events, but also private ones where kids model our clothes. Those parents then go back to our store and buy hundreds of $ of stuff
Which leads to 👇
#4. Do special things for your very best customers
Word of mouth is a powerful thing. Don’t hang your entire business on it, but when you make customers VIP, you can grow organically.
Word of mouth is a powerful thing. Don’t hang your entire business on it, but when you make customers VIP, you can grow organically.
Find your Top 10 customers, send a gift, send tix to a game, do something free on top of the next job.
A one-off biz? Be more sniper-like. Which of your clients could be a mover for your biz? Take them out to dinner,discuss a way to work together.
Those customers tell others
A one-off biz? Be more sniper-like. Which of your clients could be a mover for your biz? Take them out to dinner,discuss a way to work together.
Those customers tell others
#5. Boost local engagement with Facebook ads
Most fail at FB ads because they don’t know what they’re doing.
The key with FB is to leave FB alone. Really. The more you try and fiddle with your ads, the worse they do.
Check out our current winners
👇
Most fail at FB ads because they don’t know what they’re doing.
The key with FB is to leave FB alone. Really. The more you try and fiddle with your ads, the worse they do.
Check out our current winners
👇
Ad we have running right now is seeing mass engagement… and products in its category are selling out
Key for the engagement ---> it’s topical, it’s about football that kicks off the same weekend
Key for the engagement ---> it’s topical, it’s about football that kicks off the same weekend
Key piece is to test many different ad creative images and copy
A picture of my daughter modeling (with the same copy & headline) crushed a mannequin in terms of email leads
Be ready that some ads will stink. Some win. Take the winning ads & run with them & trash the losers.
A picture of my daughter modeling (with the same copy & headline) crushed a mannequin in terms of email leads
Be ready that some ads will stink. Some win. Take the winning ads & run with them & trash the losers.
It’s hard to track in-person ads, but if you run ads that make people sign up or call, that can be easier to track
We're testing 'foot traffic' ads, will know results soon
You’ll receive the most leads by requesting an email. The highest quality leads requesting a call/msg
We're testing 'foot traffic' ads, will know results soon
You’ll receive the most leads by requesting an email. The highest quality leads requesting a call/msg
#6. Google ad your business name
It’s cheap to do.
Just set up an ad in Google that if someone searches your company, it shows up automatically at the top. The competitiveness will be low for that keyword, so it’s cheap.
Here’s an example
It’s cheap to do.
Just set up an ad in Google that if someone searches your company, it shows up automatically at the top. The competitiveness will be low for that keyword, so it’s cheap.
Here’s an example
#7. Post frequently on social media
If you’re going after 25+ year olds… post on Facebook 100%. Instagram too, but Facebook still dominate.
Under that… try some of the others like TikTok and Snapchat.
Active social medias show up better in SEO.
If you’re going after 25+ year olds… post on Facebook 100%. Instagram too, but Facebook still dominate.
Under that… try some of the others like TikTok and Snapchat.
Active social medias show up better in SEO.
They also show people “Hey, I’m in business.” Nothing turns off a customer if they go to your social and it says “last post May 23, 2019.”
They may not think you still exist
You don’t have to post just boring business stuff. Post memes too. Doesn’t matter
Just don’t do this
They may not think you still exist
You don’t have to post just boring business stuff. Post memes too. Doesn’t matter
Just don’t do this
#8. Make the front page of your website be ABOUT the customer
Not your “30 years in the business.”
If you hit our real estate page, the call-to-action is right there at the front
Not your “30 years in the business.”
If you hit our real estate page, the call-to-action is right there at the front
Your front page should have ONE mission.
What is it?
To start a food order? To call you? Email? Add something to a cart?
Too many options makes it hard to figure out where to turn and look.
Let’s look at 2 HVAC companies. Grabbed 2 random ones.
What is it?
To start a food order? To call you? Email? Add something to a cart?
Too many options makes it hard to figure out where to turn and look.
Let’s look at 2 HVAC companies. Grabbed 2 random ones.
This first one is confusing.
They’re talking all about “this is what we do.”
Guess what? Most people have never replaced an HVAC system and know ZERO about what they’re looking for.
None of that matters.
Forget talking about the “what” and talk about the “why call us now.”
They’re talking all about “this is what we do.”
Guess what? Most people have never replaced an HVAC system and know ZERO about what they’re looking for.
None of that matters.
Forget talking about the “what” and talk about the “why call us now.”
Here’s a decent one.
They have a deliberate call to action
On the left, they mention the city they specialize in, have credibility. Key is they cut right to the chase. It’s only farther down the page they get into “what we do.”
Here,they know people are lost, so ask for help
They have a deliberate call to action
On the left, they mention the city they specialize in, have credibility. Key is they cut right to the chase. It’s only farther down the page they get into “what we do.”
Here,they know people are lost, so ask for help
#9. Surprise sales multiple times per year
People love a deal. Running specials such as “Spend $100 get $20 back” works like gangbusters in the retail space.
For a one-off business, you could do something big like “Refer a friend, get XYZ.”
People love a deal. Running specials such as “Spend $100 get $20 back” works like gangbusters in the retail space.
For a one-off business, you could do something big like “Refer a friend, get XYZ.”
For a cleaning company, could be “Refer a friend, get 2 free cleans for the next 2 days.”
Direct mail can be a great avenue to get sales into customers’ hands mega fast.
Direct mail can be a great avenue to get sales into customers’ hands mega fast.
#10. Be in the community
Realtors are great at this. See if you can write in a column in local paper, do some volunteering at church, reach out to a local reporter starved for stories & see if they’ll do a piece. Join a biz group , talk to all your neighboring owners.
Realtors are great at this. See if you can write in a column in local paper, do some volunteering at church, reach out to a local reporter starved for stories & see if they’ll do a piece. Join a biz group , talk to all your neighboring owners.
People want to do business with people they know.
Part of the reason we bought a local business IS to be immediately integrated into the community. And it’s already paid off getting to meet other entrepreneurs and folks wanting to meet with us.
Part of the reason we bought a local business IS to be immediately integrated into the community. And it’s already paid off getting to meet other entrepreneurs and folks wanting to meet with us.
If you know a local SMB owner, send them this thread. Follow me for more on sales, marketing, SMB, I write about our real estate holdings as well and how to market for those.
Retweet the first post because it may help someone you know
Retweet the first post because it may help someone you know
https://twitter.com/joecassandra/status/1435226096929320966
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