Question

Hey everyone, I just have a genuine question. So my site is currently under development and we have a very tight budget. What we plan to do is find social events to do networking, which includes making conversation with business owners and handing out my card etc. We're doing this because we want to gain attraction through referrals. Our first event is this Wednesday. I'm just curious, but has anyone else gone outside to meet with people to get their first client? Of course, we won't be doing this for free and will charge to the point where we cover up the programs we use(Ahref, SEMrush, Screaming Frog), and then charge based on fixed hourly rate once results start showing. So my main question is this: has anyone done this tactic as well, and if so what was your experience like?  

Answer 1

I pretty much get all my clients face to face either with cold call walk-ins or networking

Answer 2

Don't charge by hour, charge on value added

Answer 3

I might be reading wrong but are you suggesting you will charge to meet people? If so, let that idea go. If you can show a bit of personality networking will give you a constant stream of clients but you cant charge for networking. When meeting face-to-face, 2 SEO's might meet/pitch the same potential client. It isn't the technical guy that gets the job, it's the chatty one that confidently says "I can do the job". Always remember that, the average client isnt interested in how smart you are, they will do business with the guy that makes them feel comfortable. Also, the hourly rate doesn't really work for SEO. I recommend a monthly or weekly fee but with no contract. (No contract scares a lot of SEOs but you just have to make it clear to the client, repeatedly, that you recommend at least 3 months to see results start rolling). You have a much higher chance of signing someone up with no contract. It shows confidence too.