How to Close The Deal With Offline Business ... - Business Negotiation

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'; div.innerHTML = summary; } //]]> How to Close The Deal With Offline Business Owners How to Close The Deal With Offline Business Owners

As an online marketer approaching an offline business owner, it is crucial to remember that you need to find out as much as possible about their business. Therefore it is wise to make a list of questions that you can use at your initial meeting with the owner. Your questions need to find out how long they have been in business as well as what they have been doing to promote their business.

This asking and listening process builds a rapport with the client and the greater the rapport you build, the easier it will be to build a loyal customer base. The better you understand what has been going on and what the issues are, the better you will be able to create a business plan that will help them grow their business.

One of the key pieces of information you will need to gather is whether or not they have an existing mailing list. The existence of such a list will be a valuable tool in creating a website for them. In talking about the mailing list with the client you will be able to explain to them how important such a list is when they have an online presence and how it can be used to build up a sizable base of subscribers to an online newsletter.

Never assume that every client knows this kind of information. If they did they would probably have had an online presence long before. And so it progresses through other facets of the business that you can also tie in with online techniques that will help them grow their business.

When the time comes to start presenting the client with a business plan that outlines what you can do for them, you need to be careful when you talk about results. For example, if you are talking about how an auto-responder can build up a client list then don't make extravagant claims. Be realistic and err on the side of conservatism. This is very important in the negotiation process.

Pricing what you have to offer is an important and inevitable step in the negotiations. Some business owners will try and drive a really hard bargain. Usually that is because they don't perceive and understand the value in what you are offering. It pays to be very firm and to stress the benefits that will accrue if they adopt your package. It also helps to give some concrete numbers, bearing in mind the point already made earlier about extravagance. For example you might say something like, "With your new website and auto responder we could easily add $ 500 a day in new business, giving an additional weekly profit, after expenses of $ 2000."

What you need to do is paint the picture so they can see clearly the resultant gains will far outweigh the initial and ongoing costs. Explain to them honestly and clearly what your costs are in providing the package. Always balance out explaining your costs with outlining the benefits of having a top-notch website that will help them make more money.

Bottom line for you in the negotiation process is that you should never walk away feeling that you have undercut yourself.

The final step in closing the deal is to have a signed agreement. This agreement needs to clearly outline your obligations to the client as well as any monetary terms associated with the deal. A contract that identifies the responsibilities of both parties provides protection for all concerned. From your point of view it covers the unlikely eventuality that a business owner takes your website package and assumes control of it and leaves you with a loss.

Your contract probably will need to be done on the basis of a deposit upfront with the balance payable on completion. This is very likely to be necessary when you are starting out. However, as your business grows and you have a substantial client base and enhanced reputation, you will be able to command a higher upfront deposit.

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