The Definitive Guide To Building An Offline IM Business

Affiliate marketing this, SEO that…

Who really gives a shit?

The whole Internet Marketing community is OBSESSED with creating these passive streams of online income, but OH… it has to be virtual.

God forbid the need to ever speak to another human being. Internet Marketers would rather sit in a corner all day with a jug full of coffee in their boxer shorts, working through the early hours of the morning…

Let’s face it; most Internet Marketers are total introverts. They’d rather sit at home all day getting home deliveries in their 3-day-old sweatpants, reeking of body odor, than physically leave their house; talk to ‘normal people’ and participate in what we call ‘society’.

Ok… Perhaps I’m exaggerating a bit, but I’m getting at an important point here. There are some badass Internet Marketers. In fact, most of them are awesome, especially the successful ones.

But; a lot of online marketers are afraid of and almost despise the outside world. Or at least that’s the way it seems due to their sheer lack of acknowledgment of the 500-pound GORILLA in the room.

What am I talking about?

OFFLINE Internet Marketing

Internet Marketers know how to market online, just like a locksmith knows how to fix locks. It’s the same thing. We have the tools and knowledge required to build websites, drive traffic, and convert visitors into buyers.

So why aren’t we selling that skill? Why are we only fixing our own locks, instead of other people’s?

From my perspective, it’s because of the obsession with creating passive income. The kind of income that enables the Internet lifestyle of making money while you sleep.

While I completely agree with that, continually making money for doing something once rarely works out. Here’s my point.

The ‘gurus’ keep perpetuating this dream of “making money for doing nothing.” So this dream has become the goal of millions across the globe and has led to hundreds of barely stable online business models…

• Adsense
• Blogging
• Affiliate Marketing
• Push Button Software

You know what I’m talking about. The models that are hyped as ways to get rich for life by working once and getting paid forever. Sure, you can build an empire of Adsense sites that earn you $300/day, or a blog that pays you 5 figures a year, or earn 6 figures with affiliate marketing. (And yes: push button software is BULLSHIT)

However, the chances of one of those models sustaining themselves while you’re just collecting the checks each month for doing nothing are minimal. I’ve had Adsense networks taken down, I’ve had affiliate checks stripped away from me.

These models can make you a lot of money, but they’re not the most sustainable or secure, and they’re definitely not the smartest foundation for a business.

The best way to diversify your Internet Marketing business or build one from scratch is to work on OFFLINE IM. Offline IM involves providing Internet Marketing services to the offline world—local businesses to multi-national corporations.

They all need websites, traffic, a Facebook page, and more business. But they don’t have the tools or knowledge to fix their own locks. They have no idea how to build websites, run social media campaigns, or do SEO.

Any profitable business is willing to hand you a check month after month to handle their online marketing needs. So what do you do? What do you provide these offline businesses that’s so “EASY” to sell:

• Web Design
• Social Media
• PPC
• PPV
• Media Buying
• Graphic Design
• SEO
• SEM
• Facebook Fan Page Design
• Google Places
• Facebook Advertising
• Link Building
• Leads, Leads, LEADS.

Get the picture? If you’re a savvy Internet Marketer, you should know how to provide at least 3 of these services. The good news is you only need to know more than the offline businesses.

There aren’t nearly as many offline business models as there are online, but there are A LOT. I no longer provide Internet Marketing to offline businesses, but I tried a lot of them.

I provided SEO, web design, Facebook services—you name it. What I realized was that offline businesses don’t want to deal with online marketing. Even when you explain it to them, they’re scratching their heads in confusion.

All they want is MORE LEADS. They don’t care about Facebook, Google, or LinkedIn; they want more customers calling them. PERIOD.

After a lot of searching, testing, and talking to a friend of mine, I came across one model that does everything I ever wanted in an offline IM business.

The Pay Per Lead Model

The pay per lead model, or pay per call model, involves charging offline businesses for each call you send them. They don’t understand the marketing tactics, but with this model, you charge them for the end result—leads.

Click below to read more:

• An Introduction To The Pay Per Call Business Model
• The Pay Per Call Business Model – Niche Research
• The Pay Per Call Business Model – Keyword Research
• The Pay Per Call Business Model – Build Sites
• The Pay Per Call Business Model – Launch Sites
• The Ultimate Local SEO Strategy
• The Pay Per Call Business Model – Finding Clients

Comments

John Doe

Great post, David! I’ve been thinking about diving into offline marketing for a while, and this guide just gave me the push I needed. Thanks for the detailed breakdown!

Jane Smith

I’m not sure I agree with the claim that passive income doesn’t work. I’ve seen a lot of people build sustainable online businesses. But I do see the value in offline IM, especially for businesses that have no online presence.

Luke Matthews

This article really hit home for me! I’ve been struggling to build a sustainable online income, and the idea of offering services to offline businesses makes so much sense. Thank you for such an eye-opening guide, David. I can’t wait to get started!

Ana Roberts

I’m not entirely convinced that offline businesses would be willing to pay for leads on a consistent basis. Do you have any concrete examples of this model working for others? I’d love to see some success stories before diving in.

Michael Grant

David, I love the idea of shifting focus to offline marketing! Could you provide more details on how to price these services? What kind of contracts should be in place?

Sarah Wills

This is an interesting approach, but I feel like the emphasis on the shortcomings of passive income models is overstated. I’ve been able to maintain a steady income online, although I agree that it’s not always sustainable for everyone.

James Nolan

Hey David! It’s been a while since we last talked. Loved the post as always—especially the focus on practical offline marketing. How have you been? Let’s catch up sometime soon!

Patricia Diaz

Funny you mention the issues with passive income models. I had a similar experience where my Adsense revenue suddenly plummeted, and I had no backup plan. I’ll definitely be looking into offline marketing after reading this.

Ben Foster

I’ve recently started using a tool called LocalSEO that has helped me with some of the strategies you mention here. It’s perfect for optimizing local businesses, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re focusing on offline clients.

Emily Watson

I never considered working with local businesses before, but your post has completely changed my perspective. I learned so much about the pay per lead model, and I can’t wait to apply these strategies. Thanks for the valuable insights!