[Method] Give Away FREE Websites and Make More Than You Would Selling Them

[tacos4san]

I believe there's a similar post like this one here. I think I saw it earlier in the year, and I meant to comment and explain my take on how I've been doing it for over ten years now, and I never did. My method is a little different than the other one that was explained here, but it's still super simple, and the potential for revenue is much greater.

Here's my "secret!"

1. Create your own "agency" site AND Facebook page.
I build using wordpress+Divi, so I'm biased and recommend that everyone uses it. But feel free to use whatever you're comfortable with. Fill it with photos of your past work (assuming you have some, I had years of examples to pull from), if not fill it with dummy content from the themes (if you have the money, I highly recommend picking up a few child themes... it will speed up your design work and give you more examples to use) you'll be using to build.

2. Create three to five "base templates."
These will be what you GIVE AWAY. I always go with the same setup... Home Page, About Page, Contact Page, and a Services/Projects/Products Page. That's it. 4 pages. They can have a Services, Projects, or Products page for free -- but only one. Not all three. The reason being UPSELLS for your FREE PACKAGE. Every additional page they wish to have in addition to the 4 free pages costs extra. I charge $250 for each page "ON SPECIAL" and tell them that's HALF of what I usually charge. Which is what my Agency site says... $500 per page. The nice thing about that is it makes it super easy to advertise that you are giving away a $2,000+ Web Design package.
BIG HINT!

Magic Button :

If you're VIP, I actually share some premium DIVI child themes that should help you with this too.

3. Decide on a cost for domain, hosting, maintenance, security, and MINOR UPDATES.
I charge $100 per month if they go month to month, with a 3 month minimum. If they decide to pay every six months, I charge $500, and I'll do an entire year for $900. That's me, and it's proven EXTREMELY effective; but no doubt, other pricing plans would work as well. You go with whatever you think is applicable for your business. One thing to keep in mind here is where I said that I include "minor updates." You don't have to do this, and you may want to avoid it altogether. You definitely will if you don't have the ability to be upfront, authoritative and walk away like I can. I say that because I offer minor updates as way to BUILD VALUE and provide more service for their money than just regular old hosting which can be had for a lot less. But I make it VERY CLEAR that "minor updates" means things like changing their address or number if there's a change. Or including the name of a new service/item that they offer or something. Basically, small little textual changes I can do it 2 minutes or less. It doesn't include reworks, or holiday theming, or whatever. If they want DESIGN work, they need to PAY for design work.

4. Create a set of ads, a budget, and a landing page.
These days I only run a single video ad and blast it on Facebook. My monthly ad spend only runs between $200 and $400, and I make... well, I make considerably much more than that. LOL -- I don't do any other advertising at all. But you certainly could if you're ambitious. Drive the traffic from your ad to your landing page. Collect data. Follow-up.

5. Let the customer choose between your list of templates.
I explain to them that I can swap out the design layout colors, text, and photos. But any additional design work will require an additional fee. In addition, they have to furnish the text and images to qualify for the free offer. If they need me to handle content creation, I can do so, but guess what... RIGHT -- Additional Fee.

6. Make the customer aware of my additional services.
I handle things like social media management, SEO, graphics, video production and marketing, etc. "I'd be glad to add these for your Mr/Mrs Customer for either a one time take it all price or an ongoing plan if you want to ensure long-term success." If they say, "Yes." Great. If they say, "No." No big deal. We're still going to get some money.

7. Continually follow-up with existing clients.
Create specials each month highlighting a specific service you offer and make them aware of it by email blasts and your Facebook page.

8. Keep them happy and keep cashing checks.
Basically it means don't just read step 7, actually DO step 7. It's highly important. A lot of people worry about becoming a "pest." DON'T! The fact of the matter is if you do a good job, they are going to WANT to hear from you. Furthermore, unless you do something really bad or stupid, you're not likely to upset them so badly with an email or Facebook post that they decide to go find somewhere else to host.

BONUS: PRO TIPS
Alright guys, that's it! You really don't need to do anything more than what is explained in those 7/8 steps above. You also don't need to spend $200 a month either. You can start out with $50 or $100 and scale up later. You could actually start with nothing if you're willing to invest the sweat equity into manually finding clients. I wasn't. LOL

Costs aside though, there are a few things you can do to make those steps above work like steroids, and they're all simple.

First... incorporate Facebook messenger or another Live chat (or simulated live chat with a bot) into your landing page. This will give your customers an opportunity to claim their FREE OFFER now, and for you to secure that hosting money. Building a list is not only nice, it truly is vital. That being said, if you're not following up with these people pretty quickly, don't be shocked to find that they are either A) no longer interested or B) found another solution.

Second... target specific niches and focus on solely that niche for a month or two. What I mean is make a conscious decision... "I'm going after dentists this month." Or "I think it's time I built a following of Chiropractors." This simple tip will accomplish MANY things for you. First, it will allow you to create more targeted ads. Better ad targeting means less money going out, more money coming in. In addition, it's much easier to make yourself an "authority" by being an expert (even in design) who specializes in helping specific clients than being a general, run of the mill, department store Web developer. Lastly, if you build your lists accordingly, you'll have better targeted lists to sell them specific products/services related to their own niche. This gives you the ability to make money outside the Web/Marketing niche if you want. I do! It also allows you to make money this way even from people who did NOT take your FREE OFFER and become clients. So maybe you didn't build Mr. Dentist a free site. You still have his contact info, and you know what he does for a living. Do you think he might be interested in that Clickbank product aimed solely at dentists you saw yesterday? Yeah, I think so too!

Third... Don't be afraid to tell someone no and walk away from a deal. If in your initial consultation the person you're GIVING A FREE SITE to acts like you owe them something or need to "sweeten the deal" a little more (TRUST ME, IT WILL HAPPEN), don't be afraid to tell them... "Ya know, I don't really think this offer is right for you. I'm looking for people who want to grow their business and to do that you have to be willing to take a little ownership and invest in it yourself." If that turns them off, GOOD! You just saved yourself a lot of headache and hassle. And if it didn't, GOOD! They now understand that you have a FAIR and MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL relationship that won't see you being bullied nor begging for dollars afraid to lose them.

Fourth... Rather they have content to furnish you with or not, secure that first hosting payment immediately. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not "just as soon as we can get that to you." If you play that game, here's what is going to happen. They will either NEVER give you the content, and you will NEVER get paid. Or you'll spend more time trying to get them to give you content so you can get started than you will actually talking to new customers. Do yourself a favor, and don't play that game. Get paid now, or treat them the same way you did the folks in PRO TIP 3!

Clone it! I don't care. There's enough to go around.

UPDATED: 04/19/2018 I have increased the prices on my Web site a couple of months ago, and raised the price of my annual hosting from $800 to 900. The new prices are reflected above. I feel that my work is worth the price increase (even though, the customer is still getting it all the design for free anyway), and by assigning the higher value to my design work, they feel like they are getting MORE, even though they are getting the same quality work they were before. Only now, my base pricing is priced more like a premium product.

Only two months in, and it doe seem to be getting a slightly better response rate than before. But there was nothing wrong with the response rate beforehand, and it is only a slight increase, so I can't say for certain yet. One thing that IS certain, is that nobody has balked nor cried about the increased annual hosting from $800 to $900, so that's a definite $100 win.

[sausages123]

great explanation - thanks - reps given

[tacos4san]

(11-26-2017 03:11 PM)sausages123 Wrote:  great explanation - thanks - reps given

No problem. You're welcome.

[Paxnox]

reps added

[JAMiam47]

Thanks "tacos4san", with so many people trying to work from home or have a free lifestyle. Its professionals like you who make this forum the best place in the internet to accomplish those dreams. Max reps to you for such great advice.

[tacos4san]

(11-28-2017 11:44 PM)JAMiam47 Wrote:  Thanks "tacos4san", with so many people trying to work from home or have a free lifestyle. Its professionals like you who make this forum the best place in the internet to accomplish those dreams. Max reps to you for such great advice.

I appreciate the compliment. I understand the struggle, but I'm also a very clever and creative guy. I've had my share of setbacks but also a few successes. I don't mind sharing what I do with others.

The fact of the matter is, even if I give you the "key to the kingdom" (knowledge), you still have to get out there and do the work. And I wish you the best of luck with that my friend!

[I-Need-Money]

@tacos4san thanks for the post Boss.

[manythanks]

Thank you for listing these steps, very helpful @tacos4san FULL reps

[tonny]

+ Reps Added

[tacos4san]

I'm actually toying with the idea of turning this into a $1 video BSO with a couple of bonuses, and then a single OTO for a monthly subscription that would allow me to provide ongoing advice as well as furnish additional premium themes and "tacos4san" created mini sites each month. That's IF, and ONLY IF, the community thinks something like that would be useful.

I don't honestly need it as an income source, cause I'm doing fine with the information above. But if some of you would benefit by having me do this and slide the layouts I create for my own business out, I'd be open to it. I'll leave it up to you guys.