How to Promote SEO Services Offline

As an SEO provider, the internet is your comfort zone. In an ideal world you don’t have to promote your services; customers flock to you.

This is not the case at first because there are always bigger SEO companies out there with more experience (or brand awareness). You’re an individual, a freelancer, a sole proprietor. This doesn’t mean you can’t compete with the big guys, it just means you have to take a different strategy. Leave your comfort zone and promote your services as an SEO provider… in the real world.

It’s not scary, but it is different.

You’re familiar with the pitch to small business owners. You’ve explained the benefits of online marketing before, and you’ve witnessed the confused reactions. Now you’re on that side of the fence because marketing in the real world is different… but it’s not scary.

A new kind of social networking.

Small businesses are the biggest core market for an SEO provider, and you can easily build personal relationships with local small business owners by getting involved in the community. Become an active member with the local Chamber of Commerce. Attend all networking events and make friends.

Just like with Facebook, you don’t go to a networking event with the intent of selling your SEO services yet you can introduce yourself as an SEO provider. This may spark conversations with local small business owners who have been thinking about getting online but didn’t know where to start…

Part of social networking in the real world includes building a name for yourself with the local audience. The best way to build your name is to do things without self-serving motivation. Volunteer with a non-profit organization and make friends with other professionals in your community.

A new kind of affiliate marketing.

Look up every web developer in your region and get in touch. Web developers know how to build websites and are therefore expected to optimize websites too. You might be surprised to find how excited a coder will be to build a relationship with somebody who specializes in the SEO part.

Just remember that you must cater to the self-serving motivation of any prospect when pitching your services. Rather than approaching with “hey, can you send me SEO work”” try suggesting that you can also send clients who need websites developed.

A new kind of “landing page”.

First impressions are everything, online and offline. Work closely with a branding consultant to define an image for your SEO business that is consistent across multi-media, including business cards and a brochure or flyer that cuts through the BS and spells out what you do, who you do it for, and why your services are worthy of an investment.

Outside of the print collateral, be sure to dress the part. Smile. Shake hands. Maintain conversations. Most importantly, perfect your “elevator pitch”.