How to Sell Listings on a Directory Website with Little or No Traffic
Here at Ideal Directories, one of the concerns we hear from people looking to start their own business directory website is: How will I sell listings on my site when I’m just starting out and I don’t have a lot of website traffic?
That’s a legitimate concern…. but an easy one to overcome. Here’s what you can do if a potential advertiser asks you about the traffic you're getting to your site.
1. Be Honest
First, acknowledge the fact that your site currently does not get a lot of traffic. If they ask about it, own up to it – of course it doesn’t have a lot of traffic yet – it’s brand new – how could it? Honesty is the best policy but this is a time when you might also want to talk about your GOALS.
So you might say:
“While we don’t have a ton of traffic right now, we have goals of growing our site and getting thousands of local visitors every month – we’re not there yet, but we have plans in place to get there.”
2. Talk About Your Marketing Plans
Then talk about what you’re doing to get traffic and your plans to market the site. Mention anything and everything you have on the table to generate interest and get eyeballs on your site. Whether it’s social media marketing, putting out signs locally, sponsoring an upcoming event, getting involved in the community...whatever.
You might say something like:
“Our marketing plan is multi-faceted. Not only is the site getting optimized for SEO, but we’re engaging the community on social media. We recently created a Facebook page for our site where we will be posting updates daily and highlighting local businesses just like yours. We’ll be starting an email newsletter that features links to our premium listings, coupons and upcoming events. We’re looking into sponsorship opportunities within the community so we can continue to attract local customers to our site and we’re even exploring online advertising on sites like Google and Facebook. We’re going to do everything we can to make our site a true community resource so we can get great local businesses like yours, the exposure they deserve.”
3. Highlight Your Low Introductory Pricing
Next, highlight that your current pricing reflects the fact that you don’t have a ton of traffic, and offer to lock them into that price.
It might sound like this:
“I want to remind you that the advertising rates I’m showing you today are introductory prices because we are just starting out and we don’t have a ton of traffic. That’s why our current prices are so low. I want to assure you that we’re committed to this community and growing this site and if you sign up today, I will lock you in at today’s prices for as long as you are a customer. I will never raise your prices for as long as you’re a client...because as we continue to grow and we start to get thousands of visitors per month or per week...our prices will certainly go up...but yours never will. So everyone else who signs up in 3 or 6 months will be paying a higher rate, but you’ll still be paying today’s rate – this introductory rate – forever.”
4. Don't Forget to Sell Yourself
Finally, it’s important to recognize that people don’t just buy into your site, they buy into YOU. Speak to them about your passion for helping local businesses – that you understand their struggle with not being able to find local online advertising options that are affordable...share with them your appreciation for the neighborhood, the community, and watching businesses flourish. If you truly care about helping businesses in your town or city, then talk about that. Assure them that, as a fellow business owner now in the community, you get it, and you’ll work your tail off to make them want to tell their friends and fellow business owners about how great your site is and what it does for them.
In Conclusion
Don’t let the concern of selling listings on a site that’s brand new stop you from getting started now. Start a business directory and coupon website with Ideal Directories today.
That’s a legitimate concern…. but an easy one to overcome. Here’s what you can do if a potential advertiser asks you about the traffic you're getting to your site.
1. Be Honest
First, acknowledge the fact that your site currently does not get a lot of traffic. If they ask about it, own up to it – of course it doesn’t have a lot of traffic yet – it’s brand new – how could it? Honesty is the best policy but this is a time when you might also want to talk about your GOALS.
So you might say:
“While we don’t have a ton of traffic right now, we have goals of growing our site and getting thousands of local visitors every month – we’re not there yet, but we have plans in place to get there.”
2. Talk About Your Marketing Plans
Then talk about what you’re doing to get traffic and your plans to market the site. Mention anything and everything you have on the table to generate interest and get eyeballs on your site. Whether it’s social media marketing, putting out signs locally, sponsoring an upcoming event, getting involved in the community...whatever.
You might say something like:
“Our marketing plan is multi-faceted. Not only is the site getting optimized for SEO, but we’re engaging the community on social media. We recently created a Facebook page for our site where we will be posting updates daily and highlighting local businesses just like yours. We’ll be starting an email newsletter that features links to our premium listings, coupons and upcoming events. We’re looking into sponsorship opportunities within the community so we can continue to attract local customers to our site and we’re even exploring online advertising on sites like Google and Facebook. We’re going to do everything we can to make our site a true community resource so we can get great local businesses like yours, the exposure they deserve.”
3. Highlight Your Low Introductory Pricing
Next, highlight that your current pricing reflects the fact that you don’t have a ton of traffic, and offer to lock them into that price.
It might sound like this:
“I want to remind you that the advertising rates I’m showing you today are introductory prices because we are just starting out and we don’t have a ton of traffic. That’s why our current prices are so low. I want to assure you that we’re committed to this community and growing this site and if you sign up today, I will lock you in at today’s prices for as long as you are a customer. I will never raise your prices for as long as you’re a client...because as we continue to grow and we start to get thousands of visitors per month or per week...our prices will certainly go up...but yours never will. So everyone else who signs up in 3 or 6 months will be paying a higher rate, but you’ll still be paying today’s rate – this introductory rate – forever.”
4. Don't Forget to Sell Yourself
Finally, it’s important to recognize that people don’t just buy into your site, they buy into YOU. Speak to them about your passion for helping local businesses – that you understand their struggle with not being able to find local online advertising options that are affordable...share with them your appreciation for the neighborhood, the community, and watching businesses flourish. If you truly care about helping businesses in your town or city, then talk about that. Assure them that, as a fellow business owner now in the community, you get it, and you’ll work your tail off to make them want to tell their friends and fellow business owners about how great your site is and what it does for them.
In Conclusion
Don’t let the concern of selling listings on a site that’s brand new stop you from getting started now. Start a business directory and coupon website with Ideal Directories today.
Questions? Interested in Learning More?
We'd love to hear from you. Contact us today to learn more about the Ideal Directories platform and how you can launch a business directory and coupon website in your market.