9x12 Method Live: How to Get Hesitant Businesses To Pay

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about that. So, how's it going? I I am uh um about to receive a few uh videos from a UG UGC uh creators from Fiverr to launch ads, okay? To launch like Facebook ads, okay? I want to I want to bomb my my my town here with with ads.

I use the UGC because they speak native know American English. So, you know, they are like pro. Uh, I tried to record myself, but I I didn't like it, you know, too much. So, I just hire a b a few of them on on Fiverr. Uh, I tried a few uh cold calls.

Uh, maybe my approach was not the best. And um, and a few of them asked me if I was uh uh solicitating as well. Okay. Um, yeah. So then I try to go to a local farmer market on the weekend where is full of local businesses you know selling their local stuff.

Uh but again there there was a big sign and the police was there too no solicitating you cannot solicitate blah blah blah. So I just okay whatever. I went I went to a a meat um a meat whatever local store and I told him you know what I came here for this reason but I can't so I'm gonna buy from you a bunch of meat because I I I wanted to but you know what since I'm here let me just tell you what I was doing here. So he was like he was really happy about it because I was honest and he said yeah send me an email I want to do it I want to grow up blah blah blah I did but he didn't answer so maybe he just wanted to sell me his meat and you know and call it a day. Uh so uh so that I actually I'm putting a lot of hope and trust on the Facebook ads because maybe my approach was wrong when I was cold calling.

Okay, but you know you you can tell that they don't they you know they don't care that much because they are working, they are busy or whatever. Even if you can actually speak with the owner, uh they're a little on on the defensive in that moment because they're not looking for you. You know, you are just trying to sell them something. That's what that was my short experience called calling. So maybe it's just me and you guys can prove me wrong and I'm sure you can.

But I am putting a lot of trust and hope in the Facebook ads if they are done well um with you know with the with the Facebook form to you know to you know book an a phone appointment or or whatever. Uh because if that works, if that works, you know, I can, you know, literally hire a bunch of them and, you know, just bump my my hometown and uh actually potentially also expand in all USA around because at that point you just adds you just, you know, target different cities, different town and you just, you know, just you can just grow. So that's my that's my experience uh so far. Um I I also worked in in a in a few stores but also there like you know I was perceived like okay this guy wants to sell me something. Uh and also at the phone you know oh are you solicitating you know this kind of defensive attitude which I understand because yes I am solicitating of course that's that's what I'm doing.

Yeah. So again, I I I hope that the the Facebook ads work well because, you know, in that moment, you know, it's them is it's themselves alone, maybe at home or in the lunch break or whatever. So, you know, they're a little they're a little less um I mean, they don't feel like, you know, that that I'm trying to sell something, but it's them, you know, making the steps until the end of the funnel. I will call you, but you asked me to call you. So, it's different.

So that's my experience in these two weeks. But like I'm I'm happy to hear something from you. Maybe you can >> Did I freeze or did you just freeze? >> I think he froze. [laughter] >> Oh, >> I don't hear him.

Yeah, [clears throat] he's completely frozen. >> Crazy timing right at the end. But um maybe he can hear me. I would say the guy at the meat store, definitely follow up with him because if you just sent him an email, he he seemed interested. If you sent him an email, there's a good chance he didn't even see it because people get hundreds of emails.

So, you should definitely give him a phone call because you have the right to. He expressed interest and he said to send him an email. You're just follow You're just making a phone call to make sure he actually got that email. Oh, he's gone. But yeah, do we have any uh any cold callers here that do a lot of cold calls for this?

>> I I gonna say I mentioned this last time. I don't I don't necessarily start with cold calls, but having having done direct sales many years ago where it was calling on businesses, I don't I don't have a discomfort with it. But I think any advice or recommendation I might offer is if you have if you know the business owner, if you got some means of contacting them first via email or even a phone call, it warms up the your walk-in. You're not you're not literally cold calling, you're warm calling. So you can do a follow-up like, hey, the I'm just quickly the email I sent email and then all of a sudden you've got a conversation going.

It's it's a little more challenging obviously if you're going in there and you you're doing cold, literally cold, but if you've got to warm it up, it it helps. I I I I I lost you. Uh my my my laptop froze. I have clothes code working for something else. Maybe my laptop is a little fatigued.

So I just, you know, jumped back in with with my iPhone. So I don't know, Dav what what did you say about what did you answer me? I'm sorry. >> Yeah. So Doug was saying that >> what what he was just saying about cold calls.

>> It someone's echoing. >> That was me again. Sorry. Now I muted my my [laughter] good. So I'm going to mute your other one that way that way it doesn't echo.

Okay. So he was saying that for cold calling you can make it a little bit less cold by sending an email first or reaching out to them in a different way. That way then when you call them it's not the first time you contacted them. Now when you call them you you can basically say hey just checking if you got my email. Um that's a better opener than hey and just introducing yourself completely cold.

I think that's what Doug was basically saying. It gives you more reason to call. >> There there are a variety of ways to do that and and actually and this was this is a little bit more time consuming, but if you go in the business cold and you can actually not immediately like is the owner in you you look around. I mean look around the place a little bit as if you're a customer. Not that you're going to buy something necessarily, but look around and maybe even start a conversation about the business, how long you've been here, whatever.

create a little bit of rapport before you kind of segue into, hey, uh, this may or may not be an appropriate time to talk about this, but I had and then you're you're beginning to get into your whole pitch, if you will. I don't like use that word, but it's somewhat appropriate about the the card, but any way in which you can just I'm going to say avoid immediately walking in the door and like launching into, hey, I'm here to talk to you about this. That doesn't tend to fly with a lot of business owners generally. >> Thank you. The other point I wanted to make about the about the meat store that you were talking about, you had his interest.

You think he might have pushed you off, but I think he is interested. If he expressed interest and he told you to send an email with the information, even if he was expecting your email, he he could have forgotten about it and just not read his email. I mean, it's a meat store. Who knows how much they read their emails anyways? They probably get spammed with random emails.

So, most likely he just missed your email or he's thinking about it cuz he saw the price and people procrastinate when they see a price. So, you just need to give him a call and see say like, "Hey, um, we talked the other day in person. I sent you the email with the information. I was just curious if you had a chance to consider it." >> Yes, absolutely.

Um, absolutely. Yes. Um, yes, I I agree. I agree with I mean, thank you for like on this one. I agree.

Uh but yeah, thank you for both both of you to you know to these suggestions. Um and then I have a couple of um businesses they want to do it. Uh again my I I told you last time when I got to play paddle okay I pitched the guy I've been there for you know many times and it wasn't kind of interest. So I kind kind of stopped talking about it and then he came to me say oh Claio Cladio look I have the green light we can do it we can do it. Okay.

And then when it was time to actually do it, so like go on the website, like you know, just like book your spot, you know, he's always like, "Oh yeah, yeah, now I'm busy, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." But he said, you know, you know what? Whenever you you you're ready to go, you know, I I can jump in. So also this this is another thing like, yeah, people are interest, but I feel like when they are the forced to jump on the card, they are more like, okay, you know what? When the card is ready, let me know.

he go, you know, and so I told him, "Yeah, don't worry. Of course, whenever the card is is about to be to be ready, I have you on on mine. I mean, I have your spot for for the card and, you know, I'll tell you and and we do it." So also like how do you how do you convince like the force or the forced shoe to actually book their spot without waiting for >> Yeah. >> I would I would say my best piece of advice is stick to the fact that you don't hold spots unless they pay.

Like that that should be your number one rule. I we do not hold spots unless you actually commit because we need the money upfront in order to actually pay for the printing service. So, you don't officially claim your slot until you've fully committed. That's usually the the first thing that I say to them when they say they're interested and I send them the invoice. I usually say, "Hey, just sent you the invoice to officially claim your slot."

That way, they know they didn't claim it until they've actually paid that invoice. And you just need to actually stick to that. Otherwise, they don't have any reason to to actually commit. And you could even push it one step further and and say like full transparency like I'm reaching out to whatever their industry is. I'm reaching out to landscapers every single day.

So there is a chance like one of your competitors will commit before you. I can't hold your spot unless you do actually commit. >> Okay. >> You just have to [laughter] draw the line in the sand. >> Of course they don't really trust you because they don't know you.

So they are putting like 500 bucks on you and they might not see them again. So do you tell them in advance look if the card will not be you know completed in a month I will refound you or you don't do it because you you put in their mind already the issue so you avoid doing that but of course they they they think about that okay you jump in my store I don't know you you ask me for $500 and I might not see you again and they and not even the money back so how do you manage that little uh objection that they tell you, but they have it for sure. >> I think it's actually in your head because most of us here have that exact rule that you can't claim a slot a spot. You can't claim a spot without paying. Most of us here have that and we've sold plenty of slots that way.

The reason that they like might have that objection is because you're giving them an out by telling them, "Oh, I'll hold your slot even though you haven't paid me yet." You're giving them that easy course. they have no reason holding the slot for them anyway. So, they might as well not take that risk because it is a slight risk to pay any business money. They could always just walk away with your money.

So, you're giving them a complete out to not take that 10% risk that you run away with your money. But, like you could be transparent with them. Say, "Hey, pay on a credit card." You can dispute it if I was to ever like steal your money. It's pretty pretty easy.

But I think most of it is in your head. >> Um, and I think if you draw the line in the sand, you'll see that people will start actually committing. [snorts] >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Then I have a couple of questions but I can wait until the end. I don't want to you know take too much time for for everybody else regarding the website. Um but at the end it's not important. So thank you guys. >> Okay.

Yeah. Patrick saw you had your hand up. >> Oh you're muted just so you know. Claudio, what's your question about the website? Maybe somebody else has details >> on the on the hero on the hero section, I have different campaigns because different areas of my town.

Okay. Uh not everybody wants to go on like you know on all the all the all the areas. So I have different campaigns and on the hero section when you open the website all these campaigns kind of cover up the actual hero where is where you can see uh the dog you know holding the card you know which is cute which is beautiful. So since I I also have it in the menu okay uh the different campaigns so people can can go there. Uh can we remove it from the hero somehow all these campaigns?

>> Yeah that's a good you can't right now but that's a good idea. I'll add that to my pipeline to to add a little onoff switch for that. >> Thank you. >> I do actually agree with that >> if you have a lot of a lot of campaigns. >> Oh, sorry.

I would like to have like a section devoted just specifically to the multiple campaigns because it is kind of hard to see it on the hero section. Um, so I I agree with that. I think it'd be nice to have like, you know, we're serving multiple routes, choose from these routes kind of thing. you know, >> I see. Um, so there actually is there's not like a specifically built section for that um because not everybody has multiple campaigns, but there are custom sections that you can add and one of them is like flip cards which will have like a button that you can put on each card.

So it's it's typically I I would use it as like a more services we offer section, but you can use it as a more campaign section. Do you know how to add like a custom section? >> Yeah. Okay. So yeah, that's a good idea.

So, it's under that. And then you you would be able to customize the title and the headline to say like we're also serving multiple locations. And then the cards could be each separate location. >> Okay. Yeah, that's a good idea.

I'll have to do that. >> See, I'm just adding this to my notes. >> Hey Mitch, I have a quick question. I'm sorry, I'm 3 days into it, so apologies if it's in the chat somewhere else. But, uh, is there a return address that's needed on the cards or no?

>> No. No. For every door direct mail, there's no no return address. They usually would just get recycled. >> Okay, great.

Thank you. >> Yep. Although after the campaign they if you do want to pick up any like cards that didn't get delivered, there is a bin that they put them in, like after they tried to deliver all of them. Any extras, they actually put them in a bin. I forget what it's called, but you can actually go to the post office like a few days after they mailed it out and check that bin to see if there's any extras that they had.

That way you can, you know, take them back and have them as samples. >> Okay, great. Yeah. No, I was more concerned about whether I need a PO box versus putting my home address there. So, that answers it.

Thank you. >> I think I'm on. >> We hear you. >> You hear me now? Hi.

Um, welcome to the uh movers and the shakers club here. Uh, uh, quick question. One of one of them. >> Do you record this session? >> Yes, it's recording right now.

>> Okay. Um, so for later reference, um, you have another time slot. Uh, this is the first and only because I'll be starting a new job next week and it'll be, uh, it'll be day shift. You do anything on the weekends or at night? Uh, >> currently we only do 10 a.

m.'s on on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Eastern time. I've I've switched it up in the past, but this has shown to be the most by far the most like accessible for everybody.

>> Okay. All right. Good. Um, >> but they're always recorded and then usually within a week they're posted to the the YouTube channel as a recording. They're also I'll put them I put them in the course if you go to the classroom and then the 9 by12 method course all the way at the bottom.

The last chapter is just all the live call replays. >> All right, good. Um, I just wanted to say personally to you, I've been around the block a little bit. I've done a little sales here and there. Uh, but this is uh one of the most put together businesses that I've ever come across and uh that's kudos to you.

You've really put all the pieces together and and left everybody with a lot of tools to to be successful. Can I ask how old you are? >> Thank you. Thank you. I am uh 24.

>> See, now that blows that blows me away because you're you're really on top of things and again that makes it easier for all of us. It was just a matter of all of us putting pieces together, but you've given us all the pieces. So, um I think that's phenomenal. I've I said I've been network marketing, you know, tried everything as a side gig, and this is the first thing I came across. What's beautiful about it is, and you've mentioned it in your video, is that this is something where you don't ask us for $1,000 and then say, see how successful you are.

you give us everything and we make the money and you know pay you to get us from point A to point B in the completion stage. So I I just I it's kudos to you because there's there's a lot of crooks out there and a lot of ways to you know take people's money and not not really come through. So uh I appreciate that and you >> Well, I appreciate you [clears throat] saying that and it's really been a progression because it didn't start out this way. started out with a a very simple community and just over time I saw what people were struggling with, what people were wasting their time with and kind of just wanted to patch those holes so that everybody had no excuse to not get started. So people didn't have enough social proof, nobody trusted them.

That's why I built our local spotlight. At first I was very against people having websites. So that's I didn't have like a website builder for everybody. But then I noticed everybody was spending weeks just building a website which is just a waste of time. That's why I built 9 by12 sites because everybody was going to spend a lot of time building their website anyway.

So it's all just been a progression of you know trying to get people started as quickly as possible. >> Right. Um I've seen some videos and maybe I've read with a community card it's been priced from 200 to 250. Is is that something that I might not have seen or so what what is >> you're correct >> the going price now is 250 a slot. >> So I just had an interview with which will be posted on the YouTube channel soon with somebody who sold out a couple community cards and he started out at 200 and regretted it because now he's charging 250 and all of the sales were just as easy.

So, I mean, that's $16 time $50 more in profit. So, what's that? $800 extra profit just by raising your price. And he had no extra friction in sales and selling. So, I think you can get away with $250.

You could possibly even get away with 300, but if you think about it like psychologically, $500 is obviously more of a scary number, a bigger investment for somebody to think about doing monthly. But for a small business, $250 is kind of kind of >> it's a it's a small risk. It's a very small risk. So I think and the the difference between 200 and 250 is negligible. So I think you can get away with 250 at least.

>> Okay, great. >> Can I can I say something to that? >> Yeah. >> So uh I first started selling uh my first community card and 9 by12 on like May 7th and I sold out of my community card. I don't even know like maybe in three weeks.

But I I started at 250 and then I went down to 200 and then I just needed to get it done and out because I did like a summer card. So then I just sold the last slots for 150. I really struggled but I think that's because of the kind of businesses that I was going after. So, I definitely think you can get that 250 to 300, but I think like the businesses I were going to, like a floral shop, um there it was like I wanted it to be a summer community card where families could like take this card and go get deals and like an ice cream shop. Um let's see, where else?

Um a little little a little mini golf course. and they just did not want to spend the money. But I think if you got some of these higherups like on my 9 by12 that I have, you know, I have um a med spa, um a plastic surgeon, if you were able to do that for them, you know, at the 300 price, I I think that that would be an easy sell for them. You know what I mean? So, I think it just does kind of depend on the businesses.

when you get into those really smaller ones and they're like doing everything and wearing all the hats in their business, they're not super established. I think it's a little bit harder for them. At least it was in my experience and I like it could just be my experience and where I live. So, just kind of my two cents on that. >> Thanks.

>> I totally agree with you. It's all about who you who you partner up with in terms of them being willing to spend $250 now, but also how likely they are to actually renew on a monthly basis. >> Yeah. And >> most like on average the the the mini golf course has probably never sent out direct mail in their life. Whereas, you know, your local roofer has probably at least considered direct mail.

they've at least they've either sent it out and spent thousands of dollars or they've at least considered it and saw how expensive it was and decided against it because the expensiveness, but at least they kind of understand direct mail more and understand that it kind of the power of direct mail comes over time from just living in the people's mailbox. But I see what you were doing where you were really thinking about the consumer and you know providing awesome local deals and offers. So that's good. >> Some people >> like try to find a balance between both. So they might even give like discounted Oh, getting a call.

They might even give like discounted rates to the first few like to the more small local businesses just so they can get some of that stickiness on the card that consumers will hold on to and then they'll worry about the big dogs afterwards. >> Yeah. See, that's what I wanted was it to be sticky and for consumers to like hang on to that card all summer. But I will say even the some of these small businesses, they didn't really want to do a very good deal. So, you know, they're not really seeing results.

And I'm like, well, I mean, your offer sucks. [laughter] You know, it's not compelling enough. >> And so, I think like what I would have done was really tried to work with them a little bit more in getting them to put some better offers up so that they saw some results. Um, because I think I put a lot of time into some of these places and I think it'll just be harder to get them to renew. I'm personally only going to stick with the 9 by12s from here on out and they can just buy a smaller ad spot on those.

Um, so we'll see what happens. But yeah, I I again I think it's just getting the right businesses and um might have to help them with their offer. So >> 100%. >> Yeah, >> especially especially with virtual postcards which I think you have access to, right? And it's also officially launching tomorrow.

Sorry guys, I was late by a week. I had a few setbacks last month, but virtual postcards is launching tomorrow. And learning how to, you know, guide your your customers to structure their offers properly to like really convince the consumer to redeem it will be important for virtual postcards to help you grow your business. >> I I was part of Mitch's um like the testing of it. And yeah, you definitely have to if you want to do the virtual postcards, you definitely want to structure your offers in a different way.

Um, which and part of my strategy is to start building an email list and sending out a monthly soon after like a weekly and then I'll be able to promote it through there and like then offer my advertisers, hey, I can also get you in front of another couple thousand people through email that aren't on this route. Um, and then send out that virtual postcard. So, >> it just kind of all comes full circle. >> Hey, Mitch. >> Hey.

>> How you doing this morning? >> I'm great. How are you? >> I'm doing good. About the virtual postcard, um, is that going to be useful as far as for tracking for businesses?

>> Yes. So the very briefly the way it works is it'll you'll be able to generate QR codes on the app for every single advertiser like each of their ads. And that QR code you would place on the ad. You would want some kind of call to action to get people to scan the QR code so they could redeem the offer. the QR code would lead them to the like the the the landing page for your virtual postcard and then they can click on the slot to actually redeem the offer for the specific business they want to redeem.

So you'll get you'll get tracking for how many people visited the card itself, how many people visited the specific business's offer for your specific advertiser, how many people scanned the QR code for that specific business, how many people redeemed the offer, like gave their contact information. But not only that, but also how many people used the offer because we make it so that there's an extra button that they have to press when they're actually ready to use the offer, like when they're ready to give the code to the clerk or whatever. So there's that one extra step that's also tracked. So you'll have a lot of analytics to play around with. >> So you're also able to collect lead information, right?

>> Yep. That's the biggest that's the biggest point of it. And that's why it'll be important to structure offers to actually entice people to give their information. But if it's a good offer, people give their email all the time. So, >> all right.

Sounds good. I'm I'm uh excited to look forward to it. >> Yeah. And then once you have a list built up of people who have redeemed great offers, every single time you release a new card, there's a broadcast button. So, you can just press the button and broadcast to your existing list.

Every time you put out a new card, it says, "Hey, we just we just released a bunch of new local offers that you'd be interested in. Go check it out." Sounds good. Thank you. >> I also gave the link to my advertisers and told them, "Hey, blast this on your social media.

Um, and they a lot of them really liked that a lot." >> So, totally. >> And then I went on our Facebook page and added it and, you know, then tagged all of my advertisers on it. So, it's just kind of those little things that makes them feel like you went above and beyond for them. Um, so yeah, >> absolutely.

And I mean there's a chance like you could kind of go locally viral if the consumers really love the offers you put on your card. It it will get shared around. There's share buttons everywhere. So definitely could help. >> Yeah.

>> What's going on, Pat? >> Um, so one one another question. So I I'm I'm relatively new myself. Uh just getting my pieces together. I think I'm going to put an order in for your CRM today and um what was the other bit and the scraper.

Um uh so I want to start out, you know, multiple directions. The email I I asked a question in the forum. I'm not sure I got uh led to your actual posting about uh the lead scraper uh scraper and the uh AI type of personalized answer it would give in there but my question was does the pitch follow that because initially it just says hey I saw your website I really appreciate what you're doing with the community you know blah blah blah to make it personalized and not a clone you not a spam thing, but the next paragraph, is it like, "Hey, by the way, the reason why I contacted you was I'm doing this community card." Is that how it goes? And is that in there per >> Exactly.

Right. >> Yep. So, okay. So, the actual pitch that like mentions the 9x12 postcard is in the community under classroom when you go to the course, the 9x12 postcard course. Um, it's under the prospecting sending emails section.

So the the pitch the script is right in there. So the email intro that Lead Scout creates is just it does the research through their website and finds some personal info about them and then you would put the pitch right below it. But the intro it makes you >> you have to copy and paste a pitch after the AI intro itself. >> Correct. >> Correct.

Correct. >> Okay. On every on every email. Okay. All right.

>> Yeah. And that that AI intro is very help. You might, it might not be perfect, like it might not perfectly flow into the pitch every single time. It's not perfect, but um it'll help you make sure you don't go to spam and it'll help make sure that you know make them more likely to respond because it looks like you did a little bit of research about them. >> All right, very cool.

Yeah, >> Mitch, quick question if I can. I don't want to step on your question. Patrick, are you are you were you done or do you have a followup? >> Okay. Okay.

I'm uh I'm I'm putting I'm putting the finishing touches on my first 9 by12. I should have the final ad today and I want to send you the uh the the everything you needed. I'm a little unclear on the uh the e the root selection in terms of how I'm getting you the roots. I'm looking here on on a different screen your step by step and click each route right side panel. Are you is it is it exportable as a see like an Excel file?

How do I get you the roots themselves so you know where these are going to be going? >> Yeah. So, are you on the the USPS EDM website right now? >> Right up here. Y.

>> So, do you have them selected on the map like the routes you're interested in? >> Um, I I'm I'm going to be doing that today, but I've got obviously the choice between table or map view on the >> Yeah. So, your best bet is to click on the ones. Just try this right now. Just click on a couple routes.

It doesn't have to be the ones you're using, but click a couple. >> All right. >> And then once you have a couple clicked, those would be we'll say those are the routes you're mailing to. You just click on table view and they should still be selected. You'll see they have a check box next to them.

>> Yep. Yep. >> Okay. So, all we would need is that little code right to the right of it, which would be the zip code, usually followed by three or four digits. >> Okay.

So, it's like D-C47 or something like that. So, that you only need that. You don't need any other information that would be on part of the screen. Okay. All right.

That's cool. >> Yeah. I was like trying to figure out where am I looking for all this stuff. And I see that, but I didn't know that that's what you needed. So, cool.

Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thanks, dude. Appreciate it. >> Congrats.

Congrats on being finished up with your card. >> Yeah, it took took quite a bit longer than I thought, but uh just it may be of some benefit to other folks who aren't anticipating the length of time is just stay in touch with your people. If somebody's paid you 500 bucks or, you know, whatever like a few weeks ago, keep them apprised. Let them know. And I always I always leave with the things saying, "Look at it."

This ends up taking longer than I thought it would. and it it has um you I will be happily refund your money in full. I make sure they're very clear on the fact that I'm not going to hold their money hostage and not leave in town with their money. It's like look at if this ends up running like you know weeks versus a week or two, I'll let you know and if you decide you don't want to stick with it, I'll give you your money back and that nobody gave me grief about that. They were cool with it.

So it did take longer and I'll have my last one on the card today and I will beat your postage hike with any luck. Okay. [laughter] Get that thing. get that thing in before Friday. For sure.

>> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That and I bet you noticed that even so after you said that to them, hey, I'll gladly refund your money. That probably helped you relax a little bit, which a lot of people are kind of scared of about people, advertisers coming after them for being too late.

You probably noticed you relaxed a bit, but also you probably noticed even when you were late, the advertisers were not running back asking for a refund either. >> No. No. And and I mean the just as on this particular mailing because I was waiting for like two trying to fill two final slots and it was just it was like come on somebody. One of those things circling back with people who'd said yeah maybe and finally getting commitments.

But I sent out uh on at the end of the month last month I sent out an email to everybody who had already paid money and was on the card update. Here's what's going on. Here's the ETA yada yada yada. And nobody raised to think about it. He said great looking forward to seeing it.

Can't wait to get it out there. So, as long as you keep people in the loop, as long as it's not like months versus a few weeks, um most of them I don't think are going to have a problem with it. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> One more thing, Mitch.

Um the uh the credits for the CR or the scraper is usually 10,000. How do you how do I get to 15? >> Um there's two different levels. So the 15 you get 15,000 credits for the if you choose the premium option which includes the AI writing and everything and it also scrapes the owner names as well. So that would be the premium.

>> Um the 10,000 option doesn't have the AI or the owner names and just gives you 10,000 credits. And then if you ever run out, no matter what what plan you're on, you don't like lose access to your account if you run out of credits. It's going to take you a long time to run out of credits, but if you ever do, um, it's just $99 or $100 for an extra 10,000 credits. So, you get a discounted rate. >> And how And how does it go?

Each lead is a couple of credits or one credit or how does that work? >> Each lead scraped is one credit. >> Okay. Oh, I I see 15,000s. I'll be here for a while.

Yeah. All right. >> Yeah. >> All right. Great.

U great software, too. Um, and you do that or you got a software guy? >> Uh, I built that one. I built that one. >> Wow.

Wow. I'm still >> It's a lot of work, but I'm I'm very happy about it because it's, you know, speeding up the process for a lot of people. >> Did you have any issues with um Google itself and getting around any of their protocol as far as scraping? Because I owned a scraper years ago. I can't think of the guy offhand, but I just tried to fire it up not too long ago.

just curious and he said that they shut him down for they changed some variables or something that is it is it tricky to to work with Google and try to get by any of their red flags or anything like that? >> Um I haven't had an issue with it yet because I also am connected with an API that handles most of it. So it I don't really have to worry about those updates. They're already taken care of. >> Gotcha.

Okay, cool. Yeah. Oh, that's a it's a brilliant I I and I am going door todo. Um, so that that route planner is is absolutely brilliant, too. Um, I'm going to give everybody just a little piece of me and what I used to do >> before, and if anybody can remember this, it might be for your time.

>> Do everybody remember the mom and pop video stores versus the Blockbusters? And now they're all gone, but does anybody remember the mom and pop video stores? Probably nobody. All right. >> I wasn't alive.

>> Yeah. Right. I said you weren't born. So, there used to be mom and pop video stores and they weren't the big change like Blockbuster and then Netflix, you know, blew Blockbusters away. You could get, you know, get a CD mailed in your mail and then there's a return envelope for it.

So, you didn't have to do any of that uh going to the store and stuff. But so, Mom and Pop existed. I live in Joliet, Illinois, a suburb. And I had seen something kind of like you you you did 9 by12 I understand in in another business venture and then you just took it and ran with it. Well, I saw something where I would approach businesses and make a label of their business like a business card but only had a sticky back.

And on the video cases, I would place the uh stickers of the business on the cases. So I could have five or six different ones on the scene. And so the idea was um you know, newspapers are dead. Everybody scrolls. But a video cover you purchased it.

Number one, it looked different because it had all these basic advertisements on it. And then people would pop it open, watch the video, throw the video case on the on the end table, couch, whatever, and it would be laying there for a couple of days. And so it the idea was add impressions. So I did I did fairly well in that cuz people grabbed the idea. And along that same thinking, I've never in my area in my life have ever seen a 9 by12 stuck in my mailbox.

Never. So to my vicinity, I think it's relatively new. Um, so that's a real real plus that someone can pull something out. Looks like a suitcase and you know, all this color and all these ads and it >> um and and that kind of leads me into another partial question. the the map where you get listed.

Um, is that that's just I can send people to that map and and show that I'm a legitimate registered, you know, business. Um, how is that different? And it may be a real easy answer for you. How is that different than having a website? How is the website different than having a pinpoint?

So, so the okay, so the our local spotlight is really about social proof and showing that you're part of something huge going on around the country. And that's why all of the landing pages kind of match. They have the same branding and everything. So, it makes it seem like you're part of something, you know, huge. You're not just a random person doing this.

The website is for people who really want to build their own custom brand around this. That's where you can change the colors, change any of the text in there, put your own logo and everything. That's where you really build your own brand, your own business around this. So, if you're already confident, you feel like you don't need the social proof of our local spotlight, then there's no need to get a landing page. But it does help a lot of people when when the advertiser says like, "Do you even have a website?"

Like, do like, "Do you work for somebody? What do you do?" They now you can send them to your local spotlight landing page and be like, "Yeah, there's a group of us doing this all around the country." As you can see, I'm doing it right here in blank location. and your that's why your landing page is built around that location.

And the other thing about our local spotlight is it can prevent um competition from coming in because basically everybody who knows about the 9 by12 business model at this point know probably knows about our local spotlight at this point. So they're at least going to go in and check the map and see if anybody's, you know, running a 9x12 business in that location because to be honest, we are somewhat commoditized. If the only thing you offer is the shared mailer and you don't offer any other services, it is somewhat of a commodity. It's easy to to be a fight to the bottom. So, nobody really wants to compete.

So, if you already have a star on the map, it dramatically reduces the chances that somebody else is going to try to go work in your location because why would they want to compete when they could just go to the town next door where there isn't anybody working? >> Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. >> Yep.

[clears throat] >> Hey, uh Cladio, I I wanted to offer you something. This might be of value to anybody else here when you're talking about like, you know, prospecting or or lining people up. Most um I live in Milford, Connecticut, and I'm sure most any town of size anywhere in the US has a a monthly magazine like this. This is called Direct Advantage, and it is a compilation of advertisers. It's a direct mail piece, and it's roofers, it's pizza places, you name it.

But it's also a great resource for prospecting for the 9x12 card. And when you identify people like this, in fact, this this particular pizza place who was on my 9x12 card had an insert in this magazine. This is a little bit bigger than the magazine itself. And I went to the pizza place and I took this with me. And when I walked in, I said, "Who do I talk to about this ad?"

And, "Oh, that's so and so. Come back." So, I came back and I said, "Okay." And I and I immediately segueed and I pulled out the 9 by12 card and I showed the comparison. He committed right on the spot.

He committed to me on the on the card with a with a 4x6 ad and wrote me a check on the spot. But I use >> but I use these as as the prospecting tool. So you can rip off the pages from any of these roofing company and you walk in and say who do I talk to about this ad? >> That's a good idea because they they are already doing it. Uh, so I forgot to mention Mitch to you when you asked me how I was how was I doing the other day I went to the gym and on the big screens inside the gym there was full of advertisers right there.

So I took my phone without being creepy because I didn't want to be creepy just you know just taking pictures on the television. >> Okay, but all these advertisers and then I thought let me go speak with the management at the gym because I also want to be on those televisions. So I just got enrolled. there was a promotion for the 4th of July. Uh so I took it and I would pay 100 a month for three [clears throat] months.

So 100 300 total to be on five of those gyms in my in my town. Uh but yeah, I took all the pictures and now I was yeah I will I will call them and say hey look I you know I saw your ad on the television on the you know on the gym blah blah. Oh you know what I'm also one of one of one of you guys you know I'm also you know blah blah blah. So I I will try to pitch them because they already spending money for advertising. Uh and uh and yeah, so I took all the pictures plus I also got enrolled and I will and also they um they allow advertisers like me for example twice a month to go inside [clears throat] one of those gyms with your a little desk, a little uh board, whatever.

you can actually, you know, physical be there for like a few hours and maybe like some local businesses owners go to the gym and you can try to, you know, meet them in person as well. So, I also believe a little bit in that uh that maybe good be could be a good idea which actually relates to what whatever you said just now, Doug. Yeah, same same style. Same >> and again the beauty of this and even like Valpack is another thing you could use. The beauty is that these are all businesses that have shown they're willing to spend money to advertise.

So, it's not like you're you're you're not speaking to something that they're already doing anyway. You're just them an alternative or maybe an adjunct because, and I've said this in conversation, it's like, hey, if you had all the money in the world, then media saturation is the way to go. Be everywhere. Be on billboards, be on I mean, just have your name show up everywhere so you're top of mind when the consumers are looking for what you're selling. But not everybody has that kind of money.

So, it's be strategic about it. >> Absolutely. is like if you walk into a store for the first time, that's kind of cold calling. But if you call somebody that is on is in your mailbox or already doing this, I mean that's not cold calling anymore. That's actually somebody's is a hot lead because he's already doing it.

So yeah, smart. Yes, why not? Of course. >> Thank you. Thank you.

>> I love that you're actually advertising on the TV, too. 100 bucks a month, it's not a bad price. And I mean, yeah, a lot of the a lot of business owners are going to the gym five in the morning, so they'll see it. I know. I see at my gym, I see exactly what you're talking about.

I look at it every day. >> Yeah. Exactly. So, I yesterday with Charpt, I create the ad, you know, like local business owner in big the actual card being held by a a hand, you know, with a house background. Um, the one that you provide on the on the on the website.

Um, yeah, >> the the QR code, the QR code brings them to my website, >> which uh I don't know if it's the perfect idea because they can see the prices already. Maybe I I would love them to speak with me first and then see the prices. But, you know, I'll try I'll test and I'll see. Uh, but anyway, I I I apply to this um campaign just to be one of them. But now I I just screenshot all of them and call all of them, you know, and say, "Hey, I'm I'm like you.

I'm also on the on the television you know like we are the same but also if you want to do this in another way blah blah blah blah blah blah so >> yeah Cladio one more thing u instead of it directly going to the website where if you are concerned about showing them the prices first just create a landing page in the website which will basically um ask for their name uh email address or phone number. >> Can I do that on the website? Yeah, I believe so. If you created a new campaign and you just deleted every section or hid every section other than the contact form, then you have a a landing page basically or you could you use any of the custom sections however you want to give any amount of information you want to give. But yeah, you can create just a new campaign page to do that.

>> Okay, that's good. That's good. Thank you. I didn't think about it. And of course I can uh I can remove all the pricing just explaining what this is about and then you know hit me a call to speak about it and you know and then we can discuss it on the phone which is better because I can you know answer all the objections and >> and one more thing Mitch I need your email.

I I know you told me to email you but I can't find your email. Uh so can you please tell me? >> Yeah it's 9 by12methodgmail.com. >> Ah okay that was easy.

Okay. [laughter] Okay. Also, your your your ad, you should post make a post about it in the group so that we can give you any feedback just to make sure you know you get you got a bunch of eyes on it to make sure it's solid before you get it posted on the TV >> like Okay. Okay. I sent them yesterday.

Uh but yeah, I can always like tell them to, you know, to to swap it with a different one if I but it's fine. I mean, I can always tell them to to swap it. So, yeah, we'll do it uh as soon as we are done with the call. Yeah. Thanks.

>> Cool. What's going on, Patrick? >> Um, so what's the consensus on sending? So, being a professional painter a few years back, I would go into a lot of Sherwin Williams and there's a lot of business cards put in there uh for other painters to advertise their business. So, what's the consensus?

I put together a a short text like this is a one and out. I'm just trying to um see how you feel about this part of marketing. And I I I did a scripted text. I haven't sent any out, but what does everybody feel about because I know it's very touchy even with emails about spam. [clears throat] Uh but sending a text to a prospective a cold call text to a prospective client.

And and and again, I was throwing the uh wording around just saying, you know, um I just wanted to let you know, but this is a one and out. If you say not interested, you'll never hear from me again. That type of thing. But has anybody ever ventured out in that direction sending texts? >> So, I personally have.

There is TCPA which can you can get fined a hefty amount for sending off like advertise sending off cold text messages without an opt-in. However, it's kind of a gray area. Like from what I've seen, it's totally a gray area when it comes to actually reaching out to businesses on their business phone that they've advertised their business with. Like when a business says call or text blank number, you know, you could text it. Now, they've kind of advertised that phone number.

So, it's kind of a gray area there. I think if you're going to do it, definitely include the opt out like you said, like this is a one-time thing. Text stop to opt out or whatever. Um, but it's still it not legal advice, but it could be risky, but also many of us do it. >> Yeah.

Well, I I just thought it like the email if you send a couple here and there. Um, I was looking for work at one time, sent out 50 to 50 painter companies and uh said, "Hey, I'm I'm looking for part-time work. Uh, you know, professional skills, been in the business, blah blah blah." And you should have seen the gamut of the replies. I mean, people said, "Drop dead.

You're a you're a scab, you know, blah blah blah. How did you get my number?" And again, all of them were playing around in the open areas. And then some I actually got work from. So I know it's just like just like emails.

It's a numbers game and but you can't you can't you know overspray a hundred uh in you know in five hours and then try to do it. I read all your watched all your videos and great you know the subject line question. I I read all of that makes sense but I'm going to start trickling but the text crossed my mind a couple weeks ago and I actually created a script. But yeah, you're right. It's a fine line you walk and if you say one and out, it better be one and out and people will say stop or you know I don't want to hear from you.

Um but you're right, if you put your number out in the public domain then you're almost fair game because you're trying to advertise your business. So I don't have a real real issue. I get a lot of calls still from my painting business um because my number's out there and people are scraping it and you know sending me issues. I want to talk to the owner of the company. I just say I'm out of business, you know.

Um so I just wanted to kind of I think I'm going to shoot a few out here and there just as just to keep kind of the the shotgun effect going, you know, emails, cold calls. So I appreciate the information. Yeah, there's there's some people out there that literally make a living off of suing people who like unconensually text them and things like that, but most of those people are people with no life, not the business owners that you're reaching out to. So, you should be all right. >> Yeah.

Well, you specifically say you do nothing but email. You've done that's what you built your business around, sending out emails. Is that true? Early on, I I I did send text messages as well and and email and uh Facebook Messenger, Facebook posts, but I did experiment with text messages very early on until I realized it can be a little risky. >> The great thing about text message is that like it's impossible for them to miss if it's their personal phone.

They're going to it's like a 100% open rate basically. >> Yeah. No gatekeeper. Yeah. It's goes straight through.

Yeah. Okay. I'll be careful. I think I I think I might give it a shot here and there and um I've struck up some conversation with people because I reached out to them. One guy says, "Hey, kudos, man.

Kudos for you trying. I got some a ba basement I want I needed finished and painted." So, out of the 50 75 I could have made 10 grand off of one guy saying, "Hey, yeah, I like your uh I like your approach." So, >> yeah. Yeah, Patrick.

One alternative for that um like if you're worried about the legality of sending text message um is you can still DM people uh on their business um pages basically uh in Facebook and Instagram. Try both at the same time. Um, so you can I believe send up to 50 like you can contact up to 50 without marking as like without getting marked as spam. >> Yeah. >> Um, that's my understanding.

But yeah, I mean if you are able to reach 50 businesses every day um that's 350 businesses in a week. Yeah, I used to do a thing maybe you've all heard about call voice drop where it kind of got around ringing someone's phone and you would hear a a half ring but they they got around this whole >> uh spam not texting you know personal numbers because it dropped it into your voicemail box. I got some uh good response from that but [laughter] I think I made some enemies along the way. Who are you? I just, you know, get my phone number, but that I could send thousands and I was >> Yeah.

But, but I think that is a [clears throat] gray area, too. Um, >> it is. Yeah, absolutely. I don't do that. I don't do anymore.

>> Yeah. I I heard that those those are illegal. Voice drops are illegal. I don't know if that is true. >> I think they are illegal now.

Yeah. >> Now, now back when I was doing them, they were in that gray area. And so I promoted that just to try it and you had to create a Google number because you couldn't use yours because you get flooded back with hey man drop dead type stuff. Um and it worked to but now they're become strict and now I'm one of those guys on the other side where I don't want to see receive any spam mail but I get two a day. two in the very least because my number is out there and I just, you know, send them black, you know, or I'll answer them and say, "Hey, you got the wrong number."

And, you know, um, but it is kind of a nuisance. So, I get it. There's got to be, like you said, Mitch, about emails. You don't send your whole spiel. You don't send links, just question.

and you know the the scraper does a little personalized reach so it doesn't look like it's a the same email going out. So those are all great approaches and and I think over time me putting all those pieces to work um I'll have a full-fledged pretty good side gig going. So I appreciate >> Absolutely. >> I have a quick question. I'm sorry.

Can I step in real quick before we have hang up? >> I'm sorry Patrick. No, no. >> Are the QR code the trackable QR codes only available on the um our spotlight? >> Yeah, I was actually I was literally just just about to answer this once I got a second.

So, I just sent a link. You actually everybody in the community has free access to scan.lospotlight.com, which is a QR code generator. You have free act.

>> You're breaking up. >> If you don't have our local spotlight, you'll still Oh, did I freeze? >> Yeah, you're breaking up. >> That was his way of >> all the good information. All the good information was broken up.

>> Darn. Okay, I just sent a link in the chat. scan.ourlospotlight.com ourlocspotlight.

com is the free QR code generator tracker that everybody in our community has free access to. So you can sign up for that and you have free access to it. Even if you don't have our local spotlight or the virtual postcards, everybody is still able to generate QR codes that are trackable and dynamic. >> Thank you. [snorts] >> Y so if you just you can create a free account there as a member of our community.

>> Uh excuse [snorts] me. I had a quick question. Just wanted to jump in real quick. Um, so I'm I'm not new to EDM because I done it for a small company that I have that I currently run. Um, but I was really strongly considering doing the 9x12s and possibly doing the website thing.

Now, the question about the website was does it have to have the local spotlight or something like that or can it be a custom um domain? >> Yeah, if you're referring So, there's two different uh options. You have our local spotlight which you would have a landing page on the which has the map connected to it and everything for social proof that would be under the hour local spotlight domain. But if you're talking about 9 by12 sites that's fully custom. You can connect your own custom domain.

It also comes with one free of charge if you wanted us to connect one for you. Um and that's fully customizable. You don't have to have it say our local spotlight or anything like that. >> Okay. But that's that's the same layout as the one with the map on it or No, that's completely different.

>> No, those are different. So the the custom 9 by12 site is just like its own island. You're building your own website there basically, but it it's it starts with a template. So you can have like a working beautiful website within five minutes which people can actually click on the slots and purchase straight from there. Oh, they're just basically two completely