9x12 Method - Seem Local Even If You're Not

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We just had another amazing 9 by12 method live call and as always it was tactical, it was skillful and we learned a whole lot, especially a little tactic that Lucy gave us that can help you seem like you're local to the area despite being out of state, which helps you close the sale for sure. So, you're going to want to listen to this, take some notes as always. Enjoy. Yeah, there's there's plenty of people out there that are making a full-time income just from focusing on community cards. Of course, you have to do a few more of them, but the sales are a little bit quicker, a little bit easier, easier to get people to renew for $200 a month versus $500 a month.

So, it's a trade-off. You make less profit per card, but you could probably sell out cards faster. >> Got a question for you, Mitchell. >> Yeah. What's going on?

>> First of all, epic mustache. >> Thank you. >> Second all, my zip code, I'm in a community of about a 100,000. My zip code's about 20,000 homes. Do I just sell one card to 5,000 homes or do I sell four cards to 20,000 homes starting out?

If I were you, I would I would keep multiple cards spread out. And if you're just starting, I would focus on one card for now, and then you could definitely scale to a second card next month. But for now, focus on one card. 5,000 homes. But I would I would I probably wouldn't have four cards all in one you said what?

Yeah. In one zip code of 20,000 people. Um because you're limited. You have the same amount of advertisers and you're trying to fill up four cards with it. Whereas if you just went to different zip codes, there's different advertisers out there further away that would be willing to be on that card.

So you have a bigger pool to sell to, if that makes sense. >> All right. And would I don't I have the spotlight set up and it has a kind of a minimal landing page. Would my sales be better? Pointing people to a landing page would increase sales probably or what's your opinion on that?

>> Yeah. So, are you saying do you do you have like the free pin? >> No, I I signed up for the subscription with Spotlight. >> Okay. >> So, I I have the star pin.

>> I gotcha. Yeah. So I I don't think the the the cost benefit the cost of paying for another like specific website versus the benefit of how many sales it's going to help you close is dramatic. So I wouldn't recommend going out and you know paying for another website if you have the landing page. That should do perfectly fine because it shows that you are part of something bigger.

It shows you're part of this, you know, national partnership, which gives you a little bit of social proof, but they're still talking to you, the partner, which makes it a little personal. >> Thank you, Mitchell. >> Yeah. >> Hey, hey, Mitch. I'm going to jump on here real quick, man.

How you doing, bro? >> Good. How are you, William? What's going on? >> I'm Will, man.

I haven't been I Hey, hey, I haven't been on here in such a long time. I was like, man, let me jump on this call and holl at him. See how you doing. But I I I took a detour, man, into really diving deep into automation. So, I have a two-part question because I was really looking at, hey, I need to I need to figure out how to do 9 by12 for the new year.

I want to put a New Year's card out, small run 2500 community card, but I was like, man, I really struggle with organization. So, the second point, the first question is, is this still an okay time to start pitching out New Year's? And then the second part of my question is is there an opportunity to create some automation? So I I conceptualized almost like a a 9 by12 command center where it allows you to send a link to somebody that that wants to you talk to somebody, you send them a link, they're able to answer the questions that you need to know, upload any images they want and pay all in one portal and that processes on the back end for you to have everything you need per campaign, right? And that's kind of what I was thinking.

And I was wanting to know, one, is this a good time? Two, would something like that be valuable in the marketplace or to somebody like you or anybody else on the call? >> So, to answer your first question, just to keep some pressure off of yourself, I wouldn't I wouldn't tell people that you're trying to get the card out before New Year's because they probably don't necessarily want to advertise to people just after Christmas anyway. But putting out a card just after New Year's could be pretty solid, especially for like like gyms and things like that where people are have resolutions. They basically any advertiser could come with come up with an a resolution that they could put in people's minds and advertise about it.

So I think after New Year's would be a better play than shooting for before New Year's and that takes some pressure off of you as well. As for the the portal, I'm sure I mean that saves that saves time for people, makes their life a little bit easier and keeps things organized. Some of those features like the sending invoices and not necessarily the advertisers plugging in the photo of their ad, but advertisers can send you the photo and you can put it onto the card management feature. That's similar to our our 9x12 method CRM. But that definitely would be almost something that would integrate well with the CRM.

But people would definitely see value in that for sure. >> Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for that.

Thank you for that clarity. If I would put a card out after >> to be mailed out after New Year's, is this still a good time to kind of market or is everybody Christmas focus? Should I hold off on even reaching out about New Year's right now because I know it's just late? >> I I see what you mean. I I don't think it's a bad time.

I mean, it's not the best time to be prospecting, but I've sold out cards in December, and it was a 9 by12 card, which is more expensive, harder to close. So, you could definitely close a community card in December. Might not necessarily be as easy as September, but it's definitely I mean, it's it's it's it's pretty you'll be able to do it within a month for sure as long as you're consistent. >> Yeah, for sure. Thank you.

Thank you. What do you think about like because I know uh it's limited advertising real estate on a community card. What are some things that make it attention grabbing and high conver would potentially be a sale for it converting if it doesn't look like as much real estate as the 9 by 12 if that makes sense. >> Are you saying like how to get more businesses to like call you and want to join the card or are you saying for your advertisers to get more business even though they have a smaller space? >> Right.

Second one. Second one. Okay. >> I would say simplicity, not a ton of words, not a ton of info, and a really good offer. That's what the community card is all about is they put in an offer.

They don't have a crazy like com complicated ad. It really just showcases what their industry is. Like [snorts] landscaper, oh, landscaper, oh, this landscaper's offering $50 off the first driveway plowing. Something like that. You just need to know the industry and need to know the offer.

It doesn't need to be a complex ad. I think complexity on a small ad will kill conversions. >> Good to go. Thank you. >> Yeah.

>> Hey, Mitch. One more thing. And >> I'm sorry. I should know this. The community card.

Is there [snorts] a So, the community card, what would you charge for that? I was looking at doing, you know, the 9 by12 for the 4x3 at like 500 bucks, you know. to send out to 5,000. So, what where would the community card come in? Would you And I'm in a bigger market.

>> Yeah. So, I I would recommend It depends on your market, but I I would recommend 199 as a solid number where you can get decent profit, but it's still somewhat of an impulse buy for business owners. >> Okay. And and that what size is that again? I'm sorry.

I should know this. >> Oh, it's all right. 6 by 11. But people do different sizes. Some people do 6x12 like we were talking about earlier, but I think 6x11 is plenty big.

>> And that would go to 25 100 homes or to >> typically that's that's where you get the the most cost savings which you can then pass on to your advertisers because as we know postage is the bulk of the cost. >> I gotcha. And is there a PDF for that that I could print out or, you know, just have as a sample or should I just bring my 9x12 and said, "Hey, we're scaling this back, you know, a little bit." >> Yeah, there's a there's a 6 by11 template in the freebies section of our school community. So, if you go to our community, you go to classroom, and then you go to freebies.

It'll be under proper size templates, and it'll say that 6x11 community card >> template classroom freebies and it's >> like proper size templates. >> Proper size. Okay, I appreciate that. I'm writing it down so I don't have to ask these questions again. >> No problem.

And if you guys are wondering why I'm uh looking down a lot, it's because I'm walking on just sheer ice right now. It's where the best reception is. >> Is is that to get in shape for the wedding? >> Exactly. Yeah.

I'm working on the stabilizer muscles, >> you know. I don't want to over analyze this 9 by12 or the community, you know, cuz [snorts] I could analyze this to death for about the next four months, right? Just go start both of them or one of them something. and and [snorts] I am like I said no techie and I could hand that off to your team to either design the ad or the QR code and you run it from after I get it sold. >> Yeah, I would I definitely if you're not great at design your your time is better spent and your energy and your nervousness is better spent on prospecting.

Honestly, you can find designers super cheap, whether it's with us or somebody else, and they will probably do better than you anyway. I never design stuff myself anymore because I suck at it and it takes more time than the money I could be making making sales. >> Okay. Yeah, that's my thinking. I'm not going to do the camp.

I'm just, you know, I'll get frustrated and then say screw it all. So, I just assume turn it over and if you got a team, boom. Here you go. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

I'm I'mma piggyback on that. I got I I got a question about the sales part. Like I realized, man, even when I I'm not going to lie, man. I I saw probably about four or five opportunities and I almost went to talk to somebody about it, but I was scared, bro. I can't believe I was scared about asking somebody, hey man, you want to help grow your business?

And cuz I I tried sending out some messages in another city I was at and I just got rejected, rejected. I was like, man, I'm not doing this right. I quit. Right. So my question is, bro, how do you get over this fear about it not working in the volume game of rejection that you face trying to close some deals?

I know that's been that's really been my number one reason why I have not put a card out. I've been procrastinating. I'll be honest. I put I've been interested in it for about a year actually this time last year and I have not put anything out. I've seen a lot of opportunities in the area, but I just haven't been consistent in one area and saying, "I'mma do this and put it out and getting over the fear of speaking about it and really the fear of managing it as far as like getting everybody's information in one place, making sure that it's delivered."

I know that's what you do on the back end, but I just want to know if you could just speak to the uh the mindset and the emotion as putting your first card out and actually executing and some of the challenges on or getting over the fear of potential challenges on executing a card, if that makes sense. Yeah, totally. So, it's okay. So, for me, I'm an introvert. I just am not great at putting myself out there, especially in person.

But, it doesn't sound like you are. It sounds like for you, it's more you just need to convince yourself a little harder about the value that we're providing. Because we're lucky, some businesses, the value isn't very tangible. It's like, am I really really providing as much value as I'm charging? But for us, the value is it's just math.

It's very tangible. We are providing a like 5x decrease in the cost of advertising for these businesses if they join. So, if you can just really convince yourself that all you're doing is bringing them a fantastic opportunity and they can say yes or no, but it's not personal. It's just if they say no, they probably didn't do the math or don't understand, then you might feel a little bit better. I think you really just need to convince yourself of the value and be all right with those nos because you understand that the no is just because they don't understand the value, not because you did a bad job selling or anything.

>> Yeah, for sure. That makes that makes sense. I I know that's been that's that's been I've been a tire kicker and I'm like, bro, I could have been done about 20 cars by now over here scared. You ain't got no business being scared. And I'll be honest, I'm an introverted extrovert.

So, I I'm really introverted and that's one issue. and I can become extroverted in small smaller groups. I do better in smaller settings. So that's kind of how that how that plays off each other. So I'm learning like oh you got to really consider your personality type but not let it be a hindrance and and that I think that's the key is really understanding the value and that a no is not personal.

That's that's key insight for me. So >> yeah, absolutely. And about the management side of things, I'll be honest with you, managing your first card is not going to be as stressful as you might think from the start. Honestly, some advertisers have completely forgotten that they paid me. They like you don't have advertisers harassing you every two seconds like, "Is the card going out?

Is the card going out? When's it going out?" As long as you regularly update them maybe once every two weeks, then there there's really no issue. they they they are the advertisers are thinking about so many other things in their business. They're not they might a month from now be like, "Okay, I haven't heard from this guy.

Let me reach out." But that's a month from now. It's not like a daily occurrence. So, you don't have to [snorts] be as stressed about that. And in terms of organization, it's pretty simple.

What I used to do from the start, now obviously the 9x12 method CRM is helpful for this with the card management feature, but I would on Canva if I made a sale, I would have my template right there and I would just put the business name and their info right in the template. Now I know I sold that slot and it's that's honestly all you need for organization and you just use the course. I have the script exactly what you ask them for in terms of information on what what you need for their ad if you're going to be designing it. It says exactly what you should ask them for. You ask them for that information.

Once they give you that information, just keep it in all in one place in your notes or whatever. Or take care of it right away and hire a designer and pass it off to them. But [snorts] it's it's very it's going to be a lot simpler than you would expect, especially for your first card. You only have 16 advertisers. >> For sure.

Thank you, Mom. >> Hey, has anybody I've got a few things to throw out here this morning. Good morning, everybody. >> Morning, Dan. Has anybody approached this successfully with new advertisers on a new card as a campaign?

Okay, we're going to do this four times, six times, 12 times this year and get somebody to commit to that longer term schedule. >> I have not I'm I'm trying to get someone to do it once and build from there. >> Yeah. Because I don't know if it in my mind maybe it adds legitimacy to like like you're not just a oneanddone salesman. So you're coming to me with a proposal to do a year's worth of cards whether that's quarterly you know semianual or whatever whatever schedule you choose or monthly even.

You're coming to me with a plan not just hey I need I need a quick fix. I need 2,000 bucks you know. So to me it might legitimize. And another thing that hit me this morning. So I'm going to throw this out and then I'm gonna take answers because I like hearing what you guys talk about.

Something that hit me this morning from a recent client experience. One of my questions I think is going to be are you hurting for money to to the to the potential advertiser? Because if you're hurting for money, you know, this is not this thing is not a miracle worker. No advertising is a miracle working thing that you're just going to get money tomorrow. So, if you're hurting for money, you know, maybe this or any advertising thing is not what you should do because and what what what brought that about is I had a a client for about 45 days, you know, want to do AdWords.

Well, they had an AdWords account that wasn't doing anything. So, I took it over, made it, you know, put in a ton of time, cleaned up their campaigns, and and it wasn't just producing results immediately, you know, like they thought it would, I guess. And this guy is a he's a therapist, you know, like a like a psychotherapist. And so, you know, he shouldn't be hurting for money. I understand wanting more leads, but but they acted like they were hurting for money.

So, you know, they weren't, I'm pretty sure, but if they are, it's just going to be painful for both sides probably. So, I'm gonna I'm gonna throw that out there and let you guys contribute. >> Well, I want to touch on your first point about like specific campaigns. I've heard obviously people myself included will offer discount to businesses as if they commit to multiple months upfront but I've never heard of anybody starting with that and I kind of like that idea that's like your premium product is to join the full campaign and you can always downell them now it's a downell you can downell them to one month if they just want to try it out for one month but that makes the downell seem even cheaper so I kind of like that idea and you might seem more legitimate like you're not just you trying to make a buck here and there. So, I like And then the second thing, I mean, the people who are not hurting for money are obviously going to be more likely to stick with you anyway and not like have unrealistic expectations from the start because people who are hurting for money are hoping for a miracle.

So, you can be you're being a lot more honest when you ask them that question. So, I like that. Does anybody else have something to say about that? >> I wouldn't I wouldn't say I I haven't done either, but it does sound it sound it sounds a little bit more like a like a package for sure. that one and done.

And that that's a I guess that's a I understand the legitimacy of just trying to sell one and and and feel like they you're just trying to get their money and for for one campaign instead of a longer term brand awareness for the area. Um so I think that's interesting. My question would be is to to you Mitch man does that open the door for um seasonal like a seasonal campaign design for the whole year? Right. So now you're looking at what are some what are some things that they have done in the past that haven't worked and and maybe creating really strategic ad campaigns for each one of those quarters throughout the year.

Right. So so now you're getting into a little bit of strategy over the year for them that that really might be appealing. >> Totally. And then like I talked about in my recent YouTube video then you're being almost like a mentor to them rather than just trying to sell them. You're prescribing something to them.

You're giving them the idea of this. You're also pre-elling them because you're already giving them ideas for what their ad should be and now inevitably they're going to have to imagine it so that you're more likely to close them. So prescribing people like prescriptions like I talked about. >> So Bob, I got a question for you. We lost Bob.

As soon as I said that, we lost Bob. [laughter] >> A not Bob. I'm sure he'll be back. He probably just disconnected. >> I'm muted group.

>> Welcome. >> Thank you. And so I I've I have experience with EDDDM flyers. I I actually I send them out on my own so that way I can gather, you know, people giving away books and stuff like that or throwing away books. So I'm a reseller online.

And my Amazon business [snorts] is not not quite as um as busy as it as it used to with all these changes. So I was I'm looking for something else to do. And since I already know how the EDM flyers work since I've I've done them myself and sent them out, I thought this was just a ne a easy transition for me. But I have a a few questions, some things that I've kind of just thought up and just wondered what what what did you guys do in this in this sense? The first thing is I'm starting I'm in a city, right?

and it's it's more than 15,000, but there's a nearby city that has a million, you know, people. And I was thinking to myself, how do I when it comes to doing the EDM flyers once I get the the the the flyer filled out and it printed, am I taking these flyers to the the USPS in that in that city in in that zip code or can they just get mailed to the USPS? I guess that's where I'm kind of I don't I don't understand how it works. if I go through someone to print them. >> Yeah.

>> So, multiple multiple things. The first to answer your question about the EDDDM, we have we have two separate options. So, we could either mail all the cards straight to your house >> and that that would be our only job. Or we do [clears throat] total fulfillment, which is we would print them, actually bundle them and everything, put the packing slips and send them directly to that post office. So, then you wouldn't have to handle it.

and [snorts] you would save so you would save a little bit of money if you did it yourself, but it's about like eight cents per card you would save. But yeah, you have both options. Now, the third thing I will say since you're just starting and you're talking about this massive city of a million people, from what I've seen, it seems that people who are trying to do this directly in the center of a massive city are having a little bit more trouble uh clothing sales. And my theory is that this is because the these businesses in the city already have such a dense population around them. It's just inevitable that they're going to have more business and not necessarily need to advertise as much.

I'm not saying that you can't do it in a large city, but from what I've seen, it seems like people are having a little bit more trouble closing sales there. So, that's something to keep in mind. >> Okay. All right. That's it's a good point.

All right. Cool. So, >> so that that city that you're in right now might might be something to to look at, >> right? Start here and and then, you know, as I get experience with closing deals and stuff, probably it'd be more effective in the bigger city. >> Yeah, exactly.

>> Okay. >> All right. Cool. My next question was, have have anybody ever run into this question where I just, you know, I'm I'm looking to buy a house here pretty soon and I was just wondering since we're selling the since since we're selling our material, right? What we are offering is this flyer, a space, and an ad and 5,000 homes, right?

Well, what if these homes What if there's a lot of homes for sale in that area? I mean, has anybody ever said, you know, what about those homes? Are if no one's looking at those flyers, you know, is that going to [snorts] is that going to affect the cost or anything like that? >> We just don't it's not something to worry about. >> In my opinion, it's a negligible number.

It's inevitable that some cards are going to end up somewhere that is not going to get read, but it's a negligible amount. And the fact is that's why it is dramatically cheaper. They could do a targeted campaign and pay 78 cents per stamp or honestly for if it's a 9 by12 card it would be double that. They could do a targeted campaign. It's just a lot more expensive.

So why not spread it out to way more people where inevitably sure some of them might not go to the right place or some of them might not go to their perfect target customer but the rest are >> right. Okay, that sounds good. Yeah. Hey. >> All right.

Cool. Hey Dan, this is Bob. I'm back. Did you have a question for me? >> I did.

So you're you're in Chicago area, right? >> Yes. >> Are you more in the in the middle or are you out in the suburbs somewhere? >> Kind of right by O'Hare airport, which is in the middle, I guess. >> Yeah, pretty close to the middle.

So this kind of goes back to what Mitch was saying, seeing some people experiencing a little difficult time in those highly concentrated areas. So you may have to reach out a little bit into the suburbs to and keep it tight. Think Mitch, keep it into a into a tight geographic area. You know, find the >> find the areas that have >> maybe the highest in income, >> the zip codes with the highest income that are near a commercial center. >> Yeah, I think that's a great idea.

And the thing I'm running into, I I'm not going to overthink it. And when we do the zip codes or whatever, like one block across the street could be a different town, a different zip code, you know what I mean? So like really close. I think I'll just have to figure that out once, you know, they they want by it. >> So you can break it down.

So the two zip codes could be next to each other, but they're they're going to have routes inside those zip codes. So, you know, route four, you know, city route four in zip code one could be across the street from route one in, you know, the other zip code. >> So, you can mail you can mail to multiple zip codes to be clear. >> Yeah. You Yeah.

Multiple zip codes, the routes, you know, single routes within a zip code as long as it's what, 200 pieces >> minimum, Mitch in terms of what >> that that EDM minimum is 200 pieces. Is that right? Oh, I I believe so. >> Yeah, it's got 200 addresses in the route to qualify. >> But yeah, you can hit laser guide that in, Bob.

>> Okay. >> I didn't realize how how many of our members are from Chicago, and I just visited Chicago. I should have had a meetup. [laughter] >> That would have been cool. >> Yeah.

I'm not a city guy at all, but I actually loved it. It's a nice city. >> Yeah. Well, I want to move when it's snowing like this. So, >> Oh, yeah.

[laughter] I feel you there for sure. >> The cool thing is we could do this anywhere. >> I know. It's great. I mean, >> you can do it virtually anywhere, too.

>> How does this work remotely if uh you want to do multiple things across the country? Like, how do you really identify how would you identify like target zip codes and areas and then like really reaching out to those areas to produce a card out? >> So, okay. Okay. So, there's two targets we we're thinking of.

So, target number one is going to be like where the actual routes are. What you're actually sending the cards to. And what I would focus on for that is preferably what advertisers would want to hit on on average would be higher incomes, single family homes, less apartment buildings because a lot of them will be home service businesses. So, higher income, single family, less apartment buildings would be the ideal places to mail the cards to. And that's what you're telling the advertisers, I'm mailing the cars here to this neighborhood or this section of the city.

And then your second target is the radius, your target of businesses that you're targeting. And that would be like a 10 to 15 mile radius around where you're actually sending the cards to. Cuz a landscaper 15 miles away might still want business that's in the center in this uh you know, this this neighborhood of high-income homes. So you don't only have to target businesses that are in the exact location that you are sending the cars to, if that makes sense. >> And what's it like?

So what's the reachout method? They know you're not from there. I I tried this and when I was passing through Orlando, they know you're not from there. So So what's the communication like to business or or the presentation to businesses not being from that area and wanting to market in that area on their >> that that's a good question. I mean, it is slightly a disadvantage because then you can't say, "Hey, I'm a business owner in this city."

But it's still not impossible. I mean, there's all sorts of businesses all over the country that sell to people that are not in their community. That's not everything that a business cares about if you're still providing this very specific value. Um, looks looks like Lucy's raising her hand. I'm going to let her take over if it if it if it's if it's answering this question.

Otherwise, I can continue and then Lucy can go. Lucy. Lucy, we're waiting for you. >> Hey. Hey, William.

>> William, you >> Yes, sir. >> Real quick, if you haven't done a card yet, why don't you just stay local? I just think, you know, we we think of all these grand ideas. Let's just get someone to buy the darn thing. That's just, you know what I mean?

I don't I don't want to not think or you know discourage you from other areas, but it's my local community card. So, I'm Yeah, I I want to go somewhere warm, William, and and do it there, but for now, I I I rather walk in my own community, I guess. So, hope hope I didn't cut in on a wrong comment. I think that's good advice because you have something in common with the prospect. You know, you have a kind of a a common ground there to talk to and say, "Hey, I'm a I'm a local business owner and you know, I'm trying to support or I'm trying to promote my business and I'm trying to gather up a few others to do the same thing at a reduced cost if we all pull the costs."

So, you're in it together kind of thing. >> Yeah, that's kind of my thought. Sorry if I didn't come across that way. >> It's definitely helpful to be local, but if you can't be, it's still totally doable. It's just some businesses are going to ask, "Are you even from here?"

And that might be a turnoff for them, but that's just some businesses. There's plenty of businesses that will still say yes to somebody who's providing this specific value. And some people won't even ask. >> Is Lucy back? >> Sounds like it.

>> Hey, this is Lucy. I'm trying to come in my phone now. Oh >> yeah, we got you twice. >> Yeah, we got you twice. >> All right, I've got my phone muted.

Can you hear me through my computer? Because I prefer that. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Oh my goodness.

Yeah, I had to bring in tech support and have my husband fix this. My Chrome has decided that I I don't get to actually be on there. Okay, so I wanted to share something first for Abel because he mentioned that he was going to be working trying to find a house. Please feel free to DM me. I used to run the largest real estate investing association in the state of Indiana.

So, I'll share with you how I got my first house for investing. Quick story, this is back in like 2002, so some of you may not have even been born yet, but anyway, I'm that old. Um, I went to a local printer and I got the hot I picked out the hottest pinkstroke paper that I could and I put my weighs on one side. Now, you've probably heard the name Pace Morby and Sub 2. that's been going on since the 80s, but he's got, you know, better marketing than most people.

So, I bought my first houses. I bought 14 of them starting in 2002 and like so 2003. Took me about 14 months to buy those. The way that I got them because I couldn't afford any marketing is the printer agreed to print those for me for free if I gave him a space. So, one whole side was we buy houses and then the other side was four.

So, it was really big ads. And then I got everybody to pay I think got them like five cents, you know, so like 500 bucks and 10,000. I don't remember what the numbers are, which aren't important, but it was enough that it paid for my gas. And I have 10 kids now, but back then I just had baby number six. So I took the older kids with me.

This was before they started blowing up mailboxes after 9/11. So, we actually drove slowly through the neighborhood and we put them either in the newspaper box, which used to be below the mailbox, which we used to have, or we would stick them behind behind the flags, which I don't recommend because that's actually federally illegal. Um, but back then, you know, people didn't care as much. So, that's how I got my first two houses in a single neighborhood for free and actually got paid to put up my marketing. So, there's probably a lesson for you there.

Now, the thing that's also worked great for me, able, if you're looking for a house for yourself, is to drive around the area that you want to get a house, find something that's empty, and then just go to your property records. For me, they're now on the county level. I don't even have to go downtown to see them. And I did this recently in my little tiny town in Indiana. We literally have 300 people and there were two lots that I was looking at.

And I got a yellow piece of paper. I just hand wrote out, "Hey, I'd really, you know, like to talk to you about buying this vacant property and I mailed it away." And it took about three weeks and one out of two contacted me. So 50% woohoo. I ended up not wanting his property when he bought it.

He thought it was 0.25 acres. It ended up being this tiny corner that's 2500 square ft. Not a not 25 acres, but 2500 square f feet. So doesn't make sense.

But the point is is that for the cost of a few stamps, you can start doing this. Now, on the we buy houses side, I am now looking at what are the neighborhoods where I want people to just give me their house as subject to, and we're adding our EDDDM spot just like you were talking about. Will it work? Yes, it will. And it was working 20 years ago, it'll work today.

>> Okay, that's good. Thank you so much. I appreciate the advice. >> Yeah, no worry. And feel free to DM me.

But one thing that I've got to give you credit for this morning when you said that I thought you know I haven't been targeting for sale by owners and you know there's fsbo.com and then the people sign their it would be really great for them to be for you to advertise the fo buying it because neighborhood their to live you know house vacant house or the sign in the yard which is why real put signs in the yard and this in addition becomes a big marketing opportunity for realtors is for sale by owners. Most people are going to try and sell their house and then they're going to fail and then they're going to get called by a realtor. So, one way that you create reciprocity is by being the person that is the connector. Just make sure that you always put yourself in a toll booth position and you get paid for this.

So, those those for sale by owners that you become part of your network, you can then refer to a realtor. So, now you can go to a realtor and say, you know, we actually had three for sale by owners on this card. I'm marketing to these people. Do you want to be on my card so that you're the authorized person to get those referrals when they're when they're ready to list? Because they're talking to me because they're trying real hard themselves.

You and I both know that they're going to fail. But I'm the spearhead here. So, if you want those leads from me, you've got to be in my network. And being in my network means being on my card. >> I like it.

That's cool. >> Lucy with the boom. Let's go, Lucy. >> For you, too, William. And this isn't even me, but I've taught cold calling for years and and I've been the the SMEI, the subject matter expert for some pretty pretty big programs.

I know you can't believe that because I've only had one cup of coffee and I'm stumbling over my words this morning. But when you're talking about motivation for cold calling, there's a couple of things that help me because believe me, there's there's I've got so many things to do. I would rather be doing just about anything else than sitting on my butt and getting rejected all day long. So what I recommend and helps me get through is what Alex Hormosi said which is you have to do so much work that it would be unreasonable for you to fail. And so I think Mitchell you might have already done a video on this if not you could which is backing into the numbers like how many email addresses do you have to gather to have a successful email campaign.

So my husband put together my email campaign. He put four and we use the almost the exact same s system that Mitchell does for his CRM. Um, so you know, get with Mitchell, I'm sure Mitchell, I'm assuming yours does automated marketing. So if I gave you four emails, we could load it up into your CRM and then they would all go automatically >> in ter we're working on that right now. So it'll be sending emails very soon and then we'll have sequences after that.

It's very close. Awesome. Very excited. Yeah. >> Yeah.

That is that is crucial because we put together a little four-step email campaign. Nothing nothing crazy. Just literally kind of my own words. And so I I don't know why that did that. Anyway, these computers doing all kinds of things.

>> So when you put those automated emails out, you'll feel so good when those people start calling you. So the way that my husband has it connected because he's a tech guy. He's got a cyber security >> because I'm stalking you. Oh, is Oh, are you Oh, do you log in? Oh, you logged in as me.

No wonder I'm My hands are going up. I don't know if you saw that, Mitchell. My hand went up and it was actually >> Yeah, I saw that. >> So, we're starting to get We're starting to get replies. So, when somebody replies to that first email, then I have a I call it my pitch email.

So, I took, you know, like the 60 seconds that I say on every single call, which is, "Hey, I'm local to your area. Here's my business. I couldn't get any, you know, I don't have any money to I don't have any money to advertise my business because I'm so small. So, I came up with this solution of, hey, why don't I just create this little community group and we'll all pitch in on the cost of the postcard. And by the way, since you know, you're a business like me, you can be on the postcard.

I mean, I've got like a whole little pitch that I do and that is the automated response email and it takes them out of the response. I'm sorry, it takes them out of the automated email sequence so it stops. So, if they say if they say anything to to email number two, they don't get email three and four. And I'm now starting to get people that are responding to me. And um obviously responding to an inbound email is a much warmer call.

And then I'm old school, so I think I think the uh the advice to stay someplace close to you, especially for your first cart or two, where I'm close to me, I'm 18 miles from a Walmart out in a town of 300 people. So where I'm driving into Yeah, it's crazy small here. Where I'm driving into is like a tri city area all along the river and they've each got about 50,000 people. So it's easy for me to say one city versus the next and to get 10,000 out of that. But that allows me to say, "Hey, I'm up the road on State Road 150."

And State Road 150 goes through Indiana and then down through Kentucky. So wherever I am in that area, everybody thinks, "Oh, she's just over on State Road 150." And so I become much more local to them. And because I have my own business in landscaping, I sell medicinal, edible, and culinary plants. My my secondary purpose is there to fit those people that they need commercial landscaping.

So I'm trying to set up business for the spring. So it's really hard to go out and say, "Oh, I'm going to, you know, sell this spot for 500 bucks. I'm going to make $100 net on it." But if you have another business that you're genuinely doing, then you can double your chances of prospecting them and getting profit out of them one way or another. Anyway, I hate talking and taking over, so I'm going to shut up for a while in case somebody has a direct question for me.

>> Go Hoosiers. >> That was a lot of value, so definitely don't feel bad about talking. >> Yeah, I have multiple kids that have graduated from IU, so the football team right now is just really so much. >> Same here. >> Yeah, that was that was awesome.

Really brought some clarity and some understanding and a lot of opportunity there. So, thank you for that, Lucy. And also, I I do want to piggyback and ask your if I could possibly connect with you to ask your husband some questions because I'm actually working on an automated email system for for somebody. I just want to know if I could possibly pick his brain because I'm trying to automate his inbox on on just kind of the workflow. >> He has his own school and because we have 10 kids and five of them are still at home, I end up being the one who drives everybody everywhere.

I guess because I'm the mom, it calls to me. So, best to contact him directly and he is digital edge mastermind on school and he's got a free group and a paid group. So just go find digital age mastermind so that you can ask him directly because I promise you I have so much I'd like to label myself ADHD because it would give me an excuse. And here's another tip that I just saw on Tik Tok. This is so dumb, but a lady's doing dishes and she literally puts a leash on her belt and on the dishwasher.

So, when her brain fades out and thinks that she needs to be doing something else at the moment that's more important, she tries to leave. I'm sure you've all seen this one, I am legit going to get one of our dogs leashes so that when I sit down to prospect, I don't think, "Oh, I should get up and change the laundry over." >> If I may, I already ordered one on Amazon. >> I need a little a little shock wire hooked to my mouse so that when I click from one tab to the next that I don't have any business clicking on, it shocks me and makes me go back. >> Yeah.

Well, we used to use something years ago called Simpleology and it was I don't know if you've heard of it, Mitchell Simplogy, but it's really really good. I forget the guy's name. Dorne can my husband can pop in and say what it is, but he he literally used to be like intelligence for the US Army or something. And so he's got all these psychological tricks. And the two that I liked the best were his focus features where you could block out places like Facebook because I am addicted to arguing with people and proving them wrong.

So that's that's a bad thing to have access to Facebook. And then he also has what he calls the dream catcher. So anytime I have a thought of, oh, I've got this great business idea, I can just click the little icon in my browser, put in whatever the business idea is, and then my brain can go on to something else instead of holding it in RAM. But >> definitely a lot of a lot of Chrome extensions like that that are very helpful. I have one for YouTube because I go down the rabbit hole with YouTube.

So I have one that blocks out all of their recommended videos on YouTube. So, you can only actually find a video if you specifically search for the subject. There's no like because otherwise you have all these recommended videos and it knows exactly what you want. So, you're going to click on them. >> Oh my gosh, Mitchell, if you could like put a productivity sip together, those would be great for shorts, especially if you got some affiliate links so you can monetize that.

Because my toxic trait is I go on YouTube looking for something that, you know, like how do you best propagate elderberry bushes and then it knows all the other rabbit holes I love. And so I would, and this is for you too, Dan, I'll have literally 40 little tabs where I've clicked on the next recommended video like I'm making myself a playlist and then every once in a while I have to go up there and then I just kill the entire browser >> because otherwise I would spend my days thinking that I'm doing something. But if it doesn't, you know, if your day doesn't end with money, then you you've wasted it. >> Absolutely. I my watch later playlist is filled with stuff that I added like six months ago and I can't keep up with it.

So, I'm the [snorts] same way. But yeah, it's a good idea. I should make a video on productivity and do a bunch of bunch of research on different tools that could be helpful for people. >> Just a quick sidebar question. I do have a friend of mine, man, who has an online fitness branding business and I was wondering on a on a on a card, man.

Do you know, have you ever tried or do you know if anybody ever um did an online business and advertised it on one of these cars? >> I never had an online business from my recollection, but maybe somebody here has. >> Okay, I've got an idea, William, and I don't know if it's of any good and and Mitchell can be able to give us some feedback. Every card that we've done so far and we intend to do in the future, we make a Facebook group for it. And I was surprised even in my little next town where I did my first community card, it's only got 7,500 people in the town in the two-m radius.

We've only got 29,000 people in my entire county and like we're 515 square miles. So that's a we got more cows than people. Anyway, we started a Facebook group and, you know, started just inviting people to it and it has hundreds of people now because everybody's looking to gossip and to follow what's going on in the county. Um, and so we moderate it. We make sure that it's positive.

We keep out politics. And that's something that I say to my advertisers, which is, hey, you know, we're going to shout you out in the group. And since people come to Facebook and they subscribe to Facebook, they'll see those posts. So, if I had somebody that was online business and my little town seemed to be a fit for what they were offering, I might just charge them a hundred bucks to put a post in there. you know, it's it'd be really easy to put a post in there one, two, three times in a month or have, you know, resources or advertisers or something like that.

But be careful with that because then when people find out, they might not want to be on the card. So, I offer that as an additional, oh yeah, by the way, if they haven't yet said yes, I'm like, oh yeah, by the way, we're going to put you in front of the community and shout you out once a month and so you can put your advertisement right into the right into the Facebook page. >> Yeah, that's smart. Thank you. >> That's a good asset to have.

It's a Facebook page for sure. Especially for this business because these local businesses are trying to hit all the the locals in the specific town. So when you have a town specific Facebook page, it's killer. It just adds more value and it doesn't really cost you anything other than some time moderating. >> Mitchell, you gave us an idea on a video.

I don't even know if you remember doing this because it's probably six or 12 months ago, but you basically said for Facebook, go to these these Facebook groups that are local to the town and just search for the people that have said, "Hey, you know, my roof has got a leak. I need a roofer." And then there'll be 10 people recommending their own business or somebody else's. And so I definitely used that even in my small little town. And now I've got a ripper and a gutter and a concrete guy because all of them have sales tickets that are going to be high enough that you know two or three hundred bucks.

It really is an impulse decision. >> Totally. That's awesome. Making them making them run to you. Question.

Has anybody sent out direct mail to advertise their 9x12 business? Like sent out little postcards saying, "Hey, you can be on this postcard." anything like that? Anyone tried that? >> I've needed the money too much.

So, I've sold every spot that I could and I even gave a little bit of discount to be in that gutter spot. So, I put myself in the gutter spot in between the ads. And then I also, you know, put a business, a gutter business, actually. So, I thought that was funny to myself. It's the gutter spot.

I'm putting the gutter guy there. But everything that he had was very horizontal. And so, it made sense to put him in that spot. He still got the same number of square inches or whatever. Um, but I do want to give a sacrificial spot that says, you know, you could be here, >> but I just haven't been able to afford it yet, which is dumb because I probably can't afford not to do it.

>> What do y'all think? Do you Are you all going to leave a >> Someone recently posted that they did they left a sacrificial spot and all it said was like, "This spot is available. Call this number." And they had a great result out of it. So, they they had a lot of calls after that.

And I believe it closed some slot some slots for them. >> I wondered about in the in the idea of a sacrificial spot. If you're having trouble getting people to buy, what if you did a sacrificial spot for a local charity nonprofit and go to the go to your prospects and say, "I'm partnering with the local animal shelter to get them more visibility. You know, they've got a fundraiser coming up, you know, so we're advertising that fundraiser. would you like to join us and get some impressions for your business?

>> That's a great idea. I like that. There's just so many different angles you can take that makes this so much less of a sales game. And that'll be helpful for you, William. If you did something like that, now you'll feel a little bit more confident knowing that you're not just you're you are actually helping that, you know, food pantry or dog shelter.

You So, every time you go out there and make a sale, you're making a sale for them, too, not just for yourself. Make sure you print up a huge check and do a a photo opportunity with them. So, you know, if you're giving them $125 bucks because you sold them $150 spot, sold somebody $150 spot, >> make sure that you've got a friend there at the dog shelter who will take that picture with you in front of the branding or the building because you need to have that social proof, okay? As long as nobody shuts me down. So, I had a I had a problem when I did my last 5,000, which was I had like 4,925 people.

So, I only had about 75 cards left at the end and I use those for prospecting. And I realized I should have budgeted to to buy an extra, you know, 500 to,000 cards, whatever the minimum would be because there's a huge difference with drop in prospecting when you can leave them that card and then I can, you know, point out, hey, here's my here's my landscape nursery and there's my phone on it. So that they know this is a card that's already closed. They can call any of the advertisers on there and confirm that I'm a real person and that my phone number and name are actually printed on that card. So, in order to make up for the fact that I didn't have that this last time, I took my card and I've got a nice laser color printer like everybody does, and I just did them double-sided.

And that way I could hand people a piece of paper. I So, I took one of my extra cards with me, starting to get dogeared. I'd let them hold the card, but then I'd let them keep the paper. And it's real tempting to cut the paper along, but that'll make it floppy. So, I just centered my, you know, 6 by11 card there in the middle.

Um, and then I left the space around it so that while I was prospecting them, I could write down I could write stuff down for them and then hand them that piece of paper. Now they've got something personalized to them that has my handwriting on it. >> I like that. Best of both worlds. And you don't have to waste money on samples.

Or not waste money, but you don't have to give away as many samples. >> Hey guys, I gota My 12-year-old just called me. She has a little job at an Amish bakery and she's done. So >> I gotta go. It's been so nice to see y'all, but I'm logging off.

Thanks for coming, Lizzie. >> As always. >> All right. Thanks, DM me anytime. >> Thank you.

>> Keep ding. No. Yeah, I don't take impossible requests. >> I know. I'm just kidding.

[laughter] >> Yeah, it's been a great call, Mitch. Thank you for this, man. I'm glad I hopped on today, man. >> Of course. Thanks for coming on and it's good to see you again.

And get get out there. Just just get out there and make that first sale one step at a time. reach out to the first person. Start with email. Even if it just gives you confidence and you know they may not respond to you, just start with that and build up from there.

>> I'm gonna hop off too. Everybody have a great day and enjoy yourselves out there. >> Yeah. What do you think? What do you guys think?

Anyone have any final questions or we think we concluded? >> One more question real quick. Is it is there anything that you can write off in this business at the end of the year? >> Totally. I mean, obviously you should keep track of like what you paid for printing and postage and everything because that is a very clear business expense.

Um, so you shouldn't be paying taxes on all $8,000 of revenue if if 3,000 worth of those dollars is going towards the printing and the postage. I'm obviously not a tax attorney or anything like that or an accountant, but >> but the supplies and Okay. And the actual flyers and stuff. I see. that you business and it's reasonable for this business, then you can keep track of that and at the end of the year it would be a write off.

>> Okay? >> I'm not a tax expert either, but here's what I'm doing. So, I'm tracking any I'm tracking my mileage and then also for your office space, I think they allow up to $1,500. So, you can claim 300 square feet >> for the year. And then if I go out to eat then like with somebody then I just I think you gain 20 50% of that if you're talking business.

So I track that and I don't do that often but when I do here and there. What else do I do? Then I also do like Mitch said with the postcards and then any any advertising [clears throat] that you're doing that you know paid advertising that you're doing uh for yourself that that would be part of that mix there. I also am keeping track of I think you can claim 60 to 70% of your internet and your phone. So, I'm doing those two things as well.

Now, whether I'll get credit for any of that, I don't know, but that's that's what I am uh doing on my side. >> Cool. Cool. Yeah, I I do a lot of those things, too. I have a online online business and I've I've claimed some of those things, but this one it was I was just cons worried about, you know, the expenses for the flyers and the postage and all that stuff.

So, I I I'll probably look into it a little bit more to myself. I just wanted to hear what you guys you guys had. >> Yeah, those are with confidence those are not going to be taxable things. Those will be write-offs. >> Okay.

the the postage and the the printing itself. >> Cool. >> All righty, guys. Good to see you, Jose. Good to hear you here.

>> Likewise. Appreciate it. >> Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you, Jose. >> All right.

Thank you, guys. >> Thank you. >> Have a good day, guys. I hope you enjoyed that call. And if you're interested in joining that community so that you have access to these live calls and also access to the full step-by-step tutorial on how to sell out your first card within one month, click the link in the description to join our community.

I'd love to see you in there. Peace.