B: No, we don't need one. I can't really see how it would do us any good since we are a local company. If someone wants something from us they just walk on over.

A: Well, Mr. or Mrs. owner's name, I spent some time thinking about your business before I called and I came up with a few ideas that would raise your profit line. For example, a similar site to yours, name a domain, started a web site how long ago and developed your idea into their site. Within how much time, they increased their profits by this much.

B: I don't know, it sounds expensive to me.

A: I am most reasonably priced web designer around, I could design entire site for only dollar amount. And if you still aren't sure that you just want to jump in, I will give you two free hours of consultation in which I will bring you a mockup design of what I visualize for your site. We can then talk it over. You won't have any commitment to continue, I just want to show you that you can have a profitable online presence. Is 10 o'clock Monday morning a good time to meet ... I want to share with you all of ideas for your site that I have typed out for you?

B: 11 o'clock is better.

A: Great, I am excited to meet you.

B: I am looking forward to hearing your ideas.

A: Thanks. I will see you Monday at 11:00.

You should always create a positive, but assertive, tone and try not to sound like a telemarketer. The difference between you and a telemarketer is that you have educated yourself about prospective client. You are way above this level so try to make a good impression. You will need to be ready for a negative response and rude replies. Not every call goes this well. Try to figure out ahead of time what kind of objections you might receive. Always respond with a polite business response. Never curse or say rude things back. Negative responses aren't always a bad sign. If potential client says " I don't need a web designer now, I need brochures not banners." Maybe your expertise includes print design too, go in for kill and get gig. Maybe you want to educate potential client on need of a web site to promote his or her business. If you think ahead and know your responses beforehand, you will do great.

Good Job! You have just landed your first consultation. Now you will need to prepare yourself for this important meeting. You will need to take on role of an expert in your field. You need to make sure that you understand that you ARE an expert. Otherwise, if you don't have self confidence, prospective client won't trust you either. Look and feel confident because you can and you WILL build a great web site for this client ... you WILL knock his socks off.

Use all of ideas that you had mapped out earlier and create a mockup a sample web site in Photoshop. This is how you should create a professional mockup:

1. Take a screen shot of your browser. 2. Bring this image into Photoshop and save file. 3. Layout all design elements into layers for home page of site first. 4. Go to your local service bureau to print out 2 copies of each design, one for you and one for prospective client. 5. Go to a business supply store, like Staples, and buy black board, a portfolio case big enough to hold several black boards, Utility knife, Exacto knife, spray adhesive, labels, and a straight ruler. 5. Use an Exacto knife and straight ruler to cut off excess paper. 6. Measure width and length of printout. 7. Cut black board to be about 4 inches taller and wider than printout is. 6. Spray back of printout lightly with spray adhesive. After spraying back of printout, put one corner down about 2 inches from top and 2 inches from left of black board. Then pull printout taut from bottom right as you slowly press down paper from upper left. This will keep bubbling from happening. There should now be 2 inches of blackboard framing each side of printout. 7. Place a label on back of black board with copyright information, your logo, and a place for client to sign off.

You should also organize your thoughts by creating an organizational chart. This way you can show client what rough ideas you have for their business web site. Take a blank piece of paper and place your pen in center of page. Write down a word or two that matches subject of your previous notes. Branch out with lines to related topics. Make sure that all navigational routes have been mapped out. After you have completed this process, I suggest taking it into Freehand or Illustrator and clean up organizational chart. You should also place this on blackboard way you did above. Once you have completed this step and typed out any further notes, you are ready for your presentation.

Being a good sales person doesn't depend on talent, although this obviously helps. What you need most is confidence, and portraying that confidence will rub off on potential client. Follow these important points and you will most likely generate your first order:

1. Never stop selling. Get used to rejection and understand that you will eventually make a sale. You should try to find an average that you can attain. One out of five people that you talk to will order.

2. Don't lie about your skills or abilities if you want repeat business. If you are good, other local businesses will be knocking down your door in no time.

3. Open up with an attention-getting statement. Try to walk in business owner's shoes, what would be important to him. Find this answer and start off by bringing this to his attention.

4. Portray benefits of building a web site with complete confidence and excitement. Try to be overwhelmed with excitement.

5. Be ready for objections. Think of any objection that business owner could possibly come up with and brainstorm for answers before they are asked. This should be done in practice.

6. Close deal by asking when you should get started working on web site, this week or next? In other words, don't give business owner a yes or no question, give customer a choice between two positive alternatives.

Now that you know how to attract local clients, you should have no problems creating a successful freelance business. When working within your community, word spreads like fire. In fact, once you have a few dependable clients, you should have no problem finding new clients. Good luck.

Article submitted by http://www.Allfreelancework.com

Many search engines also give more points to words in headlines, so place your keywords there as well as in body of text.

Now, placing a key phrase once in title and once on your page won’t be enough to get you to top of charts. On other hand, repeating it too often can get you banned from engines. Ideally, each phrase you’re trying to optimize your page for should make up 1-7% of text on page, which should contain 250-700 words.

Use free Keyword Density Analyzer (http://www.keyworddensity.com) to do math for you.

Moving from Robots to Humans

OK, now, we’ve got search engines covered and visitors are pouring in. What do we have for them?

In a word: Benefits.

Your home page must entice your visitors to linger on your site for awhile. To make this happen, don’t forget their favorite radio station: WII-FM, or What’s in it for Me? The person in Cheyenne looking for a landscaper first wants to know how I can make his life easier while making his home more attractive. When he first arrives at my site he’s not interested in me; he’s only thinking of himself. I’d think he was selfish if I didn’t act same way when I’m surfing web!

So, to write my home page, I’ll take my key phrases and put them into headlines. I’ll make sure they each scream out a benefit to my visitor. I know that he'll scan headlines before he’ll read my text, and if his first impression is how many ways I can help him, I’ve got him hooked.

Here’s a partial list of headlines I might use:

Relax this summer--We’ve got Your Lawn Care Covered

Save Water with a Beautiful Xeriscape Garden

Your Flower Beds Can Be Envy of Your Neighborhood

Throw Away Your Ladder--Let Us Trim YourTrees

Fall Asleep to Soothing Sound of Your Pond’s Waterfalls

Didn’t those sound good? And did you notice they each contain a key word or phrase?

Next I’d write several short paragraphs under each one, using keywords to further explain how my services can benefit them. Now my home page is a grabber both for search engines and my new customers.

The absolute master at writing for web is Dr. Ken Evoy. I strongly suggest you visit his site and download some of his excellent, free resources for Doing Business on Web (http://www.zmoon.com/cgi-bin/pl.pl?site).

The Next Step

Now that I’ve optimized my home page, I’ll use similar tactics on each additional page. These will still feature appropriate keywords in title, headlines and text, but content can move a bit away from benefits and more toward solid information. I hooked my visitor on home page, so now I need to reel him in with helpful free information, testimonials from satisfied neighbors, and a bit about my background and experience.

Conclusion

Your home page is arguably most important in your site. First it has to be found by visitors using search engines. Then it must show them enough personal benefits that they will click a link to go further into your site instead of clicking back button. Follow guidelines I’ve presented here and you should be off to a good start. Good luck!