Comments on: Could you run an Offline Squidoo Business?

By: MrLewisSmile

MrLewisSmile — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:49:18 +0000

@Jeannie – Thanks! Cool is what I’m aiming for!

@Momma – Thanks! More money is the all important thing when it comes to internet marketing

@Carol – Good Luck! You’re a very welcome polterguest at SquidooCool.. Tell your story about how you’re doing!

By: Carol Kelly

Carol Kelly — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:35:44 +0000

This idea jibes SO perfectly for a plan I’ve been rolling around in my head. This is great stuff. I need to get back to work…not at all keen on being an employee. Have been GM for other people’s businesses for many years. This time I want to try my hand at building my OWN business. I will incorporate your idea, with my own, and promote myself! Wish me luck, I’m hoping to get things rolling by March ‘10, just in time for my 50th birthday! Thanks, Lewis!
P.S. Contemplate peacefully!

By: Notebook Netbook Deals

Notebook Netbook Deals — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:48:56 +0000

Lewis, Great Idea. We all seem to concentrate on making money online but forget theres the real world out there to also make money from!

By: Momma L

Momma L — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:42:35 +0000

You are so informative with all your ideas. I always enjoy reading your lens. I just need to get going and put all your work into action on my part.. I know your advice is helping people make money with Squidoo. Thanks Theresa

By: Momma L

Momma L — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:41:11 +0000

By: Tiddledeewinks

Tiddledeewinks — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:58:23 +0000

Wow! This page IS Cool! Thanks for all the ideas Lewis. ~Jeannie-aka-Tiddledeewinks

By: Katherine

Katherine — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:43:13 +0000

This is a great idea! A lot of offline business owners want to go online but they don’t know where to start.

By: MrLewisSmile

MrLewisSmile — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:49:24 +0000

There are some really great ideas posted here in the comments! More than my original post really.

You guys rock!

Lewis

By: Susan52

Susan52 — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:11:20 +0000

ChefKeem, Thank you for posting those dollar amounts. I think many of us underestimate the value of our time, not to mention our experience and expertise on top of that. Both of your models sound very reasonable. I know my time is worth $50 an hour, easily, but it’s hard to have enough confidence to charge that much. I guess for me I’d be more comfortable with the upfront fee with an hourly to follow.

This is a great discussion with great comments. Thanks again, Lewis, for getting it started with your great post.

By: Chef Keem

Chef Keem — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:18:29 +0000

Great ideas, Lewis! Thanks.

I’ve done a couple of local biz lenses – Dr. Kracker and Maria’s Taco Xpress. Both have been ranking great in Google. I charged Maria $125 to make the lens, and she was thrilled by the initial results. All this happened several months ago, before I knew what I know now about SEO friendly lens design.

I think this could be a viable biz idea for me. Let’s say, charge $150 up front (including one month free maintenance), and if they like the results and want to continue using my services – a monthly maintenance fee of $25.

Or, $50 for setting up the lens (low upfront cost for creating a tangible result), and then signing it over to the client and offering $50/hr. consultation as needed for their own maintenance work.

It’s true – we probably know more about ranking in Google than most people. I’m always surprised at how quickly my posts get indexed and show up high in the rankings, even with my brand-new site chefkeem.com

We all should be a bit more self-confident about our abilities. Thanks for pointing us in the right direction, Lewis!

By: Paula Atwell

Paula Atwell — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:02:52 +0000

Two things:
I just posted about this on Squidlog.

How do you price your services for creating and/or maintaining the lens. I wouldn’t even know where to begin on pricing this kind of service.

By: Save On Utility Bills

Save On Utility Bills — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:17:06 +0000

This is really good advice, as always! I love this blog. I have been thinking about starting something offline and like some of the other post here, I didn’t really know where to start. You have given me some ideas.

By: Elcorin

Elcorin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:42:58 +0000

Hi,
Amazing! Not clear for me, how offen you updating your http://www.squidoocool.com.
Elcorin

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:28:45 +0000

Lewis, this is a brilliant concept and it’s great to have it spelt out step by step. Thankyou for sharing.

By: LaraineRose

LaraineRose — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:57:48 +0000

Thanks for this timely article. I have been promoting the art work of many artists on Squidoo lenses. I never thought outside that box. I’ll have to think about this. Thanks again.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:46:29 +0000

Wonderful idea, Lewis. Thanks a lot for sharing it. I do believe I could do something like this locally even here in New Zealand.

By: charlino

charlino — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:29:37 +0000

Hello Mr. Smile –

In answer to your question, “Have you helped out any offline businesses for people you know, using Squidoo?” YES. My squidoo adventure began two years with one thing in mind: To help others, starting with my first lens.

In fact, at this time more than fifty percent of the lenses I’ve built over the past two years were designed primarily to help promote the work or offline businesses of others. IT DOES WORK, and I’ve seen it work.

Sometimes I think that it would be nice to get paid for what I do. Who knows, maybe some day that will happen. Until such time, my ‘pay’ is the confidence in knowing how much my online presence really does make a difference to others.

One example: The Getaway Pub (http://www.squidoo.com/TheGetawayPub).

By: CherylK

CherylK — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:57:47 +0000

You won’t believe this but I actually thought about doing this for my sister-in-law who owns a very small natural foods company. She does shipping which would work really well.

I think I’ll talk to her about that! Thanks for the nudge. You are a genius.

By: Mike Stokes

Mike Stokes — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:55:03 +0000

Wow! Lewis you are a genius.

I’ve been thinking about this for some time now, but really had no idea where to begin.

This is an excellent blueprint.

Thank you for all of the help and guidance you offer beginners.

Mike Stokes
Baton Rouge, LA

By: Evelyn Saenz

Evelyn Saenz — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:36:42 +0000

I was thinking of offering just such a service to my hometown in Vermont where they have had little to no access to the Internet but things are quickly changing and it looks like a wonderful opportunity.