It’s 2020 and because things are changing so much every day, businesses are looking to increase their online presence now more than ever. But… not every business has the necessary knowledge to know where to start or how to keep up.

Learn how to make money by optimizing small businesses’ Google Maps rankings, which generate leads and increases their sales.

Find an unclaimed business on Google Maps.
Contact the business about optimizing their Google Business.
Optimize their Google Business account by adding pictures and updating relevant links for free.
Develop a relationship with the client and offer your other services.

It’s important to remember your intentions must be true to helping each company for the better, not just to make a quick buck. Your reputation will precede you; be the expert guide.

PART 1 – Find a Business That Needs Help

Step 1: Download Google Chrome

Step 2: Go to Google Maps

Step 3: Search for local, service-based companies like dentists, contractors, etc. to find a specific business that has:

“Claim this business”
Poor Reviews
Little-to-No Reviews
Little-to-No Photos
*OT Tip: The less information, the better. Look for businesses that are in smaller towns and have less top-ranking competitors on Google.

Here’s an example of how to find one. Zoom into a city and click on businesses until you find one that’s unclaimed (you would see “Claim this business” if it’s unclaimed). In this example, it’s an advertising business with 4 great reviews. However, their business is unclaimed, there are only street photos, and they don’t have their business hours listed:

PART 2 – Optimize the Company’s Google Business Account

Step 4: Reach out to the business. You may have to visit the company’s website contact us/connect page to find information on how to get in touch with them, by either:

Calling their provided phone number.
Emailing their provided email address. If you’re emailing them a proposal, it’s important to include their company logo to gain their attention; it’s customized just for them! *Don’t just fill out their company website’s contact form because it’s not going to get their attention.

“Hello ______,

My name is XX and I noticed your business on Google Maps. I work with businesses to improve their Google Maps rankings, which leads to more searches for directions to your business, incoming phone calls, and sales. To acheive such, I will optimize your Google Business profile (that is currently “unclaimed”). Becuase you’re a [local, family-owned, etc.] business and I want to help the community, I would be more than happy to help and could start by doing this for free.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Best regards,

XX”

Step 5: Optimize the company Google My Business through citations, which is just creating and/or connecting existing online listings (Yelp, Facebook, and other online links). The company is going to have to give you a code (by email or phone). You can put in the code for them or walk them through it. After they’re in, it’s important to have them send pictures of the property, staff, and other relevant images that will help portray the business.

*Note: This step can take some time, so if you don’t want to do the work of optimizing the Google Business, you can go to Fiver and have someone complete a gig for your listing. You would need to secure the contract with the company, source and pay the freelancer on Fiver for the work, and then you would make the difference. This process is called “drop-servicing.”

What Is “Drop-Servicing”?

Drop-servicing is a business model involving service arbitrage. To simplify… you find someone who needs help, sub-contract the specific labor, and then collect the difference.

How to Start Drop-Servicing

As the drop-servicer, you are responsible for and need to develop skills in:

- - - Allocating clients in need of a service.
      - *OT Tip: Be sure to research the pricing for the service before negotiating/talking budget with the client.
    - Developing a relationship with the potential client. If you are tech-savvy and trustworthy enough, the potential to make more money serving your newly-found client is highly probable. Upselling other skills or services could help you 10x the profit you make per customer. Some of these “other skills or services” could include things like setting up social media accounts, website design and/or maintenance, SEO, etc. The possibilities are endless once you get your foot in the door.

When it’s all said and done, drop-servicing is like running your own marketing business. If you excel at the required legwork, then utilizing freelancers/contractors to complete the service can be a great side hustle or potentially much more!

Step 6: Turn the prospect into a customer through the value of reciprocity. After a relationship has been developed, you can bring up your freelance services (website design, SEO, social media management, etc.) or negotiate a retainer servicing fee. Simply, provide them with your nicely branded PDF of pricing and service options. PayPal is a great way to work out the payment transactions with your client.