Shop Local Directory – Step 2

Here is a quick update on the the two new online directories I have been building. The first is a niche directory for Functional Medicine Practitioners. The second directory is a “Shop Local Directory” which will act as an off shoot service of my LocalsGuide Newspaper.

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As previously discussed the directory has been built using the GeoTheme wordpress theme. If you are interested in the theme you can read my full review here. Please note that the theme which we are using has been highly customized and is running on a previous version of GeoTheme.

http://hyperlocal101.com/new-local-directory-wordpress-theme-geotheme

In my last email “Phase One” I discussed a few different details mostly focused around the monetization and how I had created a sign up process which has people Pay First … and Play Second.

I felt this was a very important change we had implemented to the core signup process of GeoTheme simply because the real goal of the directory is to make money, not to have people play around with their listings and decide at the last minute that they are not interested in your services.

I also discussed how and why it was important for listings to offer yearly rates rather than monthly recurring billing.

If you missed that email or want to re-visit what I had to say you can read the email here: http://hyperlocal101.com/shop-local-directory

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WHATS HAPPENING NOW

Over the past four weeks I have worked through phase two which included the following 2 steps.

Step 1: BETA TEST – Early Invite

* Before you even consider opening a local directory you need to fully test and think through the sign up process. Obviously I spent quite a bit of time testing the directory signup process myself but nothing works better than having actual users create their own accounts.

You can always rest assured that someone is going to do something you don’t expect and therefore, will be able to help you perfect the signup process.

To complete this process “Beta Test – Early Invite” – I personally invited 10 of our best clients. People I knew who would respond to an email from me and then take me up on a FREE offer to create a listing in the new directory. I then worked directly with these folks to perfect the signup process and received feedback along the way. Once this was done I proceeded into the next step.

Step 2: Early Enrollment of the First 50 listings.

* This next step is a trick most people have never heard of or never thought of when they set out to build a local or niche directory, and the trick is this. When you walk into a super market you will immediately notice that the shelves are full of stocked inventory… or in other words the store is not empty.

This abundance mindset is of critical importance when setting out to build your own directory. The social proof that is created from having a directory that looks successful is POWERFUL! Nobody wants to be the first listing, and nobody wants to be a part of something that isn’t going to win!

So with that in mind I set out to get our first 50 FOUNDER MEMBER Listings setup and looking great. This has now been accomplished and the directory is up and running.

WHAT NEXT

Over the next month weeks I will now move into phase three which will include. The public launch of the new directory / Super Sale and then the implementation of the long term sales funnel which will consistently drive and bring new prospects into the directory to create their paid listing.

I hope you have enjoyed this update. Send me an email if you have any questions or want to share any of your own projects that you are working on.

Until Then – Keep it Relevant
Shields Bialasik