ManyRequests is a client portal and client requests management software for creative services.
If you run an agency, a foot in the door offers can form an important part of your overall agency client acquisition strategy.
Let's get started!
What are foot-in-the-doors offer?
Foot in the door offers are small, low-cost offers that demonstrate the value of your company main services or products.
They come from the days of door-to-door marketing where salespeople would offer a valuable, low commitment offer to try to sell you their product.
Foot in the door offers means trying to get the prospect to agree on a more modest offer (for example, a 1 month newspaper subscription for $1) and later get them to agree to purchase a more expensive service or product: A quarterly subscription for $49 for example.
What makes a good foot-in-the-door offer for your agency?
So you might ask, but Robin how does this apply to agencies?
1. Demonstrates the value of your agency services
The goal of your foot-in-the-door offer is to demonstrate the value of your agency's services.
You need to create an offer which is related to the main services your agency offers.
Example: One-time blog post for $99, then $499/month blog article subscription.
2. Low cost
Secondly, your foot-in-the-door offer should be affordable, so prospects don't have to account for pricing when deciding to go with your offer. Your offer should be a no-brainer. You can also offer a money-back guarantee.
Example: $49 SEO audit.
3. Simple
You need to remove the decision-making from your prospects when deciding whether to purchase your foot-in-the-door offer. Make it simple!
Don't overcomplicate what is included and create a payment link for clients to purchase your offer.
Example: 30-min consultation delivered over Zoom.
4. Repeatable
Finally, having some sort of repeatable processes to create and deliver your foot-in-the-door offer is key so that you can deliver it faster and better. One way to do so is by productizing your services and use SOPs, templates, or checklists so you can have a more predictable way of delivering it.
Example: 10-points SEO consultation delivered over Loom.
Examples of foot-in-the-door offers for agencies
Let's jump with some examples of foot-in-the-door offers.
1. Audits
Examples: Website audits, marketing audits, SEO audits.
One of the most popular examples of foot in the door offers is offering an audit.
Say you're providing SEO services. You could create a "SEO audit" (see example below) service and review all errors or give suggestions for $49, delivering via a 10-loom.
2. Paid trial
Example: $7 for 7 days of design services.
Another one, especially popular if you're running a subscription-based service is to create a paid trial of your services.
ManyRequests allows you to this (you can create checkout forms with free and paid trials)
Here's an example from Awesomic, an on-demand design service based in Ukraine:
3. One-off task
Example: One-time article for $$.
If you're offering subscriptions, an alternative is to offer one-off tasks for a flat fee.
Here's an example from Contentago, a content writing service specialized in the health and wellness niche:
4. Unique service
Example: Wordpress speed optimization service for $50,- or One-time illustration service for your team.
Another interesting aproach to the foot-in-the-door offer is to create a one-time, no brainer service. Something really useful or fun for your clients. A unique service can be greart way to generate word of mouth for your agency as well.
For example, a website speed optimization (who wouldn't want their site to run faster?) or an illustration service that turns members of your team into avatars.
Here's example from 55Knots which created "Avatar Yo'Self" and "Avatar Yo'Team" services:
5. One-one-one consultation
Example: 30-min training delivered via Zoom.
Another foot in the door offer is to offer a personalized consultation or training. You could deliver these via Loom, Zoom, or simply send an email with a report. This type of foot-in-the-door offer is really popular among consultants or coaches.
GetRhys created an on-demand SaaS consulting service and created a $100 Website review service:
6. Paid ebook or product
Examples: $20 Ebook with marketing tactics or illustration packs.
Paid products are another great foot-in-the-door offer for the following reason: You only need to build them once.
Pixel True offers paid illustrations but also mentioned on their page "Get custom designs" and also showcased examples of work they've done for their clients on the same page.
7. Course
Examples: Video courses, or paid community.
Finally, a course is also a great way. Courses make great foot-in-the-door offers for a few reasons:
- You can cement yourself as an expert on the topic.
- You can educate your clients about the need for your services.
For example if you run a lead generation service you could create a course "How to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator for Agencies".
Here's an example from Chase Dimond who runs Boundless Labs, an e-commerce marketing agency. He created a course that helps e-commerce store owners master Klaviyo:
Wrapping up
Foot-in-the-door offers can help you turn prospects of your agency into clients by offering simple, low-cost product or service that demonstrate the value that your agency can create for your clients.
They help build trust, but also you to learn more about your client needs so you can better serve them.