California Spotlight #94
The "Bill-Back Strategy"
The "Bill-Back Strategy" Most Local Businesses Ignore
Here’s a technique you can use today if you're a service-based business working with other local professionals — photographers, realtors, home improvement specialists, consultants, etc.
It’s called a Bill-Back Referral Deal.
Here’s how it works:
You send them a client? You invoice them for a flat “client acquisition” credit ($25–$50).
They send you a client? You give them the same.
Why this works:
Unlike commissions, it’s direct and immediate. And unlike affiliate programs, there’s no platform needed. You both just treat referrals like line items.
📍 Real Example: A small landscaping business in Sacramento now invoices a local real estate stager $40 for every staging referral, and receives $35 back for lawn work recommendations. Clean. Documented. Tax-deductible.
This creates a reciprocal revenue loop without chasing leads.
California Retailers Are Quietly Leaving High-Traffic Streets — Here's Why
Don’t be fooled by foot traffic numbers. A growing number of small-format retailers in SoCal and the Bay are leaving prime corners and heading to:
Back-of-lot strip centers
Shared community retail spaces
Pop-in warehouses
The reason?
Short-form video is now driving discovery — not signage.
Your TikTok, Reels, or Google Maps presence is the new “corner spot.”
The rent difference? Often 50–60% cheaper.
📌 Tactic to use: Instead of spending $3K/mo on a fancy retail corner, sublease a back-lot space for $1K and reinvest $500 into locally-geotagged video content every month. (You’ll get more discovery AND margin.)
🚨Get Your Brand in Front of 1,16,000+ People
We’re featuring standout products and businesses in our May 30 newsletter drop — sent across three high-performing publications.
For just $50, you get:
✅ A 100-word spotlight
✅ Custom call-to-action + link
✅ Post-campaign performance report
Brands like Google, Monday.com, and Squarespace have been featured before. Now it’s your turn.
No fluff. No algorithms. Just real visibility.
The Underused Channel: USPS EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)
If you're a hyperlocal business, you're sitting on a goldmine that most digital-only marketers ignore:
Every Door Direct Mail lets you send flyers/postcards to ZIP codes without buying a list.
Why it matters in 2025:
Saturation in email and Meta ads is up 40%
Mailboxes are empty compared to inboxes
What works:
Simple “We’re in your area” messages
Time-sensitive offers (3-day promo)
No QR codes or gimmicks — just a local phone number or walk-in incentive
Cost?
As low as 20¢ per household. That’s cheaper than Meta CPCs for most zip codes in LA County.
🏁 Start here: https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm
Final Thought: Slow Buyers Aren’t Bad Leads — They’re Untimed Ones
If you’re getting "ghosted" after discovery calls or product demos, stop assuming they’re dead leads.
What’s often true:
Their pain isn't urgent yet
Your follow-up feels like pestering, not re-framing
Try this instead:
✅ 3 weeks later, send them a simple Loom video with:
A 60-second refresher on what you offer
A new context (like a changed market condition)
One actionable free tip that helps them regardless
This frames you as an advisor, not a seller.
You may also like to read:
Best Platforms to Promote Your SaaS in 2025