31 replies to this topic

[Kal]

I have been approached by the major client of a direct SEO competitor who operates from the same town as me. This company is looking to replace their existing SEO partner (my competitor) and want to know if I'm interested. They want me to keep this confidential as they haven't told their current SEO they are not going to renew their contract yet.

I haven't clarified all the details yet as I am waiting for the potential client to call back to discuss further but it is a very large firm that could provide a substantial amount of business to us via reselling. Having done some research, it looks as though this client is my competitor's only major client and primary source of income.

Assuming this is a genuine inquiry and not a fishing expedition by my competitor, the dilemma is whether I consider taking on this client and cause a small operator to lose their one major source of income? Also, we have to live in the same town together and he would know immediately that I "poached" his client. I wouldn't feel comfortable seeing him around town knowing I had done that. As they say, don't crap in your own backyard.

My first instinct is to turn this potential business down, but it is such a great opportunity and I do have a family to feed! Can you give me some advice? What would the rest of you do?

[OldWelshGuy]

My gut would tell me your first instinct is wrong (sorry) and that they are going some place else regardless of what YOU say or do. Business is a tough game, and if you don't take the job then someone else will, and your locality will lose out on the income, as neither you nor your competitor will have the business.

Personally I would take the job if offered it. After all, why should YOU feel uncomfortable that someone else lost a job they already had?

[SearchRank]

If the potential client is not happy with their current SEO, then they have the right to look elsewhere. Why not look to you?

I would take them on because if you turn them away, then they will simply go elsewhere. Who cares if you live in the same town as your competitor? Business is business and oftentimes it is cold and calculating.

I think the only scenario where I'd hesitate is if the competing SEO was a friend like some of the other mods here or other SEOs I know (and like) in the world. Then I might contact that person and let them know that their client is hunting so that they might have a fighting chance to save the account.

[redsonia!]

I agree with OWG. If I was the client I certainly would not want to be deprived of the opportunity to get better help with my site just because you know my current SEO. After all, the client should have the right to hire the company they think is best for their needs.

I appreciate the "sticky" situation you are in, and I might ask the client to discuss their move with their current SEO before hiring you. That way he/she will have the opportunity to "fix" the situation if it is fixable. And if the client thinks the situation with the current SEO is not fixable, well, that's not your fault. Business is business and if the client is determined to go elsewhere anyway, then they might as well go to you!

Good Luck!

[Scottie]

I don't see an ethical issue with it as long as you didn't solicit their business... the client sought you out. Even if you did solicit their business, if they were happy with their current SEO, you wouldn't be able to draw them away.

[Jill]

Actually, I have some different thoughts than the ones above.

I get very worried taking on clients who are not satisfied with their current SEO.

How do you know that you will satisfy them any more? If they are looking around for a new one, perhaps they are extremely difficult to work with, or they have unrealistic expectations.

I would be much more concerned with what type of client they are because they are doing this, then what will happen between you and your competitor.

Unless of course you know that your competitor is a complete incompetent and this company got suckered into using them. Then that's another story and you should take the client if you don't mind cleaning up a yukky mess!

[excell]

I would tend to find out why they are dissatisfied and even to suggest they go back to their current SEO to try to improve their service level or whatever.

I have been in a similar situation during a period where google wiped out a lot of websites unneccesarily.

I checked out the SEOs work and found it OK, explained the situation to the client and sent them back to their SEO with a phone call to the SEO to expect them and the essence of my input and advise to their client.

My relationship with both the client & my peer was important to me.

However, if there is good reason for them to make a change and they cannot resolve whatever the problem is where they are - then seriously Kal you should take it before sending the client to an unknown source. And you should do it with a clear conscious. <-I am sure that spelling is not right!

[SearchRank]

I would tend to find out why they are dissatisfied and even to suggest they go back to their current SEO to try to improve their service level or whatever.

I checked out the SEOs work and found it OK, explained the situation to the client and sent them back to their SEO with a phone call to the SEO to expect them and the essence of my input and advise to their client.

That sounds like good advice if you are a counselor sending a run away child back to their parents or a marriage counselor trying to reconcile a couple.

However this is business. I am sorry but I have never seen a business succeed helping their competitors grow or sustain dissatisfied clients.

[Jill]

I am sorry but I have never seen a business succeed helping their competitors grow

No?

Maybe I shouldn't allow my competitors to be mods here then. What was I thinking?

[excell]

There are different ways of going about business. I must say mine is a little different than most, but we acheive great success & enjoy good reputation and respect. Others may call our ways foolish or naive but that's ok...

[OldWelshGuy]

As stated above, it does depend on the relationship between you and this other company. If you only know this other bunch in passing if at all then I would treat it like any other job. If you regularly work with or share info with the other bunch, then different ball game I say.

Certainly another thing to consider is exactly what Jill said about why they are unhappy.

[StacyWms]

The same thing happened to me recently. I got an RFP from a prospect who I knew was a client of one of my competitor friends. (Here in Atlanta, all the search marketers are friendly with each other.) The RFP didn't have any type of confidentiality notice in it, so the first thing I did was call my competitor and tell them I had gotten an RFP and ask them what was going on. They knew the account was up for review and they had gotten the same RFP. They were a little peeved about it, since this is a client they weren't charging much (they'd had them for years) and they had gotten good results for. I told them I wouldn't pursue it, but they encouraged me to. They said "If we're going to lose it, we'd prefer to lose it to you." They decided not to even respond to the RFP.

When I met with the prospect, I told them their site was very well optimized (which it was) and that my approach would be more one of maintenance and finessing -- certainly not redoing anything. I also gave them a bid that was 2 1/2 times what they were paying my competitor. To my surprise, I landed the client.

My worry then became what someone previously posted -- how am I going to make this client happy when my competitors (who had done a good job) didn't? At the first meeting, I asked point blank what the client's expectations were. It sounded like they felt like my competitors had gotten a bit comfortable and were no longer actively managing their campaign (which doesn't surprise me given the low, low fee they had been charging -- they couldn't afford to spend much time on this account). I think there was also an issue of a personality conflict, which is less controllable but fortunately we don't seem to have with them.

My lesson is to stay in close touch with this client and remain proactive for the long haul. Lessons for others in this situation may be to be as open and upfront with all parties as possible. Which I realize is stickier if the prospect specifically asked the search marketer not to tell their competitor they're looking. I had no such limitation. But in general, being as transparent and straightforward with everyone has always worked well for me.

Good luck!

Stacy Williams

Edited by searchrank, 26 July 2005 - 08:31 AM.

[SearchRank]

Welcome to the forum, Stacy.

That was a great example.

[Jill]

Welcome Stacy!

Nice to see you here.

[excell]

And it seems you handled the situation well Stacy - nice level head!

I wanted to add something to my previous post here - I don't think it matters much about proximity in the ultimate decisions and actions you might take when getting a request from any client that has recieved Internet services before. It's just a matter of sussing it all out for the best benefit. A personal choice that you alone need to feel comfortable with.