27 replies to this topic

[SEOisTheFuture]

Everyone that has contributed to this post, thank you very much for the help and guidance you've given me. Please keep this info coming!!! This is great knowledge for a newcomer like myself to find out early. Thanks again.

[Randy]

I'm not so sure there are any certain industries, markets or types of companies that are more attuned to SEO quite frankly. My experience (when I still did Design/SEO for others) was that a great deal depended upon how forward-thinking an organization was. And also if you could speak the the real decision-maker when making your pitch or not. Those are the two keys to marketing yourself as an SEO in my opinion.

Businesses, especially small- to medium-sized companies who are looking for a way to increase their reach without blowing up their advertising budget can be very well suited for SEO. Most notably when they do not already have a web presence. Most larger corporations are already doing something on the web, and have at least something of an understanding. But they're usually already under contract too, so they're harder.

Just make sure that the prospective clients realize that your work, and the cost associated with it, is a long-term solution. They're used to spending $xxxx.xx for an ad and only getting a one-time return on the investment. So sometimes you have to stress the point that SEO, while something that changes constantly, can be a very effective long-term investment on their part if done correctly.

Frankly, if you can get started with smaller businesses in your area and do a good job for a few of them you'll get more referral business than you can handle alone in my experience. Business owners, especially the mom and pop type, who talk to their customers face-to-face typically get a lot of feedback from their customers. If they get told a few dozen times that they're getting new or return customers because of their web site, they will brag about that fact to other local businesses. And before you know it, you're swamped with work.

If you need some "for instances" to use as generic examples give a shout or shoot me off a PM. I don't SEO for others anymore these days, but I and many others here I'm sure can give you some Real World examples to use in making the point of just how effective SEO can be as part of a long-term growth and advertising campaign.

[OldWelshGuy]

I can vouch for that Randy,

I have customers that have cut their offline ad spend from £30,000 a year down to less than £5,000 as 80% of their enquires now come from the web. These run from Limo hire companies, through to printers, car hire, hotels, wedding dress makers.... They still advertise, but now it is their WWW. they are advertising, so the ads are more often and smaller.

Like Randy said, when you do a good job for the owners of a business, they tell their business friends, and before you know it you will be lining up work half a year in advance, and still be turning more away.

The beauty of having more work than you can handle was explained to me years ago by the owner of a VERY busy restaurant in Cardiff. He advertised religiously with us, but he was always fully booked. I asked him Mr Miah, why do you advertise when you have no tables to sell?

His reply was, (paraphrased) the sweetest sound to my ears is I am sorry we do not have a table, I know then I am making all the money i possibly can. I also know i can put my prices up at any time, knowing i can still sell all my covers.

So to me it means that I can do the jobs I want to, at the rates I want to be paid.

[Paul J]

what companies are interested in SEO for their website the most:
those companies that promote their website in offline advertising but do not have it optimised , either through ignorance, or have never been approached.

Thanks for that link, Googlewhacked. I can't believe there's an article by Scottie I haven't read! All the other posts are great as well.

This thread made me think a little more about it. I think another reason I haven't cold called is because of reading Seth Godin's Permission Marketing book a year or so ago (everyone here probably has a copy). He explains how Internet marketing is "permission" based and traditional sales and marketing is "interuption" based. I guess I take the approach that I want my customers to find me because they want to.

With that said, I definitely don't think cold calling is wrong. My guess, is most people on this forum don't cold call (although I could be wrong). I'd be interested in seeing from those who have spent a good time cold calling (or outsource sales reps to do it for them) any instances that have worked for them.

Paul

[Jill]

Thanks for that link, Googlewhacked. I can't believe there's an article by Scottie I haven't read!

Geez...I guess you don't read the Advisor either! That's where it first appeared. In fact, that article at isedb is supposed to say so!

J

[Paul J]

More proof that I need to cut back on my "non" seo jobs.

[Matt B]

Don't sell. Educate.

I can't agree with that statement more . . .

Until people understand the value, they can't justify the cost. Teaching the basics of hosting, design and even basic computer skills can help develop many good business relationships.

As far as larger companies go, they seem to need education as well, but at a different level. Approach a relationship as if you are providing a resource rather than a solution and the doors may open a bit easier.

[Scottie]

LOL-

I've posted my analogy on a couple different forums, but Jill convinced me to write it up as an article. It really does help- I've explained it that way to clients and you can see the lightbulb go on as they suddenly "get it". There's too much crap out there about submitting to 1000's of search engines for many people to understand that there are other ways.

The one thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is that there is a high cost to education... it's a much easier sell if the prospect is already somewhat interested. Trying to convince someone via coldcall (whether in person or phone) that they need SEO is a real shot in the dark.

Offer to speak to your local Chamber of Commerce or BNI or other business networking groups on the value of Internet Marketing and you will have a qualified crowd. Then let them come to you for more info.

[OldWelshGuy]

Sorry scottie, that is what I meant by approaching customers who promote their website, but do not appreciate the power of SEO.

When i speak to a customer .

I should say that most of my work is referred, so i usually ge this from a customer telephone call... phone rings, hiya, its xxx here, <chit chat> can you give xxx a call, i was speaking to him, and he asked if I would call you to ask if you could ring him about his site, he wants xxx.

But I meant that people who promote a website know the web, they will use the web, and they will also know that they are not ranking very well. So these are the people I would target.

Happy new year Scottie

[Scottie]

Happy New Year, James! Yours must be past now... so I hope it was good!

Referrals are the best. You've already got credibility! Just have to reel them in....

What is this?? No fish smiley? I will have to fix THAT situation as soon as I get back on broadband...

[Jill]

You couldn't pay me enough to try to sell SEO to people who never heard of it.

No way, no how. What a waste.

There's plenty of people who know what it is and want it. Go after them and leave the others to realize they need it -- eventually!

Jill

[SEOisTheFuture]

There's plenty of people who know what it is and want it. Go after them and leave the others to realize they need it -- eventually!

But the thing is you don't know who wants it. How do you find that out? If you know that, please let me know because I'm trying to figure that out myself lol!

What I do know is that, any company that has a website wants SEO but they don't know what it is, or are uninformed which makes the sell hard to close.

If I'm wrong please correct me. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of this. Thanks.

[OldWelshGuy]

SEOis, it really is as easy as you make it. There is no magic involved in sales prospecting it goes like this.

Look at businesses who have a website, look at website see if it is ranking, If it is not it is either not optimised, or poorly optimised.

Call them and say do you want your website to be appearing a lot closer to the top than it is, if they say yes, or ask any other questions then they are prospects, if they say no, then they are a lost cause, move on to the next suspect, (In my world suspects are names on a list, prospects are names on a list who have expressed interest on contact)

Remember that telling a prospect that you are an SEO specialist is like me telling you I am a 'meibion tad' thats Welsh, a language you probably dont understand.

Tell them what you do, can do for THEM, not what you do.