Sempo Under Fire, You knew it was coming Options

[Matt B]

http://www.netimperative.com/cmn/viewdoc.j...ture_0000067540

Our friend, Mike Grehan, seems to have finally had enough. He is asking the questions that have been held under breath at the SES shows. Not only that, but he uncovers some very atonishing information:

"Furthermore, SEMPO has approved a $1,500 per week stipend to Ms Coll. This amounts to a salary of $78,000, to fund a part time effort from someone who already has a full time job running a SEM business. Some might ask whether this attractive salary such could have been used to bring on board an executive experienced in building trade associations."

He is calling for the resignation of the entire Board of Directors:
"In August it will be one year since SEMPO was formed. I'm sure there is much back-slapping and cork-popping on the SEMPO agenda for the anniversary at SES San Jose. However, when that is over, I have a suggestion that I'd like to put to the entire board: Why don't you honourably take the plaudits for your excellent work in forming a steering group (which you have been) to gain the first wave of membership, and then resign your positions?"

(IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

[Jbrookins]

OUCH. That's pretty harsh

I've had some hard statements of my own, but unfortunately, they kinda went poof with the server move. (IMG:http://www.highrankings.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/cry_smile.gif) .

I will defend someone saying that if they're that successful, I don't have a particular problem with her making a ton of money out of it if it's successful. Give caesar caesar's due, I say. It would be nice though if there was some sort of accounting...ie what SEMPO has done that's worth paying the leader that much.

This post has been edited by Jbrookins: Jul 27 2004, 03:21 PM

[qwerty]

Apart from the obvious controversy, I found it curious that they'd insist he join in order to speak to them, especially since 1) they asked him to speak and 2) I believe he runs iProspect's UK office, and they're founding members, thus making him a member... or is he no longer associated with them?

[Matt B]

No - Mike broke association with iProspect some months ago.

[Steve Sardell]

IMHO he is one they should have begged to be on their initial board of directors, let alone charge $299. It is due time a high profiler spoke out rather than spinning everything SEMPO did as if they were going to have the Midas touch. There are reasons they have been so slow getting off the ground; they may simply not understand marketing.

[Steve Sardell]

If the salary of $1500 weekly is true then this is a poignant and truthful statement

Some might ask whether this attractive salary such could have been used to bring on board an executive experienced in building trade associations

It would seem logical which may be why it was not done. SEMPO Gate

[OldWelshGuy]

'We knew it was coming', absolutely !

Common decency prevents me from voicing my total feelings about SEMPO in public. That said, it is a great opportunity mismanaged to the point of shame.

What Mike said about making standards for people and methods is EXACTLY what we have been discussing between ourselves here. The industry needs standards, new people who go to works for these spammy companies simply know nothing different than the acceptable working practices within that organisation.

I think we will now see Google & Overture distance themselves at a rate of knots, leaving the group without the bulk of their funding.

One of the things I said in London was that it was great attracting the big hitters to SEMPO, but Lord help SEMPO if one of them speaks out, or worse, leaves.

Like Matt said,

'we all knew it was coming'

SEMPO, the golden opportunity wasted.

[peter_d]

Woo-baby.

Mike brings up a number of good points, and speaks what many, I'm sure, were thinking. If SEMPO is to move forward it needs to be transparent, representative and provide bottom line benefits to the membership.

[peter_d]

What Mike said about making standards for people and methods is EXACTLY what we have been discussing

What Mike says, quite rightly IMHO, is "forget the whole issue of "black hat vs white hat" because that's a situation which search engines have to deal with themselves. They are the ones who must develop their technology to defeat the issue. And certainly, personalisation will go a long way to contributing to that."

[Jill]

Apart from the obvious controversy, I found it curious that they'd insist he join in order to speak to them, especially since 1) they asked him to speak and 2) I believe he runs iProspect's UK office, and they're founding members, thus making him a member... or is he no longer associated with them?

Mike hasn't been with Iprospect for quite some time now. And even if he was, I think you get a sempo membership on an individual basis, not company-wide. Although I could be wrong and that could be an option.

Also, I don't believe that anyone forced Mike to be a member in order to speak, he simply felt it to be the right thing to do. (I believe, Mike could answer that one better!)

I think Mike does make a lot of good points, especially about standards and stuff, and I'm sure people in the UK would be interested in all that he mentioned about their european board members.

The part that bothers me the most is just the wasteful spending of money. Last year they had a great dinner at SES paid for by SEMPO which I attended. It was great, but I didn't get the purpose of it. I'm sure it cost lots of thousands of dollars.

Great for Barb getting that nice salary too! I guess she must put a lot of hours of work into SEMPO. It would have been nice if the members were told about that though. I don't think I got that memo!

[projectphp]

If SEMPO is to move forward it needs to be transparent, representative and provide bottom line benefits to the membership.

I have had this niggling question:
SEMPO has this stated aim on their home page:

SEMPO is a non-profit professional association working to increase awareness and promote the value of Search Engine Marketing worldwide.
http://www.sempo.org/

OK, fair enough. Over here, http://www.haloscan.com/comments.php?user=...817667550194150, two prominant execs make the following comments about their target audience:

3. Advertising. We ... are going to allocate a portion for advertising this year and next... Your suggestions for media placements are welcome. Remember, we're trying to hit brand managers and higher executives.
My emphasis added

OK, that's cool. But surely a large percentage of SEM/O firms and/or practitioners don't target rthe "high end of town". How would such an advertising campaign benefit them? The quote from SEMPO's front page makes no statement about their efforts being purely about marketing SEM to large firms and marketing manageers in charge of large budgets.

Raising the awareness of SEM can surely be aimed at all levels of business that have web sites, from small, 5 page sites to the largest sites of all. For an industry promotional body to target a segment of that market seems a bit odd to me, especially when they have memberships fees that target the smaller outfits.

A more accountable SEMPO would address such a situation, and perhaps hand back control to more members.

<added>Whose messing with my BBcodes?? I mean, heck, at least me speelign is getting better!!!</added>
<added>Part 2: Got it.</added>

This post has been edited by projectphp: Jul 27 2004, 07:45 PM

[Scottie]

It may be that SEMPO emerges as a trade organization to help large SEO firms land large accounts. That's fair enough.

[Jill]

Yep, it oughta be a fun sempo meeting next week in San Jose. We'll see if any of these issues are addressed!

J

[Steve Sardell]

The quote from SEMPO's front page makes no statement about their efforts being purely about marketing SEM to large firms and marketing manageers in charge of large budgets.

No it does not, but if you were to hear BC speak or read what she has written, targeting Madison Avenue types appeared to be her primary goal.

[Matt B]

I do have to say that Mike has a point about the reach of the message. A Google News search for "SEMPO" is fairly disappointing. Most of the press about SEMPO is from a member firm who had a syndicated press release. Very few out-of-industry publications are listed.