fathom - 8:32 pm on Jul 22, 2002 (gmt 0)

There are good reasons why some SEO companies may not want to appear at the top for SEO type phrases - it depends on your target audience and your business model.

Therefore, the reason to look and ask is very important. What the potential client is looking for it creditability. If the response was more to "we don't like giving away our trade secrets" this would be a less appropriate response than the one you mentioned.

Typically the phrase 'search engine optimization' is not used by our target audience. We get most of our business from referrals and networking - most of it local to our region.

Just the same - isn't this what the client is looking for "an SEO company that can get them to the top ten". The fact that you don't target doesn't mean they don't type it in just that these companies don't find you.

It is not worth the effort and cost of getting in the top ten for these extremely competitive phrases

And we also mention this to the client this too eh! I hope you don't mean that the SEO segment is the only industry and market that has highly competitive phrases out there.