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Thou Shalt Not v2002 [webmasterworld.com]
Did read that post.
Was thinking more along the lines of some marketing techniques for a new seo business that "looked good on paper", but bombed in the real world....that some of you may have tried.
From past unrelated business adventures I know I HAVE had more than a few..... Guess I shall just have to keep winging it, until the right combination comes thru.
A personal favorite marketing technique remembered was a radio promo of dropping live turkeys out of a helicopter on Thanksgiving, only to discover they can't fly (WKRP Cinncinatti episode).
Now that idea sounded good on paper..., but didn't reach the "target audience" :)
Most of our customers are smaller businesses, and not that web savvy, so our number one rule is:
Keep it simple
For example..
Customer: "How can you get us to the top of the search engines?"
4Eyes: "Well we optimise the site by fixing the keyword density, replace the metatags, change te site structure and html code to make it validate and become 'spider' ready, build 'doorway pages' targeting the phrases that get most traffic and increase your Page Rank by running a link popularity campaign"
Customer: "Duh!"
Correct Answer: "We know what search engines like, and we change your site so they like it"
Customer: "Great - have an order"
If they want more information, they will ask for it and the dialogue can then be phrased in terms they understand.
(Of course, being armed with a good portfolio of client references helps)
Don't blind your clients with "information"..
Keep your reporting simple.
We only give our clients a "Search Engine Distribution" traffic report, and a "Traffic by Keyword" report.
This has worked well for us since 1997, handling both small and Agency Level clients.
On the marketing side, "Get Personal".... There is no "one size fits all", or "Cookie cutter" success strategy. Prospects will "overlook" length in business, and long standing references, if they receive the "personal touch" from day (1)..
Do in-depth site analysis, get your prospect's take on a short list of keywords "they" feel will bring targeted traffic to their site. It keeps them involved, and they feel part of a co-operative effort. But, we always do the complete site analysis, and go back to the prospect with the final keyword list, for approval.
From the Admin side:
DON'T TAKE CREDIT CARDS! The reasons are "too many" to list.
$'s spent with a "good" Attorney, well versed in "Contract Law", are your best $'s spent with any 3rd party service for your company. Get everything in writing (contractually).
Watch your receivables like a "Hawk"... Just because a ".com" pays you timely for several months, doesn't mean they will continue to do so. We saw many clients in 2000, "all of sudden" become 30 days past, then 60... If you set terms as "Net 15", it means "Net 15", not sometime in the next 60... If you let clients become lax about paying you on time, you are going to open yourself to "write offs"...
Don't be afraid to "cut off" the client, like a light switch! Assuming you are using "mirror domains".. :)
re: being armed with a good portfolio........which comes first, chicken or the egg? Where did you find the "chicken"?
Did you do a couple of uncomplicated "freebies" to establish "portfolio" of references???
....which comes first, chicken or the egg?
We built our intitial portfolio by doing a number of jobs at very low profit margins.
We also require all customers to pay the monthly payments by standing order. They notice the pain of payment less and we never have to go back and ask them for next years renewal fee.
Consequently we have a very low churn rate :)
<DON'T TAKE CREDIT CARDS! The reasons are "too many" to list.>
I trust you have had "bad" experiences, I'm curious....your top 3 reasons NOT to take credit cards? In a previous life it was a do or die arrangement.......
