7 Expectations to Set When Selling SEO
Note: Yes, that is my dog running around in the background making racket. Also, Tip #7 is totally cracked out! The sound got screwed up somehow, so it looks like I’m from one of those bad Kung-Fu movies…but whatever, enjoy!
This one goes out to all the salespeople out there. SEO is in style right now, and everybody wants a piece of the action. So, despite the bad economy and with the purse-strings tightly wound, many companies are looking to invest in a Search Engine Optimization campaign (whether they understand SEO or not).
Regarding Expectations
Now I’m not a salesperson, so I don’t know if selling SEO is easy or hard? What I do know is that I have no shortage of projects to work on, so it must be pretty easy even with a poor economic climate. The issue is, early on (or even before) the SEO campaign starts there is usually some kick-back or complaining from the client about an expectation that hasn’t been met or some other gripe (warranted or unwarranted) that lands on my desk.
Being the SEO, my goal is to eliminate the complaints (and the headaches associated with them) so I can push forward and be a positive force for each client that I work with. This has a lot to do with setting the right expectations BEFORE you even start an SEO campaign. Which means, it starts with where it was sold!
Setting the right expectations up front is the key to building a solid, trusting relationship with each client, and running a smooth campaign. So all you salespeople out there, listen up…
1. Don’t Sell Dreams
If you’ve ever sold SEO to a client when you knew it wouldn’t work, shame on you! Selling an unrealistic dream to a client will expedite the process of not just pissing them off, but pissing off the SEO’s who have to try to fulfill the dream.
If a client has a crappy, non-search friendly website and wants to rank for an impossible keyword, don’t tell them we can get them to the first position in Google.
Sometimes the best policy is honesty, and not just telling the client what the want to hear. A client will generally be more appreciative down the road, even if their lofty expectations have to be lowered a bit.
2. Understand the Scope
Understanding the scope of the project your SEO team may have to undertake is absolutely critical. I’ve seen many projects where a client was paying very little, and the scope of what needed to be done and what they were expecting from an SEO perspective ridiculously outweighed the budget. This is not profitable!
As a salesperson, it is your job to understand how much time and money you need to charge up front to meet the needs of the client, while making a profit for your biz. This means doing a lot of research up front on everything from the client’s target keywords, to the client site, and on the competitors. Depending on the size of the website and the competition involved in the target keywords, it could take a lot of effort on the part of your SEO team to achieve the client’s expectations.
After doing this critical research, you should have a much better idea on how much time your SEO team will need to execute on an SEO contract.
3. SEO Takes Time
Search Engine Optimization is a practice that takes time. It not only takes time to make all of the necessary changes, but it takes time for the search engines to pick up those changes. On top of that, the search engine has to decide whether or not to move you up or down in their rankings.
So, telling a client that they can expect quick results is a big No-No. And making guarantees for ranking time is a fireable offense. Fact is, an SEO can only make changes that he/she thinks are best for the website’s long-term rankings. We have no real control on how long (or even if) these changes will have any real impact.
So if you must set a time-table, it’s best to set it longer rather than shorter. This will help give the client the expectation that SEO is a long-(not short)-term solution.
It takes as long as it takes…
4. Gaining Rankings Isn’t Easy
Let’s face it. Google, Yahoo, Bing, and all the others don’t owe us a thing. No matter how hard we try, they don’t have to ranks us if they don’t want to. The other fact you must consider is that nobody other than the people that work for the search engines, knows the exact algorithm.
So when you tell somebody how easy it should be to rank number one for term X, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t happen. Instead, let the client know what they’re up against. They are likely to be more willing to battle it out with you if you explain up front how difficult the fight might be.
5. It’s a Never-Ending Process
This is in response to the inevitable question that every salesperson gets:
- How long do I have to do SEO?
- When I get ranked-well, can I stop?
SEO is a long-term solution, and a never-ending process. Algorithms change constantly, which means you may be ranked #1 today and gone tomorrow.
Sure, you can stop when your rankings get good, but don’t be surprised if the drop when you aren’t doing SEO anymore. So you have to stay on top of it constantly, which means that (at least theoretically) you could run an SEO campaign forever.
Being a realist, I understand that nobody will pay for SEO forever. Point is, your clients just need to understand that what works in SEO today may not work tomorrow.
6. Educate & Be Educated
First off, know what you’re talking about. If you want to sell SEO, study it. A client can sense when they’re being fed bullshit, and they will jump on you faster than a shark at a bait shop.
Second, educating a client on the practice of SEO can go a long way. It will help them understand not just what needs to be done, but why you’re doing it. If a client understands what is going on, they are more likely to trust you and give you a bit a lee-way later on.
7. Foster a Relationship of Trust
Be as honest and open about what you’re selling them as possible. If you BS them up front, they’re not likely to trust you and will probably be skeptical throughout the whole process. However, if you do all the things necessary to build trust with the client, you (and your SEO team) are more likely to have a positive long-term relationship with your clients that is mutually beneficial to both parties.
Have fun, and hope these tips help you sell SEO the right way!
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Phil Buckley
