Convincing the Customer

[theBPC]

As some of you I'm sure already have realized, knowing the value of SEO and quality link building is only the beginning. Convincing your client that the services you offer are vaulable is crucial - that's what pays the bills

I came across this quote today from an article by Garrett French over at WebProNews.com in his 11 June newsletter article "Google Talks Link Building At SES London," and I think I just struck gold. If direct quotes from Google, don't convince clients, what will?

"thematic incoming links from authority sites carry more weight than on-page optimization." - from a Google Developer

I hope other find this quote useful in marketing link building campaigns. I will certainly be using it in mine.

With that said, may I open the floor to discuss the most effective and efficient methods of convincing clients to buy seo and link building services?

[Anthony Parsons]

From my experience they don't listen. Letting people go do their own thing, stuff up, get ripped off, etc, and then come back too you, seems to work the best. Harsh, though generally reality.

I found the way in which I have structured my website now seems to be quite effective. Most sites are very political and business orientated to sell sell sell. I call it "over selling" just like "over optimized". I did the opposite with my own business site, cut through the BS and give it to them straight, and it works a charm. I think people are sick of being "convinced" (I know I am) and then taken for a ride. I am sick to death of seeing the same thing site after site. Just go and have a look at many SEO's websites, they all nearly mirror each other. Kinda don't know how we don't all go for duplicate content really.

If what you have doesn't sell itself, then you've lost the battle already. Any good copywriter or marketeer will tell you that.

Does it work? Well, I'm currently not taking any more work at present and actually just providing advice to them on a pay per link basis if the site is worthy or pay per hour for personal online advice through an online chat and let them DIY. Thats how effective something selling itself is, instead of trying to convince.

[Daria_Goetsch]

Originally Posted by theBPC

"thematic incoming links from authority sites carry more weight than on-page optimization." - from a Google Developer

With that said, may I open the floor to discuss the most effective and efficient methods of convincing clients to buy seo and link building services?

I also believe on topic links from authority sites are powerful. Convincing clients? Some bigger companies have enough of a budget that anything you offer is not a problem. Smaller companies on the other hand have a harder time justifying the cost of some services since their budgets tend to be smaller.

Your best bet is to offer good referrals from clients who are happy with the results of your SEO and link building services.

[theBPC]

MarketLeap's saturation tools, which allows you to compare your site's perfomance with competitor's sites, can also be a great way of motivating clients to invest in your services. If they see that their competition is greatly exceeding them, they immediately realize the need to optimize.

[Anthony Parsons]

I think 'convincing' is the completely wrong term for this. I look at it like this!

Try and convince me that the alexa toolbar is an accurate method of measuring a websites popularity?

You won't, because even the alexa site clearly states how the toolbar works. Only those using the toolbar, and those sites visited by those using the toolbar are actually being voted for. So therefor, the toolbar is not, can not and will never be an accurate method to determine anything to do with a websites actual potential. Install the thing and you can manipulate the rankings of your own site by visiting all your pages once a day.

So the moral is, Alexa don't try and convince me to install their product, they simply present me with all the information and facts, then allow me to make an informed decision on whether to install their product or not. Hence, back to my original post; a person has to be sold by the time they finish reading your site information, not convinced after the information has been presented too them.

[bwelford]

To use a concept that is often used in selling situations, the customer has to feel the pain in order for you to be able to offer your services as a doctor.

Luckily the symptoms in this case are very measurable. Just show them that on G or Y! they're not in the first 100 for their favourite keyword phrase and many will acknowledge that they are suffering. Even worse show them that if someone types in their company name in a search engine field, they don't come up in the first 20. You really have to make it very easy for potential purchasers who are searching the Web to find your website.

Of course some companies may be in denial and say they have no pain. If so move on, there are many more companies who are critically aware they're in pain.

[Daria_Goetsch]

In my experience, it is more difficult to convince clients to pay for a linking campaign than SEO. Particularly small businesses, probably due to cost. At times the concept of linking and its benefits are not clear to the client. Larger companies tend to agree more readily on a linking campaign. As theBPC mentioned, Marketleap's tool is very helpful in showing the client the status of their link popularity.

[St0n3y]

Originally Posted by Daria_Goetsch

In my experience, it is more difficult to convince clients to pay for a linking campaign than SEO. Particularly small businesses, probably due to cost. At times the concept of linking and its benefits are not clear to the client. Larger companies tend to agree more readily on a linking campaign. As theBPC mentioned, Marketleap's tool is very helpful in showing the client the status of their link popularity.

That's interesting, because I'm finding that people are MORE willing to pay for linking than they are optimization. Of course, this is not trying to sell optimization clients on linking, but selling new people on optimization only vs. linking only. I've found that those who want links are WAY more willing to throw down a several $K for links while optimization clients are much more stingy.

[Daria_Goetsch]

Right, in my case it would be small business optimization clients who also need link building services. If the client is specifically looking for link building and is somewhat aware of what link building is, it should be easier to sell them those services. Most clients I deal with have at least some idea of what SEO is about.

[Anthony Parsons]

Originally Posted by Daria_Goetsch

Most clients I deal with have at least some idea of what SEO is about.

Its funny you say that actually Daria! I looked at this problem and thought, "why are we waiting for people to find out the hard way they need SEO?" What I did was incorporate a little presentation into my site for those (which is 90% of website owners) who have little idea on why they require SEO and how the process works. I wanted something that was more than a quick paragraph of explanation on a page.

This is live, but only copywritten to page 4, so don't hack to hard on the writing just yet. Presentation

The inspiration for this was a client I picked up through another forum was wondering how to get traffic to here site and achieve the high rankings for her niche. After pointing her in the right direction to read some info through forums and so forth, she came back to me and said she understoon little about the process and what exactly was going to happen on her site and even where she would start if she wanted to do this herself. I wrote the presentation, let her look at it and then she was much clearer on why she required it and how the process worked and why in certain orders (which vary slightly from SEO to SEO).

That did me wonders on having to differentiate to clients why they required one (optimization) / the other (link popularity) / or both to achieve high rankings. It gave my 'now client' who had no idea about all the why's with SEO; a good idea on where the money goes, what is needed etc etc. This was more beneficial than the site information based around those who know what they are looking for already.

This just keeps returning to answer the original question; they must be sold and not convinced. This will raise an SEO companies conversion dramatically. We do this for our clients, so you should definately do it for yourself.

[Daria_Goetsch]

Originally Posted by Anthony Parsons

Its funny you say that actually Daria! I looked at this problem and thought, "why are we waiting for people to find out the hard way they need SEO?" What I did was incorporate a little presentation into my site for those (which is 90% of website owners) who have little idea on why they require SEO and how the process works. I wanted something that was more than a quick paragraph of explanation on a page.

This is live, but only copywritten to page 4, so don't hack to hard on the writing just yet. Presentation

Nicely done, Anthony, that's a great idea. It is easy to forget how much detail is involved in what we do for clients, and how best to pass that kind of information on to them.

That did me wonders on having to differentiate to clients why they required one (optimization) / the other (link popularity) / or both to achieve high rankings. It gave my 'now client' who had no idea about all the why's with SEO; a good idea on where the money goes, what is needed etc etc. This was more beneficial than the site information based around those who know what they are looking for already.

Certainly a great way to inform your clients so that they know the process in depth (if they want to know it) and show them how those services tie together.

[St0n3y]

Is it possible for optimization to succeed without link building? I don't offer SEO without link building, but do offer linkbuilding without SEO with the disclaimer that linkbuilding only won't necessarily achieve top rankigns for them.

[Daria_Goetsch]

I think it is always better to include link building, however, some clients will not go for it. Sounds like you are doing right by giving them a disclaimer.

In my experience I've seen some small businesses rank well with a minimal amount of links, usually naturally obtained. The sites I have seen like this do not typically have competitive keywords.