The #1 Complaint I Hear From Potential Clients

12 replies
I was just thinking about overcoming objections when it occurred to me that the number one thing that people say when they've had a negative experience with an SEO firm is that they locked them into a monthly contract and provided less and less value each month - until they finally either quit paying or the contract expired.

The thing is, anyone you pitch your services to has heard the spiel before. If they've been unfortunate enough to have had a bad experience with a firm who didn't deliver, they're going to be that much more gun-shy the next time around.

I've learned to include this in my spiel as a means of preemptively calming those concerns. I tell them flat out that many firms require a six month or year commitment in order to proceed. I tell them that the reason I don't is the fact that a long term commitment seems to be the single biggest problem people have from their past experience. I tell them that the implementation phase of the strategy is done on a monthly retainer basis - and all I ask is that if they're going to cancel I need 30 days notice so that I can get all loose ends tied up before they or someone else takes over.

I've never had anyone have a problem with that approach and people are generally receptive to the idea and they appreciate the honesty. Plus, people like the idea that if you don't come through, they can fire your ass!
#clients #complaint #hear #potential
  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Originally Posted by TSDMike View Post

    I was just thinking about overcoming objections when it occurred to me that the number one thing that people say when they've had a negative experience with an SEO firm is that they locked them into a monthly contract and provided less and less value each month - until they finally either quit paying or the contract expired.

    The thing is, anyone you pitch your services to has heard the spiel before. If they've been unfortunate enough to have had a bad experience with a firm who didn't deliver, they're going to be that much more gun-shy the next time around.

    I've learned to include this in my spiel as a means of preemptively calming those concerns. I tell them flat out that many firms require a six month or year commitment in order to proceed. I tell them that the reason I don't is the fact that a long term commitment seems to be the single biggest problem people have from their past experience. I tell them that the implementation phase of the strategy is done on a monthly retainer basis - and all I ask is that if they're going to cancel I need 30 days notice so that I can get all loose ends tied up before they or someone else takes over.

    I've never had anyone have a problem with that approach and people are generally receptive to the idea and they appreciate the honesty. Plus, people like the idea that if you don't come through, they can fire your ass!
    Tell them you only charge for months that they are in the 7 box.
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    • Profile picture of the author Chad Heffelfinger
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Tell them you only charge for months that they are in the 7 box.
      John, If you don't mind me asking, what do you charge for optimization monthly to keep them in the 7 box? I know it may vary if you adjust your fee based on the type of business and return they can expect, but in general?

      Thanks,
      Chad
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by Chad Heffelfinger View Post

        John, If you don't mind me asking, what do you charge for optimization monthly to keep them in the 7 box? I know it may vary if you adjust your fee based on the type of business and return they can expect, but in general?

        Thanks,
        Chad
        Focus all of your energy on clients, industries and geographical areas where it is easy to get and keep them there (on top of serps). In other words; Dont focus on high competition prospects in the first place.

        Dont sell them on the return, tell them it may never produce a customer...sell them on the idea that it immediately creates credibility and prestige in the mind of their customers, and the returns are just gravy.

        Pick low hanging fruit, keep expectations low, or focused on other areas than returns. Then do your best to add the returns.

        Then you will have lifetime customers.
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  • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
    The SEO bandits have been out in full force for years. They spring up, promise guaranteed this and that, get the money in then dissapear and open up under a new name. It's such an old scam now that a lot of people are wise to it.

    Personally I have taken the approach to make myself appear as different as possible to them. I have been on jay abrahams list for a while now and I am using his sales emails as my blueprint. He markets himself to multi million dollar organisations to help them in return for a share of the profits. I come in from the same angle but not for multi million pound companies. I target smaller companies but use the same pitch. I am not interested in making a quick buck, I want a small client base that is easy to manage and happy with my work. Once you impress someone once, you become their "go to guy" for all online and technical stuff and can outsource all the dog work for a cut of the action.
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    • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
      If a prospect is thinking of you as being similar to these dodgy SEO firms then there's probably something wrong with the way you interact with your prospects to begin with.

      Generally speaking if you're spending most of your time listening to prospects and asking them questions then making customized suggestions based around the information you gather then running with the suggestions that a prospect gets excited about...

      # 1: You'll build trust and rapport and position yourself as a trusted advisor rather than a salesperson.

      # 2: You're going to have very little sales resistance because it feels to your prospect like their wants and needs are driving the process (which they really are).


      The other side of this is your committment to clients.

      If you're genuinely committed to helping your clients make more profits from your service than you charge then you're also going to be head and shoulders above anyone else they deal with.

      Kindest regards,
      Andrew Cavanagh
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      • Profile picture of the author TSDMike
        Originally Posted by AndrewCavanagh View Post

        If a prospect is thinking of you as being similar to these dodgy SEO firms then there's probably something wrong with the way you interact with your prospects to begin with.

        Generally speaking if you're spending most of your time listening to prospects and asking them questions then making customized suggestions based around the information you gather then running with the suggestions that a prospect gets excited about...

        # 1: You'll build trust and rapport and position yourself as a trusted advisor rather than a salesperson.

        # 2: You're going to have very little sales resistance because it feels to your prospect like their wants and needs are driving the process (which they really are).


        The other side of this is your committment to clients.

        If you're genuinely committed to helping your clients make more profits from your service than you charge then you're also going to be head and shoulders above anyone else they deal with.

        Kindest regards,
        Andrew Cavanagh
        Andrew,

        Thanks for the comment. Everything you say is spot-on - except I disagree with the first line. The thing is, people are prone to apply blanket stereotypes to groups of people based on personal experiences. A bad encounter with a shady used car salesman means they're all bad... an underhanded tactic by one insurance company means the whole industry is corrupt... you get the point.

        This is no different. Everything you said in your piece illustrates what it takes to break down those barriers - it's all about cultivating a relationship and a genuine desire to help the client succeed. The apprehension is there before I even take the meeting. The trick is to circumvent their prejudices before they become a roadblock to building that relationship.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    I agree that many people lump "web people" into the same group, regardless of what's said. In alignment with Andrew, I have conversations and don't do presentations. Most of my recent clients are through referrals and several have mentioned that people presenting (primarily to networking groups) have been too "salesy" so they went with me instead.
    Signature
    "Test fast, fail fast, adjust fast."
    Tom Peters

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  • Profile picture of the author Jacer
    The successful people I know in SEO do two specific things very different than most service providers.

    1. They work for the client free until they get their site to page one, then the fee is due. This provides they know what they are talking about while building trust with the client.

    2. SEO fee is paid yearly, no monthly. The longer the window of service is, the less the client will hassle you about short term results. Of course, they deserve consistent results through out the year, but one slow month is going to have them cancelling their service.
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    • Profile picture of the author reapr
      Originally Posted by TSDMike View Post

      I was just thinking about overcoming objections when it occurred to me that the number one thing that people say when they've had a negative experience with an SEO firm is that they locked them into a monthly contract and provided less and less value each month - until they finally either quit paying or the contract expired.

      The thing is, anyone you pitch your services to has heard the spiel before. If they've been unfortunate enough to have had a bad experience with a firm who didn't deliver, they're going to be that much more gun-shy the next time around.

      I've learned to include this in my spiel as a means of preemptively calming those concerns. I tell them flat out that many firms require a six month or year commitment in order to proceed. I tell them that the reason I don't is the fact that a long term commitment seems to be the single biggest problem people have from their past experience. I tell them that the implementation phase of the strategy is done on a monthly retainer basis - and all I ask is that if they're going to cancel I need 30 days notice so that I can get all loose ends tied up before they or someone else takes over.

      I've never had anyone have a problem with that approach and people are generally receptive to the idea and they appreciate the honesty. Plus, people like the idea that if you don't come through, they can fire your ass!
      I have run into this situation recently. Person was burned wants site ranked by xmas with and I can not make that guarantee. They appreciate my honesty but still gun shy.

      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Tell them you only charge for months that they are in the 7 box.
      Great idea!

      Originally Posted by Jacer View Post

      The successful people I know in SEO do two specific things very different than most service providers.

      1. They work for the client free until they get their site to page one, then the fee is due. This provides they know what they are talking about while building trust with the client.
      Another great idea and thinking of going this route. Do you recommend a contract?
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      • Profile picture of the author Jacer
        Originally Posted by reapr View Post

        Another great idea and thinking of going this route. Do you recommend a contract?
        In that situation, a contract is a MUST!
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  • Profile picture of the author rdkelsey
    You need a contract just to say you can work on the site.

    My contract is no time limit. We'll work together till we don't. I stipulate that any payments made will not be refunded, but my clients can bail out any time they like.

    I've been doing this for a while. My observation is that if you told them you'd only charge them when they have good listings ... then once you get the good listing they will say "see ya".

    There are lots of dishonest SEO's around ... and just as many unscrupulous business owners!

    Absolutely have a contract. I would never work without one as they could actually come back and say they never told you to do anything.

    --BK
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  • Profile picture of the author Nic Lynn
    First of all, if you sell SEO, you are at a disadvantage already (and will be stacked up against all those spammy, fly-by-night SEO companies). SEO isn't what you should be selling, it's just one of the things that you might do to accomplish what you are selling. Getting more customers and more revenue is what you should be selling.
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