I can't close a deal today because....because....I don't have a reference

Should just be straight up with the guy, even if it means going month-to-month. He'll appreciate it.

Find someone reputable who has a site at number one on google and partner up with them to outsource the work... then refer him to their site with their permission. Tell them you have a client and you will share the business with them but you need a reference.

Simple. You and your partner both can benefit.

Half is better than nothing, maybe alot better if you strike a good partnership... later you and your partner will have even more work to show, maybe even HIS (the client).

Well that was an experience. It reminds me that I need to get some references for my clients.

Anyone want to pretend to be my references

(I'm sarcastic but really I'm serious lol)

LOL.. offer to do it for someone for free if he will be your reference?

First off all... you made a mistake. The business owner should not be dictating minor things like references. If you birth a client by allowing them to "dictate" little things like this....you are conditioning them to "dictate" little things in the future. For the future PLEASE keep this in mind.

You should have said something like this (which will definitely make him realize you are the real deal and exude confidence):

Look...my policy is I don't reveal who my clients are...just like I wouldn't reveal that I'm working for you unless I get your permission. Furthermore, at some point here we are going to have to trust each other.

Getting your key word #1 Google is not going to be an issue. Give me a week and you will see for yourself. Half down today gets me started and half when I'm finished. Don't worry...you will see for yourself shortly as we do this all day long.

Are you in or are you out?

Moving forward, for the future...you should have some references as you already know now obviously. In terms of how you play this now...it's up to you actually. I believe honesty is the best policy...but you got yourself in a pickle.

I know what I would do...but I'd like to see what other Offliners would do in this scenario. I get a kick at some of the peoples responses on these boards. But to each their own...

Success to you,

Chris Negro

Yep,

Be straight up, tell him he is your first client. Sweeten the deal with maybe a little added extra because it is your first client. Also, explain that you have been an internet marketer for a while and have been just working on your own campaigns. You have only just decided to use your expertise with local businesses.

If you be honest, he will respect that and the chances are he will give you a shot!

Hope you get the client! ; )

GoGetta

Some of the advice on this thread is good some is not...

Given your situation the following is what you should have told him while looking straight in the eye.

Mr. Owner, I do not have any references for you.

Let me explain it to you this way...

I reach in my file cabinet and hand pick my VERY best clients. Everything went completely perfect! Completed everything without a hitch!

Now do you think that is a fair representation of any business? Don't you think things happen and get screwed up sometimes?

Owner, yes.

I mean haven't you made mistakes with clients?

Owner, yes.

So what was the true measure of your business at the point in time? It was how you handled the mistake, right?

Owner, right.

Ok so no reference list, but one thing I can look you straight in the eye and say. I make good on my mistakes because things don't always go perfect.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, that's one response.

Knowing a bit more about your situation you could also reply as follows.

Mr. Owner, I am already successful with my very own web sites that are ranked very well on the first page of Google, and they make me money, enough money that I don't have to be here and I'll be happy to show them to you as well, but the thing is this...

I am here because I decided to start making a difference in the lives of small business owners who have been taken advantage of by hucksters calling on the phone and selling them Paid Advertising as a way to be on the first page of Google.

pause looking him straight in the eye. Timing is everything, as soon as it looks likes he's about to respond you say.

But truth is your my first client but it does not matter, I am already successful for myself in the very service I am offering you.

Listen guys...

In all seriousness telling your prospect you don't reveal your clients is not what to tell people.

First off its exactly what they don't want to hear.
Secondly it makes you instantly suspect of having something to hide, true or not.
Its about what they perceive.

Russ I miss seeing your face man.

@Chris, sorry I havent gotten back to that guy from florida yet. If you have him email me at johndurham1969@yahoo.com I will let him in the alibaba forum for free and send him the report. That way he can get regular advice and support, also maybe get into some jv opportunities with others.

There's definitely some lively debate in this thread!

Handling the references question when you're a seasoned pro is easy. Handling it when you're a rookie is nerve racking. But in both cases you have got to have your answer planned out and be ready to reply confidently. It's not...no references =no deal. It's...no confident reply = no deal.

The real problem I see in Joe's original posting is that it took the prospect 15 minutes to read a contract. That tells me that the contract is too long.

There is a time and place for long contracts but when you're starting out that will just get in your way.

My advice....create a Statement of Work form that you can fill in with the client. It should already have your standard payment terms on it. You add in the tasks to be performed and the prospect signs it.

Also, keep the initial project (and price) relatively small. When you're just starting out, and have no track record, don't try to sell an ongoing seo monthly service as your opening engagement with a new client. You can sell them that eventually but don't lead with that as the starting point.

For example, you could tell the prospect that the best way to start an seo project is to establish a baseline that clearly defines his starting point. To do this you are going to set up google analytics for them, evaluate his website, check out his competitors, and produce a brief report. Have a sample copy of the report that you can show him (with the client's name conveniently blacked out).

In reality the baseline report is just a combination of information from google analytics, google keyword tool, seocentro, quantcast, etc. and it probably won't take you more than 1 hour to produce. Charge a small fee for doing the research and producing the report, something around $100 or $200.

When you're only charging $100, and they can picture outcome (the sample report), you will rarely get the reference question.

Once you've sold the baseline project, and delivered a great report, it's time to sell the month to month seo services. The chances of you getting the reference question at this point are extremely small (unless you messed up on the report project).

This also gives you a chance to evaluate the customer and see if this is someone you want to work with. There's lots of prospects out there and the last thing you want to do is get caught up in a long term deal with someone that is going to annoy you every step of the way.

John

The first client I landed mentioned during our second meeting that he'd like to know who else, i'd done this for..
You could go on the whole "client privacy policy" angle... but to me, that smells a little... so I can only imagine what my prospect would think...

My response to my first soon to be client was:
"I haven't done this for anyone else, other than me and my sites, that's why you're only getting me for 1k a month... but if you're that worried, I'll refund ALL your money in 3 month's time, cool?"

It's been 10 months and he's still on board.

Just make sure you can deliver what you promise.

Honesty in this case could work very well...

Why?

Because assuming you know what you're doing (you can provide the services you claim - and do so extraordinarily well) the rest is communication.

Your nervousness comes from being "called" on not having done what you allude to. I'm not saying you imply you've done this for other people, but it's a natural assumption.

Why not address that problem directly? Why not turn it to your advantage?

Imagine not being nervous because you're not running or hiding from anything?

The key in this environment is supreme, unhesitating confidence and actual skills that can deliver. If you have the latter, practice the former through remembering, you're giving great value, they should want to work with you.

There is still work to be done. You have to sell the person that that is the case.

Honesty? If you really believe in your skills, have a strong guarantee AND you've qualified your prospects right, the rest is confidence and communication of that assurance.

Rus gave you some great advice about what to say above. And he obviously knows what he's talking about.

I just like to keep in mind that being honest is so easy. Everything can be "spun" in your favor. And being honest means you have to keep less notes.

Find a way to turn that "apparent" lack of work history into a golden opportunity for your new client through a great guarantee (not everyone believes in as strong as ones as me however, that'll be up to you).

All in all? Show him lack of clients does not equal lack of skills - and you can prove it rather quickly with nothing to lose on his part, and everything to gain. It's a win-win for you both.

There are a lot of ways to handle this as other members have pointed out.

I think you should feel that you can be totally honest and upfront with him. Tell him your experience and why you believe you and help him with his SEO. Tell him that this is a new service you're offering to small businesses, but you're not new to the game since you've done it for yourself.

I'd also tell him to look out for other SEOs who show all sorts of rankings. SEOs can show #1 positions on low volume keywords that have little value for the business. You can tell him that these things might look impressive to clients (who don't know better), but in reality don't help build the proper traffic for the client's website.

Let him know that you offer a personal service and what is done for one client doesn't necessarily equate to what you'll do of him.

Smarter guys than myself have responded here, but for what it's worth:

1) Don't lie.

2) And don't show your other clients.

If you're actually capable of doing what you're selling, then you shouldn't have any problem putting together a small portfolio of 10-20 pages in a variety of niches that are ranking and getting traffic.


Frank

Ok, maybe I am noob here but I just don't see why its so important not to show a client that you've done work for.

Its not like we are really working on multiple clients in the same niche, especially if your doing Google Places.

Now if you have a client in the same niche as your prospect I would just show them an unrelated niche.

There is not much they can get from a glance anyways, and they'd still need to know the mechanics behind the scenes that got the results for them anyways.

Yeah, I just don't see that being an issue. Also then, how do you overcome that when you start getting referrals who know each other?

To clarify what I mean by not giving referrals -- I would show some referrals who had agreed to be used as examples. When I was doing web design this was standard practice; offer the client a discount on final payment in exchange for permission to show their site as an example of completed work, and a willingness to follow up on an e-mail from a potential new client of mine should it go that far. What I would not do is simply rattle off one or any other number of past clients, in any business.

If someone asks you for referrals, he's asking one or both of these things:

1) Can you do what you actually claim to do?

2) Can you be trusted to honour your commitments?

A sample portfolio of your own work addresses the first question. Generally I would defer on the second question unless it was absolutely necessary, because it involves a third party into negotiations. It's not a matter of hiding anything -- just a matter of keeping the negotiation process as focused as possible.


Frank

I started my Offline business by helping a few friends with their websites for free. Once they got to page #1 they were glad to give me a reference.