Working with multiple clients in the same niche?

15 replies
Hi all,

Question for all you offliners:

Do you work with more than 1 client within any particular niche? i.e. would you do SEO services for 2 or 3 'window cleaning' companies in any particular area?

Thanks,
Steve.
#clients #multiple #niche #working
  • Profile picture of the author rotten72
    When I work with a client in a specific industry in a geographic area my services are exclusive! This helps you earn recurring income. If they stop using your services you will go after their competition. If you're good they don't want that!

    Local SEO Renegade
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  • Profile picture of the author ZachWaldman
    Offering exclusivity is one of the ways I increase my value proposition to companies.

    Furthermore, I show them that I'm a local business owner too so the money they spend is going right back into the community, not overseas or out of the state.

    Although I've never done it, if I was generating leads for a particular niche, I could see offering them for sale to multiple companies within that niche.

    That just isn't my approach. Doing nothing but generating leads isn't fun.

    What's fun is partnering with a local business owner, helping him make money, and sharing in his success.

    Generating leads is part of that, but there are many other things you can do that make your job dynamic and interesting.

    I'd rather learn about a lot of things instead of turning my IM business into an assembly line Laverne and Shirley type job.
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    Zach Waldman - Los Angeles Magician
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    • Profile picture of the author StevieJK
      Thanks guys - that makes sense!
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  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    two or more businesses in the same area can be targetting totally different prospects, indeed by working with two or more you can actually cross pollenate both businesses .

    End of the day what do they want from the deal? More paying clients, clients paying more per sale and more actual purchases.

    Supply both busineses with the lead and let them close it, or if the businesses have a tighter targetted market (dentists a) routine dental care b) cosmetic dentistry ) then whichever one the lead suits best gets it.

    Exclusivity isnt neccesary unless youre being massively generic in your approach to getting the leads.
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    Mike

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  • Profile picture of the author P1
    Good to know, always wondered the same thing.
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    • Profile picture of the author CoachGC
      I have to agree with John (Local SEO Renegade) and with ZachWaldman. You want to build trust, be exclusive to your clients. They are trusting you with their Business Online Success and you can get into conflict of interests when working with both in the same industry. Even if they are targeting a different market, you won;t have the time to explain to them they will just feel betrayed.

      Define your niches by city and they will totally understand it. But make sure to tell them about you being exclusive to them they will definitely appreciate it and it will show in your recurring business with them. Besides they won't even think in changing because you'll be available to their direct competitors.
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  • Profile picture of the author superrooster
    If I were to deal with multiple clients in the same industry, which I am not currently doing, I would offer different keywords. I am structuring my pricing based on keywords targeted, if one client doesn't purchase more than 3-5 of the available profitable keywords, is it okay to sell other keywords to competitors?

    This is just something I am considering. I mean if your client isn't paying for a number of keywords, which you are not targeting then, more than likely, someone else who is not paying you is taking top placement for those KWs right?
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark_Austin
    We work with many real estate companies on their SEO and marketing but as others have said we don't feel it would be right to work with two agents in the same location so we also offer exclusivity. The upside of this is that you can charge higher fees and build a long term relationship with your clients
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  • Profile picture of the author bobbobson
    For SEO, I would always offer exclusivity. You don't really want to be competing with yourself, otherwise you'll be forever chasing your tail trying to keep everyone happy.

    But why not offer other clients Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc? Less chance of a conflict of interest there!
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  • Profile picture of the author lame123
    I think that it would be problem to work for multiple clients in a same niche targeting same geographical area for beginners seos.. But I think if you are a talented and experienced folk, clients would pay you big amount and will look for your work...
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  • Profile picture of the author anijaky
    High-end executive search firms get a retainer (up-front fee) to perform a specific search for a corporate officer or other senior executive position. Typically, retained searches tend to be for positions that pay upwards of US$100,000 and often far more.
    Search fees are typically 20% of the annual compensation of the recruited executive. Fee payments may be made in thirds, 1/3 of fee paid on initiation of the search, 1/3 paid thirty days later, and the final 1/3 paid thirty days later or upon placement of the candidate. Alternatively the fee may be paid upon the new employee starting work with a clawback if they leave within a defined period, sometimes with a clause in the contract which states that the search firm will find an alternative if the first employee fails to remain with the employer for the initial period.
    In a retained search the fee is for the time and expertise of the search firm. The firm is employed to conduct the entire recruitment effort from startup until the candidate has started working.
    Retained recruiters work for the organizations who are their clients, not for job candidates seeking employment, in some countries, such the UK, recruiters are not legally permitted to charge candidates. In the U.S. job candidates may pay an up front retainer to consulting or counselling firms to assist them in their job search. Such firms are not typically known as retained recruiters but may provide recruiting services to organizations and therefore share the descriptive nature of the title.
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  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    I always work with 1 client per niche per town. I state I will not work with anyone else in their niche within 15 miles. That helps me close the client and also means I am totally dedicated to their success.

    Rich
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    • Profile picture of the author princewally
      Right now, I've got 3 clients in the same niche, and they all know it. They are in the exact same industry, looking for the exact same customers, but still not directly competing with their businesses.

      If one company sell nuts, and the other sells bolts, is it unethical to work with both?
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  • Profile picture of the author PaulFL
    I give limited geographic exclusivity if they are willing to commit to a contract.
    They don't get the entire region unless they are willing to pay for it. I worked with a realtor last year and he got exclusivity on specific suburbs in our region.

    I'm working with an HVAC company now that gets the eastern and northern suburbs. He doesn't want to send his trucks and technicians to the other areas.
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