Overcoming SEO common questions?

10 replies
Hi all,

I am sure this has probably been answered in previous threads/posts, but I could not find anything specific so I am creating this thread for help.

I am from the UK and local businesses (average mom and pop plumbers, landscapers etc) are not necessarily as clued up on the internet as maybe in some larger countries and so am meeting some common questions/objections when it comes to explaining the overall SEO process in an appointment.

I don't use jargon and use the technique of explaining how it is aimed at bringing more business in the for them etc, which is fine. However they often ask can I guarantee they will make more money from my service. I of course have to say 'no I can't' - and this then raises red flags in their mind if I am charging around $200-$300 per month for the SEO service.

I know the same applies for any other advertising/marketing they might invest in, but people just seem to be super-suspicious of SEO companies I think.

How do you guys explain this to clients? I am sure you don't offer guarantees as no-one can, so what are the main points to convince a client that investing heavily in long-term SEO is the right way to go?

i.e how do you convince them to invest in your SEO service when you can't guarantee they will see increased business from it, especially when your pitch is all about increasing business for them?

Thanks for any advice,
Steve.
#common #overcoming #questions #seo
  • Profile picture of the author Stig Killendahl
    Originally Posted by StevieJK View Post

    Hi all,

    I am sure this has probably been answered in previous threads/posts, but I could not find anything specific so I am creating this thread for help.

    I am from the UK and local businesses (average mom and pop plumbers, landscapers etc) are not necessarily as clued up on the internet as maybe in some larger countries and so am meeting some common questions/objections when it comes to explaining the overall SEO process in an appointment.

    I don't use jargon and use the technique of explaining how it is aimed at bringing more business in the for them etc, which is fine. However they often ask can I guarantee they will make more money from my service. I of course have to say 'no I can't' - and this then raises red flags in their mind if I am charging around $200-$300 per month for the SEO service.

    I know the same applies for any other advertising/marketing they might invest in, but people just seem to be super-suspicious of SEO companies I think.

    How do you guys explain this to clients? I am sure you don't offer guarantees as no-one can, so what are the main points to convince a client that investing heavily in long-term SEO is the right way to go?

    i.e how do you convince them to invest in your SEO service when you can't guarantee they will see increased business from it, especially when your pitch is all about increasing business for them?

    Thanks for any advice,
    Steve.
    I guess you could guarantee rankings?

    Then tell them, that what you can guarantee, is the they will be ranked in top (10, 5, 3, 1?) for a keyword getting x amounts of searches - which will result in x amount of potential buyers.

    You don't have to get them ranked in a week the'll 'em it will take time to get ranked, and get some monthly payments in.

    If you're sure you are pretty sure you can rank them, make a money back guarantee if you fail to rank them in top xx..

    Regards,
    Stig Killendahl.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bredfan
    Hi Steve -

    For my "less sophisticated" clients I don't talk about rankings, linking, SERPs, or anything like that at all.

    I talk about new customers.

    Get the prospect talking about his company. How he got his first client. How he got his first 10. How many he has total, and how many he'd like to have.

    Get him talking about his sales process. How does he get new customers today? What has be tried in the past? What worked? What didn't?

    Get him to tell you about what he would do with 1 incremental customer. 10 incremental new customers. 100. Get him to share with you what he would do with the newfound clients. Would he have to staff up? Hire another service tech? Get his kids to help him on the weekends?

    My point is... the conversation should not be about title tags, meta descriptions, XML sitemaps, or geositemaps.

    The conversation should be about how you will be using various marketing techniques to help him grow his business...

    Hope that helps a little - it's what I try to do on sales calls. (It works well for me.) :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author mcfcok
    Pitch them on exposure. Guarantee them you can put them in front of real people looking for their products/services.

    Seo isn't about guaranteeing ROI.... nobody can do that too many variants come into play like how they then sell to their potential clients, pricing, competition, company image etc

    They need educating mate if they think they just pay you and everyone will buy from them.
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    • Profile picture of the author StevieJK
      Thanks guys,

      I think mcfcok has the right idea as to my issue here though, I do not mention about SEO techniques, ranking and keywords etc, business owners don't really care about that stuff - all they care about is how you can make them more money.

      Mcfcok, I like your thinking, it is about exposure and getting their business in front of more people who are looking to buy what they are selling, even though there is no guarantee. Thanks.

      Anyone else have other ways they convince people to sign up for their SEO services? Different angles etc?

      Thanks all!
      Steve.
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  • Profile picture of the author StevieJK
    Anyone?

    Specifically referring to cold-calling businesses here as opposed to them calling me for SEO services......
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  • Profile picture of the author drees5761
    Tell them the benefits it will give to there business. Find out how much they spend on newspaper advertising or Yellow Pages. I also place a seed in there mind by saying, do you want to get left behind when more and more people are using the internet to search for local products? Also i stress that i only do 1 type of business in that town / city, for instance once i have one accountant in his town i do not take on any others.
    I do direct mail at the moment, but will be trying cold calling soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author StevieJK
    Thanks drees5761,

    yeah, I can see how playing on how much they are currently spending on advertising can be a winner.

    Any others? Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author Adwizard
      I don't currently sell SEO but I think it would be pretty simple. I would guarantee rankings and if I couldn't get my clients ranked on the first page I wouldn't be offering that service!!!

      1. I would explain to them how people are shopping differently and using search engines for nearly everything.
      2. I would simply show them a graphic of the heat map where people look on the search page.
      3. I would share with them the stats on searches for their keywords and explain how they are missing out on all those potential customers and the dollars they represent. Ask them, now Mr. Prospect, if I could send (say 40 for example) of those people in here to try out your service or product, what are the chances that they would enjoy (your product or service) and continue to come back? Nobody will tell you "well our food here sucks so the chances are slim"... no this is where they puff their chest out and say "oh when someone comes in here and try's our stuff they are hooked and will always return".
      4. Now explain what the value of a new customer is worth over their lifetime because trust me it is very high and I don't care what industry it's in. You will make way more money when you learn to get the prospect to look at things this way instead of what they gain by bringing that person in one time.
      5. Explain that they will climb the ranks slowly and that is why they need your service on a continuing basis. If they do understand some about SEO then you may even talk to them here about how you do all things white hat because you don't want them to lose everything you and they have built up to google. To be careful of who else they may choose to do business with that may use some black hat techniques causing them to lose it all... This is where they should definitely be seeing the need to have "YOU" on their payroll.
      6. Charge them good for the service you are going to provide and let them know you are doing your best by providing them what you promise. Ask them if you could take hundred dollar bills from them and turn them into thousand dollar bills, how many would they want to give you. That is what you do!!!

      I would and will when I learn enough about SEO to start selling it, do my due diligence and make sure I can get them ranked so that I can guarantee them. I don't want to charge my clients for something I can not provide. I know I have heard people on these boards saying that you can't guarantee SEO but I will or I won't ever provide this service but I am learning a lot about it already and don't think it will be too long before I am confident in my experience and knowledge to throw my guarantee out there. I may do several months of work and refund a client and learn my lesson too but I don't think that's gonna happen.

      I do think if anyone would follow the sequence I outlined above they shouldn't have a real tough time selling SEO.

      Hope that Helps,
      Ed
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      • Profile picture of the author jacquic
        As well as what AdWizard suggests, say you can drive targeted traffic to their site/business, but you still can't guarantee sales, as that also depends on how well the website converts and/or how well they convert their prospects (do they answer the phone nicely; do they read and answer their emails; etc).

        Of course, put it in user-friendly and non-confrontational and non-condescending parlance
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  • Profile picture of the author drees5761
    I never guarantee anything in SEO, your at the mercy of Google and others and things are changing constantly, as long as you explain to your client that nothing is guaranteed but you will do your up-most to get them ranked as high as possible then it saves you getting into problems later.
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