Selling Online Business Generation with Responsibility?

3 replies
Hey all,

I just read a post recently and it kinda resonated with what I have been thinking recently.

I know that when it comes to selling 'SEO' as a service, the people who buy the service usually 'get' what SEO is all about, and that there are no guarantees regarding results, we don't control Google etc etc. They also know the service is to get their website more exposure in the Serps, that is the service. period.

However we know that selling to most business owners will not work with 'SEO' but you need to approach it more from an online business generation point of view (which could include other strategies/methods other than SEO).

Therefore, if you are pitching your service to prospects to let them know how your services can increase their revenue and profits - what kind of 'responsibility' do you put forward to convince the prospect that you can achieve what you say you can for their business?

Just wondered what the experienced guys around here do - whether you offer guarantees, money back or any other kind of assurance that convinces a client that you are the real deal?

If you don't offer any assurances, then how can you be sure that you will produce those results for your client? especially when there are soo many different factors to increase their sales, such as their website itself and their sales copy etc.

Thanks.
Steve.
#business #generation #online #responsibility #selling
  • Profile picture of the author Blase
    First of all you have to be sure you can do it.

    Next go do it for free or for a very low fee, with no expectations from the customer or guarantees from you.

    Then start ramping up.

    You can then provide your results to future prospects.

    If you guarantee anything make sure it is what you control 100% of!

    I set the customers expectations up front.
    I present in writing what I am going to do and what they are going to do.
    If I don't achieve what I said I would do I will work until I do.

    Hope that helps,
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  • Profile picture of the author econnors
    I agree with Blase. I think it's a good model...maybe you could have them pay you for every lead that is sent at first?
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    This is the full focus of my business.

    Selling business generation with responsibility is more an ongoing action than a bunch of numeric promises!

    It is ongoing action. From first contact, to negotiation and then on to service delivery.
    It is ongoing "caring" backed by experience with regular application of service delivery that ends of course with results that prove that you care and have a clue what you are doing.

    Since in the end I am serving my client I have to consider what he would value as responsible. The good news is that most service providers that a business owner pays (alarm, phone, sub-contractors, suppliers) are indeed NOT very responsible. Most of the time if something goes wrong or there is a change in trend etc... the business owner generally notices it after it becomes a problem and goes to his advisors for solutions. Seems a bit backwards to me :-)

    For me personally I have adopted a few criteria that make me feel satisfied when I assist clients. IT IS CRUCIAL to develop a relationshiop where you can communicate this to the client to see if your on the same page.

    If you are emotionally driven like I am (many creative types are) you can suffer greatly at the hands of business owners that buy your service, never really get it then totally do not appreciate what you have done. Gets much worse when they vocalize it and you have no internal clear definition of what you feel should be satisfactory.

    I remember my early days of doubling the size of a contractors business, watching them going from unknowns to dominating the city. Sadly because there was little communication between us, at the next meeting they would actually be reluctant to pay the next years fee!

    At first I was angry at the world and at them!
    Then I matured and realized it was on me :-)

    You are responsible for communicating your value and negotiating proper remuneration.

    I strive for a few things in taking responsibility in advertising.

    Do NOT take a job if I do not believe I can make the business owner more money than I cost them. That is responsibility.

    After taking the job work diligently to ensure that the business profits.
    That is responsibility.

    Lastly, I compare what I am delivering to what he might have purchased from another provider. It is not enough that a business owner makes one dollar more than I cost him, if applying those same resources to another provider would have doubled his business!

    I have often turned down work as I recognized that for their niche, there was a better way than what I had to offer to get this done. I also purposely structure my company to make it almost impossible for someone else to beat what I can deliver in value for money.


    If this approach is in your mind and you share it with the business owner from the very first conversation you have almost already guaranteed that he gets it.

    I have NEVER had to say in a contract I will make you X dollars or X amount of extra traffic. What I did is show them that with my setup and methods (automation, VA's etc..) that I could deliver more bang for the buck, that with my track record and experience if they were willing to pay a proper fee for my time, that it was unlikely that working together we could not stomp their competitors! I discussed and implemented things into the agreement to make it impossible for this thing to not want to grow. How about 5 or 10% of gross on a service that sells for 10K? The business owner KNOWS you will take you Sunday evening to make sure that system keeps working :-)


    I have had potential clients say "how much more will I make", "how much more qualified leads will I get" and to be frank 99% of the time it is impossible to know!

    Yes of course you can get them higher rankings for more phrases, increase site conversions, build more sites, do split testing, teach them follow up marketing, build up their social media exposure etc.. but in the end all you know is they will make more than they do now and their setup with you should be way better than the other 10 guys on page 1.

    You have to keep in mind that they too are partners in this!
    I have had clients fail at their end. They stated a close rate that fell apart when we scaled up. They believed that their average sale was much more than it really was after we scaled. They believed that resources that needed to be put in place in their organization would take 2 months and it took them 8 or 10!

    I don't know if this even kinda helps lol other than to say the gravy jobs are a real partnership involving responsibility, communication, flexibility and often forgiveness on both sides. If they have a good product or service and you are a good marketer you will both do well. It can be as hard to itemize what you will do as it would be to itemize your life with your new bride other than to enter into a spirit of co-operation, spec out some of the obvious and move on RESPONSIBLY.
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