pre-qualifying + winning new clients - #brightonseo april 2014

@Tony_DWM #BrightonSEO

The Business Side of Web Marketing: Your Mindset, Pre-Qualifying & Winning New Clients

An extension to: http://bit.ly/1dNfKjL

http://bit.ly/1dNfKjL




“Being a consultant or agency is about much more than just

doing the job.. you need sales expertise to land the client

in the first place” - @Bright_local

First, a bit about me..13+ years selling IT solutions to biz’s

Began web marketing & SEO in spare timeFell-out with boss, left & started own biz

Family to support & bills to pay.. WTF?!

#BrightonSEO @Tony_DWM


Anger & frustration

Asked for feedback

Lessons learnt..

Growing Pains..


The opportunityUK internet traffic expected to

increase by 37% in 2015

UK web economy expected to reach value of £221bn by 2016


That’s all well & good,BUT..Do you receive training in

sales, account management or pre-qualifying clients? 70% of you say “No”

Do you / your co use a sales process for winning

new clients?60% of you don’t or

don’t know

Today we’ll address those....more on our BrightonSEO survey later


..’cos we’re ALL feeling client / SEO tension

@Tony_DWM #BrightonSEO So we thought we’d run a little survey...

>>>>>>


The BrightonSEO “Pre-qualifying & Winning New Clients” SurveyA “first of its kind” research project

Dozens of social shares = 134 Survey Responses

To everyone who completed it and shared it...

THANK YOU!


Do you / your co use personas to pre-qualify? 73% No / don’t know

Do respondents have a process for pre-qualifying

clients that doesn’t include personas?

Do you / your co have a process for pre-qualifying? 59.1% Yes

YET..


Pre-qualifying Your Clients – Creating Target PersonasSelf-Employed, SMBs & Corporates have different needs:

What are their needs & challenges? Are they local, national, both? Who’s their target market? Are they internet-savvy or techno-phobic? Purchasing process - single contact or committee? You work in niche industry? Trends & SWOT analysis Read http://bit.ly/1pcEqUu & http://bit.ly/1a0Pxwe

Are you a wandering generality or a meaningful specific?

http://bit.ly/1pcEqUu

http://bit.ly/1a0Pxwe


Your highest priorities for finding best-fit clients?

#1 Budget - 66

#2 Realistic Expectations - 64

#3 Project Success Potential - 54

#4 Contact Relationship - 52

#5 Open to Change – 46

#10 Knowledge of Web Marketing - 16 !


Key Takeaway #1

“Realistic Expectations” 2nd yet “ Web Marketing Knowledge” last?!



Key Takeaway #2

“Contact Relationship” – long-term partnerships require care / nurturing



Key Takeaway #3“Clients Business Model” - off the scale @37. BUT do offline business problems exist? Be wary..



Key Takeaway #4“Clients Available Resources” – off the scale @29, BUT feedback & input from them is mandatory!


So what are your biggest challenges? >>>


Your biggest challenges when pre-qualifying?

#1 Client’s lack of situation u/standing – 52%#2 Client’s “quote first, then discuss” – 46%#3 Confirming client’s budget – 44%#4 Limited web marking knowledge – 40%#5 Confirming goals & objectives – 34%#6 Lack of honesty / openness – 30%#7 Client’s seriousness – 26% Lets work on addressing them >>>


Key Takeaway #1

“Quote first, then discuss” & “Confirming budgets” - clients aren’t revealing them..



Key Takeaway #2

“Quote first, then discuss” – is service value now perceived by clients as a commodity?



Key Takeaway #3

“Lack of client honesty / openness” – are we not taking the hint?



Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #1 > Client’s lack of current situation understanding (52%)

It’s your job to ask the right questions & look “under their bonnet”

Their existing online profileThe difficulty of the work involvedThe potential profitability for your companyWhether they match your ideal personaWhether you can work with them

So investigate:


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #1 > Client’s lack of current situation understanding - P2

Great questions to ask potential clients (h/t @staceycav) >>>> http://bit.ly/QBFjdP

Perform a website marketing & SEO audit

Check G Analytics & WMT via “review” access - mandatory

Do they have any penalties?

Do your due diligence..

http://bit.ly/QBFjdP


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #2 > Client’s “quote first, then discuss” approach (46%)

Ask “How will you select a partner?” & listenAre you “cannon fodder” against competitors?“cost” / “cheap ” main priority? Discuss expectationsSay “Our policy is to discuss your needs 1st, then propose”Playing hard-ball sets you apart from the competition

If they won’t discuss their requirements, needs, goals or objectives - walk away (you heard that right..)


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #3 > Confirming the client’s budget (44%)

“What is your budget?” If they ask “why?”: “To confirm your expectations are realistic” “To work out a financially viable game-plan” “To confirm your goals are achievable”

Can they pay? Check www.companycheck.co.uk Do their payment terms align with yours? Could the deal damage your business?The fastest way to biz bankruptcy?

Cash-flow problems & freebies..

http://www.companycheck.co.uk/


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #4 > Client’s limited web marketing knowledge (40%)

Current knowledge? Clueless, beginner, moderate, advanced?Will they listen to advice or 2nd guess every move?Conversions & results are what countIt’s about their audience & becoming an authority“Search” has changed – explain howProof of success - “we helped x achieve y too..”They want 24hr success? Explain what’s realisticMap out the process & steps required to win online

Remember - your client doesn’t know what they don’t know..


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #5 > Confirming their goals & objectives - their “why” (34%)

What are their time, profit & growth challenges? Read mission statements, about us, history & shareholder info Do they have false expectations? Correct them or else.. SMART: specific, measureable, attainable, relevant, time-bound What metrics mean MOST to their business? Ask “why”. Consulting is a super-power (h/t @billsebald)

It’s hard to hit an invisible target.. ..nope, rankings is NOT an answer..


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #5 > Confirming client’s goals & objectives - their “why?” - P2

Good consulting questions to ask:“What challenges are you currently facing?”“How different are you to your competitors?”“What is your unique value proposition?”“Are you regulated by industry bodies?” “How do you currently generate business?”“What business growth plans do you have?”

Get > “Questions that Sell” by Paul Cherry http://amzn.to/1haOBCr

http://amzn.to/1haOBCr


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #6 > Lack of client honesty or openness (30%)

Master / slave clients - warning signs:Do they treat you as “cheap labour” (h/t @badams)They refer to past SEO relationships as “suppliers”They’re very demanding & show no respect for your time

follow your instinct >>>>>

Energy-sucking vampire clients - warning signs: Lots of time to convince them small changes are needed Battle you on your ideas & second guess your advice Negative, critical, enjoy hostility, drama queens & angry

<<<<< follow your instinct..


Overcoming your top 7 biggest challenges #7 > Confirming the client’s seriousness (26%)

It’s long term, it takes time & they must be serious..

Successful relationships are win/win, give & takeWill they commit to achieving their goals?Will they provide the resources you need? Will you be given enough control to be effective?Will they follow a game plan? Data’s useless w/o itIdentify how proactive or reactive they’ll beIs the client open to change? (mandatory)

?


Without emotion, think:Is the opportunity viable?Are they a “best-fit”?Could they drain your energy?Will they listen?

No? Be polite & explain there’s better suited co’s available to help them

We asked “How do you find turning down potential clients?”

Don’t feel guilt - you’ve probably just dodged a

Our survey said: HARD - 50%


Final thoughts..

Say out-loud > It’s OK to say NO to potential clients..

Don’t sell yourself short. Remember:> The strengths, values & qualities you bring to clients> The BIG difference you can make to a clients biz> Your job’s bigger than links & rankings (h/t @wilreynolds)> Your time’s valuable. Don’t waste it on dead-enders

Your approach defines your future business relationship with them, so set the tone from the beginning


Winning New Clients – insights from the trenches

Do the small, simple things

brilliantly..



Ask yourself: Whyshould they

choose me?



Make the idea of notchoosing you or your biz

unthinkable



Be bold with your

pitch & focus 110% on client goals & ROI



It’s OK not to know. It’s not OK not to find out..



Relationships & reputations are key to

winning clients. We must

sell what we do & deliver work.

One cannot exist w/o the other.. so get better at doing both..


Last bit..<Blog post> to come, including:

Mastering Meetings

Proposal Best Practices

“Lost Lead” Learning

ALL Survey Results

<Follow me for details>


The end....But for you, it’s just the beginning..

Tony Dimmock - Maverick, Martyr & [email protected]

0844 5610626

mailto:[email protected]


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pre-qualifying + winning new clients - #brightonseo april 2014

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