Let’s face it, most SEO clients simply don’t have the interest or the time to become SEO experts. That’s why they are hiring professionals to manage that aspect of their business. While this brings in clients, the challenge is that many clients have unrealistic expectations of the process and end results.
As an internet marketing professional it is your responsibility to manage those expectations and to help guide the client through the process. These are the 5 keys to managing the client’s SEO expectations.
Don’t Promise Anything You Can’t Guarantee:
New clients have seen the other guys making promises for #1 rankings and most will expect the same from you. Even though it may make it easier to sell your services; never promise anything you can’t personally guarantee. Instead focus on what you can guarantee; that you will bust your ass for your client and that you will use your expertise to market their service to the best of your ability.
Set a Realistic Timeline:
Internet marketing and SEO are long term investments that (should) start before any code is ever written and (should) continue indefinitely. Lots of times clients want to cut a check once and see immediate eternal results. Therefore, it is important to set forth a realistic timeline with the client and for the project. Explaining this upfront, and reminding as necessary will keep the client thinking in the same timeframe as you and this will go a long way to managing expectations.
Set and Track Goals:
Goal setting in internet marketing establishes the parameters for success and failure. Which means that it is essential to work with the client to set realistic, achievable goals very early on. Once set, goals should be regularly tracked so that you can identify what is working and make adjustments.
Back Up Everything With Hard Data:
Any time you are providing information to the client do your best to back it up with data. This is almost the easiest of the 5 keys to actually do. With the high quality free analytics packages available and SEO tools at our disposal getting hard data is easy. Preparing and presenting that data in a way that clearly answers the client’s questions will go a long way toward building their trust and making them feel at ease.
Keep the Client in the Loop:
This is probably the most important of the 5. Since your clients are probably not SEO and internet marketing experts, they may be wary of spending money on something that they don’t understand and may not see immediate payback from. By making certain that they know what you are doing and where their money is going you are fostering trust. Be specific with how their dollars are being spent, and how that will transfer into profit for them.
If you do follow these 5 keys then the client will be able to relax, trust your expertise, and focus on making more money to pay you with. This means that they will have less questions and concerns for you to address. Freeing up more of your time to focus on marketing for them. Best of all by following these 5 steps, when it comes time to negotiate for a new contract you will have built the trust, relationship, and documented success that leads to a bigger paycheck.