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10 Ways to Exceed Your Client's Expectations Every Time!
Author : John Alexander
The following tips are just a few of the things I do as examples
of setting my service apart from the crowd. In general, the
weakest areas in the Internet Marketing and Web Development
business, are "Customer Communications" and "Customer Service.”
Set your effort towards learning to deliver "excellence" in both
customer service and communication, and you'll have distinct
advantages over many other competitors. These tips are based on
the tried and true method of "under promising and over
delivering."
1. Manage expectations on initial Search Engine placement:
Do NOT tell your prospect that you will get their web site
placing in the top 10 search results right away. Don't guarantee
that you you'll get them thousands of visitors right away. I tell
my prospects that I will do my best to position them within the
top 30 search results initially. As you know, in this business
there are no absolute guarantees, but even if you can often
position a client within the top 10 search results on at least a
few of the Majors right away, think about what you say before you
say it.
People are tired of hearing a lot hype. Many firms make the
mistake of pedaling a lot of trumped up claims, even before they
learn and understand a prospects business. With so many people
out there, who will promise the world to get a sale, a little
realism goes a long way to establishing your credibility. Setting
a client's expectations low initially, only enhances the effect
of achieving a high-ranking result. Why not initially tell your
client something that is EASY to believe.
I like to teach the client to expect top placement over a period
of 3 to 6 months. It's much easier for them to believe and for
each time you immediately place within the top 10 quickly, the
client has another exciting surprise! Learn to under promise and
really over deliver every time! Focus on educating your clients
and teaching them truths that others only gloss over (or are not
aware of themselves).
2. Blow away old misconceptions
While some web firms talk about the huge volume of "Hits" to
their customers sites, I teach my prospects very early, that
"hits" are irrelevant. Hits are not the best means of determining
site activity. A hit is NOT a visitor. A hit can be any action
from the server. For example a page that displays 1 image, 10
buttons, 1 logo and plays music in the background, might generate
up to 14 hits for every visitor to the site. This is best
explained by showing the client an activity report and pointing
out the difference between hits (any action from the server) and
User Sessions (actual visitors). Eliminating any of the common
misconceptions about traffic right from the start, will serve you
well in a marketplace where others are selling nothing more than
hype. Set yourself apart from the rest. Instead of letting
customers believe old ideas, educate them and help your customer
to grasp how things work.
3. Teach your client about the time required for initial
indexing:
I tell my client not to expect much site activity right away. I
like to prepare them for the time it takes robots to visit their
site for the first time. Once again, this a great opportunity to
set your client's expectation a little lower. If we give them an
expectation of waiting approximately 6 weeks after registration,
before traffic commences, we know that some search engines will
probably begin to visit in 3 to 5 weeks. Indeed a few may
occasionally even visit within just 48 hours from the time you
register. However, creating an expectation of 6 to 8 weeks allows
you to out-perform yourself every time. If you really must
exaggerate...then under promise and over deliver.
Success Principle: Teach your client's the truth and learn to
manage your client's expectations. If you deliver above average
results and communicate well, you will have a client for a
lifetime.
4. Tip on Mass Search Engine Registration:
Have you been telling your client about how you are going to
register them with 250 search engines for free? This is an old
out dated approach but you may be surprised at how many
competitors will be saying the very same thing (because literally
anyone can buy auto submission software).
I take a different approach.
I ask the prospect this question:
“Have you ever wondered why some web developers may offer to
register you with 250 search engines for free?” The answer is
simple...that's exactly what it's worth. ZERO ......I then go on
to teach them how targeted traffic is only realized through
achieving a high ranking on the Major search engines. Show them
an activity report to validate it. Then educate them about how
you remain focused on optimizing their Web site for the Major
Search engines.
By setting realistic expectations on search engine registration,
and telling them the truth about where most of their traffic will
come from, you once again are providing an education that others
in the business forget to give their clients.
5. Teach your clients about the value of Manual SE Registration:
If you're like me, you only do manual registration. If you do use
an auto-submission program or service, make sure it is one that
works in a non-spam manner (there are not many that do).
6. Teach your clients about the risk and annoyance of FFA Links:
FFA Links (which stands for Free For All links) are NOT search
engines. Actually what you have probably learned by now is that
many FFA sites are often times but not always, nothing more than
spam sites seeking your e-mail address. Over the years I have
tried subscribing to these services at times just to determine if
there may be any benefit. I can determine no benefit in FFA links
and I like to educate my clients so they do not get sucked in by
the many "special offers." Educate your clients and save them
headaches.
7. Build long term relationships with your clients.
Taking the consultancy approach with SEO offers many
opportunities to not only build customer rapport but also to
maintain it on a long term basis. I see my role as teaching my
clients as much as I can about the Internet side of their
business. The time you spend educating your client pays fairly
big dividends in terms of customer loyalty. What happens after a
while is, your customers will seek your advice on issues rather
than just get taken advantage of by one of those e-mail deals
that sounds to good to be true. Care for your client's business
as if it were your own!
8. Does your client need help to write a Media Release?
This may be a stretch for some SEO's but look for opportunities
to help your client promote their web site in different ways. I
like to assist my clients by doing little things that are easy
for me to do, don't really take too much time and add extra value
to my service. Examples of these services might be to help your
client write a good media release or the creation of little
counter top signs that advertise the clients URL. Do they need a
little checklist to help them promote their URL? Think value
added!
9. Practice customer service excellence.
One of the biggest loopholes in the Internet marketing and SEO
business, is lack of quality customer service. Do you return
their calls? Do you look after their questions promptly? Do you
keep them informed about the newest trends?
10. See your customer, as a customer for life.
Care for your customers business as much as you can with full
attention to detail. Most business owners are far to busy running
their business to look after all of their "web presence" issues.
This is why they hire you in the first place. If you remember to
deliver "excellence" in both customer service and communication,
you'll have distinct advantages over many other competitors. Look
after your customers well, and they will definitely look after
you well too.
About the Author
John Alexander is the Co-Director of Training of Search Engine
Workshops with Robin Nobles. Together, they teach 2-day beginner,
3-day advanced, and 5-day all-inclusive "hands on" search engine
marketing workshops in locations across the globe. John also
teaches online search engine marketing courses through
http://www.onlinewebtraining.com, and he’s a member of
Wordtracker’s official question support team.
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