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Client Relations: It’s All About Expectation
By Mike Murray | September 19, 2007
Maybe it’s the instant “See Me Now” impact of paid search or pure desperation for traffic and sales, but some business executives still don’t get that search engine optimization is anything but a quick fix.
I’m not saying most aren’t understanding. They are. We work with some exceptional marketers and/or business owners. But a recent situation will give you some real-life insights — whether you’re a search marketing consultant or a business trying to make sense of this space.
Failure to Share
Our client signed up in good faith. We explained our process, including a business profile document that must be completed, keyword development steps, content recommendations, etc.
The problem is, he won’t share.
We need access to his traffic (web analytics) to do a good job. Unfortunately, he won’t provide them — not yet. We offered to read his files with an analytics program. No, he’s not interested in that approach either. All he cares about is whether sales are increasing. They aren’t yet because we’re barely into the program.
We’re working out the problem with him (with the fourth staff member) by explaining that our ongoing analysis depends on traffic/keyword metrics. Everyone needs to go out of his or her way to help for programs to be successful. We can’t keep our techniques to ourselves and clients need to lend a hand as well (as long as we don’t become a burden to them).
Despite our best efforts to explain and document our process early on, this client may need more education.
From traffic trends to approving and posting website updates, clients can help themselves by addressing vital aspects in a timely way. Firms like ours also need to make sure we’re explaining what’s expected of clients along the way.
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September 21st, 2007 at 4:43 pm
As an English major and lifelong studier of language, I can understand the importance of explaining things in terms that others can understand.
In all business cultures, ours being no exception, a language of jargon detached from the rest of everyday life gets spoken regularly, so much so that we tend to forget when we’re doing it. In the same way you might not notice your own local dialect when you refer to your “tree lawn” outside your house or “the berm” you almost veered into on the highway, you can easily forget that the majority of the language you speak in a daily business context might as well be Swahili to clients unfamiliar with the still-relatively-new practice of SEO. I find it’s helpful to be mindful of this at all times when communicating with clients.
Of course, some people will not listen regardless of your carefully-considered diction, but at least you can know you’ve tried your best.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
One of the most important aspects clients often overlook is collaboration. I find that they want a quick fix and think that an agency can just solve all of their problems. However, it is incredibly important for them to understand that a firm can only succeed if the client provides them with accurate information. In almost all circumstances, clients know their products, services and industry better than anyone else. We need to continue to remind them that we need their help to be successful!