The Do’s and Don’ts of Client Management
In the world of search marketing, most small to medium sized businesses are apprehensive when it comes to letting go of the reins and trusting an SEO agency to lead them to tangible results.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that there are many search agencies that try and cut corners by not investing in experienced professionals who know from experience how to execute successful SEO campaigns. They either hire kids right out of college, outsource the majority of their work to freelance websites like ODesk or place the burden of their workload on unpaid interns. Because of this, services are built and executed poorly, leaving a bad impression on clients who know that they need SEO, but do not know who to trust or where to turn.
In order to make sure that your clients feel comfortable about the progress of their campaign and understand how you are returning their investment; communication and transparency must be at the forefront of your agency’s values and culture.
If you are an account manager or an SEO Specialist and are unsure how to successfully maintain a positive, rewarding relationship with your clients, don’t stress!
All you have to do is remember to carry the following virtues with you at all times!
Be Honest
For the most part, people are aware when someone is withholding information from them and not being truthful. Your clients know this just as well regardless of whether they understand anything about SEO.
Of course, clients want positive feedback all the time, but the reality of the world dictates that this is not always possible. SEO is a steady process and that has to be relayed to your clients. If you have to share unflattering news with your client, try to offset it with good news. For example, if their primary keywords are not ranking well, then perform some research and share what secondary key terms are bringing large pockets of qualified traffic to their website.
Honesty is always the best policy, so never give your client a reason to not trust you.
Stay In Contact
Clients appreciate when you are communicative; sending them information on the campaign’s status and keeping them updated on all progress and development. It demonstrates that you value them as a priority. When a client has to contact you continuously, it can become bothersome for both parties. You certainly do not need to call your clients every day, but definitely enough to show that they’re not an afterthought.
Ask For Feedback
Asking your clients for feedback makes them feel involved in the process and allows you to remain agile in understanding what they experience on their end of the table as the business owner.
Even if you do not agree with the direction the client would like to take the campaign, you have to at least consider their ideas and then demonstrate what paths of opportunities exist, as well as what the consequences are of each possible direction.
At the end of the day, you may be the expert in search marketing, but it’s the client who is paying you and ultimately deserves to see their money allocated the way they want. So be a professional over an expert and carefully illustrate all of the pros and cons involved with a particular direction or strategy.
Know Your Material
You must know what you are talking about when you are reporting. Be confident in the information that you are presenting and make sure it is useful for your client. Most importantly, you have to know what reporting metrics actually translate to success for your client.
Here is a great article of what SEO Success looks like by Naima Othman.
Be Honest, Be Helpful
SEO agencies that are knowledgeable, honest, communicative and receptive to feedback are more likely to establish positive rapport and have a lasting relationship with their clients.
By: Micah Parker
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