How do we find a marketing partner for our business?
We operate an SEO company in Seattle. We have yet to market our SEO firm due to our small staff of five concentrating on our clients. We have excellent references. Our CEO and I have discussed providing a third of our company to a partner that shares our vision and will bring with the needed marketing.
How should be go about finding the right partner?
Any advice will be considered and much appreciated.
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Jun 20, 2014
I would find a new tech start up marketing company. This way the interest in ownership will accelerate their start and provide a vested interest to Market the SEO. There are companies out there like this. I would also present that in exchange for the ownership and to make sure they are not out a ton of money to bill for the hours provided as a future right off against any profits that are brought in from the venture. This will provide some security.
Thanks,
Sean M. Purdy
Jun 19, 2014
Having patner is one of the exciting thing in the build business, as Business Coach I had many clients asked the same question like you. First of all, make sure your patner having the same GOALS with you, secondly is SYNERGY, third thing make sure that your patner have a HEART, means your patner loves with the Business that you did, and the fourth thing, find out that your patner having a SPIRIT like you had or more much than you, so both of you can inspiring each other. And the things is do it together with FUN.
Jun 19, 2014
Hello Ichsan,
I truly appreciate your views and advice. I am embracing them all as I have a company needing to connect with those who are in need of true SEO. There was a Forbes article that was published about 8 months ago that included a statement by the author that 95% of the SEO offers in the United States are SCAMS. It is difficult for us without marketing to share our stellar SEO history, excellent references, A rating and record of ZERO complaints on those who are swayed by the fancy websites and well played out presentations. We have never needed to play. Anyway, thanks again...
Jun 19, 2014
David, some very good advice in this thread. Take your time, define your long- and short-term goals, evaluate your options, choose wisely.
Look in the Seattle area for someone who has dealt with your situation before. Let me know if you need some suggestions. I'm a business connector in Bellevue, WA.
Jun 19, 2014
Hello Berry, Thank you for the advice and invite. You will be hearing from us to better understand the benefits that you can offer from you our neighbor in Bellevue.
Jun 19, 2014
OK this question is way to open ended to really answer. David, Farzad and Jonathon have provided some excellent advice.
I think you need to start over and clearly define what the word partner means to you. Does it mean do you want to bring in a person as an equity partner in the business that will focus on marketing the business or does this mean you want someone to be your sales representative and you will share the wealth via salary, commission or draw vs. commission?
These are two totally different scenarios.
Next, you need to think strategically. What are your goals and how do you achieve them? Do I really need an equity business partner or full-time sales representative as an employee? Or is there some other method for generating leads and additional revenue?
Or, maybe there's yet another option like finding a strategic partner in the form of a small marketing communications firm or boutique or a sole proprietor that needs your services to expand theirs? It could be a great opportunity that might lead to a merger.
Lastly, just like trying to find a life partner (i.e., girlfriend, wife, boyfriend, husband) you need to put in writing all the traits you want in this partner — and partnership. Then use that to guide you through the 'dating / courting' process. Take your time and don't rush things.
Then if you choose an equity partner or a strategic partner have a clearly define contract that spells each's responsibilities and what happens if there's a breakup.
Jun 19, 2014
Hello Jeff,
I am a very humble leading SEO who finds himself addressing areas of the business once overseen by others. I do apologize for these deficits and will try and address each of the well outlined advice that you have so graciously given.
FIRST: Yes, the idea is to pass one third equity to one that shares our vision. A vision that has already been achieved by VGI and will again. That is a promise!
We must as this is the only payment that can be made with our current financial situation. It was not long ago that we were 7 times our monthly billing. This information was related to an event that caused clients concern and will be freely shared one on one. I will share that our past CEO was the only one who had signature on vital assets. Enough said here... I will close my thanks by branding the fact that we have only recently decided to allow our clients to write testimonials on our BBB listing page. For very good reason. Thanks again for your advice.
Jun 21, 2014
Hi David and Jeff-
My first thought after reading your question-was why is he giving away so much equity! Simply put, somewhere down the road you'll need that equity to offer to potential star employees but you won't be offering 33% it will be less than 1% even then.
With that being said, my company is a similar position-only we are looking for Strategic Partners just as Jeff stated. If you're SEO services are really good-that is golden generally to most marketing professionals. If you'd be interested in working within a more strategic frame work I'd love to talk.
Jun 19, 2014
I think a few things should be addressed here first and foremost i wouldn't give a third of my company to bring in a marketing partner. However if your skill isn't marketing out source that work. In addition be your own client, when it comes to SEO is a great method to model and share your work. I also agree with Dave below grow your business wider in your area of expertise. I would also recommend focusing the majority of your work on the things you are really good at and delegate or outsource the areas you can't thrive.
Jun 19, 2014
Hello Jonathan, I really appreciate the advice and your time to give. We are just now acting on this and are building a preferred vendor list. I am not bothered or embarrassed to share publicly that until now I was not involved (for good reasons) in anything not related to ranking our clients. UGH!
Again my thanks!
Jun 19, 2014
I agree with Dave.
There is an old saying in the marketing world "People don't buy drills, they buy a hole in the wall."
Business owners don't really want SEO, they want traffic to their website to generate sales.
I recommend rebranding and restructuring your services to include conversion rates.
Jun 19, 2014
Thank you Farzad for the advice. Although we have a strong history of delivering top rankings, to date we have not concerned ourselves with anything more than targeting the correct keyword terms on a clients behalf. I see this to be something we will need to visit soon. Between our study of Google Guidelines and copyright filings, etc. Again my sincere thanks!
Jun 19, 2014
I would start with your own site. It like a writer applying for a job with "I is wantin 2 apply 4 da job innit". Your site is showing many SEO errors, check the woorank report and run it through W3Compliance.
http://www.woorank.com/en/www/vgiseo.com
Secondly, branch out, SEO is nothing, every man and his dog is doing it (usually badly) these days, so branch out into social media, PPC, etc. People more want a digital marketing agency these days.
Jun 19, 2014
Thanks Dave...
Truith hurts (sometimes) but your comment and good advice noted with the project to re-write and proof already underway. Truth is we have been riding on my reputation as an SEO during my prior employment with AT&T back in 2008. Until now... no need for a website. That said... Thank you again for the very good advice.
Jun 19, 2014
No worries man. You're dead on correct in looking for a marketing partner if your skillset doesn't include that, but the first thing they are going to look at is how believable your site is. Don't waver from your core values but include them in your own site. Best wishes with it.
Jun 19, 2014
Personally, I've pretty much stopped sole focus on SEO now, the returns are just too minimal in terms of resources required in comparison with say PPC. I use it as part of the package rather than a sole product. I would definitely branch out.
Jun 19, 2014
I would like to share that we have already re-directed the site temporarily to my personal linkedin.com as we make the necessary changes. Since we do not develop websites as our only focus is real SEO this will take time as it is done outside. As far as our average client (plumber,lawyer,electrician,property management, etc.) , our average client is paying 1500.00 to 3000.00 a month with a no pay if not on first page. Many are #1 for the most Googled terms for each of their respective niches. We will not accept any client on more than a thirty day commitment and have yet to make a refund and/or need to skip payment.
Again, my sincere thanks!
Hello Sean and thank you for the type of advice that we will really need to consider and possibly implement sooner vs. latter. Our one missing link in keeping our client's websites is our need to work with the client's appointed web designer. We do however have a real WordPress expert on staff.
That said...
It appears to us now that the better we look online, the more the prospective SEO prospect listens. Makes little since to me as our stats and refferences should really be the focus when making a decision about which SEO firm to use. It is a fact that bad SEO is worse than no SEO at all. Again my thanks for your advice which is currently being considered a top of the heap path for us to take.