A No-Bullshit Guide to Selling to Your Clients the “Right” Way

Are You Selling to Clients the Right Way?

By not using all the industry jargon and buzzwords, relating to the customer, and explaining the difference in offerings between you and the competition you separate yourself from the product being offered.

You can also explain how you, as the developer humans-person are incremental to that offering. It’s not as transactional as calling an agency and paying for a service.

At the end of the day, relationships are what drive any business. Forming and developing those relationships is an often overlooked and crucial element in growth and sustainability.

Avoid This Common Client Mistake

A major pitfall for many agencies is promising results they can’t guarantee. Fueled by the desire to prove their value, they translate link building into traffic, then into conversions and finally, sales. This creates a linear narrative, falsely implying control over factors beyond their scope.

The truth is, agencies often have limited influence on crucial aspects like website conversions, product quality, and sales processes. These elements reside within the client’s domain, not the agency’s.

I do a quick 30 second pitch to schedule a time to have a real conversation and plant the seed.

“hey it’s (me). I know you’re busy so I’ll just take a moment. I noticed (insert pain points) and wanted to schedule a time we could chat about (value statement).

Do you have ten minutes tomorrow to talk? “

If you’re calling a business owner/decision maker during business hours, they’re working and today has already been scheduled.

If you can get on their schedule, and plant the seed, your success rate goes way up. Also, you don’t waste a bunch of time selling before you even know the objections. Save your ammo and their time 🙂

If the client’s website isn’t conversion-optimised, their product subpar, or their sales team inadequate, the agency’s efforts, however impactful, might not translate into the desired results.

Sales is a transfer of emotion. You turn the intelligence aspect off and turn the emotional aspect on.

So, how can agencies navigate this challenge? Instead of focusing on guaranteed outcomes, they should shift their focus towards value-driven communication. 

How To Set The Expectations Correctly

In a world of promises, proof reigns supreme. Showcasing demonstrably increased traffic, agencies can close deals with confidence. This evidence overshadows many anxieties and solidifies trust. 

It is easier to sell to a potential client who approached you or found you than it is to sell to someone you approach. However, beyond traffic growth, agencies should address other key expectations:

Timelines:

Realistically, significant SEO results typically take 3-6 months. Clients need to understand this and “suspend disbelief” during this initial period. A minimum commitment of 3+ months is crucial to establish long-term success.

Keyword Rankings: 

Instead of over-promising on specific keyword rankings, focus on the targeted traffic potential. A content gap analysis can reveal vast opportunities for mid-buyer-cycle keywords, shifting the focus away from single, high-competition keywords that might take months to climb the ranks.

Costs: 

Budget transparency is key. Agencies should inquire about the client’s budget and compare it to the competitive landscape. Higher budgets allow for faster and more impactful results. While small on-page tweaks can be achieved with lower budgets, significant SEO campaigns require adequate resources. Clients who cannot invest in SEO may not be the right fit.

Final Thoughts

It’s a well known expression: “People hate to be sold to, but they love to buy”

This couldn’t be more true in today’s world, where everyone is trying to sell something to someone. Contrary to popular belief, selling your services doesn’t have to be hard.

That is, if you do it the right way, with the right structure, so you can sell with confidence. If not, all you’ll hear are crickets. People won’t see the value of your offering and might even feel pressured.

They will back out from buying from you…

Human psychology works in such a way that when people feel pushed, or when they feel that their decisional power is taken away from them, they will pull out of the deal and won’t go ahead buying your product or service.