Mr. Ploppy’s Monday Tool List - Volume #31 - SEO and Web Development Sales Tools
“Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.”
- Zig Ziglar
Sales can be a tough but essential part of business for anyone interested in freelancing or consulting. Good sales can make or break a business. There are not a lot of “online tools” for learning to sell web design and search engine marketing, but there are a lot of fantastic articles and discussions on the subject.
There are a lot of subtle considerations to a sale. Time, budget, risk, likelihood for success, and margins being only a few of the many factors to take into account. As a freelancer just getting started, it is very tough to break it to someone for the first time that you will be charging them $50/ hr. It does get a little easier, but it’s always tough to deliver the blow the first time you decide to raise your prices. I generally only raise prices for NEW clients and give a nice long grandfathered period for older clients. Telling your new rate to someone for the first time is still tough. Not only do they have to decide if you’re worth it…YOU have to decide if YOUR worth it to them.
The number one rule in SEO and web development sales is to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Even if your a greenhorn frontpage webmaster working out of your parents basement, your conduct will leave a lasting impression. Wear a suit (or at least a tie)…it’s only for a few hours. Use professional letterhead, business cards, and contracts. Little details in regards to business go a LONG way when you are getting started as an SEO consultant or web developer.
SEO and Web Development Sales Tools
- Format of an SEO proposal
- Sample SEO contract
- Web design business kit *disclaimer - I’ve never read the full guide myself, but the freebies are excellent, and I have no doubt the entire kit is the same
- Sample web design contracts
- Format of an SEO activity schedule
- The mighty neglected change order
- Ideal SEM RFP
- Barebones sample website contract agreement
- Boilerplate template contracts
- Qualifying leads
- 10 things to ask SEO clients
Resources and top reads on SEO and web development sales
- Steps to becoming a freelance developer
- SEO and web design sales
- How to ease the blow on price quotes
- Approaching your first client - sales letter considerations
- How to start and when you can charge for SEO
- How to get through the door of a big fat client
- Questions to ask a client on the first meeting
- When it comes to pricing and charging
- Marketing features vs. benefits
- Sales and business planning ammo for web marketers
- For those charging under $57/ hr.
- What SEO guarantees do you offer
- Quick! what should I charge?
Tags: Mr. Ploppy, SEO Tools, Internet Marketing, Internet Marketing Tools, Business Tools, Small Business, Sales, Web Design
12 Comments Leave a comment »
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webprofessor
November 7th, 2005,
11:47 am
Nice list !
The sba.gov and score.org are great sites to read for introductions as well.
SEO Book.com
November 7th, 2005,
1:04 pm
Tips on Running an SEO Business
Stuntdubl posts links to many useful resources for running an online business.
Alex Piner
November 7th, 2005,
4:10 pm
Good work. The contracts and sales advice should save folks a bit of time. See you next monday.
feedbuzzard | Maximize your adsense earnings
November 7th, 2005,
4:33 pm
I would say that good grammar is pretty important too. Something you have missed in this post. ;^)
site admin
November 7th, 2005,
5:26 pm
Yes, my grammar and spelling are fairly atrocious at times. I don’t spell check or grammar check for my blog, though I probably should.
VernonKesner.com
November 8th, 2005,
1:13 am
Great Set of Links for Web Development Firms
Stuntdubl has made a great post today with a great list of links that will be of help to anyone starting or running a web design business.
Running a service based business such as web design or SEO puts sales in a different perspective. What is it y…
GreatNexus Webmaster Blog
November 8th, 2005,
1:12 pm
Sales tools for SEO and Web Development Professionals
Sometimes a post is so good, that all I can really say is “make sure you go and read it…and bookmark it too while you are at it. This is the case for Stuntdubl.com, SEO and Web Development Sales Tools.
There you will find a lot of links …
John Bertrannd
November 22nd, 2005,
3:41 am
I agree, be sure you can always answer your client’s questions, do not say i will answer you tomorrow because your “trust” might be a problem. Keep the client is his own respect, remember you do “Customer marketing” and NOT “product marketing”. You need to find out the client’s needs and try to solve his/her problems. They don’t need to hear YOUR problems. Once you bring the client in an “agreement” always keep mention his name and do so. Once the client is willing to sign, stop talking, do’n give more sales pitches or negative influences, you might have a problem again coz you talked too much.
Remember to solve client’s needs and problems at any time. Don’t forget to call him/her every now and than… and NOT when he/she needs to pay again for renewal !!!
On the end…….How good are YOU???? You are that good as your LAST client.
Best regards,
John Bertrand
SEO Tools
January 8th, 2006,
6:34 am
Hi all.
I have recentlly created a web site with free webmaster and seo tools. Please feel free to play with those tools and send me your comments.
Thanks,
Ciprian Sorlea.
seoluv
May 19th, 2006,
2:21 pm
My new alternative to the old hard-sell, “close the deal NOW” app-roach is
“Conceptual Selling.”
spe
June 2nd, 2006,
6:30 pm
Dear Mr. Ploppy Sir,
~how much
and
how long~
Sarah
November 16th, 2007,
12:24 am
Agreed SEO Luv - conceptual selling.. the only way to go
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