SEO Me the Money
Your article in the August 2004 issue entitled "Inthe Click" had some great information for business ownersabout search engine marketing. It has long been accepted thatgenerating leads over the Web via search engine optimization (SEO)can be significantly less expensive than direct mail, ads in theYellow Pages and e-mail advertising.
One point that your article didn't stress enough issomething small-business owners need to look for when they decideto outsource an SEO campaign. Most companies providing SEO servicescharge a flat rate to get started, then a monthly maintenance fee.Typically, clients are told they can expect great results, butrarely are guarantees made.
This is logical, because search engines are dynamic. Youcan't be sure about pushing a site to No. 1, or even to the top10, for that matter. Think about it: Just as you are trying to getyour widget site to No. 1, there may be 5,000 other widget sitescompeting for that spot (many of whom are also using an SEOcompany, and some of whom may be using the same companyyou're using). There is only room for one site to be No. 1, andthere will just as certainly be somebody at No. 5,000.
What this does, unfortunately, is put your money at risk. Everybusiness owner who's done any advertising has probably boughtan ad or two that was a total bust. That's what you'reexposing yourself to if you pay fees to your SEO company.
With the technology available today, it doesn't have to bethat way. You don't need to be exposed to potential losses.
Over the past few years, several SEO companies have moved to amodel that allows them to be paid based directly on results (eitherby positions achieved, leads or sales generated, or whatevercriteria you agree on).
I strongly advise any small-business owner considering searchengine marketing to seek out one of these companies. It will helpensure that your SEO expenses are in line with your results. Overthe years, too many business owners have spent tens of thousands ofdollars on SEO services and had nothing to show for it.
Great job otherwise!
Sean Folkson
President
AffiliatePros.com
New York City
Tell It Like It Is
A few months ago, someone called me with a lot of questions. Atfirst, I thought one of the elected officials or regulatoryagencies I had written letters to was following up. No such luck.It was, however, someone interested in my story: your reporter.
Later, when someone told me the story would be in the July issue("Down andOut"), I thought "I hope it captures what hashappened to me: the financial rape at the caprice of one of thenation's largest banks, for cash and stockholder value."This letter is simply my hat nodding to the author. Kudos. Goodjob, and good writing.
Gary Ozenne Owner
Residential Fire Sprinklers
Hemet, California
Music to Our Ears
I'm a subscriber to BIZ Experiences magazine and theowner of a music-booking business named Prince/SF Productions.We're a three-person company that has been breaking even andsurviving since 1977. After reading the June issue of yourmagazine, I was inspired to completely change how music booking isapproached.
On July 1, I launched www.inhousebooking.com, a company that chargesperforming artists on a per-call basis and guarantees focused andhonest representation for the thousands of performers who areunable to secure a booking agent on their own. I partnered with anumber of online resources to spread the word [www.sonicbids.com,www.craigslist.com, etc.], and the response has beenoverwhelming.
In three weeks, I've secured 36 clients, and I'mexpecting the project to generate $200,000 in its first year. Ihave to hire help immediately. The company is really taking off andsetting a new standard for the music-booking industry.
Just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration!
Bud Anderson
Owner
InHouseBooking.com
PrinceSF.com
San Carlos, California
Learning New Tricks
I've been in business for more than 30 years. I'mstarting a second business that will bolster my first business andothers, and work strictly off of networking contacts. So I readRomanus Wolter's February "Success Coach,"which [I found on AOL], and I was very impressed with the pointsand hints you presented. As an old dog, I thank you for thesuggestions.
Len McGarvey
Owner/General Manager
Yellow Duck Park
Canfield, Ohio
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