You’re shopping SEO agencies and have two choices:
- One is direct. Doesn’t sound sexy, and shares the pros AND cons of SEO.
- The other talks amazing. Offers guarantees.
The left screenshot is from a lead that was shopping agencies. The right is the update of their new site after they chose someone else.
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On the lead call last year I talked to them direct. Did not offer guarantees. Did not offer to compress timelines. Told them exactly how slow the process would be to do it right.
They chose the smooth talkers. The smooth talkers also redesigned their site (which I advised wasn’t needed).
They’re not further a long with SEO progress, and are actually worse off post-redesign.
- Nearly 50% more dead pages
- Double the redirects
- Triple the redirect chains
- Double the broken links
All that money, and lost opportunity cost/time.
But less than a year later they’re back, and signed with us. Lesson learned, and now a more educated, patient client to rocket success for.
Always choose the person talking to you directly. Because they’re not selling you. They’re leveling with you.
They’re sharing the reality of marketing, not whispering sweetly what you WANT to hear in your hear. They’re telling you what you NEED to hear.
