Friday, October 05, 2007

Q and A: How do you handle clients that pay late?

Dear Kalena...

Can I ask how you handle clients that pay late? Not so much those that are a week or two but those that are a good month or more. It's one part of the business I just don't seem to have a handle on.

Anonymous


Kalena's Answer:

Dear Anonymous

We used to have problems with SEM clients paying late, but it seemed to stop when we started using Freshbooks for all invoicing. The system allows you to pre-configure up to 4 invoice reminders that go out at certain time intervals e.g.

- Your Account is now 7 days overdue. Please pay your Account as soon as possible, thanks.

- Your Account is now 14 days overdue. Please pay your Account as soon as possible, or advise us of a problem via return email, thanks.

- Your Account is now 30 days overdue. Please pay your Account immediately to avoid penalty interest, or advise us of a problem via return email.

- If your Account is not paid within 7 days it will be passed on to our creditors for default collection.

We have also introduced very strict terms and conditions where invoices beyond 30 days overdue attract interest calculated daily. A link to these terms are on all invoices and business proposals. In reality, we rarely charge the interest as long as clients let us know they will be paying late, but it acts as a good deterrent!


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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Q and A: As a freelance SEM, how should I structure my fees?

Dear Kalena...

I've been running PPC campaigns and advising my employer's clients on SEO for a while and last month I finally decided to go freelance.

Something you may be able to help me with is how I should structure my standard charges for new clients? The fees charged by agencies vary enormously so it would be good to get your opinion on what constitutes a 'realistic' pricing structure for a freelancer. What works best for you?

Some SEM's charge a CPA but while this may at first seem attractive to some clients, I'm not convinced it's always as transparent as they are led to believe. Is an hourly rate better? Should I charge differently for SEO? Sorry for so many questions, but I'd really appreciate your advice.

Thanks
Giles

Kalena's Answer:

Hi Giles

It's really difficult to advise on fees because SEM and SEO consultants all work differently. The way you structure your fees should reflect both your working style and the projects you take on. I used to quote every client on a project-by-project basis, which required me to conduct a full analysis of each site up-front, for no fee (as this was technically pre-sales activity).

I soon learned that this was not cost-effective for me. I now charge an hourly rate and quote projects based on the estimated hours each will take. But some clients may not like an hourly rate. When it comes to freelancing, here are my tips:

1) Don't provide a fixed quote for any project, always provide an estimate in case the work takes longer than you expect.

2) Don't undercharge for your work. Quote a rate that you're worth or you will resent the project and the client. If you lose a project to undercutting by a competitor, let it go! It's not worth compromising the value of your expertise.

3) Unless you have full access to the client's site metrics, a solid understanding of and respect for their product and access to their current and future online sales figures, avoid any cost-per-acquisition or commission-based deals.

4) An hourly rate is often more cost-effective for you and easier for your clients to understand.

5) Try to quote in hours, not in dollars. This makes it easier to divide larger projects into smaller jobs and helps the client understand how valuable your time is.

6) Keep strict timesheets when working on a project to ensure you don't undercharge. A fantastic online tool for keeping timesheets and invoicing clients based on project hours is Freshbooks.

7) A monthly retainer for clients can often work well, with the ability for clients to top up hours as needed.

8) Allow clients to buy your hours in bulk for a discount e.g. 10 percent discount for a block of 10 or more hours.

9) Always ask for a percentage of the costs up front e.g. five retainer hours towards the project.

10) If a client is asking for exclusivity in their industry or market, don't be afraid to charge extra for the privilege. After all, it may mean you have to turn down future work.

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Monday, September 24, 2007

Q and A: How do I start a SEO business?

Dear Kalena...

I want to ask how do I start a SEO business? I've got some knowledge and background as I'm going through some training about SEO and would like to know more about it. Do you have any advice? I'm currently in Indonesia and I'm Chinese.

Proson


Kalena's Answer:

Dear Proson

Assuming you already have good SEO skills and experience, you shouldn't have any problem setting up on your own. Start off by becoming a freelancer, bidding for projects and doing SEO jobs wherever you can find them. Read my posts about SEO /SEM jobs for more information on setting out on your own. I also recommend reading my article 11 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Job in Search Engine Marketing.

If you think you need more SEO training, you might want to consider taking one of the Search Engine Optimization training courses we offer at Search Engine College. Our Advanced SEO course even has a bonus chapter on starting your own SEO business.

If you'd like to consider alternative training options, my article SEM Industry Training: What are the Options? should point you in the right direction.


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Thursday, September 20, 2007

12 Breeds of Client and How to Work With Them

A terrific and amusing article was published recently on Freelance Switch, a community blog for freelancers: 12 Breeds of Client and How to Work With Them.

As a freelancer myself, I find myself nodding in agreement and laughing out loud at some of the client descriptions. Here's an extract:
"The Get-A-Good-Deal-Client:

Unethical get-a-good-deal clients are usually up for 'no harm trying' mentality that can see them trying to get out of paying for certain things, or at their worst, bullying you for more work or discounts...

The Low-Tech Client

The low-tech client looks confused and disoriented when discussing anything high-tech, calls rather than emails, wants everything to be faxed... The low-tech client will need to be hand-held through everything from setting up their email to opening up PDFs. Charge accordingly."

So true. And isn't it a snazzy blog design? I'm quite jealous. Thanks to Sophie for bringing this great site to my attention.


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Thursday, August 09, 2007

Q and A: Is it possible to work from home as an SEO and PPC consultant?

Dear Kalena...

I have got 2+ years experience as an SEO and PPC consultant. I'm also good at copywriting. Now due to some personal problems I have left my job. I have worked for US & UK based clients from my company in India. Would it be possible that I can get such type of job by working from my home? Please advise.

Thanks
Sarvar


Kalena's Answer:

Dear Sarvar

Yes, absolutely! With the type of demand out there for someone with your skills, you should have no problem getting freelance work.

A lot of people assume you need venture capital or a bank loan to start your own business, but it's just not true. I began doing freelance web design and SEO in my spare time and was able to create my own company after a short period of time. If you're interested in how I got started in this biz, you can read about it here.

These days, things are a lot easier for the freelance SEO/PPC/SEM expert. You can register at Elance and pitch for small (or large!) projects and you can search the hundreds of jobs available in the search industry at niche sites such as Jobs in Search and Search Engine College's job board. You should also hang out on various webmaster forums where people are often seeking help with projects. Become a regular poster, network with others in the search industry and you'll not only learn a lot and contribute to a valuable community, but you'll start to benefit in terms of client leads and referrals.

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Monday, May 21, 2007

Q and A: Why haven't I profited from my site?

Dear Kalena...

This is Parthiban from India. I have a site which is relating to home based business and about personal loans, because I'm working in a private finance company.

My question is why I haven't I profited from my site, even though I have a Google Adsense account? I get very few visitors to my site. Please tell me how to increase my site's traffic and how to add meta tags to my site. What is search engine optimization? How do I add my site to get listed in Google's search engine? Please guide me to get some income from this site.

Thanking you
Parthiban

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Parthiban

I've had a look at your site and I'm not surprised it hasn't made you any money. Let me take your questions one by one:

1) Why I haven't I profited from my site, even though I have a Google Adsense account?

Because you don't take the site seriously. For starters, your site is hosted on a free hosting service and doesn't even have it's own domain. Next problem is that it's covered in ads. I can't see the content at all because it's totally buried in AdSense units and referral links. Visitors aren't going to try to find your content amongst all those ads.

2) Please tell me how to increase my site's traffic and how to add meta tags to my site.

Get your own domain. Search engines won't take the site seriously until you do. Clean up the site and put some real useful content on there. Delete 80 percent of those ad units, they are putting people off. Build links from sites in your industry. Write articles. Start a blog. Download this free SEO lesson. It will teach you how to develop title and meta tags from scratch.

3) What is search engine optimization?

How long is a piece of string? Why is the sky blue? All these questions have endless answers. Best if you take our SEO 101 course to learn the answers for yourself.

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Thursday, January 18, 2007

Q and A: Is SEO a good work-from-home business opportunity?

Dear Kalena...

I read about SEOs in your article 11 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Job in Search Engine Marketing which was listed as a potential career for Baby Boomers. My background is in Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing; however, due to illness, I can no longer travel with this work. I want to find a way to earn a decent amount of money from home on my computer or make calls in person to companies locally around the Washington, DC area in US. What are your thoughts about a single older woman who needs to start over? Is this a potentially good career move?

Thank you!
Linda


Kalena's Answer:

Dear Linda

Sure! SEO/SEM is a great business option for persons who are Internet savvy and are willing to re-train and spend the time learning the industry from the ground up. Just be aware that it takes time to absorb the knowledge required to correctly optimize a web site and you really need to practice your skills on quite a few sites before taking on paying clients. See this post for more info and good luck!

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Monday, January 01, 2007

11 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Job in Search Engine Marketing

Are you currently seeking employment? Looking for a new profession? Considering a career change? Then a job in the field of Search Engine Marketing should be at the top of your list. Here are 10 reasons why:

1) The Search Industry is HOT

The first dot-com bubble may have burst 6 years ago, but the current bubble is getting bigger and stronger every day. One of the main reasons for the current dot-com boom is the skyrocketing growth of the search engine industry. No longer the territory of geekdom, search has exploded into the mainstream over the past few years and businesses are falling over themselves to get seen by online searchers. And they'll pay big bucks to search engines for the privilege.

Have you noticed that Google shares recently hit USD 500 EACH? It's not a coincidence. Search giants like Google, Yahoo and AOL can't fail to make money because everybody wants a bit of the search action. There's no denying, search is HOT, HOT, HOT.

2) It's Considered one of Four Jobs on the Cutting Edge

According to a recent article on MSN Careers, the position of Search Engine Optimizer is considered one of four jobs on the cutting edge right now. Who gave it this title? A representative from the world's largest specialized recruitment firm - Robert Half International Inc.

Search Engine Optimization is considered a sub-set of Search Engine Marketing. If you're unsure what a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) does, below is a definition provided by MSN Careers:

"Search engine optimizers (SEOs) increase a firm's Web site traffic by improving its search-engine page rankings. This is an especially important task in today's Internet-driven world, where many customers first learn of an organization and its products or services through the Web. Because of a shortage of experts in this relatively new area, many top SEOs receive multiple job offers. SEOs typically supplement their knowledge of how various search engines operate and determine page rankings with strong marketing skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively and program using HTML."

Wikipedia also defines Search Engine Optimizers here.

3) The Pay is Fantastic

A job in the search industry can be unbelievably lucrative. As noted recently by Jennifer Laycock of Search Engine Guide, "There are quite literally more jobs than there are skilled marketers and salaries can skyrocket to almost embarrassing levels."

Have you seen the type of salaries that search engine marketing and search engine optimization consultants are currently commanding in the US? Clearly, the search industry is making some people rich. Here are some typical salaries in USD:

Entry level SEO/SEM position = $30-45K

Three to five years experience / online account managers = $50-75K

Five + years / organic SEO specialists = $75-90K

Senior management level = $70-120K

SEM Director = $95-150K

VP Level = $100-315K

Additional Salary links:

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3591061

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=10543

4) You Don't Need a College Degree

Because the search industry is relatively young, there are only a handful of online courses and certifications offered in the field of Search Engine Marketing (Search Engine College being one training provider).

Most search engine marketing practitioners are self-taught, learning the trade by experimenting with their own sites, researching trends, attending conferences and participating in discussion forums and so employers don't generally require SEO / SEM certification or a tertiary qualification as a pre-requisite for a position in the industry.

However, candidates who hold a marketing degree or specific industry certification in Search Engine Marketing may well have an edge over their fellow applicants when it comes to interview selection.

Continue reading article...


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