No second thoughts – SEO is all the rage now. The SEO professionals seem to be in a pretty decent state. The economy is thriving and there’s room for business for nearly everyone.
But, this won’t last long. The economy cycles through phases of growth and regression. Thus, an economic downturn is simply inevitable. During the slump phase, businesses cut expenses and marketing is one of the first areas to witness budget cuts.
Good News: As an SEO professional, you don’t have to feel bogged down anymore. Your ability to wield revenue is no more subject to economic oscillation. Ahead, we’ve rounded up 4 key steps that would help you survive (or even thrive) in a recession:
Boost Marketing Activities
In a slow economy, businesses reduce marketing expenses, which sometimes leads to catastrophic outcomes. We won’t say you shouldn’t restrict your expenses, but we will urge you to review your marketing tactics and remove ineffective channels and outdated programs. Refinement is the key.
The money thus saved should be reinvested into new marketing campaigns or into the older ones that are already running. Plus, if you are in luck, you might avail advertising opportunities at lower costs. Slow economy, at times, drives out the competitors (reason: reduced marketing budget) – giving you leverage.
Target Direct Sales
‘Sales’ is a very tricky word for SEO professionals. But, you have to engage in significant sales activities if you want to succeed in a dwindling economy. That doesn’t mean you have to initiate high-pressure sales pitch, instead, plan a strategic sales campaign.
The goal is to build a relationship with the client. Try to establish communication through mail, phone or even face-to-face meetings. From there, you can start the qualifying process and decide if he/she is fit for the sales pitch or not, and at the right time, pitch them hard.
Establish Relationships As Much As Possible
Relationships dictate business success and failure. Many in the SEO industry hide in their glass-and-steel workspaces avoiding people…. That’s a big mistake. It results in several missed opportunities. Favorable relationships open doors of success. They can even generate new leads and connect you to valuable partners. The mantra is to build a positive bond and nurture it well. It doesn’t have to be always face-to-face. You can maintain it over the phone or online.
So, connect to people, establish healthy communication and build meaningful relationships, online and offline as well.
Implement a System That Generates Referrals
Business referrals work wonders! But, the challenge is to get a quality referral. Why? Because most of the organizations don’t have a proper system! That’s why we suggest you have a system that will enhance the process of receiving referrals. It should be easier and frequent. For that, you have to first stop playing the game of chance and request clients for a referral.
Most of the clients revaluate their marketing efforts several times a year. So, keep asking them time and again. However, make sure you are never too pushy or too blunt. Use the right words and the right tone.
“David, you know I’m always looking for more clients like you, so I wanted to ask a small favor. Would you be willing to introduce me to anyone you know who might want to grow their business?”
Simple and to the point, this kind of sentences can help you get good referrals.
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The blog has been sourced from ― www.searchenginejournal.com/how-seo-professionals-thrive-slow-economy