SECTION NINETEEN of the ULTIMATE SEO FREELANCER GUIDE - THE REALITY!
Get an SEO budget up-front to help win new business
By getting a budget up front, my own prospect to new client conversion rate has always been very good because I always got a budget that my potential clients were happy to invest.
By getting a budget, it means that price will never ever be the reason for you losing the sale. Now that’s a major step forward within the whole sales process.
I know exactly what you’re thinking! I can hear it under your breath:
“But prospects never give me a budget, even if I ask for one.”
I hear you and I have gone through the exact same thing myself. Therefore, over the years, I have been testing and tweaking different ways of dragging a budget from prospects. Here is usually how the conversation goes:
Me: “Yes, I can help you to increase new business but first I need to know what budget you have to make this work?”
Prospect: “I don’t really have a set budget.” OR “I just want a proposal so I can look it over.”
Me: “The fact is, I have clients that pay me £500 per month and others that pay me £10,000 per month. The more they invest, the more effort I am able to put into their campaign, the more targeted traffic they will receive which all results in a higher return. There is just no point in putting a proposal together for you based on £4,000 per month if your marketing budget only stretches to £700 at most. This is just wasting both of our time. With this in mind, which end of the scale are you at?”
WAIT FOR THEM TO ANSWER
Prospect: “It’s probably somewhere in between.”
Me: “Thanks. So, if I put a proposal together based on £2,500 per month that demonstrated your estimated return on investment, would you seriously consider it?”
Prospect: “Yes, I would.”
Me: “That’s great news. In order for us me calculate an accurate return I just need to know what your average client is worth to you - in revenue terms that is. I also need to know what your lead-to-sales conversion rate is and what you need to happen to see this campaign as successful.”
Prospect: “Well an average sale is worth around £1,500 and I convert about 20% of all leads into business.”
Me: “And what sort of return would you need to receive to make this work for you?”
Prospect: “Around the £20K per month mark.”
Me: “Fantastic. I don’t see any reason we are not able to help you. Give me a couple of days to put a proposal together and I will give you a call once you have had time to go through it. I’m free either next Tuesday or Thursday. Which day is best for you?”
This conversation works for about 95% of all prospects calls I have made. If for whatever reason they just won’t give you a budget, you either must let them know that you are not able to move forward (which sometimes forces them into submission) or make a calculated guess.
Hungry for more?
Re-visit a previous section:
Section 1: SEO freelancing stories
Section 2: Before you jump ship into the world of SEO freelancing
Section 3: Being a full-time SEO freelancer is a business, not a hobby
Section 4: Be realistic about your own SEO skillset
Section 5: Understanding who your clients are
Section 6: Test the water before fully jumping into the full-time SEO freelancing life
Section 7: Be very mindful of – The promise trap
Section 8: Skills an SEO freelancer must have beyond just SEO
Section 9: The SEO freelancer payment terms
Section 10: Creating the perfect work / life balance
Section 11: Build a freelance support network around you
Section 12: What and how should an SEO freelancer charge?
Section 13: The isolation of being an SEO freelancer
Section 14: Get yourself a mentor or coach
Section 15: What does your personal brand say about YOU as a freelance SEO?
Section 16: Be targeted and productive with the right sales process
Section 17: The perfect lead for an SEO freelancer
Section 18: LinkedIn is your freelancing goldmine just waiting to be tapped in to