Philippians 1:27

There is an old adage that speaks to the fact that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, but when you have been up all night building a website and pouring over Google Adwords campaigns even simple quotes can become quite illusive. This begs the question, “Why then are you writing content on and empty brain?” At this point I am simply hoping that the (3) cups of bold, French Roast, coffee that I have had will provide some synaptic conductivity so I can tell you a little story. SO…back to the point of this post. You can please some of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

I discovered this recently with one of my clients that I poured evey ounce of my soul into building a streamlined, impressive, and fully optimized adwords campaign only to have them bail out two months into their advertising. Even for the most seasoned Search Engine Marketing Guru, this is one of those things that makes you want to scream, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,” as if you are watching a toddler standing on the edge of a swimming pool and you are across the courtyard unable to get to them! You know that you have done everything possible to make their ads run effectively. You have done your keyword research, you have baseline data to determine which ad groups you want to build into your campaign, you have perfected your ad copy taking full advantage of every click and every impression, each ad group points to the appropriate landing pages, your mobile campaign is perfect, and you have even contacted Google to have them review the campaign just to have an extra set of eyes on things. All of your reports indicate a successful campaign even your tracking numbers are ready to prove that actively engaged consumers are ready to buy and clicking on your ads to buy from your client. Then you meet with your client only to find out that they are tracking every contact, phone, email, and walk-in, and have determined that their ads are just not working for them! They tell you that despite the fact that they have had over 600 clicks and over a million eyeballs on their ads that their advertising is just not working out.

You try to explain to them that the stars could not be more aligned and that they essentially have the Mona Lisa of adwords accounts (no joke) and that what they need to do is give it more time to realize a positive ROI. But they are not having it. They feel that they have wasted money and have nothing to show for it, even though, in reality, they have one of the best positions (page 1, position 1 with all of their keywords on Google) possible, and that over a million people have seen their branding. You know in your bones that if they just hang in their they will see the inevitable rush of clients that keeps business owners flocking to advertise on Google. You try to point out the fact that people that go to Google and click on their ads are in a unique part of the buying cycle. You explain to the client that, unlike other mediums of advertising, the people that are clicking on their ads are actively engaged and for the most part are not just kicking tires. You know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these ads are the most effective form of advertising, bar none. But it just does not make sense to your client for whatever reason. You know that if the role were reversed that you would hang in there for the long-haul, because you know that your customers are more than likely just wavering on their buying decision, and that it is just a seasonal lull in buying activities. But no amount of convincing makes a difference, despite your confidence in the solution you have provided.

Sound familiar? Well it happens to the best search engine marketers. The key is not to let it get under your skin. You have done everything right and have had your clients best interest at heart. You have poured your experience and knowledge into your work and you are therefore above reproach with regard to the service that you have offered your client. You are a qualified professional that has invested your time to improve the life and the business of your client and you have nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, when your client calls you in a few weeks because they have realized that since their ads have been shut down they have noticed a significant decrease in business, you can say with humility, “how may I serve you.” So be of good cheer. You have a wealth of knowlege and you are an ally, advocate, and partner to those you serve. Your clients depend on your knowlege of the industry and rely on you to position their businesses online in such a way that they gain prominent exposure and benefit from being in the most prestigious places online! You are a Search Engine Marketing Professional and without you many business owners would be writing down losses instead of ringing up sales!

The key to being a good Search Engine Marketing professional is to do honest work, educate your clients, be transparent and give them the respect and level of service that you would expect for your own business. Always push yourself to learn more and explore ways that improve your stewardship over your clients advertising budgets. Always maintain pride in your professionalism and never slack on mastering your skills as an advertising consultant.

ENCOURAGEMENT

E valuate the
N eeds of your
C  lients.
O penly discuss the facts;
U nderstand their concerns, and
R ealize what is true and versus what is percieved.
A nswer honestly.
G enuinely show your concern.
E laborate on your course of action and
M aybe…just maybe,
E verything will work out .
N othing good comes without hard work, but
T ime will prove your efforts are not in vain.