Note: To view sample proposals, visit: http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/chat/proposals.html

Conducted by Robin Nobles

Academy of Web Specialists

Take search engine marketing training!

10:27:02 robin We need to move into proposals --
10:27:11 robin I posted three proposals online that people have turned in to me
10:27:20 robin Some are very detailed, whereas one is very simple
10:29:09 benu Robin What is the location of these proposals
10:29:44 robin http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/chat/proposals.html
10:31:40 robin proposal #1 and #2 are both very detailed. #2 even goes into detail about what SEO is, has a glossary, etc. Explains things very well. 
10:31:59 robin Even gives the popularity of the search engines
10:32:18 shermanhu that could easily be on the seo's site
10:32:36 robin that's true Sherman -- good point
10:32:52 robin plus, you're adding valuable CONTENT to your Web site in the process! grin 
10:33:03 shermanhu and opti it!
10:33:19 robin #1 gives a step by step description of the whole process -- beginning with the initial consultation 
10:33:44 robin tells exactly what the SEO will be doing -- and even outlines costs 
10:33:55 robin covers some of the same areas that are covered in the contract but not in as much detail 
10:34:20 robin #2 also gives recommended services --
10:34:47 robin by the way, #2 also included a WebPosition Gold2 report showing the site's current rankings for the keywords they considered important 
10:35:12 robin and, it included a Wordtracker report too --
10:35:23 robin a lot of information -- very detailed. a lot of work . . .
10:35:41 robin impressive for sure -- but remember that you haven't been paid anything yet! 
10:36:00 robin this proposal may get you the contract -- that's obviously the goal. 
10:36:12 shermanhu philanthropic proposal
10:36:37 robin #3 is much simpler -- doesn't go into as much detail but does give info about the proposed plan, costs, etc. 
10:37:04 robin #3 has been very successful with the guy who uses it -- because it IS so simple, doesn't require a lot of his time to develop/create, etc.
10:37:25 robin three variations -- all three very good. Depends on YOU and how much time YOU want (and have) to put into the proposal. 
10:37:37 robin I have known SEO's who charge for a detailed proposal, so that's always an option 
10:38:13 robin another consideration -- if you go to a lot of work to create a detailed proposal, with suggested keywords, etc., what's to stop the company from taking your hard work and hiring someone else (cheaper) to do it? something to think about . . .
10:38:59 dbarry if they do that you can charge double when they come back. 
10:39:05 robin I'm a very very wordy person, as you probably already know, and I always try to be very complete in everything I do -- so I'd probably have a detailed one. Would it benefit me? I don't know . . . 
10:39:06 webman that's why I wait until I get my down payment to divulge keyword terms 
10:39:08 shermanhu lol - I like that
10:39:35 robin you can certainly hold back on your actual strategies until you get that signed contract 
10:40:03 robin I would definitely do that. You can explain in a general way what you're going to do, but not get too much into the actual strategies for THAT particular client.
10:40:10 dbarry in my opinion, putting in the keywords adds credibility to you and your knowledge that you are selling 
10:40:35 cameron then just give em a keyword teaser
10:40:37 robin another way of looking at it -- and that's very true
10:40:40 shermanhu sampling
10:40:46 cameron but not the whole enchilada
10:40:46 dbarry true
10:40:52 robin you have to prove that you know what you're doing, without giving away the farm 
10:41:22 dbarry throw in 2 and put in + 6 others found
10:41:44 robin that's a good idea! and you could even say that the KEI for those other 6 were in the hundreds of thousands! ha! 
0:41:59 dbarry or put the stat without the keyword
10:42:12 robin ahhhhh. you sneaky thing you!
10:42:53 robin any comments about any of these individual proposals?
10:43:00 webman What about asking the client for keyword recommendations and then using WordTracker to work off that? I do that when I'm dealing with an industry that I know nothing about.
10:43:21 shermanhu the one thing about stats is not to 
over-promise - so the client thinks that what s/he's gonna receive
10:43:32 dbarry I think the client is usually wrong, that is 
why they are hiring you
10:43:33 robin that's one place to start -- or ask the 
client about his customers -- what they're looking for when they go online
10:43:36 webman I make sure to tell the client that the 
keywords he gives me are just guidelines
10:43:48 dbarry use their suggestions and probably fail miserably
10:44:10 cameron I ask for a list of who their potential customers are
10:44:17 webman I usually do Dave, but I get some good 
alternatives from the Wordtracker thesaurus
10:44:22 robin you're right Dave -- the client is usually 
wrong, but using their keywords and Wordtracker canup a lot of OTHER ideas that could 
be very good. We tend to think of keywords in terms of the actual products or services we 
sell, rather than on what the audience is looking for and wanting
10:44:25 cameron independent of the keywords
10:44:36 sallyk a campaign on adwords shows the effective 
keywords quickly
10:44:39 dbarry good point
10:44:59 robin I love the Dominos pizza story -- have you heard it?
10:45:08 dbarry no
10:45:09 webman no
10:45:19 shermanhu I think I heard it at SEW Orlando - but forgot it
10:45:33 dbarry I was probably on the phone
10:45:44 shermanhu or fixing the "WIFI"
10:45:47 robin the guy who started Dominos pizza went to an 
advertising firm and asked how much it would take to become one of the top 3 pizza 
companies, and how long it would take
10:46:11 robin the ad company said -- around 7 years (may 
not be exact) and $9 million, or someething like that'
10:46:21 robin the guy said that he didn't have 7 years or $9 million
10:46:27 robin so, he went and sat in his pizza stores
10:46:32 robin he LISTENED to his customers
10:46:39 robin what did THEY want when they wanted a pizza?
10:46:45 robin they wanted it DELIVERED!@
10:46:53 robin That's his slogan -- Dominos Pizza Delivers!
10:47:08 dbarry Im  Hungry now
10:47:09 robin he made it to #3 in less than 7 years just by 
listening to what his customers want.
10:47:25 robin yes, they want hot, and they want lots of 
cheese, etc. But, they wanted it delivered. cool story.
10:47:29 webman Now their slogan is "Get the door. It's 
Dominoes."
10:47:45 robin don't forget to listen to your customers -- 
as it pertains to your Web site itself and your business in general
10:47:52 robin give them what THEY want -- and use THEIR words.
10:47:53 cameron well, with TIA we may be able to get that 
from the Pentagon
10:48:15 webman great story, robin. Thanks for sharing.
10:48:22 robin another story from STephen Mahaney -- he just 
told me this one a week or so ago
10:48:40 robin when he started in the SEO industry, he got 
started because he had created a Web site about Hawaii and was ruling the rankings
10:48:51 robin everyone kept asking him how he did it -- how 
did he get his "findability"
10:49:07 robin so, he created marketing copy using THEIR 
words - increase your "findability," etc.
10:49:29 robin The funny thing is, "findability" isn't even 
a word, but it's what HIS customers called it, so he knew that THEY knew what they wanted 
and were talking about
10:49:54 robin a couple of people told him that findability 
isn't a word, but he said he didn't care -- he was listening to his customers
10:50:14 robin actually, we in the SEO use a lot of words 
that aren't really words!!
10:50:31 robin (especially when we're screaming at our computers)
10:50:38 robin ANYWAY, back to the proposals!
10:50:55 robin do we want to create some sort of "standard" 
here, or just keep these examples up for you to use?
10:51:12 dbarry I like the examples
10:51:31 dbarry each one is for a different type of client
10:51:35 shermanhu I save my chats everytime someone adds a 
comment  - lol
10:51:45 cameron diff browzer make a diff?
10:51:45 robin if anyone else has any examples, send them to 
me. I'll remove names, etc., and post them online.
10:51:49 dbarry I changed them around a little bit and saved 
as word templates
10:52:04 robin good idea Dave --
10:52:11 webman you've already got the examples, so why not 
do both? Why not also have one sample proposal?
10:52:30 dbarry put a sample on your site
10:52:30 robin proposal #2 was in Word, and I had a heck of 
a time getting it up online. The guy who sent it to me finally reworked it, but I 
couldn't get it converted toHTML --
10:52:31 webman I mean one standard proposal
10:52:52 dbarry I can convert it for you
10:53:11 robin but have we come up with what we like with 
each of them in order to create a standard?
10:53:25 dbarry all 3 are different
10:53:28 robin thanks, Dave -- I know you could, but I got 
frustrated, screamed, and gave up (using words that aren't really words!)
10:53:46 dbarry let me know if you want me to send them to you
10:53:53 robin THANKS! please do!
10:53:56 webman I think we all agree it's important to 
include some level of keywords.
10:54:08 dbarry 1 is quick proposal for small client
10:54:08 cameron evolution of language, gotta love it
10:54:19 dbarry 2 is for bigger client and itemized
10:54:30 dbarry 3 is for SEO and Web Design
10:54:35 robin that's a good point Dave -- each one has its 
definite advantages and uses, depending on the client, how much "talking" you're going to 
have to do to convince them, etc.
10:54:49 webman true
10:55:00 webman why not label them as such on the web site?
10:55:10 robin I can do that -- not a problem
10:55:33 cameron mom & pop, corporate proposal and...
10:55:35 robin By the way, we'll be putting a link to these 
proposals on the new SEOJobs.com site when it's finished. and, a link to the contracts too
10:55:40 webman Then you've not only got samples, you've got 
a standard proposal for each kind.
10:56:53 robin good points all --
10:56:59 robin any other comments??
10:57:08 burgwald when will this chat be posted
10:57:47 robin got a few to post now -- need to work on them 
and send the rough transcripts out to be converted to HTML
10:57:48 burgwald have a great christmas and new year
10:58:39 mel Where will it be posted - is there a link where all past transcripts get put? 
10:59:05 robin yes Mel -- http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/chat/chatindex.htm