Shocking, right? We all have programmed to think that whatever the client says – the client is always right. Right? Well…I am not that sure anymore. I start to feel a bit like Martin Luther. How about a project that should easily be completed in 3 weeks keeps on dragging for a long time. How does 4 years sound? Is the client still right or are you just plainly too nice (queue “stupid”, “sucker” and other self demeaning words) to accept the fact that the client is not Alpha & Omega?

Here are some pointers that can help you spot a client who can drag you down into the deeps of a perpetual “Ground Hog’s Day”:

• I want it all for nothing:
  If the client asks for everything under the sun, including the moon, the stars and their light and points out that he or she has a minuscule budget to deal with then run as fast and far as you can. Do not try to serve champagne to folks with beer money. They will drag you into a downward spiral of requests, amendments to the initial requests, changes, payment withholding and other “fun” stuff, not to mention the fact that the whole project will take forever.
• They know what they want but have no idea what they are asking for
  Stay away from those who do not have a plan. It’s funny how many times I hear:”I just need a website. Can you do it and how much does it cost?”. I usually just say: “Have a nice day”.
• A Signed Contract keeps you out of courts
  If everything goes well during the “discovery” process, make sure you put together a contract. Outline the communication procedure, dead-lines, payment schedule and sign off terms for each milestone. Most importantly have a signed copy dropped off with the client and keep the original in your designated folder for that client. You will return to it several times. If it’s more than 3 times, start discussing the transition of the project to someone else. Be nice about it but firm.
• Time is of the essence. Especially yours.
  If the project’s completion period did not include several birthday parties of your own, or your client’s for that matter, it’s time to fire the client. Of course, this is true only when the client is the one not sending you the information to complete the project even when you pointed it out at least 3 times. If the time drags on because of you, well – you are just lazy and you should be ashamed of yourself.

I am sure there are more – but for now, these should be sufficient to help you deal with some damaging clients and if I helped in any way through these bullet points, it would be nice to hear from you.

Companies are finding it increasingly difficult to reach their potential customers. Finding your way through the social media and online marketing jungle is not an easy task. That is why, it is crucial for a company or an individual to specialize and focus on a niche market.

I remember when I first started my design business I took calls like: “Can you make me a website with 40 pages for under $200?”, “How about a logo? Can you manipulate my photos and put me next to Pamela Anderson?” My answer was always “yes” regardless if I was able to do any of it or not. I figured I have to “blast” them with my knowledge and show that I am an “all stop shop” for everything design related. I even got requests to create architectural drawings and redesign homes!

Needless to say I was the “jack-of-all-trades; master of just a few”. My life was chaotic and barely had time to catch reruns of “Family Guy”. Even more disturbing was the fact that my business was not even growing. That’s when I realized that this “shot-gun blasting” approach was not quite the one I was looking for.
After lots of research and feedback from my clients, I finally decided on my niche market. I start focusing on that and discarded all the other extra stuff. Pretty soon I became the expert in my niche market and clients were seeking me out instead of the other way around. Based on that,  word-of-mouth was and continues to be still very big for me. Plus, it’s free!

If you are just starting out or if you are in midst of “revamping” your business marketing approach here are some things you need to consider:

1. ASSETT INVENTORY

Make a list of your strengths. Narrow them down to 2 to 3 max. Write down the pro’s and con’s for each; list all the ways you can develop the skills you already posses. Instead of dwindling on pleasing everyone with a multitude of services, focus on your strengths and be the best you can be in your field. These are your tools, your weapon and your ammo.

2. SEARCH & IMPROVISE

Find your field, your area of expertise and become the best you can be in that area. If someone is looking for a specialist in your field – you should be on top of that list. If you identify potential “contenders” in your niche market, network with them and find their strengths and weaknesses. Very often a new niche market might emerge just from this activity alone.

3. IDENTIFY POTENTIAL TARGETS

Go through your rolodex, Palm, contact database, friends, relatives, etc. and identify potential connections that are relevant to your “new” approach. If you are targeting, let’s say, the financial sector then contact the person who helped with your mortgage. Ask him/her to introduce you to his/her connections. “Facebook” your marketing approach towards potential clients.

4. KEEP THE PRESSURE ON

Once you identified your niche and thus your potential clients, research novel ways to create the buzz and display your potential. Take advantage of the social media and be active on all fronts. Send emails that have meaning and can benefit your clients. You don’t have to overwhelm them but make a gem of knowledge from every one of your messages. Store them on your website/blog for future reference. Just be consistent and adjust the “marketing” fire according to conditions of the market and especially to the mood of the targeted clients.

In conclusion – business is very fluid and it’s up to you to keep up, adapt, adjust and change course at a drop of a hat. Those who don’t will not win. In the words of a genius:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
And one more: Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.

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• Niche Markets Are Very Popular With Todays Consumers (marketersdaily.com)
• It’s All About The Customer (defactomind.com)

First of all – familiarize yourself with basic SEO jargon like: internal/external links, meta tags, titles, pagerank, etc. 

This way at least you know what the SEO company is talking about when they make the sales pitch.

Personally, I noticed that the shady ones are often hiding behind geek lingo trying to paint you in a corner by throwing these words at you, thus proving that they know what they are talking about.

You can cut that conversation short and find out how credible and professional they are by asking 5 little questions. Here they are:

1. What kind of results should you be able to see and how long will it take to get there?
2. What experience do you have in my industry and how long have you been doing this?
3. Show/send me examples of your previous work and success stories. Can I contact some of these people?
4. Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
5. What other marketing services do you offer besides SEO?

Just keep this list by your phone and take notes while they answer these questions. I’m sure you are a pretty seasoned business individual so you should be able to spot the shady ones right away. You can download a quick and easy PDF document of “Questions to ask a SEO company” right here.