Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I think we can agree, the Internet has become a viable way to reach people (37 million people get online each day). In the beginning, finding a web page programmer was difficult… until the WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) applications became “the thing.” Those days are gone!

Entrepreneurs, marketers and 12 year old kids are speaking as if they are internet experts. Some are! That’s what makes this, “Do SEO yourself” attitude so difficult to shake. People read the “how to” section and mysteriously become experts within a few chapters of a book or online article.

We all believe we are at least as smart as that guy (point to anyone in the room). But many of us are not, and the others have intelligence in other areas. It really amazes me to see how many people are tackling SEO, without expert advice or guidance. There is a reason you can find more than a few experts. It’s because it is a field, which requires expert knowledge. The technology and white hat techniques are changing at a rate which makes it a “job” to track.

Once you’re in business on the internet, the game is on. You must perform or become a hobby. Business owners are driven to increase revenue or cut costs in order to financially stay afloat. Typically a business has competition. This competition limits the earning potential of any business. Therefore in order to succeed (wealth), the most logical thing to do is advertise.

On the internet you can strictly place visual advertising on sites, or perform SEO enhancements which in a sense advertises to the search engines, your existence and relevancy of content. Many people see the prices for quality advertising positions and realize they need to plan for the long term. This means effectively using SEO techniques. They jump on the net or grab a book at the bookstore and start reading/learning. They believe they can cut the cost of an experienced SEO person or team, and read a couple books to effectively get the same results.

People get started in online businesses, often because it’s less expensive than a brick & mortar. But is it really? You may not have the cost of a lease, but does a brick & mortar have the cost of a web programmer or SEO expert? My point is that eventually you are talking about thousands of dollars to open a brick & mortar, as well as an online store. There will likely be savings, but if the online store is really “your store” and not a bunch of affiliate programs and that type of thing… you will have costs in product storage, inventory purchases, and everything a brick & mortar has.

A business owner must DO something great in the context of business structure in order to capitalize on his idea of starting a business in the first place. What I mean by this is… If you are a quality product developer as part of some existing company, you should use your skills in any business venture you take on. Don’t start thinking you are an SEO expert, you’re still a product developer. Of course… learn about it and use what you have learned, but also… get guidance.

Is SEO really your forte? It’s probably not. Otherwise you would have fallen in love with that career, but instead you are opening an online business!  (see "create a life plan") It would be best to find your position in your company and do it while guiding the company decisions to reach the goals you set for the company.

There have been some great articles lately about SEO here in the SuN Community.

S.O.S. on my SEO!
Originally Posted Aug. 29, 2006

SEO and the Meta-Tag Controversy
Originally Posted Sep. 30, 2006

Speaking to Clarity; SEO Style
Originally Posted Oct. 30, 2006

When to SEO
Originally Posted Nov. 01, 2006

SEO Help: Community Brainstorming for Key Phrases
Originally Posted Nov. 03, 2006

SEO | How much $
Originally Posted Oct. 31, 2006

Should you hire an SEO "expert"?
Originally Posted Oct. 03, 2006

A Free Guide to SEO
Originally Posted Jun. 15, 2006

Website SEO holes
Originally Posted May. 17, 2006

What Captures Viewer Interest in Web Sites: SEO v. Reading Interest
Originally Posted Sep. 21, 2006

Sharing this Article on SEO
Originally Posted May. 31, 2006

Good SEO Books (Search Engine Optimization)
Originally Posted Apr. 07, 2006

Some I have started, because I am fighting the urge to believe I can do SEO myself. This post is part of my struggle, but I am siding with getting assistance from a hired expert.

I believe in order to have a successful (wealth) business you will have to compete with the already successful businesses out there. If my competitor is considered stronger than I, then I should learn their methods of business. By mimicking them I will learn the standards of the industry. Eventually I will use my talent (what ever it might be – accounting, deal making, product development) to place my business in a better position than the other businesses. This is my edge.

If the big boys are using “SEO R Us” for their methods of achieving healthy recognition on the net, then I should too. Or at least SEO R Us’ competitor in the industry.

In closing, I say this. If you believe running a business is easy, everyone would be doing it. If you still choose to run a business, you must be willing to invest in the best personnel to help run your business.

With a solid business plan, the only reason for failure is not having the proper people to help. (yes, I know there’s a little more to it than that…) Hey, maybe that’s why they call the section in the newspaper “Help Wanted” and not “Careers To Die For.”



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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Vincent,

Let`s pretend there was never SEO - that it did not exist. No Google, no Yahoo, no way to search the Interent. How would you drive traffic to your site? What is the best driver of traffic? Referrals. Viral marketing. Word of mouth advertsing.

I think the Internet business sometimes causing people to forget basic marketing techniques and how to position a company or products on the top rung of the ladder of a particular category.

Just pondering your post.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

R@ -

That`s an awesome question and I have to agree with you about people forgetting the basics.  What a spectacular exercise to work through.

Thanks!

R-


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Quaerite Primum Regnum

"There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line."
~ Oscar Levant ~

Twitter: @rossb

Y`know, Richard brings up a really good point, that there wasn`t always an Internet, SEO (SEM - search engine marketing), ad words, and so forth. Nor was there "viral marketing" and other technology things.

There`s a lot to be said for not losing sight of the basics. But we also have to consider that changing times call for changing strategies. There`s an interesting parallel, as I see it, with hamburgers. Originally, burgers were made of steak, charbroiled or grilled, and so forth. They cost X amount to make and sold for Y price.

Then came McDonald`s, and after that Burger King, Wendy`s, and then the cascade of other fast-food burger joints. The quality of the meat changed, to lower costs for mass production. That same mass production also brought economies of scale. Soon the "real steak burger" all but vanished.

Inflation, this and that, people`s tastes, all but eliminated the quality burger. In those days, unless you were selling burgers in a restaurant, a fast-food venue would make your price too high in relation to the competition. So what changed?

Market saturation, I think. Everyone finally had enough of the McDonald`s burger. It`s fast, everywhere, standardized, and blah. Now, in a pendulum swing, we`re starting to see the unique burger joint again, and even a few franchises based on high-quality, expensive burgers.

Right now, SEO isn`t only a business-initiated process; it`s also an effect of how people search for online information. Without search engines, people wouldn`t find anything. And the search engines are trying to make it easier for those people to find what they`re looking for. So are the search engines "driving" the SEO process? Or is it the market trying to find your business?

Isn`t the Yellow Pages part of the low-tech "basics?" Writing good content for a 2" ad in the phone book, or writing a great ad for the back of the local newspaper is the same thing. Yes, the format is electronic, but the content is still the same basic idea.

People want to find your business. The problem is how to do that in not only a crowd. There`s also geography. How do I find a business in New Zealand when I live in Chicago? I can either know the name of the business ahead of time, or I can search for the product I want, and find many businessess selling that product. Only then do things like price, service, variation, inventory, and so forth come into play. But first...you have to be found and customers have to know how to look for you.

"Viral marketing" is a new phrase for an old concept, basically word-of-mouth. Isn`t "SEO" a new acronym for an old concept, namely "writing useful, helpful, and interesting content?" I think Vince is making the point that professional writing is a skill, measured to a higher level than amateur writing. So too, playing the piano at Christmas for the family is different from doing a concert at Carnegie Hall.

To me, this post is about the whole idea of professional v. do-it-yourself. And so I wonder; how did we arrive at a point where "everybody" believes they can do anything? On another post, I`ve disagreed that "anything is possible," knowing that a large percentage of people hold that it`s true. There`s a lot of "motivational" stuff telling everyone they can do anything if they just put their mind to it.

And so...if everyone believes they can do anything, and nothing`s impossible, why wouldn`t they believe they can build a great Web site, write terrific content, sell a million widgets, and retire by the time they`re 40?

As Ayn Rand said: "In any irreconcilable difference of opinion, Reality is the ultimate arbiter."

Craig & Vincent:

What I`m saying is that SEO and SEM is all part of a total marketing plan which is part of the business plan. Understanding SEO is just as important as understanding other marketing strategies. Of course, if one has the funds and is willing to spend them, you can put your business at the top of every search for your key words. A good example is in automotive collision repair. DuPont and PPG are now spending BIG bucks on "sponsor" positioning to drive consumers to collision shops that are in their "network programs" so these shops do more business and ergo, buy more paint. But alas, most small businesses do not have the large sum of money these big boys have to spend on such an agressive campaign. So what to do.

Back to basics.

A marketing plan is a very important part of the business plan - maybe the most important part. It includes the framework and set of activities for implementing and controlling your marketing activities. It has to be written. It requires commitment. It should be a part of your monthly, quarterly and yearly planning process.  It wll force you to look internally to understand the results of past marketing decisions. Will force you to look externally to understand the market where you operate your business. And it will help you set future goals and provides direction for future marketing efforts.

Something I preach and teach to my clients is the 8 Deadly Marketing Mistakes:

1. Marketing only in the slow times. One mistake beginning business owners often make is putting marketing on the back burner and focus exclusively on the business at hand at the expense of marketing activities that continually reach out to new customers.
2. Failing to Focus. Many businesses fail at marketing because they try to tackle too many types of prospects on a limited budget.
3. Relying on just one or two marketing tactics. Single-mindedness is a major marketing mistake because it prevents your from exposing a full range of prospects to your message. When planning your marketing program, choose a variety of tactics that reach prospects.
4. Underspending on marketing. It is just as important to set aside marketing funds as it is to budget for computer equipment and/or business tools.
5. Failing to present a professional image. Your marketing materials (this includes the actual website) sell your business image to the world.. This includes how the phone is answered, when it is answered, email communications, prompt replies, etc. The list is a mile long.
6. Ignoring current customers. As your business grows, many focus on getting new customers but they overlook current customers. If you`re not keeping a database of current customers and marketing to them, this is a huge mistake.
7. Overlooking what technology can do for you. Whether this is a simple CRM program, a web-based email newsletter program, automated responses, etc. - using technology to your advantage is key to marketing properly.
8. Marketing without a plan. Many business owners when asked if they have a marketing plan will respond with, "I`ve got it all right here" as they point to their head. Of course, this means their thoughts are not written down. Marketing without a plan is sloppy business and causes you to lose time, money and possibly even customers.

Vincent - this post is not directed at you or your business. I just thought your post was a good opportunity to discuss the importance of marketing in any business.

Have a great day!

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

Wonderful posts GraigL and keycon.

Keycon… I didn’t take your comments as directed at me. No worries. Those are a great 8 steps you posted. I have actually copied them into a document I created containing many typical marketing and advertising concepts. I know they are all taught in school, but when I was in school I either didn’t think it was important enough to put into permanent memory or I didn’t have to opportunity to live it. Therefore it never stuck in my permanent memory.

I think GraigL understands completely what I was trying to describe. It’s about professionals V.S. Do it yourself’ers. Then my thought goes one step further in pointing out the difficulty of determining a true professional in the industry and a “do it yourself’er” posing as a professional, and taking your money. I definitely recommend checking references and closely examining their work before hiring. It’s a job to do that effectively… but it is your (the business owner’s) job.

I do agree that marketing principles have basically remained the same for hundreds of years. At the same time, new technology (the internet) is not a subject like mowing your lawn. Once you learn how to use the lawn mower, and you have practiced on a few lawns… you can then cut your own lawn with confidence. Likelihood is, you will never need to be retrained on mowing the lawn. Internet marketing, SEO and the like is an ever-changing process. Thus, as professional could be of great benefit. Unless you have the time to sit back and learn it all.

I am glad I was able to spur some thought about the difficulties of relying in yourself to do your own SEO implementation. Remember, it’s all about getting great results from your actions. It’s not about a long timely climb to the top of great results.


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Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

Richard, your clarification really changed my perception of your original post. It initially sounded as if low-tech was basic, with SEO and stuff being just "flash and glitter." With the clarification, I`d have to say I agree completely.

The real problem is that whether it`s an entire marketing plan or a portion of one, for example the SEO or content writing, too many people believe they can do just about anything and everything, and there`s no difference whatsoever in the final result from that of a professional.

Personally, I know I`ve saved a tremendous amount of money by doing my own medical diagnostics and surgery. True, I`m blind in one eye, accidentally lopped off an ear, and routinely walk into walls, but hey...I sure did save money! And really, what`s the difference? Lots of people walk into walls! :-D

Craig,

As I have been visiting this forum for the last month I have to tell you I really enjoy your posts. Your analogies are entertaining but also reaffirm your point very well. Great thread guys.

John


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<A HREF="http://www.AuditAuctions.com">Get ISO Certified</A>

Hey guys a friend of mine and fellow entreprenuer who has been very succesful with his own online ventures does offer a great alternative to expensive SEO firms and the do it yourself.

Adam helps teach you how to do it yourself and provides you with consulting, analysis, and a game plan but you do the work.  This allows you to still save money by doing it yourself but with the personal help of an experienced SEO.

Check out his site http://www.seo-playbook.com

 

The fact remains that anyone who can speak a language can write a novel. So how come everyone isn`t writing a novel? Anyone can learn to play the piano, the guitar, or the violin. How come everyone doesn`t play the instruments?

What Vincent was basically saying is two things, not only the "professional v. do-it-yourself." The second aspect is that not everyone has the interest in training to become a professional SEO writer.

That being said, the SEO Playbook site looks like it might be a great place to start for someone who`d like to develop a career in SEO writing. :-)