Machuret
How did I close my biggest client yet [Search Engine Optimization (SEO)]
So I closed my biggest client yet, 185K AUD , that is around 140K USD and I wanted to make a post about how I did it
This is not my first big client, but this is the first one that I acquire from cold approach.
In the past they contacted me, and they did base on my app experience (ASO) so it was a bit easy and unfair to talk about those cases as a "case study"
In this case it was about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
===== Okay let's talk about it, shall we? =====
Before we start we need to talk about the type of client I approach.
Here is the secret: I only approach companies that are
1) paying for ads
2) are in media
3) their founder is still the "face of the company"
4) they are in e-commerce or direct sales.
Let me explain the methodology and philosophy.
I want companies that are currently spending in ads because I want to understand how serious they are. By analyzing their ads strategy I can literally very fast understand how serious they are.
I could do the same with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but ads is just better and more in your face to understand their intentions and what they are promoting.
===== In the media =====
The media aspect gives me a pulse to see how good their marketing department is, what are they doing and how often they appear. Also media gives me an indication of their launches, their products and the vision of the company.
If you can't find jackshit about the company in the last 6 months, ignore
===== The founder is still the face of the company. =====
This is vital for me.
I don't want to deal with the new CEO, I want to deal with the person that 100000% cares about the company .
The reason is because my message is going to be an emotional message, so I need to trigger that aspect . CEO hired by the founder is not going to "feel" the same way towards my message vs the founder. More about that later on.
===== They are in e-commerce or direct sales =====
Money talks.
I want to be able to talk about how I can literally increase their revenue. Any other thing like branding, link building, ranking, etc… is nice but makes no difference.
If I know they are in e-commerce, direct sales, I can literally pitch them something where I can predict (or pray to the Gods) that I can increase their revenue, profits etc…
:::: One more detail ::::
I'm going to contact companies that have very very clear competitors.
So if you were going to contact Pepsi, you know very fast (one quick Google search) who their competitors are.
This helps me to make it even more niche… and I will avoid any company that has TONS of competitors…
And the reason is this: I'm not going to talk about them, I'm going to use their competitors to bring them to me.
:::: The Channel ::::
The approach is always the same LinkedIn email + I emailed you
Yes, I do an approach via LinkedIn but I don't pitch via LinkedIn , I just inform them I emailed them.
I'm casual as hell and zero f*ck factor
I don't use "dear Sir" or it would be a pleasure, or "please add me"… screw that. I just sent you the most important email of their life, ping me to talk further about it.
In other words: I'm a cocky asshole. (as my 2 ex-wives, they agree with me)
===== The Message =====
This is when everyone reading this, is thinking … tell me the message, so I can copy and paste it and close a 140K client Gab! … well easy cowboy, the message is not a copy and paste template , the message is literally an invitation to join your Universe.
Meet Gabriel Universe:
Gabriel Universe is a Universe where he knows 100% why company A (the company you are contacting) is failing towards company B and even more important the patterns that company B is taking to outrank and steal $$$ from company A.
In my universe, I know exactly how much company A is losing, how is company B achieving better results, what strategy they are using and even more important how to replicate it and prevent from affecting company A.
In other words: I'm a bloody Oracle. Yes, b1tch..I'm Yoda but with South American Accent and the client needs me. (Or at least I hope so – in other words I'm delusional but with data and that makes me dangerous)
You follow me?
Maybe you don't… and that's okay you are slow so is all good.
What you are offering is the most ninja badass competition analysis of 1 LEADER.
This leader is a company where you can truly extract all the data you can about them and showcase this to company A.
BUT WAIT GAB!!! ARE YOU FOR REAL DUDE you are telling me you just extract Ahrefs info and give it to them????
No, my little grasshopper… but yes, I use an SEO tool to extract the info… but before you have another tantrum let me explain.
===== THE REPORT =====
SEO reports suck balls because only SEO nerds love that stuff and if you enjoy an SEO report you have no social life. (yes I said it)
My founder with the 140K waiting for me, literally doesn't care about SEO info, in fact 25 companies provided an SEO report and that means ZERO for Mr founder.
What they need is the info about what the SEO means.
>>>> Here is an example:
SEO nerd from an SEO group:
"Your competitor is doing link building "
Gabriel:
Your competitor is going to out rank you in 4 weeks for this keyword X . This keyword is worth $$$$ for your company and in April your competitor is going to take it from you and you will be sad. Very sad.
You see?
SEO nerd knows this, but the SEO nerd is looking at Ahrefs and following Google on Twitter while I just want to make the SEO data easy to understand by any normal clown in the universe that runs a company.
>>> Gab, so you are telling me you are making an SEO audit for Founders with Baby brains about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but with a clear understanding of revenue and the importance of Profits?
>>>> YES!!!!
God, I'm glad you understand my point now! Shall we continue?
Awesome.
So we have this amazing audit that is going to take us a while to craft… we don't need to craft the AUDIT for COMPANY B, we just need to design how our audits will work.
Okay, epic, now what?
We sell the Audit…
What???
Yes!
Wait: Sell it? what about giving it away for free like every single SEO spammer
Nah, we sell it but we call it an industry analysis and a high competitive analysis of B strategies for growth.
(use any fancy title, the more fancy and trendy the better)
The concept is: you sell them the "map" of the strategy the #1 competitor in the industry is doing BUT you don't explain how they can implement it or fix it… just yet.
– How much I can sell each audit?
-2K will be okay.
– Why I don't want to include how they can compete against them?
– Ohhh clown… because then you have to do an AUDIT about them also!!! if you do an audit about #1, you can sell it to #2, #3, #4, #5…
– Oh my God Gabe , you are a Genius
– I know, I know…
===== So what now? =====
We are going to sell the Audit with Videos and some videos can be generic (you explaining some terminology) but clearly some videos will be only for the client, here is the catch …
The audit is going to include a "basic" plan how anyone can outrank them… not this basic plan is not 100% exclusive for client A but is what you would offer for a huge contract…
The idea is a bit like this.
You are going to show them a video of scuba diving and then explain how many days it takes to become a scuba diver and the type of equipment that is required to be a diver…
All this audits come literally with 1 call and that call is mainly YOU determine and interviewing the client.
=====The call =====
Your goal is for you to understand their goals
Questions like
Who serious do you take the growth of company B
what is your economical goal for this year
how do you guys measure SEO/ ads
and why haven't you improve this or Y is vital for the company A to make themselves accountable.
What do you want the founder to hear is: Yes, I'm aware of these problems and this has been in my mind for a while.
Now this part is vital: you are not pitching, you are just inviting them / or asking them if they want to study implementing a plan to stop the growth of company B or to recover the traffic lost.
Don't forget! they paid for an audit, the founder make himself/herself accountable, and they are telling you their economical goals.
If they plan to make grow 5% and they are making 20 millions this year, then you charging 100K is nothing!
That's why you need to have that conversation.
Your job is not to SELL ANYTHING
your job is to be the facilitator to fix their problems.
Problems that you know how to fix, and they told you already how important is for them to fix them.
If you talk about links, ranking or whatever stupid gig you offer, you lose.
===== Again think about the scuba diving analogy =====
the person wants to "learn to dive" , they don't give a crap if the Wetsuit is made in China or in Italy, keep your eye on the ball, don't beg, don't sound needy and don't forget you are Yoda… you may not have a South American accent, but you can do it if you try it.
Good luck SEO nerds. 😉
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Chris
I've got it all + a South American accent! Thanks for sharing!
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Machuret » Chris
Not sure if I made that clearly enough… mmmmmm
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Oliver
I've just copy/pasted your post into a linkedin message, sent it to a prospective client and they responded with "wtf"
I don't think this works.
Jokes aside. Great post! Great humor, great info.
Congrats on your biggest client…yet.
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Machuret » Oliver
Did you use the ACCENT?????
Dwayne Dancing GIF by MOODMAN
Oliver
Yeh, it just came off as fake.
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Singfield
Amazing post, Gabriel. Moral of the story: find clients that fit your offer! Reading this, I feel like the client is being strategically hunted and doesn't stand a chance.
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Vishal
Good shit! Well written mate.. and you're 100% right about the founders, they don't understand/care about SEO report or metrics, they care how it can profit them. Something which I will use next time if I get any clients.
Thank you for sharing such valuable info ❤
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Reed
This is exactly why my CEO says every time we talk. I don't care about clicks, impressions and Pay-Per-Click (PPC). I want appointments everyday from real people. Lol.
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Allen
I agree with this. My biggest ever money client met all these checkboxes. I didn't really think about that at the time, but after reading this, it makes sense. He was also remarkably easy to close once we got to talking 1-on-1. I named a random, very high price, and he just paused for a few seconds and said, "ok, send me the invoice". Never thought to try and replicate that.
Great post.
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Guerguis
Thanks for sharing. It seems to me that you are building your pitch on data. But how exactly are you going to give such specific predictions? This is the part I was hoping to read in your post. I might be wrong, but there is no way you can tell that company B is going to rank for a specific keyword in x days.

Machuret » Guerguis
Jedi powers .

Veiga
Always love reading your broken ass English posts but while saying it every so softly in my head with a Mexican+South African tone (I know you're not Mexican or South African, but just looking at your face makes me want you to be that)
Good shit man!
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