Joe
What I would say is. The reason you rank so well is because I constantly work on your rankings. As soon as I stop working on your rank you will start to slip and your competitors were still be working on their SEO they will pass you then it will be harder for you and more expensive to try and catch up after falling off. What's more important to you – keeping the sales you have or paying my management to keep you where you are?
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Daniel
Well I would imagine then you're pretty much just an SEO guy? If that's the case it would make it a little more difficult for you to retain them but I will say this also SEO is not a destination it's a journey. And like with any Journey you got to have vision. Does the company not have any greater Vision than this result? Are they actually just ready to go ahead and settle down and no more growth? That sounds kind of like a foolish business to me. Furthermore SEO is not a finite process. Sure they might rank well for keywords right now but discontinue all SEO and those ranks are going to decline. But again I imagine your only SEO but that's still hard for me to understand why this is a dilemma.
Me personally I do everything from web design to video content production content writing ad copy Pay-Per-Click (PPC) e-commerce social media Management on and on I can go and so I don't sell just one service ever I sell the whole package. For me what this means is that I am always behind the 8-ball. There is always so much more to do.
So this is why I'm able to tap into Concepts like social media signals as related to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and that is something that you just can't stop that's just something you do forever. Another SEO consideration is a business should have a live web website meaning a website that is always evolving and changing yes that is an SEO signal. This means that I'm never out of Need for creating content. So I guess I'd have to know more about what you do actually to understand why this is an issue. Or why you're unable to retain them or still yet why you're unable to convince them and let them know all these things if you're able to do all these things?
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Miguel
Offering your services to competitors does not work. My first client was a merchandising store about to close in two months. In just 3 months, I put them on rank #3 on most of the niche keywords for 400€/month. They are now winning 200K/month. Asked them for an increase in my budget and got fired. Now I am working as a consulting SEO and in my own projects.
Various words in the country language was sword, shield, armour, larp, axe, vikings. Stuff like that.
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Morgan
Well, because I'm sure you didn't follow a trident ranking methodology, you have no control of the assets.
So, you have a good screenshot, here are two things you can do.
One, the man has competitors. And there are other players out there. You have something to show another company what you can do. These are numbers you can show them.
Or I heard someone say build your own property out, out rank them and rent it out.
This is the nature of the business.

Ishan
1. The fact is you got paid for work you did. And it's not a lifelong arrangement. So, it's ok on their part to stop your services anytime. That's what happens in every business.
2. Don't try to do anything negative or go to competitors, not a good idea. Instead, try to give them reasons to continue with you. Here are 2 options that you can try:
A. Tell them additional ranking opportunity you have been researching on and intend to start working on that, which would bring incremental traffic.
B. Tell them about 2-3 competitors who are ranking aggressively on their SEO and might just take away all the rankings once the work is stopped.
Beat of luck
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Alfredo
Use this as a case study and if you can, get a testimonial from them as well. Front it on your website, portfolio, etc. With future clients you'll be able to charge more and sell easier now that you have solid proof of your skill set.
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Hanif
Lets wait for another Google update 😂
Well this happens a lot and we need to realize this during the period and read client's mindset too so you will get this idea before that he not going for long run.
Anyways, what you have done you have already paid for I guess and just let them know the consequences (maintenance) they required.
If you are charging them heavy you can cut your amount for maintenance offering as well.
Shah
Was it a dropship business?
Or was it their own products/own brand?

Naveed
1. Thank them for the opportunity to work on their project and highlight the milestones achieved. Tell them you are always there for any upcoming opportunities or they require any support.
2. Upsell other services to them if you can.
3. Make a strong case study and look for new clients. If you could deliver such brilliant results for them, you can deliver more awesome results to more clients.
4. Don't feel negative about this situation. Get something positive out of it and follow a fare practice. If you keep thinking about their behavior, you will waste your time and energy.
5. Most probably they will come back to you after trying something themselves or trying a low-cost 3rd party.
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Saad
Nothing wrong in it. He hired for your services, paid for it and once he realized he does not need your services, he's free to end the arrangement. Totally legit.
Please move on. Find a new client. Ask for this client's testimony and use it to land more clients.
Don't ruin your relationship with your client.
In fact, ask for referral. If he's truly happy with your services he won't mind recommending you to others.

Chunys
It happens mate. I've had clients in the Beaty industry make hundreds of thousands of dollars from big money rankings for fillers, injectables (we cant use the word Botox in a lot of cases as it's trademarked) got them up to 5 clinics in just 4 years doing their digital marketing and they found someone "cheaper"
They turn over several hundred thousand a month.
Unfortunately there are agencies in my town who target businesses already ranking with the strategy of offering something cheaper. So cheap that a lot of people can't say no.
The agencies then preceded to do nothing, because they have no budget to allocate resources like time or link building. But you know what? They don't need to do anything! The client they've inherited is already on page one of Google and will be for another year or two minimum. Money for nothing.
Stay ethical. Keep fighting the good fight. Never lower yourself mate.
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Eddy
Nothing to be sad or cry about, this is common. His logic: he paid you, job done, he doesn't see you do much more work; so why keep paying!? (and he might be right, what else do you do for him?).
Keep him as your friend, his site might later on stop ranking, or become less appealing, you then can offer a new site (start from scratch).
In about a year he could also become your client again for a different niche (or site upgrade).
By staying friend you can still use the site as reference to new customers (remain able to login).
Meanwhile (while you wait) don't do any work, then when he wants something done start charging (heavy) or suggest creating a new one (keep backups). stay friends!
If you want to play aggressive then explain that the fee he pays you is for his exclusivity (you won't become or work for his competitor).
Offer to lower your fee to an exclusivity & small maintenance fee (and wait for him to want a new site in about a year).
If all this doesn't appeal to you then become his competitor and start entering the rank&rent business (using pay-per-call method forwarding Twilio telephone numbers to lead buyers). Offer him to become a buyer of your future leads 🙂

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