Making the Switch from In-House to Consultant SEO
Job Security
Anyone
who has worked on a consultant basis knows how stressful it can be struggling
to acquire and maintain client contracts. When you work in-house, things are
little bit different.
As long as your efforts are making a positive impact on the company’s bottom line, chances are your job will always be there. Additionally, many companies offer benefits, such as health insurance, vision, dental and even matched 401k plans to full-time, in-house employees, which isn’t available if you’re an independent consultant. Some companies even offer to pay for workshops, training seminars, and SEO conferences to help hone your skills.
As long as your efforts are making a positive impact on the company’s bottom line, chances are your job will always be there. Additionally, many companies offer benefits, such as health insurance, vision, dental and even matched 401k plans to full-time, in-house employees, which isn’t available if you’re an independent consultant. Some companies even offer to pay for workshops, training seminars, and SEO conferences to help hone your skills.
Focus
When
you work in-house, you only have one client to focus on. This makes it easier
to streamline your SEO efforts and dig a lot deeper when formulating your tactics
and strategies. Sometimes consultants and agencies have limited bandwidth, and
as a result they typically measure results on monthly, quarterly, and annual
basis. Whereas in-house SEOs can provide real-time reporting and stay up to
speed on the day-to-day trends. In-house SEOs aren’t spread thin, like many
consultants and agencies are, allowing them to fully immerse themselves within
a specific niche or industry. Having a deeper understanding of a company
shortens the internal learning curves and ultimately boosts your productivity.
Knowledge
The
intellectual property you will gain, pertaining to your niche and specific
company is invaluable – to both you and your employer. Instead of
working across a scattered variety of industries, you have the unique
opportunity to really dissect your market and identify the key players within
it and analyze how your company stacks up against the competition. Although
most consultants and agencies run competitive analyses, as an in-house SEO you
can monitor your competition more closely and stay ahead of the curve. The more
you know about your industry and the longer you’re with a company, the more
valuable you make yourself to your employer.
Benefits of Working as a Consultant
Myopia
Sometimes
in-house SEOs can start to feel like they have blinders on. Some refer to it as
the “walled garden.” Since their efforts are focused on one specific niche they
tend to look at things from a myopic point of view. In that I mean that they
don’t have the opportunity to step outside of the rigid confines of their
particular niche, making them far less versatile than their consultant
counterpart. Consultants work with many different clients in a variety of
different industries, so they have a broader general knowledge base than most
in-house SEOs do. As SEOs, we learn by problem-solving. Having worked with a
diverse group of clients, consultants deal with more issues on a daily basis,
making them more agile.
Flexibility
Anyone
who knows me well enough knows that I am not a morning person. I also
like the option to work at my own pace and set my own hours. If this sounds
familiar, then consulting might be a good fit for you. You have no one to
report to. You have the luxury of setting your own deadlines for clients and projects.
You can work whenever you want and in most cases, you don’t even have to get
dressed in the morning. Being your own boss requires a lot of discipline, but
the freedom can be very rewarding if you do it right.
Compensation
As
a consultant, you can charge your clients for services in one of three ways:
hourly, retainer-based, or project-based. Although you may not have the job
security that most in-house SEOs are accustomed to, consultants have a lot of
earning potential if they play their cards right. Additionally, if you have
your own company, many business-related expenses are actually tax-deductible
including educational expenses, travel expenses, and some household expenses,
such as internet, phone, etc
Taking the plunge into SEO consulting
If
you’re an in-house or agency SEO and you’re thinking about getting into
consulting, my advice to you is unless you’re seriously unhappy where you’re
currently working, don’t quit your day job! At least not yet. Now I’m
not saying you’re sure to fail or anything, but you can alleviate a whole lot
of pressure by maintaining your regular 9-5 job, while trying to build up your
client base on the side. I personally have no intention of leaving my in-house
job anytime soon. Not only do I get awesome benefits and the stability that
comes with an in-house position, but my company also pays for a lot of training
and conferences that not only benefit my role within the company, but also my
consulting efforts on the side. It’s a win-win.
One
thing I will say is that it’s all about balance and finding that perfect
balance can be difficult for some people. It’s important to remember that as
long as you’re still working full-time, chances are that you need the job to
some extent. That’s your bread and butter and it should be treated that
way. Don’t ever let client work soak up your productivity at your day job.
Remember: you need it! If you work a 9-5, then maybe only devote nights and
weekends to your consulting projects, so that they two don’t interfere with one
another. Setting your priorities is the key to making it work.
Starting
any business can be scary. There are many risk factors to consider. How will I
get clients? How will I keep my clients? How will I make sure that my workflow
is steady and consistent? Now imagine that this is your only source of income.
For most people, this wouldn’t be very comforting. That’s why I think if you’re
planning on making the switch to SEO consultant, I would highly recommend
taking it slow and maintaining your in-house or agency role until you’re truly
ready to cut the cord.
Providing
you already have a year or two worth of experience either as an in-house SEO or
at an agency level, the first step is identifying your strengths and
weaknesses. Accentuate the positives and eliminate the negatives. If you’re not
very comfortable with link-building, then maybe don’t offer that as a service
to your clients. Only offer services that you feel confident you can execute
well. Also, never make any promises you can’t keep. You always want to go above
and beyond to exceed your clients’ expectations. It goes without saying that
your reputation is everything. But this is especially true if you’re a new
business just starting out. The better the work you provide for clients, the
more likely the will renew contracts and refer you to a friend or colleague.
Your goal should be to parlay each new client into two more client referrals. It’s
not just about maintaining momentum, it’s also about growth.
Here are 5 Actionable Tips to Get your Consulting Business Started
1. Educate your Clients
Many
business owners don’t fully understand exactly how SEO works. Some clients know
the basics, but very few understand the intricate details of how rankings work
or how to improve conversion rates. By taking the time to educate your clients
on how you will help grow their business, you’re increasing the perceived value
of your services. Instead of simply telling a client that you can increase
traffic or help them outrank their competitors, give them concrete examples of
how your services will ultimately help drive more revenue, and set reasonable
expectations. Just remember to be realistic and manage the client’s
expectations wisely.
2. Results Driven Reporting
Quality
SEO services aren’t cheap. Since most small businesses only have a fraction of
the marketing budget of larger corporations, they tend to be more mindful of
where each dollar is going. That’s why it’s a good idea to make sure that
you’re providing your clients with results driven reporting, so they can rest
assured that their investment in SEO was money well-spent. The goal should be
to show them how the cost of your services is well worth the extra revenue
you’ll be generating for them.
3. Learn to Say No
Don’t be
afraid to turn down clients. This is especially tough when you’re just starting
out because you’re trying to gain some traction by building up your client
base. But, not every client is created equal. In fact, some
just aren’t worth your time. Some clients simply don’t have the budget to
achieve their goals. There’s nothing wrong with negotiating with a client to
provide a level of service that falls more in line with their budget. But don’t
forget that your reputation is at stake and you should only take on clients
that you feel confident you can help.
4. 30% you, 70% them
Anyone
who works in more than one sector of SEO can tell you that juggling an in-house
or agency role while running a consultant business on the side, can be an
arduous task. The same goes for balancing client work and the demands of
growing your own business. I think a 30/70 split is a healthy balance. In a lot
of ways, the client comes first. But you also don’t want to get so wrapped up
in client work that you end up neglecting your own website. Since clients are
coming to you to help them improve their online presence, your website, blog,
and social channels are sometimes looked at as a reflection what you can do for
them. If your website has an outdated design and your last blog post was over a
year ago, they may move on to the next guy.
5. The Value of Referrals
Word of
mouth is powerful. In the restaurant business, they say if a customer has a bad
experience, they’ll tell 5 people and if they have a good experience they might
tell one. The same is true for most businesses. So not only is it important to
keep a clean reputation, both online and offline, but it’s also a good idea to
encourage reviews, testimonials, and referrals. Direct referrals, where a
client refers a friend, are great, but indirect referrals can be just as
rewarding. Indirect referrals occur when clients discover you from review
sites like Yelp or from a blog post or article you published. The more active
you are and the higher your online visibility, the more likely it is that new
clients will find you.
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