Benji49

So for about the last year or so, I have been working on retainer for a small company in Vancouver doing SEO and running an Adwords campaign for their business (along with some other stuff but whatever).

When I started working there, the guy didn't even have a website up. Sales were about 120K a month and he was dying as his nut was 150K.

Okay, fast-forward one year, his site gets 100 visitors a day, nice local focussed traffic and his sales will hit 300K this month and the last two months were at 230K.

I got called into the office yesterday and got canned. Ho hum, whatever, that's why I went independent four years ago. Out with the old, in with the new.

But here's the unbelievable part. I'm running an local Adwords campaign for him, nicely optimised, we're getting clicks at 40 cents that I know his competitors are paying $2-3 for, because they have crappy landing pages ie none.

So I ask him if he wants to continue the Adwords campaign. He says no, he says he's not sure if "this internet marketing stuff" is really working.

At this point, my eyes roll back so far into my head that ow, ow, I think I pinched an optic nerve. Well I guess it must have the little magic fairies that brought in the leads that your sales guys converted into an extra $150k a month eh?

So at this point in time, I am really wondering whether if I should continue doing Adwords/SEO for clients or just dive 100% into affiiliate marketing. It's pretty easy to make coin for local clients and I don't mind getting "fired for succeeding" that part's of the business but geeeeeeesssss....

glowleaf

Computer guys get that treatment all the time. We are worthless until something breaks. Forget about him and work on your best skills.

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crooner

Find better local clients and find ways to lock in the relationships (regularly communicate your value).

I had a $500 a week client for a 3 yr stretch, we understood each other and he knew the value in what I was doing for him - but, I got a little sloppy in regularly communicating that value.

He sold the business due to health reasons, and I just assumed the same level of communication would be fine. Unfortunately, the new owner had a completely different personality and needed a lot more hand holding and self-assurance that he was getting his moneys worth.

New owner lasted w/me less than 6 months. It took several new clients and several more months to make up that income. I'm pretty sure that with better communication from me, continuing to educate him on the value of SEO and PPC I'd still have him.

Just my .02

alexa7

Run the campaign for either yourself or one of his competitors.

IronLogik

fuck clients. go renegade.

Godspeed

Local traffic, 100 visitors/day = 230k/month? Nice.

Fatbat

I was going to say the same thing. Drain his customer base and see what his reaction is to "internet marketing stuff" then.

Benji49

The niche is offset printing. Every "new" client you bring in is worth thousands of dollars in the long run. Why do you think Vistaprint pays affiliate marketers $10.00 so they can give 250 free business cards?

avantrosa

I'm assuming you weren't tracking online leads to sales? Always have accountability.

Anyway, after you pull the plug and sales tank you'll be in a much better negotiating position. When he comes crawling back (he will) work out a new performance-based payment agreement.

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Deliguy

That's fucked. Although i'm sure it was nice having a full time job doing nothing but managing a single $50/day campaign
Since his campaign wasn't costing that much I'd point the same campaign to a local competitor of his. Then when he begs you to come back ask for a raise or a percentage.

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vinny lingo

He might have figured it out for himself and realised he doesn't need you anymore. I mean, how much does a landing page cost? That plus the $50/day adwords campaign is defintely less than he was paying you. Perhaps he just got smart.

Move on. Don't even waste your time trying to boost one of his competitors. You got a nice ride for a while, but it's over now. Start doing this for yourself.

acemenace

You obviously know the niche, offer your services to a competitor.

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DBWebDev

I'd definately say go to one his competitors. Realistically, considering he doesn't have much faith in this "internet marketing stuff", he isn't going to work it out on his own. Even if he could work out how to use Adwords, he's not going to get those nice $0.40 clicks now is he.

Update this thread when his leads drop, I wish I could see the look on his face, trying to screw over the little guy.

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sgtryan

Steal his competition and fuck him over, affiliate marketing style.

That'll show him?

Benji49

Just some additional information. It wasn't a full-time gig, and after doing a minus of childcare expenses (I had to haul butt into his office three times a week), it's just a lousy $1500 a month hole that needs to be filled.

No big whoop, getting the hand in face. No, what I really was venting about was the guy saw no correlation between the leads his sales guys are (was ) getting and the hits to his website.

I don't mind evil clients, the guys who will screw you for a dime. Whatever, this is capitalism.

It's the stupid ones who keep me awake at night, who will screw you for a dime on Tuesday even if it means they've screwed themselves for a dollar on Friday.

Thanks for the vent, warm hugs to everybody. Now get back to work.

beejeebers

You should be able to replace that easily, with new clients or without.