Starting an SEO Agency - Any Advice

[pixelo]

I would second the person who said don't hire yet.

I ran a lead generation business in the UK with turnover of £25,000 PCM so plenty of room to hire, but I hired too many full time people who ate up all the profit, caused a massive headache and time suck managing them. Paid them too much commission, they constantly complained and take the piss with holidays.

My advice would be to go for freelancers as you are already doing, they are so much cheaper and hungrier - even if you find some guy that has what seems to be a high hourly rate, you have to factor in the employers national insurance (which is high) and office costs (which really add up) to host full time employees. Also they will waste your time and cause you problems, try to steal your clients etc etc.

 

[seriously]

I didn't read all the comments but I would advice you to get to know other small agency's.

go to events / meet ups etc and find agency's (even the smallest) who provide only X (like only web development or only ppc) and try to get them to refer clients who need solutions they don't provide.

of course you'll need to return a favor, figure out how since you provide all services. throwing only bad clients at them won't help long term

 

[secretagentdad]

I guess it's on a client-by-client basis. One of the biggest mistakes I've done is taking accounts on based on "potential". The "potential" for a certain business to be huge, and therefore grow my retainer, etc. Most businesses grow pretty slowly and I've found you grow retainers much faster by producing exceptional results for a company that's already pretty established and can pay a decent retainer from day one, than to work out small cookie cutter offerings on the hope one day they'll be bigger.

I needed to read that.

Ty sir.