More Common than I'd Like to Admit

Having a situation with a client that is a little more common than I like to admit.

The issue is that when money starts getting tight, THEN they want to know what we can do with the search engines. While there are certainly some strategies you can lube with a quick investment and get quick results, business owners in a panic do not understand (or choose to ignore) that search strategies (particularly organic) take continued investments of both time and money.

Now let me be clear - I am glad when any business starts looking at the Internet for the opportunity and possibility to grow what they are doing. This is a good thing. But this business has chosen to invest much less in the internet than was suggested (by me). I have had contact with them for a number of years, but our engagements were typically a little strange.

In almost every case, budget restrictions on money and time limited plans from finding their true potential. Money was rolling in and there was a lot of growth, so there was not that much concern with additional organic growth. There was work to do, but we did not often take full advantage of the opportunities as they presented themselves.

Fast-forward to now. Like many businesses today, this business is feeling the economic crunch of consumer apprehension, and is making less money on all fronts. Still well in the black mind you, but simply less of it coming in.

So they start examining channels, and the "How's our web presence?" discussion comes up. Questions flail out about SERP positions, social media, pay-per-click, video and everything "Internet" that has been reported on in the past 2 years.

The irritation comes from the fact that I had posed many potential paths for success when times were good, but it was determined a very low priority. Now, when the priority shifts and expectations need to be reset, some uncomfortable situations can occur.

Buck it Up
So it's a lame situation, but I am an SEO copywriter with a longstanding relationship on the line - so I am up for the challenge!

I go into my own files, and retrieve all of the reports and the proposals I had delivered in the last 2-3 years. I sort these into projects we had done, and ideas that never quite materialized. The second pile turned out to be smaller than I thought, and I was happy to see in front of me, the concrete proof of lots of progress.

I re-read the reports and suggestions, and realized I had plenty of material for re-pitching an SEO plan. Better still, I now had a few years of data stored up in analytics programs, so I could use real numbers to support my efforts to-date, and give a little more fact to my proposal.

So this week was spent looking over miles of analytics and reports from the past, spinning it all back into an action plan. It was at times frustrating and exciting - because I could see what might have been had we moved back when, but I was excited at the idea of making lots of headway armed with this information.

I do think we can get some great momentum going, because suddenly everyone in the company (that matters to my longevity here) is curious as to what I am up to now.

This is the common thing that I have seen - when things are good in a company and money is rolling in, there is like a fountain of cash spraying all over everyone. Lots of vendors in on it, lots of contracts and stuff happening. Less about scrutiny, more about reaching out into as many opportunities as possible.

Then, as money starts getting tight because this kind of spending simply does not make any sense, every stone is upturned in a panic, looking for answers. Under the rocks are dirt and slugs, but every business digs deep, hoping a few diamonds are unearthed.

All's Well, That Ends With Me Working
To continue this metaphor waaay too long, I am going to be this business' diamond. I have numbers, I have stats. I have newly refreshed strategies, and I can project a solid ROI. I can run lean and strike hard - needing only a little budget and some uninterrupted time. I can't work miracles, but I can build a stronger, deeper online presence. I can increase the money coming in from the website. I can reach more people than I am at present - in a thought: I can help.

Though this started off with me feeling pretty whiny about how good ideas often don't receive the attention they deserve until the panic has started, it ends with me being pretty grateful that I am called in to offer solutions again. There is every likelihood that I will pitch a strategy that will not see the light of day, or may be co-opted by someone else in the company. So be it.

Times are tough right now, and people are looking for answers. I do think a solid web strategy is essential for today's businesses. However, I don't think enough business owners see the web as they should, as a place to deploy small, continuous and comparatively inexpensive growth strategies. This means continuing to grow, steadily and with purpose, no matter how the economy is behaving.

I am going to put this all behind me for the minute, and go cut my grass outside. It's a beautiful day here in Atlanta...I want to go be a part of it.

Time Off: the True Lure of Freelancing

Freelancing in any field usually has a lot of perks to consider. But one of the biggest is an ability to take more time off than "normal" folks - this was certainly the case for me.

But it hasn't been working out that way lately.

I only blame myself for the inability to take more personal time, but it comes from a freelancing mindset, and I would think I am not alone in this thought pattern.

Fighting Those Unnatural Urges
By nature, I don't really consider myself a workaholic. I have a million hobbies, a great family and lots of friends to keep busy with, so I look forward to time off.

The rub comes from freelancing for a living.

A freelancer is never really sure where the next gig is going to come from. They don't know how regular the money will be, even if the work is happening. For me, there is always a sense that I have to be getting some new work coming in, or I am going to be royally screwed.

So this is where I am finding myself at times these days - unable to relax and enjoy what I have earned, unable to revert to my natural state of contentment. I have these unnatural urges to keep working and it is making it hard to play...which is a shame. It'll make my life shorter if it continues, I am sure of that.

So even though I believe a freelancer should always be looking for new challenges and more work, I am going to also suggest that there is huge value in occasionally ignoring this advice. Take a breather once in a while, and go fishing all day. Go window shopping. Travel somewhere. Hit a museum, an art gallery, or whatever it takes to reconnect you to the world.

Life is never all about work - even for a freelancer. The lure of SEO freelancing is not sexy because you put in more hours than if you were in another line of work. So while you look for new clients, more work and better opportunities, take the time to take a guilt-free break. Your mind, body and soul needs it, even if you feel like you simply can't get away.

A final thought on this before I move on, too - my clients are RARELY, if ever, as concerned about the project deadlines as I am. I don't miss deadlines, so why would they care? They set them, and I meet them...but in between, I often fret more than I should. Like I said before, this is my fault, and it wasn't always like this. I used to relax a lot more than I seem to any more.

Maybe I need to take a week or 2 off and do some soul searching?

Naaaahhh...too much work still to do out there.

Sticking to Your Guns

One thing I sometimes struggle with as a freelancer, is doing too much for what I am paid.

This is not usually the case with bigger companies, but it almost always is a concern when dealing with small business owners. Why? Because larger companies have budgets, they have multiple projects running simultaneously, and they are used to paying vendors what it takes. They make take longer to pay, but they don't flinch or suffer sticker-shock.

Small business owners more typically are pretty tight with the money, are not used to paying vendors for "intangible" work (is there something more magical or esoteric to explain than SEO copywriting?), and need to stretch every project as far as it can go.

My problem is that I am at a point where I don't usually have to do work for a business or business owner that I don't like. While it's great that I truly like and care about my clients, it also means I am more than willing to do whatever is needed - which can mean unpaid hours, which ultimately makes me pretty mad at myself. I don't blame the clients most of the time - it is my fault for not properly setting the expectations and limits.

How to Fight the Urge to Give it Away
Of course, you never sit down and say "How can I give away some of my skills today?" and yet, it happens. However, by taking a few precautionary steps as a project begins, you can reduce the likelihood of it getting out of hand. The following 2 points are probably the easiest way for you to manage this situation.

1. Clearly define a starting point and an end point - avoid open-endings, like "When you are solid" or something equally as murky and undefined. Be firm - we start on this date, check-in on this date, and our targeted end date is this. Come up with a contingency if the schedule does exceed initial expectations - but do so BEFORE you get there. In cases where a longer relationship is expected, it is a good idea to set a check-in point that allows you to assess and review everything with the client, or perhaps structure the project in different phases (giving each phase a specific timeline).
2. Clearly define all deliverables - other than time, "stuff" can really get quickly out-of-hand if you are not careful. For example, you might agree to develop a logo, but once the logo is done you might be asked to create document templates, stationary, etc. None of it is a big deal, but all of these little things take time and can add up to some frustration. Many times, I clearly outline all of the deliverables and then set an hourly rate for any additional work...when I do this at the outset of a project, when a request comes for something not identified I can simply mention "Sure I'll do it - but since that is outside our original agreement, I will have to bill you separately for it." Most of the time, they are fine with that, and it makes this situation much better for you as the contractor.

In the end, I believe in giving more than you ask for. This is why clients like me, but my wife can get a little touchy at the end of the month as we pay our bills.

To keep the peace, I have learned (the hard way) to make some difficult decisions, and make sure I am getting paid for the time I am spending on clients...for as an SEO copywriter, if I am not getting paid for my efforts and expertise, my wife has every right to be angry that I am giving away my time instead of doing more housework.

And frankly, I hate housework.