Partners, Ships, Relations and Clients.
There are hundreds of web and search engine optimization (SEO) firms at your disposal. Each claims a “proven track record of marketing excellence.” Each offers to “immerse itself in your business culture;” to “learn your business and partner with you” to “get results.” Every single one claims to offer a “unique marketing and communications process” that is “proven to deliver for all your marketing needs.” Each will be quick to point out that “this is a relationship business” and then roll out a litany of its own relationships and how they are somehow more “solid” and “proven” and downright “fruitful” than everyone else’s solid, proven and fruitful relationships.
Who are we to argue? The plain and simple truth of it is, there are any number of excellent web and search engine marketing consultants who can reasonably do the job for you. Your challenge is to find one with whom you manage to click – with whom you really can develop a relationship on which to build a “winning marketing partnership.”
Size. Talent. Experience. Personality. Vision. Budget. Expectations. Cut through all the platitudes, and it always comes down to a few key precepts. Whether you’re selecting a marketing partner, an accountant, a plumber – or a prospective client relationship.
The real challenge for any company looking for a marketing consultant is finding a “partner” you can “sit down with” – with whom you can “roll up your sleeves;” with whom you can “work elbow to elbow;” with whom you can “get down to business.”
No platitudes. No funky branded processes. No fads. Nothing fancy. Just a good, old-fashioned marketing partnership, done with a good, new-fashioned array of tools and technology.
Here’s to finding ships with partners and relations with clients.