How does one best spread the word (services) of their company ?

Dear Michael,

thank you for your response.

In response to your questions, see below, again thank you.

-My target market is local, regional & national. I conduct both in-person + online consultation.
-The more clients the better. I have no minimun amount, I am a (retired) federal employee putting his career skills to use.
-Time frame, as soon as my services are needed.
-I do have a web-site: www.JLH86.com
-II conduct my own consulting.

Jim, you need to be found online when someone searches for your keyword phrases "Security Clearances" or security clearance help.

Your pages are quite clear in their presentation but lack the proper SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to draw traffic.

Google keywords tells me that the following phrases are the most used.
how to get security clearance 4,400 monthly searches
military security clearance 2,900
how to obtain security clearance 2,400

However "top secret clearance" shows 33,100 global monthly searches and "top secret security clearance" 6,600.

Your site can be easily optimized without a large budget.

Please contact me on instant messenger and I can tell you your options in an initial free consultation.

Instant Messenger information:

Yahoo IM add vre_crash
(My online racing name)
MSN is msn-mess@DotCom-Productions.com
AOL/AIM is dotcomproduction
and Skype is vre-crash

Best of luck,
Reg
www.NBS-SEO.com
www.DotCom-Productions.com

I agree with most of what has been said. You have a website already (which is the first step), but now you need to make sure that it is optimized correctly. This is something that, with time, you can do yourself, or you can hire an expert.

Michael mentioned face-to-face marketing. In an industry like yours, people need to know who they can trust. So joining professional groups, contributing to online discussions (on Focus, LinkedIN, etc.), and visiting industry trade shows might also be good options for you.

Jim:

My question "Are you going to outsource this task or do it yourself?" was more targeted to whether you will do the marketing or will you outsource it?

Your site is rather new and it looks like you jumped in the deep end without regard and I applaud you for this. Been there and done that also. I wandered for a long time trying to figure out why I was not getting a significant number of visitors. It took about 2-1/2 years before it finally all came together for me.

I do agree but also disagree with Reg. Your site should be optimized but there are additional steps to be taken. Although excellent, I would not select the keywords suggested. There is just too much competition for them, with too many ahead of you. Thus it would be difficult to make any inroads. Further keyword research is required.

Plus the Google keywords tool only reports what is going on currently and what keywords people are buying now along with extrapolations. I take a contrarian approach and seek to blaze a trail where others do not tread. What makes you different, not the same? What is your competition NOT doing? Where is the opportunity to set the standard? The long term approach can get you results on page one and then YOU become difficult to displace.

Plus optimizing the site alone will not draw traffic. Those days are gone. It takes a marketing campaign either through paid advertising or do it yourself marketing to draw results.

I offer a lot of do it yourself advice, downloadable pdfs, etc. for those opting in that direction on my site at http:diywebjem.com as well as insights and tips on my blog at http://diywebjem.com/blog/ Other resources for your further education are also included. I figure I got it free on the Web, I should share it with others.

Michael, while "security clearance" has a staggering 31,300,000 results (it) is also not targeted enough. The site needs to target people searching for how to obtain clearance.

"military security clearance" has only 1,800,000 competitors, "top secret clearance" 1,330,000, "security clearance requirements" 1,100,000 and "how to obtain security clearance" only 596,000,

All these phrases are eminently doable.

Aside from this, I am only giving ideas from a quick bit of research. Thorough KW research comes with a retainer.
The amount "ahead of you" is immaterial. What counts is the way the SEO is done on the page and the relevance of the information. I just had a PR0 site beat a PR7 due to content presentation.

For something as complicated as SEO, it is best to hire a professional.

Best,
Reg
www.NBS-SEO.com

If one searches for "security clearance requirements" the #1 result is http://www.taonline.com/securityclearances/
If one looks at this page it is VERY long, with some 4,400 words.
A 250 word page with just the requirements and focused kw phrases in bullets format and an anchor text call to action will place higher in the SERPS.

Jim, I may sound a little old fashioned but nearly all of the prior discussion on this subject talks about being noticed on the web. In fact, there are many things you can do within your community to network to people that need your services that do not involve the web or depend excessively on this tool.

The tools of personal networking are well known and include expanding the number of persons that know of your services personally and can recommend you to others. There may also be a commercial requirement; for example where to corporations go when they hire a new person and need to qualify this person for security clearance. By using networking techniques, one can bypass the thousands of persons using web channels and get in front of decision makers. In my own consulting practice, I use networking almost exclusively to increase my business.

I am not suggesting that the web be avoided, but that you not depend on the web for marketing what is in fact a personal service. For lessons on effective networking, you can buy books on the subject. If you write back to me through this service and provide your email, I will send you some slides that I occasionally deliver to groups on effective networking.

I love discussions where there is point, and counterpoint. Makes for stimulation!

For a broader market place, the Web and Web marketing is where it is today as versus the traditional methods of outbound or interruption marketing. Not that there isn't a place for it. However, face-to-face networking in my opinion is not as effective nor targeted as Web marketing. I would spend my first 1/2 hour a day on Web marketing and likely see consistent results in a few months. On the other side of the coin, traditional and face-to-face is a lifetime of activity and receipts.

Reg: au contraire - just don't buy the let a 'professional' do it. But then again I am anal and a control freak. Sorry no one knows my business the way I do. I need to know what is going on in all aspects. As I said it all depends on someones pocket book. Spend the time or spend the dime.

The problem I see with small business people launching rescue type jobs is lack of sales experience as well as marketing. Plus, they lack the financial resources to plunge ahead and buy advertising. So education and study are a viable alternative. Unless, of course someone needs instant success. Therein lies the gamble.

As someone formerly in the security industry, I also check out who claims to be a professional as well as who I think really is a professional. That is Jim's greatest challenge, determining who talks the talk and who walks the walk without spending a fortune.

I do too Michael,
You know your business, but I know how to do SEO.
My client tells me their wishes, their keyword phrases, and I develop from there.

We have similar backgrounds Michael, I have been in sales and marketing full time since 1984, and doing online work since '94.

SEO is dead simple, IF you understand it, and fraught with peril for do it your selfers.
Google has laid many traps for those that seek to manipulate their databases.

Just cross the line on one of them and be relegated to the nether regions of the SERPs. OTOH, tell Google and your visitors exactly the same things and go to the head of the class. Google rewards those that comply with their wishes. (Design for people not search engines.)
You have fallen into one of those traps on DIY. You have 3 h1 tags where you should have only one and you are using h2 to determine size not semantic hierarchy.

And I agree with you on the lack of sales and marketing experience, but this is where a SEO professional shines. There is nothing better to develop marketing and sales than a well positioned search result.

If we look at the combined monthly searches for something like “how to get top military security clearance” you are looking at about 10,000 global monthly searches. Add the words “top secret” would put the phrase in front of another 33,000.

I started working online as a career choice in '94.
Since then the learning curve has never stopped. Neither has the testing and evaluating.

With 16 years of design and marketing online I have covered just about every possible avenue and back alley type of marketing you can think of.
I have worked with many levels of client and used to liaison with the heads and department heads of major printing companies in a technical sales and support environment.
I have also setup and promoted hundreds of websites.

Looking at Jim’s service it is a shoe-in for setting up several types of services.
Local, face to face would be primary if his neighborhood has people looking for high security work.
College, training schools, business schools would be targets for his services.
Military also.

Online he could run conference call classes sharing his desktop and using audio, video, and text / whiteboard to deliver his message. Students would pay a fee to sit in the “room” with a supplied security application form and Jim would guide the students in filling the proper content to enter on the form.

He could also branch out to supply the process in a pre recorded video.

The site could sell membership to a list of jobs requiring security clearances.

He could also sell consulting time.
Background investigations, financial checks, or any of the things he knows how to do that would turn up in a security check could be individually packaged, marketed and sold.

He has a start to this now but it is incomplete, poorly documented and does not take advantage of proper process. Incomplete in one instance that there is only one page on the site that shows his address and where he will do his in person appointments.
The area covered should be announced immediately in the header to cater to local search.
Background investigation Rockville MD or Washington security clearance help.

One of my client/associates/friends runs the www.LoonLounge.com which supplies information and support for those wishing to emigrate to Canada. A somewhat similar service.

Best,
Reg
.

Jim:

I respect Reg's opinion, but this discussion is about answering your question and not getting personal on an open forum. I will compare my stats with his, and my errors with his, my #1 Google SERP rankings on my keywords vs. his rankings, (all of which is an utter waste of time in your behalf) ANY DAY. Just no longer on your dime.

The difference between our positions is we are in different market niches and that is your biggest dilemma as I stated. Outsource or do it yourself? My position is to explain your alternatives, yours is to make an educated decision, whether you believe me or not. That is the role of a professional consultative salesperson.

Reg sells the process, I teach the process. Mine may not be perfect but it gets results. It is, as I always warn, time intensive.

My sales and marketing background tells me if the cash register does not ring the business is doomed. Straight to the point, no Prince Charming.

Jim, as I think you are gathering, your marketing needs to have multiple components. Online is definitely one but you also need to develop interpersonal networking connections as Rick aptly states.

A couple of thoughts from my perspective.
1. Continue to develop your online presence through your website and use the SEO tools you have available.

2. You are on LinkedIn and you are a member of several groups. You need to maximize your presence on LI and within your groups. One that I highly recommend is Dr. Earl Smiths - The Federal Circle Group. There are countless other groups that are focused on government security related jobs.

Do a search on "security clearance". A brief search indicated that there are over 31,000 LI members that include some form of "security clearance" in their profile. There are over 400 members who have "security clearance recruiter" in their profile. What a great potential resource for you.

LI is an incredible resource, if you know how to use it effectively.

3. Locate all the industry and professional networking and association groups that cater to, or have a large population of government employees.

4. Go out on the job boards and look for companies that are seeking cleared employees. Find the internal contacts and start dialogues with them.

5. Think about offering some form of partnership with local recruiters that might be beneficial for the recruiter. What is their biggest concern, finding cleared candidates, or getting a candidate cleared as quickly as possible. If you can help eliminate these hurdles for them, you have made them very happy, put money in their pocket quickly and they will become your single largest source of on-going referrals.

6. Finally, think about putting together a webinar/seminar series on how to become a cleared employee. Sharing your knowledge and skill through this channel will grow your network and referral base exponentially.

I would be happy to work with you on developing a highly effective LinkedIn campaign and getting the most out of it. I have invested heavily(time only) in developing my LI presence and it is paying off handsomely. But like everything in life you need to develop a plan and implement it.

I have several additional thoughts but do not want to take up any further space here.

I fyou would like to talk, shoot me an e-mail at lchaug @ verizon.net or call me 410-531-5871.

.

I might look at three major areas that help people get the word out:

1. Developing a relationship building approach instead of sales approach.
2. Identifying who my ideal client is and where I can connect with them to build relationships.
3. Providing free content to show my expertise such as on Focus.com or any other site where I can share my knowledge. A blog is helpful too.

SEO/SEM, your website - all important

However, online marketing is just one dimension of spreading the word about your business.

1. Firstly do a great job and go the extra mile for your clients EVERY time. We get 80%+ of our business initially from referrals. Our annual revenue is split pretty evenly between new and repeat business. So a client refers someone new and everyone comes back for more! Lovely and the best thing, our cost of sales is so much lower on referrals and repeat business. BTW, we have never had to ask for a referral, they come to us.

2. Become a very visible part of the market you serve. Not just online but at conferences (get yourself on the agenda as a speaker), networking events. Write articles for publications both in print and online. Blog, Tweet and Yammer. Provide free content on your site, forums such as this. Establish yourself as and expert and thought leader. Be everywhere!

3. Get yourself a good web based CRM to help you give outstanding sales service and after sales service whilst saving your time and enabling you to focus on your customer interactions be they sales or service. Dont rely on spreadsheets and Outlook contacts to manage your business. Kick off with a CRM that can grow with you.

4. The CRM will also quickly help you identify who your ideal client is. I agree with Guy. This is critically important. Doing business with a client that is not a good fit for you is much harder to have a happy and satisfied client and therefore increase your chances of referrals. Like most, I have learnt this the hard way but I am now smart enough to politely & very diplomatically refuse business if I feel that the client is not a good fit for us.

5. Understand the ROI for your marketing activities. Again the CRM can help you with this. You need to spend dollars where you are getting the best results - ie $$$s so you repeat the activities that are working and drop those that dont.

6. This extends to things like Adwords campaigns. You need to know how many $$$s are actully coming in the door as a result of the campaigns. Because our CRM tells us how many $$s in Sales we get from each adwors, we have halved the money we spend with Google & still get the same result while reaching more people by focusing on what works

Dear Everyone,

This has been a learning lesson for me, I have read so many great ideas.

I wish to thank everyone who shared these wondereful ideas with me.

Again, thank you all.

Jim Hennessey
Rockville, MD