searchlove boston 2013_john doherty_creating executive support for marketing initiatives
TRANSCRIPT
Creating Executive Support for Marketing Initiatives
JOHN DOHERTY
Today we’re talking about Boss or Client Management
Your job is not to deliver reports.
Your job is to effect change.
SEO is easy, but causing change is hard.
Most SEOs
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
A Few Words About Your Boss/Client
They’re not idiots.
This is my boss. He’s actually quite smart.
They’re human too.
I said human.
You need to understand
Who makes the budget decisions?
What are their motivators?
What are the key company metrics?
What are the company’s goals?
Your Responsibilities
“[See] your offering as your market sees it - not as you
see it.”
Matt Gratt
http://www.quora.com/Marketing/What-is-the-hardest-part-about-being-a-marketer/answer/Matt-Gratt?srid=5pX&share=1
Help Execs Prioritize
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
At any point in time, you have many
initiatives. Which ones will have the
biggest impact on the metrics your bosses
care about?
Present Hard Data
@dohertyjfAnd what that means.
Compelling Business Case
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
If we increase traffic X%, we can make $X,XXX per
month.
This is music to a Director’s ears.
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
If we increase traffic X%, we can make $X,XXX per
month.
This is music to a Director’s ears.
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
The “Why”
Think Big, Start Small
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Think Big, Start Small
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Big DreamsHighest Impact
Initiative
Speak Their Language
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
If you walk into a room talking about linking root
domains and infographics, you will
fail. If you talk the metrics they care about
and your high level plans, you’ll most likely
succeed.
How do we make a case for what we need?
Psychology
@dohertyjfhttps://twitter.com/neyne/status/335443057749159936
The Right Metrics
@dohertyjfAll valid metrics, depending on who you’re reporting to.
Hard Comparison Data
@dohertyjfThe Price of Technical SEO Debt
Them
Us
Hard and Honest Projections
@dohertyjfThe Price of Technical SEO Debt
Psychology
Goal: Make It Easy To Say Yes
@dohertyjfhttp://okdork.com/2012/10/09/make-it-easy-to-say-yes/l
“What Are *Your* Goals?”
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
The best way to learn what your boss/client wants to hear is to ask them their goals.
Then you can pitch for what you want using the metrics they will resonate with.
“What can I show you that will make you say yes?”
“Can you show me examples of reports you like?”
High Risk/Low Risk
@dohertyjfGet Executive Management Approval
Low risk are either proven as “fundamentals” and best practices, or have proven valuable for
your company in the past.
High risk are tasks that are either expensive up front, or have no quantifiable ROI before you
complete them.
High Risk/Low Risk 80/20 Rule
@dohertyjfPareto Principle
You can ask for about 20% of your resources for high risk initiatives. 80% of your resources are dedicated towards the activities that you know
work.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could dedicate 80% of our efforts towards new initiatives?
High Risk/Low Risk
@dohertyjf
Low Risk/Low Impact is easy to pitch and get approval for, but
will not move the needle significantly.
High Risk/High Impact is harder to say yes to, and should be pitched after
success is shown
Impact
Risk
Low Risk/High Impact is the sweet spot, as it’s easy to say YES and will move the needle.
High Risk/Low Impact is not a good case to pitch.
John Doherty
Data
“Every good argument begins with data.”
Abraham Lincoln
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Revenue Tracking in Analytics provides important numbers
@dohertyjfEcommerce Tracking for Google in GA
CRO
Revenue Tracking in Analytics provides important numbers
@dohertyjfEcommerce Tracking for Google in GA
CROSEO
Direct vs Influenced
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Direct vs Influenced
@dohertyjf
Show this to your execs to get buy-in for more work, but have exact numbers prepared as well.
Direct vs Influenced
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Don’t just pitch SEO initiatives though. Use this to get things done internally.
A Few More Psychological Examples
Competitor Data Inspires Action
@dohertyjfInbound Marketing Competitor Analysis
Negative Numbers Inspire Action
@dohertyjf
Negative Numbers Inspire Action
@dohertyjf
Never be accusatory/assign blame to your boss for inaction. Instead, show your strategy for
moving forward.
Previous Success Inspires Action
@dohertyjfInbound Marketing Competitor Analysis
Internal Case Studies
@dohertyjfPitch and pitch again
Comparisons
@dohertyjfIf we don’t do X, then….
Comparisons
@dohertyjfIf we don’t do X, then….
Case Study
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjfThe links were extremely low quality
About 50% of their backlink profile was links from sites with a Domain Authority of under 20. They
were hit repeatedly by algorithm
changes.
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjfhttp://www.johnfdoherty.com/paid-links-backlink-profile-visualized/
Free-submit-url-seo.biz
http://pub20.bravenet.com/freelink
http://www.txtlinks.com
http://allcladdagh.com/newlinks21.htm
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjf
One of their sites that brought in ~10% of their revenue was hit with a
manual link penalty. CEO was keen to avoid this on
others.
Tip: Negative case studies can be very powerful when you want someone to do
something.
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjfThe goal was better links and to prove content works.
I pitched them on doing a piece of high quality content. These are the
links we got.
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjfLinks were much better.
I pitched them on doing a piece of high quality content. These are the
links we got.
DA90
DA89
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjf
Their backlink profile has leveled out.
This is old.
Client Had Been Buying Links
@dohertyjf
And their organic traffic is up almost 100% in a year and a half. We now have buy-in to do 4 more big pieces of content.
Pitch A Test
Metrics
Some Metrics Are Standard
@dohertyjf
Some Are Not
@dohertyjfhttps://twitter.com/randfish/status/333819361238327296
Metrics Marketers Report On
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
YoY Increase in Traffic
Direct Conversions by Channel
Influenced Conversions by Channel
Competitor Trends
Metrics Marketers Report On
@dohertyjf
YoY Increase in Traffic
Direct Conversions by Channel
Influenced Conversions by Channel
Competitor Trends
“What metrics does your boss care
about?”
Projections
Creating Good Projections
@dohertyjf
((Metric Increase)*(Conversion %)*(Value Per Visit)) – ((hours)*(hourly rate))
SEO Projections
@dohertyjf
((Potential Traffic) *(Value Per Visit)) – ((hours)*(hourly rate))
Your best data comes from your own Analytics.
@dohertyjfEcommerce Tracking for Google in GA
Example
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Client wants to grow their site by $250k in revenue this year. They convert at 1.71% from
organic traffic at $5.68/visit.
$250,000 = 44,000 new visitors.
Example
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Client wants to grow their site by $250k in revenue this year. They convert at 1.71% from
organic traffic at $5.68/visit.
$250,000 = 44,000 new visitors.
Is this possible?
Example
@dohertyjfWhat Channels Convert Best (GA Page)
We need some help.
How You Pitch or Deliver Work Makes A Difference
Primary Point of Contact
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Email – gets things done quickly, builds trust
Spreadsheets with documents for communicating data
Phone calls to answer questions a few days later (also keeps your recommendations top of mind)
Director Level
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Powerpoint for presenting a business case
Phone calls and meetings for followup
Clear call to action at the end (even if none)
Executive Suite
@dohertyjfJohn Doherty
Powerpoint - for presenting a business case
PRESENT IN PERSON
Clear the presentation with your POC/Director first.
In Conclusion
