One thing to know about me is I don’t draw sharp lines between “work” and everything else. I love helping clients navigate the local-search hedge maze, and getting to know them. It’s interesting and it challenges the heck out of me. I have a blast.
But what else do I do?
I spend most of my time with my lovely wife, Stefanie, our 2 sons, Wally and Eddie, and our 2 cats, Smudge, and Smokey. I’m not one who lacks motivation to do “work,” but if I did, they’d put plenty of wind in my sails. (Also, because I’m fortunate enough to work from home, there wouldn’t be too many places to hide.)
Although I spend lots of time pushing pixels around on a screen, I’ve always been an outdoors guy. I can’t refuse a hike. I’ve spent probably 150 days and nights camping (starting when I was in Boy Scouts, when we’d go every month) . Chopping wood is my idea of fun, as our annoyed neighbors might tell you.
I run 6 days a week. Not quite as fleet-of-foot as I was when I was on the track team, but I’m getting there. I also lift weights 2-3 times a week, and have lifted since I was a kid.
Reading. I’m often nibbling on a book. Ask me about my favorite books some time.
Cigars. Many of my ideas for blog posts have come to me after a puff on a Rocky Patel in the small hours of the night. (I limit myself to two tubes a month, though. Probably healthier on the old jaw, but hope it hasn’t hurt the blogging inspiration.)
Occasionally I’ll tune in to watch my Red Sox win a World Series get drubbed.
Never in my life have I said no to a chess game or an arm-wrestle.
How I got into local search
I started earning my wings in the world of local search in 2008 – which means I’ve put in about 34 “Internet years.”
This page (the one you’re on now) originally had a bunch of detail on how I started my business, but I didn’t like how it read, and it hogged the page. So I decided to describe it in a different way; check out my history with local search if you’re interested.
Why my clients like working with me
- I’ve worked with business owners in all sorts of industries. This has helped me zero in on the local-search-visibility techniques that work in all industries and local markets, not just in a few. It also means there’s a good chance I’ve already helped someone in your profession (or one like it) to attract more local customers, and that I can help you, too.
- I’m honest. About what I can and cannot help with, about why I ask for payment up-front, and about exactly what steps I take for my clients’ businesses. I’m always honest about my turnaround time, although I also like Scotty’s advice. I have many clients and do very well, and don’t want your money enough to want to “sell” you on anything.
- I’m a regular guy, not some holier-than-thou “guru.” I don’t have a team of gatekeepers to keep me in a client-phobic bubble. You’ll get to know me, and I look forward to getting to know you.
Why I like working with my clients
- My clients are serious. They’ve realized their businesses need to be visible in local search, but that that can be a lot of work. They’ve made the sober calculation that it’s quicker and easier for them to get help. They put a little time into due-diligence, and then they put a few bucks behind their decision – and I admire that.
- My clients are experienced and skilled at what they do. Some have been in business for decades. They know which areas of their businesses don’t need fixing, but they also know what they need: more local visibility to potential customers.
- They come in all shapes and sizes. There is no “typical” client. It’s always an adventure, and I like learning about my clients’ businesses. I also get from them ideas for how to improve my business.
My values and beliefs (a few of them)
- Give before I get. If you’ve read some of my blog posts, read my free guide, or are on my email list, I hope you’ll see what I mean.
- Tell the truth, even if it might not be what you want to hear or what I want to say. For starters, I tell probably 40% of would-be clients that they simply don’t need my services at all. I tell another good 20% that they need less of my help than they thought (like just an hour on the phone). I’m what you might call an anti-salesman. Oh, and I’ll tell you right now that the very few unhappy clients I’ve had were the ones who could never understand that effective local SEO usually takes a while. If you want high local visibility yesterday, I’m not your guy. (Good luck finding him or her.) But what I can do today is help you start in the right direction.
- Making money is noble. Without money we’d have empty dinner tables and couldn’t buy anything for our loved ones’ birthdays. That’s why you’re in business. But you couldn’t do it without attracting new customers somehow. Helping my clients get more local customers is why I’m in business – and I can only stay in business as long as I help bring the rain.
Enough about me. How can I help you?
If you do nothing else today, check out my blog posts and get on my email list (see right-hand sidebar). By the way, another way to get on my email list is to download my free step-by-step guide to local visibility.
We can work together and I can be your local-visibility go-to guy. (If you’re a US veteran I can give you some free consulting.)
Not sure of the best next step? Feel free to contact me.