As a search engine marketer who sees both the client facing side and number crunching side, you may fully understand this common new client scenario. It all begins with that first kickoff call. The contract is signed. The SEM team is ready to improve results and make PPC a great success. The new client is ready to take on the world.

More times than none, we finish these kickoff calls and kick ourselves instead. Not only did we spend two plus hours on the phone, but we came away with half the information really needed to jump start an over-the-top PPC marketing campaign. And we always blame ourselves, admitting that we’re too nice and allow the client to run the show.

So next time you conduct a kickoff call, do just that. Be the conductor who drives the call. We have recently formalized this introduction call, not a lot, just a little. Just enough to make sure we’re setting the pace and ensuring the vital information is being gathered. When you find yourselves traveling onto subjects like, “my website needs work” or “how can we rank higher on natural search too”, remember to steer your new client back on course. We like to conquer these other objectives or marketing goals during a “Phase II”, once the PPC marketing has been up and running for a month or two of data.

Many business majors will simply say to write up an agenda, but it seems from our experience that SEM usually involves more client interaction and for creative thinking to flow at any time or place. So we deliver a Client Profile in which our clients can fill out before the kickoff call. This is where we ensure all necessary information is obtained in one place. Plus it can be used as an outline to learn more about the client and their business once we’re on the call.

You can download the Client Profile here and change it to fit your company needs. We like the simplicity of it, yet it allows for the client to be more in-depth and elaborate on its points during that kickoff call.

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