Whats with the Competition? Ever Heard of Cooperation?

I attended the SES Expo in San Jose, CA the other day. It was an hour from my home in Larkspur, CA just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Along the way I was thinking this would be really neat to see, a lot of companies doing the same things really, and to see how they play together.

What a shock. Same old tech business, competition running rampant, and it was really apparent at the iP******* booth where I met a guy who asked me what I did, I told him SEO, Internet Marketing, PPC, and before I could say another thing he says to me "Have a nice day" and walks away. WOW! Warning. Don't do business with those guys!

Look. In this business we're in, we're out to provide services to clients. We do it at different levels. Some of us deliver what the clients expect and we do it because we manage those expectations appropriately. Other beat the crap out of their clients wallets and deliver diddly-squat to them and then gripe when the customers ask for a refund. Some promise to deliver submissions to over 100,000 search engines for $29.95, take the money and then run for the hills never to be seen again. There's a lot of folks doing BAD business out there. So why is there so much competition in our field?

FEAR.

Yes, that's right, an F-Word that does not end in a "k". FEAR of being beaten, fear of sharing the pie. Well I am here to tell you that in the last 2 years I have built a successful business that now is on the verge of several contracts of more than 2 million dollars a piece for SEO. How? Because my business is 100% referral. Is all of that cash? No. Why not? Because it's equity in other companies. Cash is not about building wealth. It's about blowing the ever-loving-wad when you get it and living on the edge. Equity is about building long-term wealth and finding ways to get into companies and provide a legacy for the future.

There were about 6 companies at SES that I saw that were not afraid of the cooperation model of sharing business. I have their cards in my hand and will be contacting them to get them a piece of the pie that I speak of.

Believe me, in today's world, with over 68 million domains registered, there's more than enough for all of the great SEO, PPC & Internet Marketing companies to pool resources and stay busy for the next 10 years and beyond. How do I know? Because the market is not slowing down, the information age is still with us, but it's how that information is delivered to our clients that makes us needed. We ensure that it's delivered in a correct, concise fashion, and we market to users who need us.

So get over the FEAR, and next time someone approaches you and says they do the same thing as you do, embrace it, congratulate them on their successes, and even offer a tip or two. When they use that tip and it helps them close that deal they've always wanted, they'll remember you, and perhaps refer some business. Pay it forward. Great movie...great mantra.

I got a lot of that at a place called the IBI Free Enterprise Forum where I now teach. www.ibiglobal.com is the link to that place. And I hope at the next forum when you see me, you'll tell me you read this article and it inspired you to take your business into a world of cooperation and sharing.

I wish iP******* no ill-will, just suggest that they change business. Because you never know who you're meeting at these events, and I was in search of a partner for just one of my million dollar contracts. Obviously you're not my choice.

Best to all, and thanks for being at SES.

Michael Murdock, CEO
DocMurdock.com

Former Lead Macintosh, PC & Unix Systems Engineer at PIXAR Animation Studios. Now runs DocMurdock, a highly successful website optimization & internet marketing company. Has helped companies make literally billions of dollars on the web due to recommendations and consultations that allow for changing of service models. Stresses cooperation, not competition and teaches at a Free Enterprise Forum in Los Angeles, CA.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


The Matrix Help For Keyphrase Analysis

Keyword analysis is a major part of search engine marketing.... Read More

Meta Tags Help Optimize Your Web Site Rankings

Are you working on getting your web site up onto... Read More

High Google Rankings: Frequency vs. Positioning

There's an assumption that the higher a ranking or positioning... Read More

Why Articles Are Not The Route To High Search Engine Rankings

If you have any interest in getting high search engine... Read More

Tread Towards A Successful ?Internet Research?

Internet is a terrific resource containing billions of web pages... Read More

Six Reasons Why Your Alexa Rating Is Still Important

1. Additional Exposure For Your Site.At the end of 2003,... Read More

Keyword Research And Overture

Many of us who build websites get in the habit... Read More

Google?s Siren Call ? Is It Crashing Your Search Engine Marketing?

It's difficult to dispute the rational behind the rant since... Read More

Meta Tags - An Important Part of Every Web Page

Meta tags are an absolute must from a search engine... Read More

Analyzing Googles Backlinks Is Close To Worthless

... Read More

The Truth About Search Engines: Playing A Game You Cant Win

If you go strictly by the numbers, Yahoo, MSN and... Read More

Valid HTML code is crucial to Search Engine Optimization

Why valid HTML code is crucial to your web site's... Read More

SEO Trade Secrets - 8 Great Tools for Search Engine Optimization

About 80% of website traffic comes through search engines. And... Read More

Buzzwords vs Effective SEO Keywords

Ever see a website that seems to speak a foreign... Read More

A Naive Mistake Cost Me My Google Rankings

Little do you know but you too could be making... Read More

Finding Targeted Keyword Phrases Your Competitors Miss

Finding Targeted Keyword Phrases Your Competitors MissFinding keyword phrases your... Read More

How to Protect Your Search Engine Placement by Keeping Up-to-date on Industry Changes

There's no denying it: Search engines are a dominating force... Read More

Does Javascript Affect Ranking?

Almost all SEO's agree that using too much javascript can... Read More

Reality Check: A Straightforward Guide to Keywords and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Web site owners need to have realistic expectations when it... Read More

Do You Have a Bad SEO Company, or Are You Just a Bad Client?

I admit it, our SEO services are pretty bad.Speaking of... Read More

The Google Sitemap For Idiots

I don't mind admitting that every time some new fangled... Read More

Microsofts New Search Engine

I tried out Microsoft's new search engine (beta version) the... Read More

How to Improve Your Search Engine Rankings

When people think of search engine optimization, they immediately think... Read More

Link Popularity Pitfalls

As we all know Google uses their PageRank technology to... Read More

Improve Search Engine Rankings - The Real Deal!

Ok, here's the deal, follow these steps and shoot me... Read More

Advanced Uses for the Google Algorithm

Previously...In our article on Understanding Google's Algorithm,... Read More

Directories and Their Importance for Search Engine Rankings

About directories:A directory is simply a web site that contains... Read More

Search Engine Optimization Strategies To Drive More Targeted Traffic To Your Website

Want to drive more targeted traffic to your web site?Want... Read More

Search Engine Copywriting: Focus on One Topic

Perhaps the simplest of all the lessons I have learned... Read More

Yahoo!/Overture Site Match: A License To Steal

Unless you've been living in a cave somewhere, I'm sure... Read More

Ten Critical Website and Search Engine Promotion Mistakes

When it comes to promoting your website, you might think... Read More

Keywords Finalization Methodology

To arrive at the set of keywords that:Describe business correctly... Read More

Feed Those Hungry WIIFM Monsters, Get Them To Multiply

Everyone packs their website with keywords in order to feed... Read More