Comments on: We Tried That Already http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/ Marketing blog focused on marketing optimization, improving website conversion rates, search engine marketing, web analytics, word of mouth, etc. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:54:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Grant Simmons http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/comment-page-1/#comment-1105470 Grant Simmons Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:59:58 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/#comment-1105470 Didn't mean to sound so harsh.. apologies to clients everywhere... had exactly the conversation you're suggesting with a prospective client... I had recommendations from colleagues, proven results, yet they insisted that everything I suggested had been done, and didn't work. After 20 minutes of probing into their process and analytics of success, I gave up trying to 'suggest' their method *could have been* flawed, results skewed and thanked them for their time, and walked away. You'll never get a satisfied client out of those types of prospects, unfortunately, even if you deliver above and beyond, they already know it's not going to work. Started to sound harsh again... need a cuppa tea :-) Didn’t mean to sound so harsh.. apologies to clients everywhere… had exactly the conversation you’re suggesting with a prospective client… I had recommendations from colleagues, proven results, yet they insisted that everything I suggested had been done, and didn’t work. After 20 minutes of probing into their process and analytics of success, I gave up trying to ’suggest’ their method *could have been* flawed, results skewed and thanked them for their time, and walked away.

You’ll never get a satisfied client out of those types of prospects, unfortunately, even if you deliver above and beyond, they already know it’s not going to work.

Started to sound harsh again… need a cuppa tea :-)

]]> By: Grant Simmons http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/comment-page-1/#comment-1105469 Grant Simmons Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:55:12 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/#comment-1105469 Clients either know what a 'professional' brings to the table, or they don't. If they've tried what you're suggesting, then why are you there? It obviously didn't work, but *maybe* not because it isn't the right thing to do for results. Any number of parameters could have been forgotten, omitted, bent or otherwise implemented in a different fashion from what you're suggesting... You should be consulted because of what you bring to the table. Clients that second guess with "I already tried that" should second guess themselves as to why they're talking to you in the first place! People call consultants for best, or better advice. If they don't listen to it, shame on them. Clients either know what a ‘professional’ brings to the table, or they don’t.

If they’ve tried what you’re suggesting, then why are you there? It obviously didn’t work, but *maybe* not because it isn’t the right thing to do for results.

Any number of parameters could have been forgotten, omitted, bent or otherwise implemented in a different fashion from what you’re suggesting…

You should be consulted because of what you bring to the table. Clients that second guess with “I already tried that” should second guess themselves as to why they’re talking to you in the first place!

People call consultants for best, or better advice. If they don’t listen to it, shame on them.

]]> By: Jeff Baas http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/comment-page-1/#comment-585 Jeff Baas Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:07:27 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/02/16/we-tried-that-already/#comment-585 I agree that trying some fix that you read about is not the same as figuring out what's wrong. Many of the things I "tried" early in my career were weak and ill-informed attempts to duplicate what some book told me to do. I look back on a lot of those attempts as laughable now. I simply didn't have the depth of experience to understand the way to carry out what was suggested, much less test it effectively. Improving conversion rates is a skill that grows based on lots of trial and error (and lots of mistakes along the way). It's not one-time test and quit situation. I agree that trying some fix that you read about is not the same as figuring out what’s wrong. Many of the things I “tried” early in my career were weak and ill-informed attempts to duplicate what some book told me to do. I look back on a lot of those attempts as laughable now. I simply didn’t have the depth of experience to understand the way to carry out what was suggested, much less test it effectively.

Improving conversion rates is a skill that grows based on lots of trial and error (and lots of mistakes along the way). It’s not one-time test and quit situation.

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