In IT companies, many Business Development Executives (BDEs) face one common problem — clients want SEO, but they don’t understand SEO.
Most clients are business owners, shopkeepers, startup founders, or managers. They don’t care about technical terms like backlinks, meta tags, or crawl indexing. They care about one thing:
“Will my business get more customers?”
If a BDE starts explaining SEO using technical jargon, the client gets confused and loses interest. So your job is not to explain SEO technically — your job is to explain SEO in business language.
1. Start With a Simple Definition (Never Technical)
Do not say SEO is optimizing website architecture, indexing, and backlinks.
Instead say:“SEO is the process of making your business appear on Google when customers search for your services.”
Example:
If someone searches “best restaurant in Surat” and your restaurant appears on the first page — that is SEO.
Immediately, the client understands.
2. Use Real-Life Analogy (Most Powerful Trick)
The best way to explain SEO is comparison.
Tell the client:“Google is like a shopping mall directory. Thousands of shops exist, but customers only visit shops they can easily find. SEO puts your shop at the front gate instead of the basement.”
This one line increases client understanding more than 10 technical explanations.
3. Explain Why SEO is Important
Many clients ask:
“Why do I need SEO? I already have a website.”
You should answer:
Having a website without SEO is like opening a shop in the desert — it exists, but no one knows it.
People don’t visit websites directly.
They search on Google first.
Today customer behavior is:
- Search on Google
- Compare options
- Then contact
If your business is not visible — you lose customers to competitors.
4. Explain the Difference Between Ads and SEO
This is one of the most important parts in selling SEO.
Tell them:
Google Ads (Paid Ads):
- Instant results
- Works only while you pay
- Like renting a shop
SEO (Organic):
- Takes time
- Long-term results
- Like owning a shop
Then add:“Ads bring traffic temporarily. SEO builds your brand permanently.”
Now the client sees SEO as an investment, not an expense.
5. Explain Timeline Clearly (Very Important)
Most clients say:
“How many days to reach first page?”
Never promise a fixed number.
Instead say:
- 1st Month → Website optimization & research
- 2nd–3rd Month → Google starts recognizing
- 4th–6th Month → Ranking & traffic growth
Also explain: SEO is not a switch. It is a process. Google builds trust slowly, just like customers trust a new shop gradually.
This avoids future conflicts.
6. Explain What Work You Actually Do
Clients think SEO means “just posting keywords.”
Explain your activities in simple terms:
- Fix website issues
- Improve website speed
- Write helpful content
- Add business information on Google
- Make website trustworthy
- Increase visibility
Avoid technical words like schema, canonical tags, robots.txt, etc.
7. How to Explain ROI (Return on Investment)
Clients ultimately care about money.
Instead of traffic, connect SEO to revenue.
Example explanation:
If 1,000 people visit your website monthly
and 3% contact you
= 30 inquiries
If 10 clients convert
and average project value = ₹20,000
= ₹2,00,000 business
Now SEO feels measurable and valuable.
8. Handle Common Client Objections
Objection: “My friend said SEO is fake.”
Answ Bad SEO is fake. Good SEO follows Google rules and builds long-term ranking.
Objection: “Why does it take months?”
Answer:Because Google tests whether your business is genuine and helpful before recommending it.
Objection: “My competitor is already on top.”
Answer:Exactly. They are getting your customers. SEO helps you compete with them.
9. What BDEs Must Never Do
- Never guarantee “#1 ranking”
- Never promise fixed days
- Never oversell traffic numbers
- Never use too much technical language
Trust closes deals — not promises.
Conclusion
Explaining SEO successfully is not about knowledge — it is about communication.
A good BDE converts technical services into business value.
When the client understands how SEO brings customers, inquiries, and revenue, the sale becomes natural.
Remember:Clients don’t buy SEO.
They buy more customers.
If you explain SEO in business terms, you don’t chase clients — clients choose your company.
