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WTB vs. Services for Sale



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WTB vs. Services for Sale

To Whom It May Concern:

I fell ill a few months ago...only to return to a shifted paradigm of freelancing here on SEOClerks.com - folks used to shop our profiles and category listing for services, etc... to purchase; now, I notice nearly everybody uses the WTB option and we are expected to bid on jobs...WTF HAPPENED?  SEOClerks.com was place I could come to and be sure there was work to be done and profit to be had...now, I'm expected to chase after clientele like an ambulance chaser for work (no offense to the those in the legal field)...has the field of SEO sales changed?  Has SEOClerks.com itself lost its' once prestigious caliber as THE site to shop SEO?  Please, share your thoughts, opinions and knowledge so I can make heads or tales out of the current state of SEO here on our beloved SEOClerks.com.  Thanks for reading.

- southsidesmoka

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TommyCarey
This tends to happen on a lot of websites, but the majority of users will still shop around and find products and services throughout the marketplace. The older more veteran users will change gears if they aren't finding what they want done and they will then go on the WTB system and post something for people to bid on. It's a normal switch and happens on every marketplace.

Ways to work with this in your favor...

When you get a notification for a WTB, set up a service that you can do and then bid on the project. You can then link the project in the comments section and even PM the person who posted it with a direct link. Since it's super relavant, you won't be seen as spamming. The person will welcome your advert since it's what they're currently looking for.

Another thing you can do is set up custom services specifically for that person. Your service can be named for them, which is a good way to start building a business relationship between two parties. Email marketers do this all the time, they get personal by adding the persons name to the beginning of the email so it says "Hey there John Doe!" instead of just "Hey there valued member!". People will see that you have gone the extra step to bring them in, and it will impress them a little bit. Every little thing you can do to turn someone into a long lasting client is worth it. You may not capture 10 clients in a row, but the 11th will purchase more from you than the 10 failed ones that you previously approached.

You should also treat SEOclerks like a search engine. Optimize your listings for the search results and you'll likely get more sales simply from people searching. Another good way to get more sales is to interlink all of your services so you share traffic between them. This will almost always increase your sales because people might be on a service for article writing and then realize they need some tier 2 linking when they read your "Other Services" section that you linked up in the bottom of the description of each service you offer WTB vs. Services for Sale



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kgord
Oh that is too bad that they changed. I personally do not like freelance sites where bidding on jobs is the norm. There is always someone more qualified, and you end up disappointed. Also, you often have to wait for clients to get back to you, and that is a bit of a problem as well.



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DarthHazard
That is like most other industries to be fair. There will always be someone that is better and more qualified but you have to adapt to ensure that you still get sales. Bidding probably makes it better for you because then you can try to influence the person buying why you are the best option and even try to decrease the price a bit to suit the buyer.



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southsidesmoka
I could not agree with you more! Cutting my prices leads to underbidding on jobs and ultimately a loss of most profits. That's not how I, or any sensible person, does business. We are in business for the profits. We charge what we are worth and if prices are not agreeable, I feel like customers are free to shop elsewhere. I hate being an "ambulance chaser"!



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augusta
This is me talking, I hate freelancing site with this biding method, it will come to a point where a particular set of people are the only people doing all the jobs.Well, you wouldn't blame them because it has become survival of the fittest and they're also trying to make ends meet but I don't like it a bit.



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kgord
Yes, well decreasing the price doesn't really make you as much money as you probably are worth. I think it is all to favor the buyer honestly. They know that people providing services are likely to decrease their price due to the competition. I don't like it personally. I prefer just to take a job for a certain dollar amount and that's it.



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ColdFlameChris
Yeah! It's better to just take a job for a dollar than not having at all. Competition is really tight on this industry and there's no guarantee that they will take your service. I'm pretty sure that buyers will choose the best for a lower price. Try to learn new skills to develop so you have lots of options than just stick to what you always do the most.



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kgord
Yes, I think this is a good point. I think if you want a number of bidders it is good to be able to do more then one thing well. However, not everyone has the time, the ability or the inclination to increase their skill set. This is just one of the problems in our world today.



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DarthHazard
It hasn't really changed that much but people will probably prefer to post their jobs so that they get multiple bids from people who are interested in doing the work. It makes their job a lot easier because they can see who is perfect for the job and it can also mean they get the service for cheaper because sellers then start to decrease their prices to get the job. You shouldn't expect to do nothing and get jobs. Freelancing has become a lot more competitive so you truly do have to work hard to get jobs now.



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