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.

---

2 Lesser Known Ways to Brainstorm for Internet Home Business Keywords

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) doctrine states that you should always... Read More

The Great Search Engine War, Where Content is King

When search engines first appeared, they were simple affairs consisting... Read More

Youve Got The Power, Why Arent You Promoting It?

Like all things, theft is theft, misery loves company, negative... Read More

Google has an Achilles Heal - Will Their Competitors Notice?

Even though Google Revenues continue to soar, the hidden problem... Read More

SEOing A Flash Intro

IntroductionWhy does a FLASH intro need SEO? Flash, the great... Read More

Spamglish; A Search Engine Comedy With A Language All Its Own

When the movie Spanglish hit the screens in 2004, it... Read More

Build Link Popularity The Smart Way

A Brief Introduction To Link PopularityAs webmasters research various ways... Read More

The Myth of Guaranteed #1 Ranking in Search Engine Marketing

You've seen the ads: Guaranteed #1 Ranking! There are no... Read More

Non-Reciprocal Link Building For Higher Search Engine Positioning

Non-Reciprocal Link Building For Higher Search Engine Positioning By Dave... Read More

The Best and Easiest Google-Friendly Change to Your Web Site

No matter who you are or how much you pay... Read More

Submit Your Website to Search Engines

Some search engine submissions are free and some pay for... 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

Complete Web-Site Optimization For Search Engines (Part 1)

SEO or search engine optimization strategy now becomes widely popular... Read More

Wordtracker Wisdom: Common Keyword Questions and Answers

One of my favorite subjects to teach on at our... Read More

Selecting The Title Of Your Link Exchanges

I want to touch base with selecting the title of... Read More

Optimize Your Website or Get Lost In The Crowd!

It used to be that designing an attractive website to... Read More

Can Invisible Text in CSSs Slip Under Search Engine Radar?

I'm literally inundated with questions on the subject of invisible... Read More

Google Sitemaps Explained - How To Use Google Sitemaps

Three Ways To Index Your Site With Google Sitemaps [Difficult,... Read More

How To Rank High On MSN Search

The new MSN Search is quickly gaining popularity among internet... Read More

Keyword Optimization - How To Achieve It

The most important thing you can do for your business... Read More

A Link From An Ugly Duckling Website With A PR=1 Could Give You 10 to 80 Times More PageRank

Whether you want to start a business and sell on... Read More

A Three Day Marketing Plan for Better Google Rankings

If you're reading this article, you've probably discovered that simply... Read More

How To Conceal Your Website?s ?Fingerprint? From The Search Engines

The internet marketing industry is now flooded with various page... Read More

The Google Sitemap For Idiots

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

Search Engine Marketing Hype Killing Small Businesses

Think about the first thing you ever heard about "marketing... Read More

What Constitutes a Complete and Effective SEO Campaign?

Unfortunately, not many Search Engine Optimization companies know what this... Read More

The Search Engine Secret That Is No Secret At All

It's common knowledge - we all know that it is... Read More

Search Engine Optimization for Beginners

If you are confused about terms like "search engine optimization"... Read More

Search Engine Robots - How They Work, What They Do (Part II)

If your site isn't found in the search engines, it... Read More

Link Building Services

In today scenario when we talk about Search Engine Optimization,... Read More

How Directories Help Search Engines

At the beginning of the web era, users would go... Read More

Yahoo Listing Still Worth It?

In October 2002, the Yahoo! portal changed the way it... Read More

Website Ranking With an Internet Marketing Specialist

On the internet, competition is stronger than ever. There was... Read More