Owners and Execs

[SecTrainer]

There's a search engine problem that some of you have undoubtedly noticed, and that is this: When someone searches on the term "security", even if they further qualify the search with the name of your city or town, the results are often dominated or at least intermixed with firms offering data security services, firms selling security access systems, security camera systems, security consulting, etc.

Obviously, the search engine doesn't have enough information in these common queries to distinguish exactly what the searcher is looking for, so it gives them a mishmash of both relevant and irrelevant results. And small websites are usually going to be way down at the bottom of the pot.

There might be two ways to exploit this problem, one pertaining to the content on your website and the other having to do with your business model.

1. Content-driven exploits obviously relate primarily to SEO, or search engine optimization. In that sense, this is a "shallow" exploit, because driving your website toward the top of these mixed search results still won't get you any more business if the searcher is not, in fact, looking for what you offer. You'll still be irrelevant to them, but just more noticeable.

Nevertheless, it's never undesirable to be noticed! Let me modify the last sentence above to drive this home: "You'll still be irrelevant to them AT THE MOMENT, but just more noticeable". What people need today can be very different from what they need tomorrow. It's NEVER undesirable to be noticed, even peripherally.

A blog on your website is one of the most legitimate means by which to broaden the content beyond merely a dry description of "Who We Are" and "What We Do" - the usual weak tea served up by many security company sites. And, by doing so you stand a very good chance of improving your search engine ranking. SEARCH ENGINES LOVE CONTENT. If you've just got a puny 4- or 5-page website, you might as well do nothing (in fact, you are doing nothing). This is so well-known, in fact, that I can't express my amazement (or dismay) at the number of security company websites that don't include a blog.

Interesting blog content also impacts two other important elements in search engine rankings: Backlinks from other sites, and the time that visitors spend on your website.

The more subtle benefit, which takes longer to see but is probably even more important in the long run, is that over time your blog posts become a repository of information, and this repository establishes your expertise and knowledge in the field of security - not merely regarding "guard services", but over a wider range of security issues that potential clients might have.

And this brings us to the second exploit - your business model.

2. Imagine, for a moment, a perfect world (for you) in which no matter what the "security" searcher was looking for, you can provide it!! So now, appearing near the top of the search results, you are NOT irrelevant to them at all!

Oh, did you mean data security? We do it. Security cameras? We do that too. Access control systems? No problem. Risk assessment and consulting? Give us a call and watch our smoke.

This is the perfect world, as I said, but don't laugh. You can probably get a lot closer to it than you are right now. Let's just take data security as an example. This is an enormous problem for ALMOST ALL OF YOUR CLIENTS, and I don't have to know who they are to say that. Even - or perhaps especially - smaller businesses are extremely vulnerable to the loss or inappropriate disclosure of data. Tampering by disgruntled employees. Client lists walking out the door with that salesman they fired. Social media posts/tweets etc. that disclose proprietary business information.

Independent contractors and joint ventures are just two of the means by which you might address this question: Your clients have security needs that you're not serving. They're picking up the phone and talking to someone - and it isn't you. Why?

Now, of course you can't be "everything security", but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be thinking about how you might add some items to that list of "What We Do", either. Why SHOULDN'T you be able to talk to your guard clients about cameras...or data security...or access systems, when there are ways to fold these domains into your lineup of services - and without your having to become expert in them yourselves or even make an investment in personnel or equipment?

There's no reason in the world you can't approach people/companies that have skill sets and offerings that are complementary to your own, and explore the possibilities of a relationship that benefits both. Physical security, after all, is one of the subdomains of data security. And I'd be willing to bet that somewhere out there in your area there's a guy or a gal with data sec credentials who'd be tickled pink to take contracts from you to provide your clients with those services - under the banner of your company.

Just some food for thought here, people - and, I hope, some kick-starters to lift up your eyes and ignite your imagination. God knows, we need some imagination. Imagine, for instance, that you had someone like a Cameraman or a Curtis Baillie in your "stable" of contractors...intriguing idea, yes?

And you other experts out there? Data folks...surveillance folks...systems folks. If you're looking for business, you can just as easily initiate this conversation from your side, too. Let's channel each other and see what integrated services we might not be able to dream up. United we stand...and you can finish it.