Have you experienced the "Pitch and Switch"?  I have. 

A number of years ago, I had engaged a PR agency to run a campaign for a software product that I was launching in the US.  I met with a few agencies and one was very impressed with one in particular.  In my meetings with them, they brought in the "dream team" that I would be working with... the account exec that had done exactly what I was planning to do many times before, the agency Director who had written books on the subject and was going to be "hands-on" with my account, and a number of other impressive individuals with loads of experience.  Naturally I signed with them.

A couple of months into the engagement, none of the original team that I was introduced to were actually working on my campaign.  My main contact was someone that had graduated from University only 6 months before and my secondary contact was her assistant!  She was a really nice person - but she was not why I signed with the company - what happened to my "dream team"? 

This practice is known as the "Pitch and Switch".  During the pre-sales (the pitch) you are promised ideal people with tremendous levels of relevant experience only to find that they mysteriously disappear from your campaign soon after you sign (the switch).

This happens with SEO agencies too. 

I have spoken with a number of prospects and clients recently who had experienced this themselves from SEO companies.  A lot of agencies or SEO companies have one or two main SEO consultants that they use to help win contracts; but when the company actually signs with them, they find that they are allocated to less experienced staff.

Why does this happen? In many marketing companies (and especially SEO companies), there is an over-reliance on individuals.  As a client, which SEO you are allocated to work with will have either a positive or negative effect on your campaign... and it becomes somewhat of a lottery for you.   Strangely, this is something that a lot of clients do not consider when looking for an SEO - but they should. 

At Vertical Leap, we have a totally unique systemised approach to running our business and our SEO campaigns (and when I say "systemised", I do not mean "automated".. we are very hands on).  But our systems, our methodology, our values all result in a consistently high level of service and performance no matter which of our talented Campaign Delivery Managers or which of our regional offices are running your campaign. 

This approach not only helps us run a more effective and productive business, but it benefits our clients in a many ways... one of these is that you will never experience the "pitch and switch" from us... but you need to be aware that unfortunately, the practice is rife in our industry today and you should look beyond the client list of the company and start to consider how your campaign will actually be run and by whom.