SEO Agency Starter Kit: Niche, Offer, Outreach and Reports
Knowing SEO and selling SEO are two different skills. This kit covers the selling part: a niche picker, a 1-page offer, a 10-step outreach plan with follow-up scripts, a pricing worked example, a call script and a client report template.
Four tools to turn SEO skill into an SEO business: pick a niche, write an offer as a result, reach your first clients and send reports they can read. Clients don't buy rankings. They buy calls, sales and bookings, and every part of this kit is built around that.
For: Freelancers and SEOs who can rank pages but struggle to find, win and keep paying clients.
- If you only have 15 minutes · 4
- 1. Niche-picker worksheet: choose who you serve · 6
- Copy this: your niche scorecard · 1
- 2. The 1-page SEO offer (written as a result, not a task) · 2
- 3. The 10-step client outreach plan · 10
- Copy this: first outreach message · 4
- Copy this: the 15-minute discovery call · 1
- Worked example: price from the client's value (illustrative) · 6
- 4. The monthly client report (a non-expert can read it) · 1
- First-week onboarding checklist for a new client · 5
- Common mistakes new SEO agencies make · 7
- Copy-paste prompt: turn your notes into the offer · 1
- Short on time? Do the 15-minute quick-start first.
- Score 3 to 5 niches, then fill in the 1-page offer for the winner. Every line names a result, not a task.
- Run the 10-step outreach plan for 30 days with the follow-up scripts, price with the worked example, and send the monthly report to every client you win.
If you only have 15 minutes
- Minutes 0–5: score 3 niches
Write 3 business types you could serve. Score each on the 6 rows of the niche picker. Keep the top one.
- Minutes 5–9: write your headline
Fill in: 'More [calls / booked jobs / sales] from Google for [niche] in [area].' No task words like 'on-page' or 'backlinks'.
- Minutes 9–13: list 10 businesses
Search Google Maps for '[niche] in [city]'. Save 10 that are not in the top 3 map results but have a website.
- Minutes 13–15: note one problem for 3 of them
Missing service page, few reviews, not in the map pack. That's your first 3 messages tomorrow.
1. Niche-picker worksheet: choose who you serve
Write 3 to 5 possible niches (for example: dentists, roofers, family lawyers). Score each one from 1 (bad) to 5 (great) on the 6 criteria below. Add the scores. The niche with the highest total, out of 30, is where you start.
| Criterion | Question to ask | Score 1 if... | Score 5 if... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value of one customer | How much is one new customer worth to this business? | A small one-time sale | A big job or a customer who pays for years |
| Search demand | Do people search Google for this service in a city? | Almost nobody searches for it | People search '[service] near me' every day |
| Ability to pay | Can these businesses afford a monthly fee? | Tiny margins, tight budgets | Healthy margins, already spend on marketing |
| Easy to reach | Can you find owners and contact them? | No public list, hard to find | Easy to list from Google Maps and directories |
| Your interest or access | Do you know this industry or anyone in it? | No interest, no contacts | You worked in it, or know owners |
| Clear result | Can you count the result (calls, bookings, sales)? | Hard to track what came from Google | Calls, forms and bookings are easy to count |
Copy this: your niche scorecard
Niche: ______________ Value of one customer: _/5 Search demand: _/5 Ability to pay: _/5 Easy to reach: _/5 Your interest or access: _/5 Clear result: _/5 TOTAL: __/30 One sentence: I help [niche] in [area] get more [calls / bookings / sales] from Google.
2. The 1-page SEO offer (written as a result, not a task)
Owners don't want 'on-page SEO' or 'backlinks'. They want the phone to ring. Lead with the result. Put the tasks lower down, as proof of how you get there. Never promise a number you can't control, like 'rank #1' or '50 new leads'.
HEADLINE (the result): More [calls / booked jobs / sales] from Google for [niche] in [area]. WHO IT'S FOR: [Niche] businesses that [situation, e.g. get most work from referrals and want a steady flow from search]. THE PROBLEM: When people in [area] search for [service], they find [competitors], not you. WHAT YOU GET (results we work toward): - More people finding you on Google Maps and search for [main service] - More calls and form fills from your website - A monthly report in plain English: calls, leads, and what we did HOW WE DO IT (the tasks): - [Task 1] - [Task 2] - [Task 3] TIMELINE: Month 1: [setup]. Months 2-3: [build]. Month 4 onward: [grow]. PRICE: [$ per month], [minimum term]. WHAT WE DON'T PROMISE: Nobody can guarantee a #1 ranking. We promise the work, honest tracking and a clear report every month. NEXT STEP: Reply to book a 15-minute call.
HEADLINE: More booked plumbing jobs from Google for plumbers in [your city]. WHO IT'S FOR: Owner-run plumbing companies with 1 to 10 vans that rely on word of mouth and want more jobs from people searching online. THE PROBLEM: When someone in [your city] searches 'emergency plumber near me' at 11pm, they call one of the three businesses in the map results. Right now that's not you. WHAT YOU GET: - More people finding you in Google Maps for 'plumber', 'emergency plumber' and 'water heater repair' - More calls and quote requests from your website - A one-page monthly report: calls, quote requests, booked jobs, what we did, what's next HOW WE DO IT: - Fix and fill out your Google Business Profile, and add photos every week - Build one clear page for each service you want more of - Set up a simple way to ask happy customers for reviews - Track calls and forms so we both know what Google brings in TIMELINE: Month 1: tracking, profile fixes, service pages planned. Months 2-3: pages live, reviews flowing. Month 4 onward: more pages, more areas. PRICE: $[your price] per month, 6-month minimum. WHAT WE DON'T PROMISE: We can't guarantee rankings or a set number of calls. We do promise steady work, honest numbers and a report you can read in 2 minutes. NEXT STEP: Reply 'yes' and I'll send two times for a 15-minute call.
3. The 10-step client outreach plan
Do these in order. Aim for a small, steady number of messages every weekday instead of a big burst once.
- Build a list of 100 businesses
Search Google Maps for '[service] in [city]' across nearby cities. Save name, website, phone, email and Google rating in a sheet.
- Find the owner's name
Check the About page, the Google Business Profile and LinkedIn. A message to a real name beats 'Hi there'.
- Spot one real problem per business
Search their main service in their city. Note one thing: not in the map pack, no page for a key service, few reviews, slow or broken site.
- Record a short video or take one screenshot
Show the problem in under 2 minutes. 'Here's what someone sees when they search emergency plumber in your town.'
- Send a short first message
3 to 5 sentences: their name, the one problem you found, the result it costs them (missed calls), and a soft question like 'Want me to send the video?'
- Follow up 3 times
Day 3, day 7 and day 14. Each follow-up adds something new (a second tip, a competitor example). Stop after that.
- Book a 15-minute call
Ask about their business first: how they get jobs now, which jobs they want more of, and what one new customer is worth.
- Send the 1-page offer within 24 hours
Use their words from the call. Put the result they care about in the headline.
- Answer the main worries in writing
Price, how long it takes, and how they'll know it's working. Point to your monthly report as the answer to the last one.
- Track everything and repeat
Count messages sent, replies, calls and clients each week. Fix the step where most people drop off, then refill the list.
Copy this: first outreach message
Hi [Name], I searched '[service] in [city]' on Google and [Business] didn't show up in the map results. [Competitor] did. That's the spot most people call from, so it likely means missed jobs. I recorded a 2-minute video showing why and what I'd fix first. Want me to send it? [Your name]
Hi [Name], Quick add to my last note. I also noticed [Business] has [#] Google reviews and [Competitor] has [#]. Reviews are one of the things Google uses for local ranking. Happy to send the 3 changes I'd make first. Want them? [Your name]
Hi [Name], I searched '[second service] in [city]' too. [Business] has no page for it, so Google has nothing to show. One page could fix that. Should I send a short outline of that page? [Your name]
Hi [Name], I'll stop here so I don't fill your inbox. If more [calls / booked jobs] from Google becomes a priority, just reply 'yes' and I'll send the plan. All the best, [Your name] (Reply 'stop' and I won't email again.)
Copy this: the 15-minute discovery call
1. (1 min) Thanks for the time. My goal: understand how you get customers now and see if Google can bring more. If it can't, I'll tell you. 2. (5 min) Their business - How do most new customers find you today? - Which jobs do you want more of? Which do you want fewer of? - What is one new customer worth to you, roughly? (one job, and over a year) - How many new customers a month would make a real difference? 3. (4 min) What I found Show the one problem from your outreach. Show one competitor who is ahead and why. 4. (3 min) What I'd do Three first steps, in plain words, tied to their answer in step 2. 5. (2 min) Next step 'I'll send a 1-page plan with the price within 24 hours. Who else needs to see it?'
Worked example: price from the client's value (illustrative)
| Step | Plumber example (illustrative numbers) | Your numbers |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Value of one new customer | Average job ₹8,000; profit about ₹3,000 | ₹____ job; ₹____ profit |
| 2. Extra customers a month from Google you think is realistic | 5 (be conservative) | ____ |
| 3. Extra profit per month | 5 x ₹3,000 = ₹15,000 | ____ x ₹____ = ₹____ |
| 4. Your fee: a fraction of that, so they clearly win | ₹6,000–₹8,000 a month | ₹____ |
| 5. Their return | ₹15,000 profit for ₹7,000 fee ≈ 2x | ____ |
| 6. Check | If the fee is over half the extra profit, pick a bigger-value niche or a smaller scope | Pass / fail |
4. The monthly client report (a non-expert can read it)
Results first, work second, plan third. Keep it to one page. No jargon. If you must use an SEO word, explain it in brackets.
[Business] - Google results for [Month Year] 1. RESULTS (what Google brought you) - Phone calls from Google: [#] (last month: [#]) - Website form fills / quote requests: [#] (last month: [#]) - Booked jobs or sales you told us came from Google: [#] - Direction requests on Google Maps: [#] In one line: [e.g. Calls went up because the new water heater page started showing.] 2. WORK DONE THIS MONTH - [e.g. Published a new page for drain cleaning] - [e.g. Added 12 photos to your Google profile] - [e.g. Got 6 new reviews through the review request text] 3. NEXT MONTH - [Task 1 and the result it should help] - [Task 2] - What we need from you: [e.g. 5 photos of recent jobs] Questions? Reply to this email.
First-week onboarding checklist for a new client
- Get access to Search Console, Google Analytics and the Google Business Profile as a user, not with their password
You need data from day one, and they keep ownership.
- Save a 'before' snapshot: calls, website clicks, top searches, map position for 3 key searches
Your first report compares against this. Without it you can't show change.
- Agree on the one number that matters most (calls, booked jobs, sales)
This becomes line 1 of every monthly report.
- Write down what you will and won't do this month
Stops scope creep and arguments later.
- Set the report date and who receives it
Reports that arrive on time build trust more than reports that look fancy.
Common mistakes new SEO agencies make
- Selling tasks ('10 backlinks, on-page SEO')
Owners don't buy tasks. They buy calls, sales and bookings. Gotch's core point.
- Guaranteeing rankings
Google itself says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking, and warns people about SEOs who claim to.
- Saying yes to every kind of business
No niche means no examples, no repeatable offer and slower work.
- Pricing by the hour
It caps your income and makes the client watch the clock instead of the results.
- Mass-sending the same email
Generic emails get ignored and can break email rules. Personalise each one and always include an opt-out (see the FTC CAN-SPAM guide for US contacts).
- Reports full of jargon and charts
If the owner can't read it in 2 minutes, they'll wonder what they pay for.
- No 'before' snapshot
You can't prove progress without a starting point.
Copy-paste prompt: turn your notes into the offer
I run a small SEO service for [niche] in [area]. Here are my notes from a call with [Business]: [paste notes, including what they want more of and what a customer is worth]. Write a 1-page offer using this structure: headline (the result, in their words), who it's for, the problem I found, what I'll do in month 1–3 (plain words, no jargon), how they'll know it's working (my monthly report), price, next step. Don't promise rankings or specific numbers of leads. Keep it under 250 words.
Unlock the full workbook
Everything above, plus the branded PDF to keep.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a niche to start an SEO agency?
Should I guarantee rankings?
What should an SEO client report include?
Is this kit a summary of The SEO Entrepreneur?
How much should I charge for local SEO?
Sources
- Nathan Gotch, The SEO Entrepreneur (2023)
- Nathan Gotch: author page (Gotch SEO)
- Google Search Central: Do you need an SEO?
- Google Business Profile Help: Understand your Business Profile performance
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business
- Google Analytics Help: Key events