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Prepping Your Search Practice For An Acquisition

With the continued shift in advertiser interest (and budgets) toward search marketing, the lack of seasoned search vets (and a widespread, formal training system to develop them) is creating a talent vacuum. And in the quest to build out a proper search practice, Jennifer Osborne says that some companies will go the acquisition route. So if you're a search consultancy, or even a mid-sized firm and you're seeking to scale out, it could be your time to become part of a larger entity. Osborne has some tips to smooth the process.

For one- or two-man shops, an acquisition is about your talent and reputation. "To be attractive to a potential buyer in this scenario, you MUST have a well known name in the industry," Osborne says. Case studies from big name brands and participation in industry events will also cement your credibility as an authority.

A small or mid-size shop acquisition is a talent play--but will also involve considerations about the size and strength of your team. Are you experiencing high turnover--or do you have senior people staying on to lead the junior staffers? Also, are your bank statements showing that the operations strategy (including sales, marketing and actual search practice) is a successful one?

Read the whole story at Search Engine People »

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