Where to get expert SEO help?

[Placeboo]

I joined SEOmoz knowing very little about SEO (it turns out even less than I thought!) I signed up because my business website that had be ranking very well for years made a fast and furious fall to the purgatory of page 2, 3, whatever. We'll I've definitely learned a lot and made a several changes that have helped. Specifically link building (directory submissions) and eliminating duplicate content. But we're still far below where we used to be and I've done everything I can do without making a career change to SEO.

I've hired a few offshore SEOs to help but they have all failed to live up to their promises.

So, I would love to find a GOOD SEO that can 1. Fix the remaining on-page technical issues in our CMS website (Business Catalyst), and 2. help us develop an SEO strategy for the next year. (I prefer not to post the name of the website for competitive reasons)

Our keywords are really not very competitive at all due to the uniqueness of the business.

Where should I look for help?

Thanks

[Placeboo]

Thanks for the input. I like the idea if hiring local and hadn't really considered it since I didn't want to narrow my options. But Seattle seems like a good place to get quality SEO.

[Alex-Harford]

Ah, I thought it seemed slightly unusual for SEOmoz to go with a UK-based company; so they have an office in Seattle as well as London (and now New York too, I see). Seattle is a good place to be if you want to hire a local company. Bear in mind that if you've been unhappy with some of the services you've hired before, you might be paying more than you have from now on - but that's because who we've recommended are amongst THE BEST!

[ericpratum]

I second Alex's & EGOL's recommendations and will add this. It looks like you're in Seattle. It'd probably help to contact some local SEOs and see whom they might recommend if they're not a fit. Ross Hudgens, Click2rank, Ian Lurie, and Distilled all come to mind. They all post a lot of content on SEO, so you can research them that way and have all spoken at some of the bigger, more respectable SEO events/conferences. I'm sure there are plenty more that I'm not thinking of in that area that are good as well, but I'd start there.

[EGOL]

I like the answer given by Alex.

Every time that I have needed help with SEO or website development I have always found a great person in the forums that I follow.  This method enables me to see their competence, generosity and personality in advance of hiring them.  If they do a great job of guiding people for free, I imagine what I will get if I pay them.

I have never been disappointed using this method.

(I second Alex's recommendation of Ryan Kent.  He is very competent, extremely generous, explains clearly and has a personality that any reasonable person should get along with.  I would hire him to work on my own sites.   I don't do SEO for hire because I am underwater running my own sites.)

[Alex-Harford]

When SEOmoz stopped being an SEO consultancy, they passed their business over to Distilled, who are a UK-based company I believe. It might be worth checking them out. I've also had MeasuredSEM recommended to me.

I don't know if they take on business, but Ryan Kent and EGOL are two of the best posters on here, so find out if they do from their profiles.