Steps to Starting a Six Figure Digital Marketing Agency

Running a successful digital agency involves long hours, high pressure and deadlines. You should have SEO knowledge, be self driven and focused.
You need appropriate branding, networking and startup funds. Follow best practices, develop a frame work and have a sales mindset.
To succeed you need to hire the right people and optimize your opportunities. Apply effective marketing strategies to drive engagement and place your agency in the fore front.
Things to Consider before Starting an Agency
Before starting an agency there are some things to consider. You should consider how to start the agency both offline and online.
Focus on client acquisition, closing deals, managing leads or sales. Other considerations are SEO work, developing an action plan, acquiring information and SEO tools.
24 search engine optimization tools
diital marketing
How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency
Set Your Goals
To become a successful digital marketer you need to set your goals. The goals should reflect your mind set and focus.
Why do you want to open an agency? Are you qualified, trained in digital marketing? What are your passion academic qualifications, aspirations and financial standing?
Make sure the goals are specific and measurable. Specific reasoning should be clear and concise and measurability depends on certain parameters.
Other goals include achievable aspirations, time bound goals and realism. Without all five elements in your goal mapping you are setting yourself up to fail.
Numerical goals should include number of clients serviced in a year, contractual agreement, execution, staff strength and position in the industry in a year.
Focus on a Niche
In high school economic they say opportunity cost equals specialization. So true in the business environment because focusing on a particular field develops your expertise in the niche.
Your marketing should be tailored to the specific clientele. Having a broad based clientele could be counter productive therefore narrow the field.
Narrow down your niche to the demography and clients you want to service. Make sure you offer them quality, unique service to differentiate and brand you agency.
Focus on your strengths, passion and product. Don’t forget to delegate work appropriately.
relationship
Build Relationships
In the digital marketing business you get repeat patronage from satisfied clients. You need to build a relationship with your clients and network appropriately. Building a reliable network and relationship takes time, trust and sacrifice.
Brand Identity
It is important you build a clear brand identity for your agency. The top brands account for 55% of all major digital marketing contracts.
A brand identity promises quality service, responsibility, time management and trust. Your brand needs a clear identity clients can understand. Branding requires innovation, unique ideas, risk management and goal oriented.
Build an Online Presence
Your business entails owning a SEO website for internet marketing. Hire a good web designer or develop the site yourself.
You need a keyword rich domain name and host plan. Use wordpress.org and install a premium template.
Include digital images, type of service and contact information. Make sure the website is easy to navigate, design friendly and appealing. Digital marketing is about SEO therefore optimize your channels.
Develop a Portfolio
A good result oriented portfolio is your secret weapon to success. People generally associate with successful brands based on quality, trust and results.
Highlighting your client base, jobs you have executed and work scope will attract more clients.  Build a portfolio by offering free services, compile a network and project list.
A good portfolio should have client’s testimonials, case studies, results, future target, goals, headlines and short snippets.
Portfolio Features
Funding the Enterprise
The amount of startup funds you need depends on your budget and business template. Focus on cost saving methods to reduce unnecessary overheads.
Focus on your essential goals, recurrent costs and expansion. Proper fund management should focus on cost effective marketing, networking, customer service and acquiring clients. Use casual staff, freelancer, outsource some service and other cost saving methods.
Employees
Every successful business will eventually expand and require employees. The bigger the brand and growth the more employees you need.
You could start the enterprise yourself and gradually hire as your grow. Employee considerations are sales reps, freelancers, part time and full time staff. Put in place a solid framework for better efficiency of your workers.
social media
Cost Saving Methods
  • use free classified websites
  • hire sales reps
  • freelancers
  • part time staff
Learn the Business
Develop the prerequisite skills to master your universe. Learn the trade through tutorials, books, training institutions or workshops.
Hire a tutor, buy books, use online resources and learn from practical experience. Digital marketing’s main objective is results based on traffic, engagements, impressions and clicks. Make sure you properly explain your services and benefits.
Social Media
A digital marketer without a powerful social network is bound to fail. An active social page with huge followers and a community is an effective marketing tool. The social network provides lots of lead generation, marketing opportunities, followers and customer engagement.
Pricing
Appropriate pricing is critical to your success and customer base. Never sell yourself short and present competitive pricing according to the services you offer.
The price usually attracts the type of client you want. Develop good bookkeeping skills, budgeting and inventory management.
Marketing
There are many ways to market your services. Use free or paid classified websites to drive traffic to your landing page.
Use Facebook advertisements, Adwords, directories and social bookmarking. Advertise in local newspapers, directories and optimize your content.


The Pros and Cons of Starting a Digital Marketing Agency
The digital marketing business is a high pressure job not for the faint heart. It requires serious search engine optimization skills and knowledge. The markers primary function is to provide valuable service and brand awareness for clients.
The individual needs to be driving, motivated and strategic in planning. Before launching a marketing business there are lots of things to learn. Check out the pros and cons of starting a digital marketing business.
Pros of starting a Digital Marketing Agency
There are many thing needed to succeed as a digital marketer. Some include building a good framework, gaining practical experience and creating an actionable plan.
  • To succeed you need good search engine optimization skills
  • You need to be self driven and focused
  • Hire highly trained professionals for better productivity
  • You need to follow the best practices
  • Develop a sales mindset and frame work
  • Learn how to optimize your opportunities
  • Drive engagement through marketing
  • Leverage on offline and online opportunities
  • To succeed you need to develop an action plan
  • There is room for specialization
  • Build a good result oriented portfolio
Cons of Running a Digital Marketing Agency
There are lots of challenges digital marketers encounter. The difficulties include meeting deadline, closing deals and social media marketing.
  • The job is high pressure
  • You need to meet deadlines
  • The work entails long hours
  • Learn how to close deals
  • Find appropriate SEO tools
  • Difficulty in acquiring information
  • Difficulty in acquiring clientele
  • Takes time to build a brand identity
  • Takes time to build trustworthy business relationships
  • Takes considerable effort to build an online presence
  • To succeed you need to build a huge social following
  • Difficulty in setting the appropriate price for your service
Now you know what it entails to run a successful marketing business. Did you find the post valuable? Help spread the word by sharing the post on your social channels. Thanks





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