If you’re looking for a business opportunity with plenty of growth potential, look no further than digital marketing for your agency. According to a study by Forrester, global spending on digital marketing is expected to reach $375 billion by the end of 2022.
That’s a lot of money up for grabs! But before you start daydreaming about your success story, you’ll need to know how to enter and thrive in this lucrative field.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about starting and running your own digital marketing agency. Let’s get started!
Educate Yourself
“Wise men say, only fools rush in.” This old saying is true when it comes to starting a new business. So before you launch your digital marketing agency, be sure to do your homework.
First, you’ll need to understand digital marketing and how it works. There are many different aspects of digital marketing, from SEO to social media to content marketing.
You’ll need to have a firm grasp of all these different areas before you can start offering your services to clients.
The good news is that plenty of resources are out there to help you learn. We recommend starting with the HubSpot Academy’s free certification courses. These courses will teach you the basics of inbound marketing and prepare you to start your agency.
Plan Your Business
Now that you understand the digital marketing landscape, it’s time to start planning your business. This is where you’ll decide what services you want to offer, how you’ll market your business, and what your long-term goals are.
To get started, do some market research to see what other digital marketing agencies are doing. This will help you understand what’s already out there and how you can differentiate your business.
You’re new to this field, so it makes sense to take pieces of what’s already working and put your own spin on it. Look at what other successful digital marketing firms are doing, or better yet, ask them for their advice!
Once you’ve got all the necessary information you need, put them all together by creating a business plan and marketing strategy. This will be your roadmap for launching and growing your digital marketing agency.
Build Your Team
“No man is an island.” Another saying that resonates well when starting a business. You can’t do it all alone, so you’ll need to build a team of experts to help you.
First, you’ll need to hire a few digital marketing specialists. If you’re just starting out, you might consider hiring freelancers or contractors instead of full-time employees.
This will save you money in the short term and give you the flexibility to scale your team as your business grows.
In addition to digital marketers, you’ll also need to hire a few support staff, like an accountant, customer service representative, and office manager.
As your business grows, you can add more specialists to your team, like social media experts, copywriters, and designers.
Launch Your Agency
Now it’s time for the moment you’ve been waiting for: launching your digital marketing agency! But, first, there are a few things you need to do before you officially open your doors for business.
First, you’ll need to create a website for your agency. It’s quite ironic that a digital marketing agency doesn’t have a website, but it happens more often than you think.
Ensure your website is up to par and showcases your agency’s services, team, and case studies. You’ll also need to set up some social media accounts for your business and start promoting your brand.
In addition, you’ll need to create some marketing materials, like business cards, email signatures, and brochures. And last but not least, you’ll need to develop a process for onboarding new clients and managing projects.
Start Acquiring Clients
Now that you’ve launched your digital marketing agency, it’s time to acquire clients. Your business will rely on these people to keep the lights on, so getting them on board is important.
The best way to do this is by networking and building relationships with potential customers. Attend industry events, connect with people on social media, and get involved with relevant online communities.
You should also create some lead-generation campaigns, like targeted email and social media campaigns. And last but not least, don’t forget to ask for referrals from your current clients.
Don’t Forget About Invoicing and Payment Processing
Lastly, you’ll need to set up a system for invoicing and payment processing. This is an important part of running a digital marketing agency, as it will ensure you get paid on time and avoid any accounting headaches.
There are a few different options you can choose from, so do some research to see what will work best for your business. Then, once you’ve got everything set up, you’re ready to start acquiring and working with clients!
Try ReliaBills!
In connection with setting up an invoicing and payment processing system, it’s also essential in this day and age to use software to automate and keep track of your billing. We recommend using our very own ReliaBills, the internet’s leading invoicing and payment processing platform.
ReliaBills is the complete package! You get a system that caters to your invoicing and payment processing needs. You won’t have to acquire two separate software or services just to be able to manage your billing; ReliaBills lets you do it all in one go!
ReliaBills also allows you to automate your payments through recurring billing. So if you want to take your business to the next level, our recurring billing system will help you do just that.
With recurring billing, you won’t have to ask for payment again. Instead, our system will do it for you! This way, you can focus on acquiring and servicing new clients and leave the billing to us.
If you’re interested in using ReliaBills for your digital marketing agency, sign up for free today! You won’t regret it! Just make sure to consider upgrading to ReliaBills PLUS for even more features and convenience.
Wrapping Up
Now that you know how to start a digital marketing agency, put these tips into action and start growing your business! Remember to follow each step carefully, and don’t forget the little details. If you do, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful digital marketing agency.
