How To Grow A Digital Marketing Agency From Scratch

One scene from the 2019 murder mystery movie Knives Out that always sticks out to me is when Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis) proudly tells a criminal investigator, “I built my business from the ground up.”

As the audience soon finds out, there’s great irony in that statement. Linda “built her business,” but she did so on the back of a hefty loan she received from her bestselling author father. So, not from scratch, but a few levels above that.

Irony aside, this quote got me wondering: is it possible to build a digital marketing agency from the ground up?

It is, and the good news is you don’t have to have a rich dad giving you money to get started (although that always helps). With that in mind, this article will provide you with 9 steps to grow a digital marketing agency from scratch.

Let’s begin.

Define Your Service Offerings

Many agency owners make the mistake of offering multiple services they aren't experts in or for which they lack in-house resources. Then they get busy struggling to do things that aren't their strengths.

Instead, focus on your areas of expertise. If you're an expert in generating leads, offer only that. This strategy will enable you to manage more clients more efficiently and provide them with higher-quality services that will convert them into repeat buyers.

For example, Belkins is a B2B lead generation agency that offers services exclusively. Their full-funnel lead generation services include content syndication, appointment setting, demand generation, and more.

Define Your Niche

There’s a wide world of clients out there. Rather than cast your net for every single one and compete against every other agency, narrow in on a specific niche to maximize your impact.

For example, SimpleTiger is a SaaS marketing agency that delivers the fastest possible SEO and PPC results for SaaS businesses.

Improve Your Basic Marketing

Every digital marketing agency should master their basic marketing tactics before anything else. Here are three suggestions for strategies to focus on.

Compelling Website Designing

Develop a compelling website that draws clients in while keeping the following pointers in mind.

SEO Friendly UI

One of the factors search engines use to rank websites is by analyzing how easy they are to navigate. Visual appeal also plays a role here, as the more people enjoy using your site, the higher Google will rank it.

When designing your website, aim to create a smooth, aesthetically appealing user interface (UI), as this can go a long way to generating more traffic.

SEO Friendly Copywriting

SEO-friendly copywriting is a digital marketing strategy that enhances your website's visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). By strategically incorporating relevant keywords that your audience is likely to search for, your content becomes more discoverable.

This not only helps your website rank higher in search results but also attracts more organic traffic, improving engagement and conversion rates.

Implementing SEO-friendly copy across your site—on landing pages, About sections, and all text-based areas—ensures your content is both user-focused and optimized for search engines, driving long-term growth and success.

SEO Technical Optimization

SEO Technical Optimization is the backbone of a successful digital marketing strategy, focusing on improving the underlying structure and performance of your website to enhance search engine visibility.

By optimizing elements such as site speed, mobile responsiveness, XML sitemaps, and clean URL structures, you ensure that search engines can efficiently crawl and index your site.

This technical foundation not only boosts your website's ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) but also improves user experience, leading to higher engagement and lower bounce rates.

Prioritizing SEO technical optimization is crucial for sustained online success and long-term growth.

Client Testimonial

A 2023 study shows that 91% of millennials would consider a purchase if it was recommended by a friend, highlighting the significant influence of personal recommendations over other forms of advertising.

Furthermore, nearly half (49%) of all consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, emphasizing the continued importance of word-of-mouth in driving purchasing decisions.

With that stat in mind, display client testimonials front and center on your website as an easy yet effective method of building social proof and trust in your target customer base.

Case Studies

Case studies are similar to client testimonials, except for two major differences. One, your agency writes them, and two, you not only highlight client satisfaction, but also the project itself, the deliverables, and the process behind them.

Put these on your website to grant potential clients a look at how your agency works and what kind of results they can expect from you. Again, it’s all about building social proof and trust.

Blogs

Write conversational blogs with your priority keywords, address your client's FAQs and pain points, and show your expertise. This is another tactic to build trust with your audience as well as establish your authority in your niche.

As an example, if your agency specializes in working with UGC creators, you can write about the impact of user-generated content on marketing strategies and client engagement.

Leveraging Social Media Channels

Beyond your website, investing in social media marketing is essential.

eMarketer reports that US companies are spending over $86 billion on social media ads, with this number increasing annually. Given that over 67% of the global population uses social media, it's clear that this channel is vital for growth.

To achieve better results, use social media management tools. These tools streamline content creation, scheduling, and engagement tracking across channels, providing a hassle-free way to build your brand.

For example, Creator Mill, a digital agency, using Statusbrew to enhance their approval workflow, boosting efficiency and improving the management of multiple client accounts.

Listing On Relevant Directories And Blogs

Finally, market your services to clients by listing your agency on relevant directories and blogs, like Clutch. This is how many organizations search for reputable and verified marketing agencies they can trust.

Improve Your Outbound Sales

After you set up a niche and a comprehensive marketing strategy, it’s time to improve the way you approach outbound sales. Let’s get started.

Hire and Train SDR

SDRs are sales development representatives. They serve as the vanguard for your agency, the group that generates leads, identifies prospects, and guides potential clients through the beginning of the sales funnel.

Pro Tip: Hire SDRs from an industry that’s relevant to your niche. For example, hire a former health professional if you’re offering marketing services to health organizations.

Development Sales Collateral

Create development sales collateral to support the client’s journey through the sales funnel. These include printed and digital materials, from flyers and brochures to e-books and blog posts, which communicate valuable information to sway clients to your side.

Set Up Outbound Lead Generation Engine

Set up an outbound lead generation engine to make it easier for your SDRs to find leads. Such an engine includes strategies such as defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and leveraging outbound channels like email, phone, and social media.

Systemize Proposals and Contracts

Create a system for proposals and contracts that cover all your legal bases and are simple to fill out. This will streamline the process of signing up new clients and save time on backend processing.

Build a Client Onboarding Process

Develop a client onboarding process, so that your team knows exactly what documents need to be signed, how to verify clients, etc. Again, setting up this process ahead of time makes the experience much smoother (and quicker) for everyone.

Grow Your Team

As you sign more clients, you’ll feel the need for a bigger team to serve them. Below are some tips for handling this type of growth.

Outsource As Long As You Can

Outsourcing for as long as possible can save you money by cutting down expenses related to training, onboarding, salaries, and benefits. To achieve this, consider collaborating with experienced digital marketing agencies and freelancers. Platforms like Guru provide access to freelance professionals who can contribute to specific projects and help scale your business. Additionally, alternatives to Guru, such as Toptal, Empat, and Gigster, are worth exploring for diverse talent options.

Team Training and SOPs Creation

Invest time in training your team and creating standards of operation (SOPs) for all your staff to follow. This way, you can ensure everyone is on the same page and your agency runs smoothly, with minimal confusion and maximum productivity.

Pro Tip: Hire interns and train them to reduce the cost of hiring experienced employees.

Employee Retention

Once you have employees, prioritize retaining them with competitive pay, benefits, and healthy management techniques. After all, it’s expensive to train and onboard new employees, not to mention the burden their lack of experience puts on your agency.

A study by the Wynhurst Group found that new employees are 58% more likely to stay with an organization for at least three years if they experience a structured onboarding program.

Expand Your Sales and Marketing Efforts

With your client list and team roster growing, it’s time to expand your sales and marketing efforts into new areas and continue that upward momentum.

Sales and Marketing Alignment

Sales and marketing alignment is exactly what it sounds like a close relationship between your sales and marketing departments, who work together to develop customer profiles, sales journeys, marketing materials, and more.

The goal of this partnership is to drive bigger sales, as well as create a better experience for the client. The results can be massive, including 38% higher sales win rates and up to 208% increase in marketing revenue.

Leverage Influencer Marketing and PR

You’ve doubtless seen the people on social media with massive followings who increase a business’s sales simply by talking about them.

Keith Lee, a TikTok star with 16.5 million followers whose recent review of a Baton Rouge restaurant led to sold-out grits for days, is a prime example of the power of influencer marketing.

You can hire influencers like Keith Lee as part of your PR campaign. Depending on your budget, you could reach thousands or even millions of people, all of whom represent potential clients.

Hire Lead Generation Agencies

Hire lead generation agencies to act as an extended arm of your sales team, providing qualified leads and freeing up your time for prospecting and nurturing. Depending on the agency, their services range from top-of-the-funnel to bottom-of-the-funnel support, all tailored to your lead acquisition strategy.

Set up an Affiliate Program

Affiliate marketing serves as an excellent growth avenue. This performance-driven approach offers a lower-risk alternative with easier entry requirements compared to many other marketing methods. Additionally, it presents the potential for a significantly higher return on investment.

Keep in mind it's essential to select the best affiliate tracking software for your business, as it plays a crucial role in monitoring affiliate activities and performance, creating customized tracking codes, preventing fraud, and more.

Focus On Client Retention And Relationships

You’ll find it much easier to run your agency if you’re able to retain clients instead of having to prospect for new ones all the time. Here are techniques you should consider using to build strong (and profitable) relationships with your existing customers.

Master Upselling and Cross-selling

Upselling and cross-selling your repeat clientele can help you drive revenue without spending more time and money on lead generation. If you can persuade them to graduate to a more expensive package or pay for more services, that’s much more cost-effective (and efficient) than onboarding a new client.

Flexible Pricing Model

Consider using a flexible pricing model and changing the prices of your services depending on the state of the market. Then, as the digital marketing industry flourishes, you can afford to offer more discounted prices that your clients will appreciate.

Send Letters and Gifts to Clients

Wooing will never go out of style, at least not in marketing. Clients like to feel valued, and there’s no easier way of showing your appreciation than by simple strategies like sending them courteous letters and gifts, like fruit baskets or gift cards.

Expand Your Service Offerings

Justify charging higher fees and increasing revenue by expanding your service offerings. This is a great way to reel in and retain more clients, as they are more likely to go with an agency that can meet all their needs rather than a select few.

Research New Markets

Start by conducting market research to identify regions with high demand for your niche services. Understanding local competition and market dynamics will help you tailor your approach and offer services that meet specific regional needs.

Establish a Local Presence

Consider setting up physical offices or partnerships in key markets. A local presence builds trust and credibility, allowing you to offer personalized services that resonate with clients in different regions.

Utilize Remote Teams

If physical expansion isn't feasible, leverage remote teams and freelancers. This allows you to provide round-the-clock services across various time zones, meeting client needs wherever they are.

Localize Your Marketing

Adapt your marketing strategies to fit the cultural and linguistic preferences of each target market. Localizing your content helps you connect with potential clients more effectively, positioning your agency as a global player with local expertise.

Fundraising for Expansion

Global expansion requires significant investment. Consider fundraising through crowdfunding, venture capital, or strategic partnerships to support your growth. Highlight your successful track record and the potential for high returns in new markets to attract investors.

Benefits of Global Expansion

Increased Revenue: Expanding into new markets opens up additional revenue streams, diversifying your income and reducing dependence on a single market.

Enhanced Brand Reputation: A global presence boosts your brand’s credibility, making your agency more attractive to clients who value experience in multiple markets.

Access to Global Talent: Expanding internationally allows you to tap into a diverse talent pool, enhancing your agency’s creativity and innovation.

Competitive Edge: Serving clients globally gives you a significant advantage over local-only agencies, positioning your business as adaptable and growth-oriented.

By carefully planning and executing a global expansion strategy, you can elevate your digital marketing agency to new heights and secure long-term growth.

Key Takeaways

As a green digital marketing agency owner, focus on marketing yourself to and acquiring clients in your niche. Don’t get bogged down by doing everything yourself.

Instead, hire and train a team, set up SOPs, and delegate tasks so you can focus on activities that help your agency grow. Then, as your revenue increases, scale everything – your team, your client list, your marketing reach, etc. – to keep rising to the next level.

If you follow the above steps, then what started from scratch will evolve into a legitimate, lucrative business.