Starting a Marketing Agency (Progress Thread)

[Tubs]

Hey Fastlaners,

Been a while since I last posted on here, I previously started a window cleaning business and I managed to make some good cash from it. Business kind of died off as winter started and I decided not to continue with it. I realized it's not really the kind of work I can see myself doing every day, a bit too physically demanding for me. So I shut it down and got a new full-time job this month.

But from the experience of running the window cleaning biz I got experience in putting together a website, running ads, driving traffic to my website, converting leads into customers, and selling. I enjoyed those parts of the business the most and I realized I can transfer them to starting a marketing agency, which is something I've wanted to do for a while, but thought I had too little experience to do. However, I realize that was more of an excuse than anything. So I decided to just push forward and get started.

So, I'm starting this thread to record my progress as I start a marketing agency. I'll update it each week on Sunday.

Week 1 (Jan 15-21)
-Finished A 5.5hr Google Ads Course
-Figured out marketing agency niche and brandname, registered domain
-Did outreach to find my first client
-Got a call scheduled with a potential client for Monday morning.

I made a good amount of progress this week, although I need to improve my time management and organization so I can get more done.
For this next week I need to close my first client, get my google ads certification, and continue outreach to get more potential clients.

 

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[EliaR]

Hey Fastlaners,

Been a while since I last posted on here, I previously started a window cleaning business and I managed to make some good cash from it. Business kind of died off as winter started and I decided not to continue with it. I realized it's not really the kind of work I can see myself doing every day, a bit too physically demanding for me. So I shut it down and got a new full-time job this month.

But from the experience of running the window cleaning biz I got experience in putting together a website, running ads, driving traffic to my website, converting leads into customers, and selling. I enjoyed those parts of the business the most and I realized I can transfer them to starting a marketing agency, which is something I've wanted to do for a while, but thought I had too little experience to do. However, I realize that was more of an excuse than anything. So I decided to just push forward and get started.

So, I'm starting this thread to record my progress as I start a marketing agency. I'll update it each week on Sunday.

Week 1 (Jan 15-21)
-Finished A 5.5hr Google Ads Course
-Figured out marketing agency niche and brandname, registered domain
-Did outreach to find my first client
-Got a call scheduled with a potential client for Monday morning.

I made a good amount of progress this week, although I need to improve my time management and organization so I can get more done.
For this next week I need to close my first client, get my google ads certification, and continue outreach to get more potential clients.

Cool!
I'm thinking of opening a google ads agency.
I currently build websites, but not really liking it.
What course did you do?
What outreach do you do?

 

[Tubs]

Small update: Got my first client, now just gotta deliver.

 

[MTF]

Small update: Got my first client, now just gotta deliver.

Love it.

Just so newbies on the forum can understand it: how long did it take from the moment you first came up with this idea to getting your first client?

 

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[Tubs]

Love it.

Just so newbies on the forum can understand it: how long did it take from the moment you first came up with this idea to getting your first client?

First decided to get serious with marketing around Jan 5th, closed my first client today on the 22nd.

For the first client I just want to have some work I can point to having done when I'm trying to sell in the future, so I decided to reach out to some small business owners and offer my services for fairly cheap so I can get references and testimonials.
Closed this client on $400 to design him a website, and then once that's done, we'll figure out a deal for running paid ads.

Speed is the name of the game when starting, its what I learned after action faking for years and then finally just starting window cleaning. You just gotta get started. Most of the skills you need to learn for small service-based businesses can be picked up on youtube and then you just have to get clients and deliver results.

Even getting a few clients you serve for free or very cheap at the start will help you have the confidence and testimonials to sell later on.

 

[EliaR]

First decided to get serious with marketing around Jan 5th, closed my first client today on the 22nd.

For the first client I just want to have some work I can point to having done when I'm trying to sell in the future, so I decided to reach out to some small business owners and offer my services for fairly cheap so I can get references and testimonials.
Closed this client on $300 to design him a website, and then once that's done, we'll figure out a deal for running paid ads.

Speed is the name of the game when starting, its what I learned after action faking for years and then finally just starting window cleaning. You just gotta get started. Most of the skills you need to learn for small service-based businesses can be picked up on youtube and then you just have to get clients and deliver results.

Even getting a few clients you serve for free or very cheap at the start will help you have the confidence and testimonials to sell later on.

That's amazing. Great job.
I've been thinking too much and not doing enough actions.
I have a meeting with a lawyer tomorrow, already built her a website.
I'll pitch google ads to her, although I know her budget isn't very high.

 

[Andy Black]

Well done getting your first client.

Finished A 5.5hr Google Ads Course

Whaaa? I've a 5 min tutorial somewhere in the forum.

For this next week I need to close my first client, get my google ads certification, and continue outreach to get more potential clients.

I'm not Google certified. No-one's ever asked if I was either. Do it if it gives you more confidence, but realise it's not a prerequisite.

 

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[Oso]

I'm not Google certified. No-one's ever asked if I was either. Do it if it gives you more confidence, but realise it's not a prerequisite.

I'd like to second this.

That said, I will point out that ever since I added a little "Google Ads Certified" note on our website, we've gotten more warm leads, lol. I think it's another layer of "this makes me feel safe and warm" for the client.

Cheers.

 

[Andy Black]

I'd like to second this.

That said, I will point out that ever since I added a little "Google Ads Certified" note on our website, we've gotten more warm leads, lol. I think it's another layer of "this makes me feel safe and warm" for the client.

Cheers.

Hmm. I wonder what would happen if I put "NOT Google Certified" on my simple webpage...

 

[Oso]

Hmm. I wonder what would happen if I put "NOT Google Certified" on my simple webpage...

Please stop... I'm dumb enough to try it and report back, LOL .

Okay, now I'm done spamming OP's thread.

Cheers.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Hmm. I wonder what would happen if I put "NOT Google Certified" on my simple webpage...

I'm not Google Certified, but I made my clients millions. Does that count?

 

[MTF]

Hmm. I wonder what would happen if I put "NOT Google Certified" on my simple webpage...

 

[Andy Black]

I'm not Google Certified, but I made my clients millions. Does that count?

Oh now you've got me started...

"I'm not Google certified. I saved my client millions."

OR

"We're not Google Certified. We don't do things by their book.

Google isn't our boss. The market is our boss.

We don't enter your credit card and website and let Google's algorithms learn with your ad spend.

We find out what your market wants to buy, and how you can sell it to them - profitably. And we dial it in on a whiff of ad spend before we ramp it up."


Hmmm... maybe that should go in my LinkedIn bio, and maybe I put "NOT Google Certified" in my banner.

 

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[Tubs]

Week 2: Jan 22-28
This week I

• Landed my first client. The job is to design a website. We agreed on a price of $400 for a 9-page site. I'm currently putting together the site which should be done by the end of next week. Once the website is completed, I plan to sell this client on google ads services as well.
• Found a potential second client, they've expressed interest in having me run their ads, but communication has been a bit slow on their end. If I can schedule a call with them next week, I'm sure I can sell them on it.
• Went through some WordPress web design tutorials on YouTube and looked up various best practices on designing a website and positioning it for SEO.

As for my performance this week I'd say I started out strong, but I fell off pretty bad on Thursday due to some negative mindset stuff that I've worked my way through now. My biggest weakness has been a lack of organization and time management. I have a lot of general ideas of what I need to do, but I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out what the next best course of action to take was, or where I should be focusing my effort.

I'm going to fix that this week with a work organization method I found from Cal Newport. As well as by planning out the most important tasks and KPI's I should focus on for each day and making a schedule the night before.

 

[Tubs]

Week 3: Jan 29-Feb 4th
This week

• Got the website homepage finished, design approved by client. Now just need to finish the service pages, about us page, and the contact page. All of which have been planned out.
• Fixed an issue with the clients email not working after changing his domain server.

Honestly this week my performance was lackluster. The webpage I finished was very well received by the client, but I could've definitely gotten more of the site done this week had I executed more efficiently. Had some personal issues to deal with this week as well which didn't help, not an excuse though.

Either way a new week is up. I have the specific daily habits I need to track laid out, but I still need to get my work organization methods sorted out. Also, I decided to set a short-term goal for my business.

$5,000 in total earnings by March 31st.

 

[Spenny]

Hey there! So, you've decided to embark on the exciting journey of starting a marketing agency? That's awesome! I can totally understand your enthusiasm, as the digital marketing industry is incredibly dynamic and full of opportunities. Whether you're planning to specialize in social media marketing, search engine optimization, or content creation, there's no shortage of potential clients who are in need of your expertise. While building a marketing agency from scratch can be challenging, it's also incredibly rewarding. With determination, a clear vision, and a knack for creativity, you'll be well on your way to making a significant impact in the digital marketing world. So, buckle up and get ready for an exhilarating ride!

@Andy Black chatgpt?

 

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[Vntonio]

Hey there! So, you've decided to embark on the exciting journey of starting a marketing agency? That's awesome! I can totally understand your enthusiasm, as the digital marketing industry is incredibly dynamic and full of opportunities. Whether you're planning to specialize in social media marketing, search engine optimization, or content creation, there's no shortage of potential clients who are in need of your expertise. While building a marketing agency from scratch can be challenging, it's also incredibly rewarding. With determination, a clear vision, and a knack for creativity, you'll be well on your way to making a significant impact in the digital marketing world. So, buckle up and get ready for an exhilarating ride!

This is chatGPT generated for sure.

Why would someone reply with that kind of method? You don't get money or anything else by doing it. It sounds so cringe...

 

[chefkueche]

Cool!
Ich denke darüber nach, eine Google-Ads-Agentur zu eröffnen.
Ich baue derzeit Websites, aber es gefällt mir nicht wirklich.
Welchen Kurs hast du gemacht?
Welchen Outreach-Einsatz machen Sie?

Hey

Ich habe gestern einen Beitrag über meine Webagentur gepostet. Es wäre sehr hilfreich, Ihre Meinung dazu zu hören.

Thank you

 

[EliaR]

Hey

Ich habe gestern einen Beitrag über meine Webagentur gepostet. Es wäre sehr hilfreich, Ihre Meinung dazu zu hören.

Thank you

I assume your browser translated my post automatically to German, I originally typed it in English.

 

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[Tubs]

A bit late on this week's update

Week 4 Feb 5th-11th
This week I completed the website for my client. He's currently busy, but once he's available I'll finish delivery and get paid. He's very happy with the site I made, so I think selling him on Google ads services will be fairly easy.

Overall though I'll be honest in saying my speed has been pretty lackluster so far. I did get my first client, but I haven't put very much effort into finding additional clients during the last few weeks. Lot of time wasting, and the time I did spend was mostly focused on learning about site design and running ads, which will be useful down the line. Right now though I should be outreaching to get more work. So that will be my main focus from here on.

I'll be on a family trip for the next 10 days, so during that time I won't be working, but once I get back I'll focus on getting new clients to hit my $5k goal by Mar 31st.

 

[Tubs]

Been a bit since the last update.
I got paid $500 in the end by my first client and he was very happy with his new website! It seems my dedication to 100% customer satisfaction on my cleaning and yard work jobs has carried over into web design.
I'm currently in discussions with him on if he wants to run google ads. I offered to run them for "Free" for the first month (I don't charge for my services, he just pays adspend.) Which I'm willing to do because while I have studied google ads extensively, I have very limited experience in actually running ads. So, this would be a good case study.

This week I'm going to go hard on client acquisition for web design. I've got results now, and a bit of cash. I'll invest it into growing a client base via running ads. I'm not taking any money out of this business until I've gone over my initial $5000 revenue goal. It all goes back in.

Goal Progress (By Mar 31st)
$500/5000

To pay my bills I'm currently back to Yardwork and House Cleanings. The job I mentioned in my initial post ended up falling through after I accepted their offer. Good riddance though, I almost shackled myself to a fulltime $17/hr warehouse job. I'm going to make my time worth 10X more than that.

 

[Bounce Back]

Been a bit since the last update.
I got paid $500 in the end by my first client and he was very happy with his new website! It seems my dedication to 100% customer satisfaction on my cleaning and yard work jobs has carried over into web design.
I'm currently in discussions with him on if he wants to run google ads. I offered to run them for "Free" for the first month (I don't charge for my services, he just pays adspend.) Which I'm willing to do because while I have studied google ads extensively, I have very limited experience in actually running ads. So, this would be a good case study.

This week I'm going to go hard on client acquisition for web design. I've got results now, and a bit of cash. I'll invest it into growing a client base via running ads. I'm not taking any money out of this business until I've gone over my initial $5000 revenue goal. It all goes back in.

Goal Progress (By Mar 31st)
$500/5000

To pay my bills I'm currently back to Yardwork and House Cleanings. The job I mentioned in my initial post ended up falling through after I accepted their offer. Good riddance though, I almost shackled myself to a fulltime $17/hr warehouse job. I'm going to make my time worth 10X more than that.

Good job. If he is very happy ask him if he knows anyone else you should talk to that might want to freshen up their website or have a new website made.

 

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[DigitalSEA2024]

This week I'm going to go hard on client acquisition for web design

Hey Tubs, that's great to hear. I've been reading through your thread and have been inspired by your journey. I also wish to start a marketing business. For the past year I have been doing digital marketing (mostly social media stuff) for my uncle's business. My goal for this year is to aquire at least one other client. I'm curious what your strategy has been for client acquisition? Did you do cold calling or meet them in person and what script did you use? You don't have to give away your secret but I was just curious if you had advice for someone who doesn't have experience with client outreach.

 

[Tubs]

Hey Tubs, that's great to hear. I've been reading through your thread and have been inspired by your journey. I also wish to start a marketing business. For the past year I have been doing digital marketing (mostly social media stuff) for my uncle's business. My goal for this year is to aquire at least one other client. I'm curious what your strategy has been for client acquisition? Did you do cold calling or meet them in person and what script did you use? You don't have to give away your secret but I was just curious if you had advice for someone who doesn't have experience with client outreach.

I found my first client on Reddit, I went to one of the boards where business owners in my niche are. I looked for people asking questions about marketing and website setup and answered some of their questions(provide value) and then I offered to set up/run ads for them or build them a website in dms. Good way to pick up some initial clients for a newbie I think, not very scalable though. Going to try paid ads now that I have some experience and results.

 

[DigitalSEA2024]

I found my first client on Reddit, I went to one of the boards where business owners in my niche are. I looked for people asking questions about marketing and website setup and answered some of their questions(provide value) and then I offered to set up/run ads for them or build them a website in dms. Good way to pick up some initial clients for a newbie I think, not very scalable though. Going to try paid ads now that I have some experience and results.

Thanks so much! Best of luck. I look forward to hearing updates on your progress.

 

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