There are many advantages to starting your own digital marketing business and some drawbacks as well. Nothing really compares to being your own boss, but being your own boss also means that ultimately, all the responsibility lies with you. It also means that you might struggle to make ends meet in the early days of running your own business. On the other hand, although there’s a lot of hard work, there’s also a lot of freedom, and one big advantage of focusing on the digital side of things is that you can be more flexible in when and where you work. Do you want to go to the beach for a couple of weeks? You might be able to run your company from there. Before you think about semi-vacations, however, it’s time to think about the work ahead.
Get Your Degree
The first step is to get your degree. Some schools offer a bachelor’s specifically in digital marketing, but if yours does not, there are a number of other degrees that would be relevant, including marketing, communications, or English. You should also take some business classes, including classes in entrepreneurship if they are available. Scholarships, grants, and federal loans are all available to help you pay for your education, but another option is taking out a private student loan. You may be able to get more than you are eligible for in need-based federal loans. Look for a favorable repayment plan with a low interest rate.
Get Experience
It would be nice to think that you can go charging out of college and into setting up your own business, but even though tech can help improve business outputs, in order to get clients, you have to gain their trust, and in order to gain their trust, you need a track record. You might be able to start with one or two low-key freelance jobs for friends or acquaintances, but the best way to convince future clients that you know your way around digital marketing is with agency experience. This will ultimately be good for you as well, teaching you more about the industry and providing you with valuable contacts.
Set Yourself Apart
Even while you’re still working for someone else, start thinking about how you want to market yourself. What will set you apart from the many other agencies out there? What would make a client hire you instead of them? Will you focus on a particular industry or a particular type of digital marketing? The answer to these questions is going to be one of the keys to your success. You might also want to consider creating a social media brand for yourself that will reflect what you hope to do in your own business.
Start as You Mean to Go On
You never want to have a dissatisfied client but pleasing those first few is absolutely critical. You might be able to write one off as simply difficult to work with, but two or more unhappy customers have a way of snowballing into bad word-of-mouth that can damage you before you even get off the ground. Make sure you give those early clients everything you’ve got.
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