As more businesses start moving online, they will also start prioritising digital marketing efforts. However, sometimes a company may not have enough manpower or expertise to initiate and monitor their own digital marketing efforts. So, this is where digital marketing agencies like MediaGroup Worldwide (Mediagroupww) come in. However, with so much demand in the online sphere, plenty of digital marketing agencies have cropped up over the recent years. Thus, this means an ever-growing competition for sales and clients. So, how can digital marketing agencies still gain clients in this saturated environment? Below, we have listed a few steps on how a digital marketing agency can do so. Keep reading if you wish to learn more about this topic.
Strategically plan
First things first. Before even jumping right into attracting clients, you will have to strategically plan things out first. After all, you need to define who your business’s potential clients are. A potential client is essentially who is likely to become a paying customer. To do this, you have to create a profile of your target audience or customer – basically, it should highlight who they are, their pain points, what kind of business they have, where they are based, and any other unique parameters. For example, this could be:
- Company size: Are you targeting startups, solopreneurs, or large corporations?
- Business type: Is there a particular industry your business wants to target? Such as Law firms, IT companies, etc.
- Geographical location/region: Is there any region that an agency might prefer?
Use online directories
Next, it’s time to get finding clients! There are a few places to start. The first is by utilising online directories to help you build your web presence. Directories such as YelloPages, Yelp, WhitePages and more allow you to discover thousands of companies which can be filtered by their geographical location, niche and business type. These directories will also be able to grant you contacts like their email address and phone number. You can use this information to build a list of potential clients to keep on your back burner. You can also use industry-specific online directories such as marketing agency directories. This can be especially helpful as most of their audiences are qualified buyers, meaning they are likely looking for similar services that you can provide. Of course, if possible, it would be a great idea if you could get your business onto local directories as well. For companies who want to shop local and do not want to spend time researching agencies abroad, these sites are often their go-to.
Use social networks
Nowadays, social networks are seen as a goldmine when it comes to landing clients. When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn is by far one of the best platforms to do so. To get clients, you can use its built-in search to filter out any users that are not part of your buyer personas, or Groups to assist you with contacting members of relevant groups. Social networking is a great method as you can reach out to individuals and personalise your message if you so choose. Additionally, through the platform’s data and analytics, you can gain access to pretty accurate and detailed targeting.
Create a portfolio
While it is one thing to continuously tell your prospective clients how great you are at doing your job, your work will tell a different story. Before clients sign on, most of them will likely want to take a look at any certificates and awards you have, as well as your work portfolio. For instance, they may want to know if you have worked with clients in the same or similar industry as them. How did it go and what were the results? As such, your portfolio needs to have a few key qualities. Firstly, it has to show variety. This way, clients can see all the services and benefits that you provide, and how flexible you are. Second, you definitely want your portfolio to reflect the type of work that you want to keep getting. So, for example, if you want more clients in the financial industry, you should prioritise highlighting work you have done for financial clients in the past. This, therefore, showcases to other companies that you have expertise in their particular field, and are likely to find you more trustworthy.
Blog about marketing
Nowadays, as people become more desensitised to cold, hard selling, content marketing is becoming more and more necessary to keep a competitive edge in the market. In fact, most people will do some kind of research on their pain points and issues before finding a company that seems to provide the best solution for them. Content marketing is a fantastic way to not only give value to readers but to also build trustworthiness and brand loyalty in potential customers. On top of this, creating your own blog relating to digital marketing gives you credibility with potential clients, as they see you have thoroughly understood their problems and know exactly how to solve them. Aside from writing articles to post on your own website, you can also write guest posts on other people’s websites and blogs. This is a great way to build links for your website, so you can increase your domain authority and rank higher in search engines like Google! This in turn means your brand will be exposed to a wider range of people and could potentially boost your bottom line in the long run.
Use email newsletters
Aside from doing social media marketing, you can also find clients using email newsletters. This is because people are used to checking their emails at least once a day, with most people checking them multiple times daily. As such, curating your own email list can significantly benefit your business in the long run. Email newsletters can also be targeted and personalized, so people are more likely to see them as valuable content, especially if it is released consistently.
You can start by creating weekly email newsletters that are filled with advice, tips, suggestions, and industry insights. This way, your subscribers will likely view you as an authority on digital marketing, so if they need to hire a professional, you will likely be the first agency they think about. Of course, do make sure you don’t resort to any spammy methods, because if that happens, you may find that it actually becomes more difficult to gain access to people’s inboxes!
