Thinking about starting your own digital agency was just an afterthought twenty years ago. The digital landscape then was extremely limited, the age of the internet is just in its early years. In contrast, what you could do right now with the internet is extremely limitless. If you wish to establish your own digital agency, make sure you take note of these tips
What is a Digital Agency?
First, let me explain what digital agencies are. In simple terms, they are organizations that help clients reach their target audiences and expand online. They provide consultation services and provide clients with marketing and communication strategies and even development of digital platforms.
Back in the olden days, creatives are split among the media. Today, the digital age has allowed media to exist within one platform. You can integrate various types of media to work on one key message.
Other than creative ventures, digital agencies have branched out to different offerings. Digital agencies could offer numerous services such as but not limited to: Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing (SEO), Branding, Graphic Design, Social Media Strategy, Web Design and Development, and all other fields in the middle.
What should you do?
Above all else, if you wish to start your own digital agency, you must remember a few key things. You can start your own but, you also need some help along the way. WordStream offers some key insight on how to start and sustain a digital agency.
Develop your skills- Of course, you need a specific skillset to succeed in founding a digital agency. If you don’t have those skills, make sure that you spend some time educating and training yourself. You need to have a grasp of client relations, visual design, messaging and positioning, The key here is: you can’t convince others that you are an expert without being an expert.
Be a “mercenary for hire” before becoming a founder- I do not mean the paramilitary type of mercenaries. What I mean is that you need to sustain your expenses with a job on the side. When not working, that’s the time for you to lay out the foundations of your digital agency. The relationships you build while being a contractor will surely benefit you once you’ve decided to launch your own digital agency. These relationships would surely help you when networking down the line.
Define your business model- Before launching your business, make sure you have defined what your business model is. Another way to look at it is you need to define how you are going to charge your clients. There are multiple ways to go around this. You could go for a flat rate, hourly rate, commission based, or other forms of models. The key here is that it should be simple enough so as no to impede with your business. You shouldn’t spend time figuring out the math behind it.
Define your niche- Of course, as a digital agency, you need to define your niche. It sounds nice to accommodate all types of business but, this is risky. Create your own Unique Selling Proposition to stand out from the rest. Defining your niche and developing your USP allows you to improve your skill set. It gives you the advantage when a client is comparing the pros and cons between you and some other digital agency.
Plan out how you want to grow- This essentially means that you should carefully plan how you want to scale your business. It is advisable that you manage your operations for quite some time. This essentially lessens the burden of finding competitive individuals. When you understand what the job requires, it is a breeze to look for someone with the correct skill set. Remember that no matter how attractive exponential growth sounds, careful and deep development is just as attractive.
To summarize
Although it sounds cool to work for yourself and get off the corporate ladder, establishing your own digital agency should be a careful, well-planned venture. Do not risk all of your resources when you are not sure of its outcome. Make informed decisions and always seek to develop your skills. Above all else, tenacity, grit, and perseverance are key in achieving your goals.
If your looking for a great partner agency to help handle some of the workload especially when your first starting out Fismma.com is a great choice.
Opinions expressed by AsianBlurb contributors are their own.
Faiz Imran is a teenage (May 17, 2002) entrepreneur and self-made millionaire behind various successful companies such as Fismma.com
