With over 3.4 billion people using the internet throughout the world, it’s no surprise that the demand for digital marketers and digital marketing agencies is on the rise.
Are you looking to expand the reach of your agency and make a bigger name for yourself in the digital marketing business? If the answer to this question is “yes”, then you’re in the right place.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to scale your digital marketing agency.
Signs It’s Time to Grow and Scale Your Agency
Sometimes, it’s obvious that you’re ready to grow your online marketing business. You might a little hesitant about scaling things up, though. This is understandable, especially when you consider the fact that many small businesses fail because they scale too quickly.
You can avoid scaling before you’re ready by looking out for these signs. These are all great indicators they’re it’s time to learn how to grow your agency and take it to the next level:
You’re Getting Inquiries from Other Markets
This is one of the most common signs that it’s time to learn more about how to grow a digital marketing agency. If you’re getting lots of inquiries from people outside of your target market, this can be a sign that you need to expand your business and cast a wider net to bring in more potential clients.
Leads Are Skyrocketing
Have you noticed a significant spike in the number of leads coming into your business? Does this spike seem organic (i.e., you’re not spending tons of money on marketing and lead generation tactics)? If this is the case, chances are you’re ready to scale your business.
You’re Profitable
Having a profitable business also works in your favor when you’re starting to think about scaling your digital marketing agency. Things are especially promising if your agency has been profitable for an extended period of time (at least two or three years). If you’ve been able to demonstrate success for years in a row and have seen steady growth, you’re likely in a good position to build upon your success and start working at a larger scale.
You Have a Great Team
Putting together a killer team for any business is a challenge. If you’ve managed to assemble a great group of people to help you run your agency, though, you’ll have a greater chance of succeeding when you start to scale it.
Consider the skills and effectiveness of your team and ask yourself whether you think they’re equipped to handle the business running at a larger scale. Consider, too, whether they have the ability to help train new team members as the business grows.
You’re Turning People Away
Is the demand for your agency’s services so high that you have to turn people down? Do you have a waitlist of potential clients who are eager to work with you? If the demand is growing at this rate, you’re probably in a pretty good position to start scaling so you can meet it.
If you think that you still need some improvements at this point, here are the tested tips to get more digital marketing clients.
You Have the Money
Scaling your business can get expensive, fast. From bringing on new employees to expanding to larger office space, the bills will start to pile up, even though your business is a profitable one. If you have the funds readily available to handle expansion with ease, it might be time to go for it and start scaling.
You Have No Problem Delegating
Finally, any industry expert will tell you that it’s important to avoid scaling until you’re comfortable delegating. If you have a problem with micromanaging your small team, you’re going to experience even more challenges when you try to handle a larger team with the same tactics.
Be honest with yourself about your ability to delegate before you start thinking seriously about scaling. If this is a problem for you, work on it before it causes your agency to suffer.
How to Scale Your Digital Marketing Agency
Now that you know with certainty that scaling your company is the right move, the next step is to figure out how to scale your digital agency so that it enjoys long-term success. Follow these steps and you’ll have a much easier time scaling up and growing your agency:
Create a System for Entry-Level Positions
A big part of scaling your agency will be finding people to fill new entry-level positions. When you start getting ready to scale, make sure you have a plan in place for vetting entry-level applicants and finding people who seem like a good fit for the job.
Keep in mind that one of the most crucial things to consider when hiring entry-level applicants is their ability to learn quickly and retain information. This matters much more than their level of experience. If you’re only hiring people who have industry-specific experience, you’re going to miss out on a lot of talented individuals.
The digital marketing world changes so fast, and you’ll be better served to bring on people who are eager to learn and can adapt with ease. This will help you to train and create qualified and talented employees for the future, too.
Bring on Topic Experts
After working in the digital marketing world for a while, you’ve likely learned a lot about how to build a marketing agency and how to run a marketing agency. You’ve also likely learned that there are certain topics in which you are not an expert.
If there are areas of the business that could be doing better, look for experts who can help you build up those aspects. For example, you might want to look for someone who has more knowledge about B2B marketing or eCommerce. These people will be able to bring new ideas to the table and help you expand your offerings to attract more clients and continue growing the agency.
Work with a Recruiter
If you’re having a hard time finding the right people to help you scale your business, don’t assume that you have to handle the hiring process on your own. Consider working with a recruiter. They can help you find the best people to fill specific positions and identify those who will provide the greatest amount of value to your team.
Simplify Client Onboarding
If you don’t have a process to simplify client onboarding, now is the time to establish one. When you start scaling your business, you’re going to have more clients coming in all the time. Make sure your system helps you onboard them with ease so people aren’t left waiting for someone to get in touch with them about their order.
Establish Systems and Processes
As your agency grows, you’ll need to be more systematic about how you handle certain things. The better you’re able to automate specific workflows and processes throughout the agency, the easier it’ll be for you to accommodate new projects coming in as your client base expands.
Assess Your Analytics
Take a good look at the analytics for your agency as you begin the process of scaling it. This will help you get clear on what’s working and what isn’t. It’ll help you figure out where to spend more time and energy automating and putting systems in place, too.
Know What to Outsource
Outsourcing is a big part of scaling a business. At a certain point, you and your team simply won’t be able to keep up with everything (especially if the goal is to run your agency in the most efficient way possible).
This is where outsourcing certain tasks, such as customer service or bookkeeping, can add incredible value. Outsourcing helps things to run more efficiently and helps you save money while you work on growing the business.
Establish Beneficial Partnerships
Start focusing on establishing beneficial relationships with other professionals, too. If you’re able to partner with industry experts and people who run businesses that complement yours, you’ll have an easier time attracting new clients. It’ll also be easier for you to meet the needs of your existing clients.
Look for collaborators who provide services that your agency doesn’t. Pay attention to what you can offer them as well to make your partnership as mutually beneficial as possible.
Enjoy Digital Agency Success Today
Do all signs point to it being time for you to scale your digital marketing agency? If so, you’ve now got the tools to get the job done. Follow the guidelines listed above and you’ll have a much easier time scaling your agency.
If you need more help running and growing your agency, remember that we also have lots of other resources available in the digital marketing section of our blog to help you. To expand your digital marketing knowledge and reach even further, consider joining DAN today.
When you join, your agency will be listed among the top digital marketing agencies in the world. You’ll be able to attract the best employees and clients and turn your company into a household name.
If you’re intrigued by DAN but aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger, you can also sign up for a free trial. You’ll get 30 days to see what we’re all about before you make a decision about becoming a member.
