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Just a few years ago, social media marketing was a guerilla marketing tactic for people and businesses to spread the good word on a barely-existent budget. These days, it’s one of the fastest-growing and lucrative methods of advertising, and it’s not slowing down any time soon.

That’s why if you’re interested in the field, now is an excellent time to start your own social media agency. But because it’s so popular, it can be tough to make an impact in your local market. And no one ever said starting your own business is easy—even one with the low overhead costs of a start-up marketing agency.

Starting your own social media agency can be overwhelming and intimidating, but it’s not impossible. If you have the skills, the drive, and a little luck, you can start your own lucrative, rewarding social agency from your couch.

Things You Need to Know About Starting a Social Media Management Agency

What is social media management?

If you want to start a social agency, it’s probably a good idea to have a clear picture of what your job will entail. Depending on the services you plan to offer, your clients might expect you to:

• Craft custom marketing plans with KPIs that depend on your client’s goals and industry.
• Set-up and optimize social profiles.
• Create, schedule, and post fresh, unique content.
• Maintain a social presence across all applicable platforms. This includes following, liking, and commenting on posts and pages that relate to your client’s business.
• Design eye-catching graphics to post.
• Stay up-to-date on trends and news relating to your client’s industry.
• Boost follower-count and engagement rates.
• Provide clear, easy-to-understand analytics.

How do I stand out and make money in such a rapidly-growing field?

If your business isn’t taking on clients and making money, it’s probably not going to be a business for very long. That’s why it’s so important to stand out from the crowd. The best way to do this is to find your niche—the something special that makes your services unique and desirable. Many agencies will specialize in a few particular fields and industries and prefer to take on clients who align with these. Some media managers prefer to specialize in a platform or two instead, like Instagram or LinkedIn.

Of course, if you do choose to an industry to focus on, it’s important not to work with two companies that are direct competitors because it can create a conflict of interest. But as a social media agency, you’ll probably have mostly remote clients from all over the nation, or even the globe, so this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

In the agency world, it’s not always better to be a jack of all trades and master of none. Sometimes you need to pick a place to really shine. This will help you get your foot in the door and establish your business.

Pro-tip: Pick some lucrative industries to specialize in if you want clients who can pay your fees.

How do I decide on pricing?

Picking pricing and creating packages is no easy task, especially when you’re just starting out. You have to charge enough to pay the bills, but not too much that your first few clients will be afraid to take a risk on a new agency.

The best way to navigate this is to create packages with different pricing levels. Basic packages can include run-of-the mill social posting and analytics, while premium plans will be full-service offerings for your VIP clients who are willing to pay more for amazing work. You can also include add-ons, like paid advertising or custom infographics for one-time fees.

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How do I get my first clients?

It’s tough, but when you’re just starting out, you may need to be willing to charge less for your services. Consider offering a discount to your first few clients, and then amaze them with your skills and professionalism. This will begin to build your reputation—one of the most valuable things to a start-up agency. Once you have a killer rep, you can charge more for your exceptional services.

You can also offer tantalizing freebies, like a complimentary social media analysis. Give businesses a rundown of the health of their social media accounts and presence and give them a high-level overview of how they can improve. Once they understand how valuable your services are, they’ll be hooked on you!

What about my own social presence?

Having your own following on social media is crucial when striking out on your own. You need to show that you have influence on social media and that you’re intimately familiar with the inner workings of the different platforms.

This isn’t just about racking up followers. It’s about creating an engaged community. Post amazing content and interact with people in the industry to show that you’re a mover and shaker in SMM.

Your potential clients will check out your social media accounts when they’re looking into you and your business. Give them a taste of what it’s like to work with you and prove that you know what you’re doing when it comes to posting amazing content and engaging followers. After all, the proof is in the pudding!

Should I do this all alone?

When you’re starting your own social media management agency, you can feel very alone. But in business, networking and partnerships are everything. That’s why you should consider partnering up with other agencies to offer your services. Reach out to digital marketing, SEO, or web design companies and see if any of their clients need your services, and offer them your services under their banner.

Ready to launch your own amazing social media agency? Join my email list to get exclusive access to invaluable content, like my new Social Media Manager Profitable Toolkit, which will walk you through everything you need to know to launch a profitable, successful social agency.