The field of digital marketing today is not just expanding in size, but in scope as well. The emergence of new media and tools like Amazon’s Alexa has shown how personalized technology and new consumer habits are shaping the overall marketing mix. In this post, we’ll explain how to get more digital marketing work in this quickly changing environment.
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7 ways to bring in digital marketing clients
Let’s understand some easy, budget-friendly ways to boost sales.
- Build your own brand.
- Unearth your advantage with a SWOT analysis.
- Combine data insights with intuition.
- Go pro bono and market the results.
- Use inbound and outbound marketing.
- Create useful articles and videos.
- Network to gather referrals.
Check out our ideas on how to get clients for digital marketing — there’s sure to be one or two strategies you haven’t yet considered.
1. Build your own brand
Agencies or individual digital marketers, who spend their waking hours promoting others’ businesses, often completely ignore their own brands. So, our first idea for how to get more digital marketing work is to get your own house in order.
By applying the ‘practice before you preach’ mindset, your clients can see your skills firsthand.
Photo: Kristian Egelund on Unsplash
To compete for and secure a share of digital marketing work in your market, incorporate best branding practices like:
- Creating a professional website
- Defining and broadcasting your USP (unique selling proposition) everywhere
- Delivering consistent service
- Being the trusted partner for any crisis scenarios
Some branding activities, like the image you present on Facebook or the repeated use of your company colors are easy for the audience to see. Other brand characteristics are best relayed in blog posts or emails where you talk about what you’ve done for other businesses.
2. Unearth your advantage with a SWOT analysis
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Filling in each of these boxes for your business might seem intimidating at the outset. However, take a closer look and you would notice that most information can be traced.
One goal of a SWOT analysis is to identify opportunities that you might not otherwise be aware of.
For example, if a review website comparison shows the pricing of your competitor’s product line, you could decide there’s an advantage in launching a ‘Lite’ or low-cost version of the same package. This could bring you more clients in the short term and create an on-ramp for clients who eventually become full-service digital marketing clients.
3. Combine data insights with intuition
Whether you are running an agency or freelancing for clients, you probably have a lot of data generated through the digital marketing campaigns you’ve completed for clients. A closer look at different data sets can uncover key highlights that could shape your approach.
Total visits and cost-per-lead numbers from jobs you’ve completed can help you win more work.
Complement the analysis with sound judgement and you can be on your way to find new clients.
4. Go pro bono and market the results
Volunteering and meeting the web marketing needs of an NGO ( non-governmental organization) is another way of earning goodwill in your market and the community. A secondary benefit is that it will also help you get more digital marketing work.
Photo: Aravind Kumar on Unsplash
Use different online formats to create a highlight reel of your work with the NGO and publish them to create awareness.
5. Use inbound and outbound marketing
Inbound and outbound marketing play critical roles in business growth.
Inbound
Inbound marketing, simply put, is creating a ‘pull-factor.’ People are always searching for information; publishing informative podcasts and webinars (and optimizing them for search engines) pulls new clients to your business.
Outbound
Outbound marketing is when businesses push messages into prospect’s view via outdoor billboards, emails or ads on websites.
Creating brand pull through select inbound activities and building brand awareness through outbound techniques are critical to attracting a steady flow of leads and converting them to customers.
6. Create useful articles and videos
According to research by Demand Gen Report, 49% of business to business (B2B) consumers rely on content to learn about and make business purchases.
Focus on solving common problems for your prospective clients.
Sure, you’re eager to push your services, but in the long run this won’t serve you. The majority (88%) of respondents in the above mentioned survey state that content should provide real value to them, not more words about why they should hire you.
7. Network to gather referrals
Networking is a misinterpreted buzzword; marketers assume it to be a costly investment to be present at premier events or fixing meetings with industry experts.
Networking is really about connecting one-on-one with people who might refer you to clients.
Asking industry influencers to refer to you when an opportunity arises is another great way to drive business. Return the favor by recommending businesses you trust when you can.
Networking is a powerful, yet often ignored means to get additional digital marketing work and deals.
Start getting more digital marketing work today
If business growth or personal consultancy projects have been stalling, it might be time to try new tactics. A number of tools like Porter’s Competitive Advantage or BCG’s Growth–Share matrix can also aid to get your business back on track. Remember, businesses are not built overnight, but client by client.
