business plan sample for digital marketing agency

How to Write a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan (with PDF Template)

SEOptimer now serves over 2,000 digital agencies around the world and through the years we've had the chance to connect with many of our agency customers to understand their early days in starting their agency.

This is incredibly interesting to us because it helps us understand where and how they plan to grow so we can help build the features they need in SEOptimer.

This article is the 3rd in our series focused on starting a new digital agency. For some useful prior reading be sure to check out our previous articles:

• How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency : a comprehensive guide covering typical agency business models, services, hiring, training, new business, day to day management and more!
• Digital Agency Lean Canvas : a digital agency business model on a single page! The lean canvas is a popular documentation methodology borrowed from the tech startup world.

Don't be dismayed if it feels like there's a lot of other competing digital agencies in your city. This is perfectly normal. Digital marketing services like local SEO, for example, are dominated by small agencies.

Search Engine Land reported that over 50% of local SEO agencies have 10 or fewer clients. Forbes Council Member Jon Hall says, this keeps the industry "weird" - aka diverse as its not dominated by a small handful of big agencies.

The first step in launching a new digital marketing agency is to write a plan. In this guide, we'll cover two of the more traditional ways to define a business plan document with handy downloadable templates:

• Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Document (DOCX & PDF) Template
• Creative Agency Business Plan Deck (PPTX) Template

What is a Digital Marketing Business Plan?

A digital marketing business plan outlines your strategy to attract and retain customers using digital channels. It encompasses your goals, target audience, competitive landscape, marketing tactics, and financial projections.

A well-crafted plan serves as a blueprint for your marketing efforts, ensuring you remain focused and organized. It also helps you identify potential pitfalls and areas for improvement. 

For entrepreneurs and small business owners, having a digital marketing business plan is critical. It not only helps secure funding but also ensures that all team members are aligned with the company's vision and objectives.

It also provides a framework to measure success and make data-driven decisions.

Why Do You Need a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan?

The days of mandatory 50+ page business plans are long gone. The choice is now yours as to whether you define your digital agency business plan in an in-depth strategic document or not.

Some agency founders find it useful to brainstorm this way and document their thought process in a long-form fashion across many pages.

Other founders prefer creating shorter slide decks, others opt for a 1-page lean canvas version or some even write their plan in a wiki or business planning tool.

There is no right or wrong way to document your plan. You need to find the documentation method that suits you best. If you're unsure what suits you best, the following factors may help you decide:

Consideration #1: Who is the Audience?

Think about who this document is for. Who will read it? In some cases it will just be you and the founding team. If you are raising money, obviously your investors will be a key audience.

You might also have business partners or board members who may be an audience too. When thnking through all these different groups, work backwards from the most optimal presentation format.

Consideration #2: Seek an Unbiased Third-party Opinion

Devin Schumacher is the Founder of SEO agency SERP and says it's easy to get swept up in your own overly optimistic projections.

"Ask an experienced agency founder you trust or admire to sanity-check your plan. Seeking an objective opinion from a third-party detached from your new business is vital."

Devin makes a great point. This type of peer review methodology is commonplace in other industries but sometimes lacking amongst agency founders.

Make sure you get at least 1 other unbiased opinion from someone who has already achieved success in your niche.

Don't fall into the trap of asking a friend or your accountant or someone you know personally to review your plan. Doing so will give you a biased opinion.

You need an unbiased opinion from someone willing to give you objective feedback.

Consideration #3: Stand your Ground

The whole point of a business plan is to take the time and effort to research the market, your competitors and potential clients. This document will distill all your insights into a strategic plan you can operationalize.

As is always the case, unexpected distractions masquerading as opportunities (rightly or wrongly) will pop up in your field of view demanding your attention.

Perhaps it's a new client opportunity with a project slightly adjacent to your niche. Perhpas a hiring opportunity for a role you didn't plan to hire yet.

Sometimes the hardest thing is to say no, when you're in the mindset of taking every opportunity for growth.

During these situations, revisit your agency business plan and remind yourself of your focus area niche and how you planned to grow within that niche.

Consideration #4: But, Be Okay With Change

There's no shame in pivoting.

In fact this balance between sticking to the plan and pivoting the plan needs to be navigated by every digital agency founder. It's not easy and often you will be second-guessing yourself.

"Every agency owner I know has had to massively adjust their target audience, pricing structure, competitor analysis, and service offerings based on the way they grow over the first 2-5 years."

Rebekah says that founders need to be prepared for change, afterall, digital marketing is in constant flux and evolution, so change is the norm and we need to write business plans with flexibility in mind.

Trust your performance metrics and continue to do the things that have the biggest quantifiable business impact.

Typical Business Plan structures

We mentioned previously that there's no right or wrong way to document your business plan. So with that said, let's look at some typical marketing agency business plan templates that you can use.

After considering all the factors above, choose the structure that works for you and your stakeholders best. We've outlined six of the more common options below:

Option #1: Written Business Document

This is the more traditional (and still valid) way to describe your business. A written business plan document in MS Word or Google Docs is still the most common way to document your digital marketing agency business plan.

This type of business plan is considered "long-form", ie: longer in length and suited to more descriptive language. Expect to write longer rationales, longer explanations with plenty of space for evidence, research, insights and strategy.

This type of plan will likely be 30+ pages and feel comprehensive. This comprehensiveness is especially needed if external investors or business partners are involved who need to be convinced of the robustness of your plan.

Option #2: Slide Deck

The PowerPoint Presentation (or Google Slides or Keynote) has become the go-to corporate communication format.

Digital agency founders spend most of their time communicating to staff, clients and stakeholders in PowerPoint so it makes sense to use this format for the purposes of communicating the agency's overall business plan.

The fundamental difference between this option and the written document, is that a slide deck is a presentable format. So typically you might be in the room with your business partners, walking through the presentation on the screen.

Whereas in option #1, a written document is not a compelling way to present an idea. It's much more suited as a sent document to be consumed in isolation.

That's not to say that a slide deck can't be utilized this way, it's just more common that you would be presenting and talking through your plan with the slides serving as a visual backup to what you say.

There's also a good argument for doing both (ie written document AND slide deck). It comes down to who all the stakeholders are (eg investors, business partners or just you) and whether you intend to present your plan or just document your plan.

Option #3: Lean Canvas

The Lean Canvas developed by leanstack.com is a business plan on a page split into 10 boxes. This planning document has become very popular in the tech/startup world and has since been adopted in many other industries, including digital agencies.

Be sure to check out our previous article explaining how to use a Lean Canvas for your agency .

The entire business plan fits on a single page which means you obviously need to sweat on every single world and ensure only the most important details are included.

We are big supporters of this format because this helps you prioritize and focus your efforts down to the fundamental aspects of your new business.

Option #4: Wiki

In the context of a business, a Wiki is usually an internal website with multiple interlinking articles. The biggest Wiki in the world is Wikipedia and if you want to get really meta, check out Wikipedia's wiki about wikis :

"A wiki (/wɪki/ WIK-ee) is a hypertext publication collaboratively edited and managed by its own audience directly using a web browser. A typical wiki contains multiple pages for the subjects or scope of the project."

Wiki's are generally perceived as internal knowledge bases so if your business plan has executional detail, this might be a good format for documenting processes and methodologies for staff.

Option #5: General Planning Tool

Tools like Notion and Trello have grown massively in recent years as more people are working remotely and more work in general is being done collaboratively online.

These types of planning tools are designed to be multi-purpose and fall somewhere between a wiki and a specialized business planning tool.

How to Construct the Business Plan

Now that we've covered the typical business plan structures let's look at the specifics of how you actually go about constructing the business plan and each of the main tasks you need to perform and sections of the business plan.

Market Research Data Gathering

Customer/client research.

Rebekah Edwards, who we spoke to previously stresses the importance of market research with as many potential clients as you can. She interviewed several businesses in their target market when developing their service offerings and pricing.

Some of the questions she thought were most helpful included:

• With no other information, what do you think X would cost from an agency? (X being the service in question.)
• What is the biggest roadblock for you to accomplish X in-house? (X being basic content/SEO projects, such as article creation/editing/uploading or strategizing new keywords.)
• How would you typically search for a digital marketing agency? (Referrals, social media, Google search, etc. — this helped us understand how to best market our services)
• If you already work with a digital marketing agency of any kind, what stood out? Why did you sign on the dotted line?
• Have there been digital marketing agencies you've specifically decided not to work with for any particular reason? What were the red flags or the issues with a fit that led you to say no?
• What matters most to you when working with a digital marketing agency? (Examples: data/analytics, frequent communication, hitting deadlines every time, price, niche of expertise, etc.)

Answers to these questions are invaluable as they help you position and market your new digital agency based on customer insight.

Competitor Research

The importance of competitor research goes without saying. It's vital you have a good understanding of how your competitors are going to market, how they sell, who they target and what their rough price points are.

If you have a friend who owns a small business, ask them to mystery shop at a competitor so they can report back to you what the sales process was like.

The way you position and sell your services should be informed by a combination of both customer insights and competitor insights.

Addressing client needs whilst maintaining a unique selling proposition will set your new digital agency up for success!

Building out the Business Plan

Download our template: digital marketing agency business plan document.

To make edits to the document make sure to download our DOCX template which you can edit directly in Microsoft Word. However if you would prefer a printable PDF, we also provide this option too.

Use these templates as a starting point to help you draft your digital marketing business plan:

Below are some of the highlight areas of the plan:

Market Research Findings

We suggest conducting three types of research to inform your marketing agency business plan:

• Qualitative research like one-on-one interviews, focus groups and meetings with prospective clients
• Quantitative reserach like online surveys, mass emails and multivariate testing
• Competitor analysis to determine their strengths and weaknesses

Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and Service Offering

Nailing your USP will be tough especially if you are in a competitive industry / city. Use the previous market research tasks to discover where the gaps are in the market and leverage these insights to position your new agency to be competitive AND different.

Perform a SWOT analysis based on your new USP. Then you can determine your actual service offerings and pricing strategy.

Go-To-Market (GTM) Plan and Org Structure

Define your target market - the exact client types who you want to sell to and list the marketing and advertising activities that you will perform that would be most effective in reaching these types of people.

Also list your people (this might not be many on day 1!), sources of advice and support as well as the strategies you'll use to retain your staff and build their skills and knowledge.

Goals Sales Forecasting

This marketing agency business plan template includes goal setting for the next year and goal setting for the next 3 years. This page is structured to help you set SMART goals.

SMART goals are:

• Specific : In the '[Enter a goal]' section describe your goal clearly and ensure you attach a person responsible in the 'Who's responsible' section.
• Measureable : Ensure the actions you list in the 'Actions to achieve goal' have an objective outcome
• Achievable : Ensure you sense-check your goals with your team and all agree that they are attainable
• Relevant : Ensure this is a priority goal and will help your new agency grow
• Time-bound : Enter a due date to ensure the goal doesn't get forgotten

Use the Cash flow forecast table as a simple way to visualize cash-on-hand in your first 12 months. Add rows to estimate your monthly expenses like payroll, rent, utilities, subscriptions, insurance, fees and other ongoing costs.

Tools and Tech

Finally, list out all the tools and technology your new agency will likely need to run an efficient operation. We've listed SEOptimer for you already because it's one of the best, low-cost lead generation tools for your agency.

Over 2,000 digital agencies use SEOptimer to generate white label site audits and embed an audit form on their agency website to capture new lead details.

Creative Agency Business Plan Slide Deck PPTX Template

If you prefer a slide deck template, use this creative agency business plan example in PowerPoint format:

Sources of Funding for Your Digital Marketing Agency

Starting a digital marketing agency requires initial capital. Here are some sources of funding to consider:

Bootstrapping

Bootstrapping involves using your savings or revenue generated from the business to fund your operations. It's a common approach for entrepreneurs who want to maintain control and avoid debt.

While this method requires careful financial planning, it allows you to grow organically and reinvest profits back into the business.

Small Business Loans

Small business loans from banks or credit unions can provide the necessary capital to get your agency off the ground. These loans typically have lower interest rates compared to other financing options.

However, they may require a solid business plan and collateral. Research different lenders and compare their terms to find the best fit for your needs.

Venture Capital

If you have a scalable business model with high growth potential, venture capital (VC) funding might be an option. VCs invest in startups in exchange for equity.

While this can provide substantial funding, it also means giving up some control over your business. Make sure your goals align with those of potential investors before pursuing this route.

Crowdfunding

Platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow you to raise funds from a large number of people. Crowdfunding not only provides capital but also helps validate your idea and build a community of supporters.

Create a compelling campaign that clearly communicates your value proposition and the benefits of supporting your agency.

Angel Investors

Angel investors are individuals who provide capital to startups in exchange for equity or convertible debt. They often offer mentorship and valuable industry connections.

To attract angel investors, you need a strong business plan, a clear value proposition, and evidence of your ability to execute.

Do You Need an LLC to Start a Digital Marketing Agency?

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a popular business structure for small businesses and startups. It provides personal liability protection, meaning your personal assets are shielded from business debts and lawsuits.

LLCs have the option to be taxed as a sole proprietorship, partnership, S corporation, or C corporation. This flexibility allows you to choose the best tax treatment for your situation

Having "LLC" in your business name can enhance your agency's credibility and professionalism. It signals to clients and partners that you are serious about your business and committed to its success.

That being said, you don't have to have an LLC when starting your digital marketing agency but it might be a good idea to establish an LLC for the reasons mentioned above.

Crafting a digital marketing agency business plan is essential for entrepreneurs and small business owners. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a comprehensive plan that sets your agency up for success.

Tim's background is in digital marketing working for both large and small digital agencies and diverse client types. He has a passion for tech, software and staying up to date on the latest search engine news.

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Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template

If you want to start a new Digital Marketing Agency or expand your current Digital Marketing Agency, you need a business plan.

The following business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning plan for your own digital marketing company. This digital marketing business plan can be used for a full-service digital marketing agency, social media marketing agency, email marketing agency, creative agency, or another type of agency that provides marketing and/or advertising services. In addition to this template, conducting market research for your target market will help you identify potential market trends and customer segments to better understand the viability of your digital marketing agency.

You can download our Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Example

I. executive summary, business overview.

[Company Name], located in [insert location here], is a full service digital marketing agency that helps businesses attain their marketing and sales goals. The Company focuses on branding, lead generation, customer acquisition, and customer retention. From SEO to social media management, the Company creates custom digital marketing solutions and strategies that perfectly fit its client’s businesses and industry. The Company’s goal is to become one of the leading digital marketing agency brands and compete with the leaders in the industry.

[Company Name] will provide a variety of services to its clients. Its services include:

• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Video advertising
• Lead generation
• Email marketing
• Digital display advertising
• Social media management
• Other related digital marketing advisory and consulting services

Customer Focus

[Company Name] will primarily serve entrepreneurs and start-ups, corporate organizations, as well as small businesses within a 100-mile radius of the business location. The demographics of these customers are as follows:

• 510,000 corporations and small businesses
• Average income of $80,000
• 50% in Mgt./Professional occupations

Management Team

[Company Name] is led by [Founder’s name], who has been in the digital marketing industry for [x] years. [Founder] is a certified and licensed digital marketing expert. He has extensive experience working for leading digital marketing agencies prior to starting his own digital marketing agency. He will have the help and support of his business partner, [Insert Name], who will handle the admin tasks for the company.

Success Factors

[Company Name] is qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

• There is currently a high demand for digital marketing services in the community. In addition, the company surveyed the local population and received highly positive feedback pointing towards an explicit demand for the services, supporting the business after launch.
• There has been significant growth in digital marketing over the past few years. Those who cater to this market have been thriving.
• The management team has a track record of success in the digital marketing business.
• The digital marketing business is a proven, successful business in the United States.

Financial Highlights

[Company Name] is currently seeking $190,000 to launch a digital marketing agency. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Office build-out and Startup costs: $100,000
• Working capital: $90,000 to pay for marketing, equipment and salaries.

II. Company Overview

Who is [company name], [company name]’s history.

[Founder’s Name] is an entrepreneur with a passion for digital marketing who seeks to provide a one-of-a-kind upscale marketing experience. [Company Name] will become a well-known digital marketing company in [Location].

[Founder’s Name] has selected an initial location and is currently undergoing due diligence on each property and the local market to assess the most desirable location for the digital marketing agency.

Since incorporation, the company has achieved the following milestones:

• Developed the company’s name, logo, and website
• Determined the list of services to be offered
• Determined equipment requirements
• Began recruiting key employees with experience

[Company Name]’s Services

The Company will be offering the following products and services:

III. Industry Analysis

[Company Name] competes against small, individually owned digital marketing agencies and major regional or national chains. There are 5,523 digital marketing agencies businesses in the U.S. The number of businesses in the digital marketing agencies industry in the U.S. has grown 13.7% per year on average over the last five years.

The primary positive factor affecting this industry is the demand driven by the target audience to market and promote their content, products, and services online, which in turn is driving the growth of the digital marketing industry. The rising number of end-users in North America for online shopping is also projected to open wider opportunities for advertisers to promote their products online, thereby increasing regional market growth.

IV. Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

[Company Name] will serve entrepreneurs and start-ups, corporate organizations, as well as small businesses in the [Location] area. Over time, the company expects that it will gain regional and national recognition.

The precise demographics of the town in which the retail location resides is as follows:

Customer Segmentation

The Company will primarily target the following customer segments:

• Entrepreneurs and Start-Ups: This segment will need a different approach to digital marketing as it is one thing to market and promote an established corporation and a totally different one to do the same for a start-up.
• Corporate Organization: The Company will be looking forward to serving corporate organizations to help them increase their brand awareness and generate new business leads.
• Small Businesses: Small businesses that need to increase their reach in the local, national and international markets will make an important market segment for the company.

V. Competitive Analysis

Direct & indirect competitors.

H2 Marketing H2 Marketing is the city’s most well-known digital marketing company and has been in business for xx years. H2 Marketing specializes in transforming mission-driven organizations through marketing and digital communications. H2 Marketing offers quality social media, content, and video advertising services. H2 Marketing works with both small and large businesses to help them enhance their business and optimize their bottom lines.

Digital Media Pros Digital Media Pros has been in the industry since 2010, catering to various groups of customers. Digital Media Pros focuses on both organic and paid marketing to enhance the growth of its clients. Digital Media Pros is dedicated to bringing customers’ business visions to life through its knowledge and experience.

DigiStars DigiStars was established in 2012 and is known for its transparent work and real-time results for its clients. DigiStars mainly focuses on lead generation, sales strategy, and business growth, but also provides ancillary services.

Competitive Advantage

[Company Name] enjoys several advantages over its competitors. These advantages include:

• Management: The Company’s management team has x years of digital marketing experience that allows them to serve customers in an improved and sophisticated manner than the competitors.
• Relationships: Having lived in the community for xx years, [Founder’s Name] knows all of the local leaders, media, and other influencers. Furthermore, he will be able to draw from his existing personal and professional relationships to develop an initial client base.
• Location: [Company Name]’s location is near the center of town, giving the company access to budding artists, corporate organizations, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

VI. Marketing Plan

The [company name] brand.

[Company name] seeks to position itself as a respectable, upper-middle-market competitor in the digital marketing industry. Customers can expect a good-quality marketing experience for their brands.

The [Company Name] brand will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:

• Convenient location.
• Offering a wide variety of high-quality services to entrepreneurs, corporate organizations, and small businesses.
• Providing excellent customer service and customer experiences with high-quality marketing services.

Promotions Strategy

[Company Name] expects its target market to be the entrepreneurs and start-ups, independent celebrities, corporate organizations, and small businesses. The Company’s promotions strategy to reach the audience includes:

Pre-Opening Events Before opening the digital marketing company, [Company Name] will organize pre-opening events designed for prospective customers and press contacts. These events will create buzz and awareness for [Company Name] in the area.

Advertisement Advertisements in print publications like newspapers, magazines, etc., are an excellent way for businesses to connect with their audience. The Company will advertise its company offerings in popular magazines and news dailies. Obtaining relevant placements in industry magazines and journals will also help in increasing brand visibility.

Public Relations [Company Name] will hire an experienced PR agency/professional(s) to formulate a compelling PR campaign to boost its brand visibility among the target audience. It will look to garner stories about the company and its services in various media outlets like podcasts, television stations, radio shows, etc.

Social Media Marketing Social media is one of the most cost-effective and practical marketing methods for improving brand visibility. The Company will use social media to develop engaging content and post customer reviews that will increase audience awareness and loyalty.

Word of Mouth Marketing [Company name] will encourage word-of-mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients. The Company will use recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing to grow the customer base through the network of its existing customers.

Pricing Strategy

[Company Name]’s pricing will be moderate, so customers feel they receive great value when availing of the digital marketing services. The customer can expect to receive quality services at a more affordable price than what they pay at an ultra-premium digital marketing company.

VII. Operations Plan

Functional roles.

To execute on [Company Name]’s business model, the company needs to perform many functions, including the following:

Service Functions

• Business Development
• Ad executive
• Creative executive
• Administrative assistant

Administrative Functions

• General & administrative functions including legal, marketing, bookkeeping, etc.
• Hiring and training staff

VIII. Management Team

Management team members.

[Company Name] is led by [Founder’s name], who has been in the digital marketing industry for [x] years. [Founder] is a certified and licensed digital marketing expert. While [Founder] has never run a digital marketing business himself, he has been active in the industry as he has worked for leading digital marketing companies as a digital marketing expert and managed it for xx years.

[Founder] graduated from the University of ABC, where he majored in digital marketing.

Hiring Plan

[Founder] will serve as the CEO. In order to launch the digital marketing agency, the company will need to hire the following personnel:

• Creative Director
• Digital Marketing Specialist
• Human Resources Manager
• Web Designer
• Content Creator
• Sales Executive

IX. Financial Plan

Revenue and cost drivers.

[Company Name]’s revenues will come from:

The major costs for the company will be staff salaries. In the initial years, the company’s marketing spend will be high, as it establishes itself in the market. [Company Name].

Capital Requirements and Use of Funds

[Company Name] is currently seeking $190,000 to set up its digital marketing agency. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures and location build-out, hiring initial employees, marketing expenses, and working capital. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

Key Assumptions

  5 Year Annual Income Statement

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How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency

Aaron Agius

9 min. read

Updated February 8, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Marketing Agency Business Plan Template

It’s easier to start a digital marketing agency without funding than people might think.

In this post, I will cover starting your business on your own—with aspirations of becoming an agency. I will look at how to get your first clients and how to balance your time when finding them—when you start on your own, that is one of the toughest balancing acts.

The beauty of setting up a digital marketing agency is that you can start from virtually nothing. I know this from personal experience because my business partner and I did just that with our company, Louder.Online . If you have the expertise, then all you need to get started is a computer and a home office (or at least a space to work). There are not many businesses where that’s all you need.

You don’t need to put it all on a credit card, you don’t need to get a bank loan , you don’t need startup capital—you can just build a website , and you can be on your way. That’s what we did, and we now have a successful digital marketing agency with clients around the world.

• Taking on your first employees

Many businesses will hire recruiting and onboarding agencies to find employees for their burgeoning digital marketing agency, but if you’re going to build an agency without funding then you need to be doing this yourself.

Beyond the fact that you won’t need the extra cash from the start to make hires, it will mean that you have control over the kind of employees that you take on. When you’re ready, you can hire the right people for the culture that you create around your business.

• Training your team

Training your employees can be a costly business if you are not wise. When building a digital marketing agency without outside funding, you need to make sure you have a plan in place to be able to train people as and when they join you without incurring additional cost to the business.

Something we found invaluable when building our agency was to train the first few staff ourselves and educate them on everything we could. Sure, it meant that we put in some long hours at the start, but it paid off in the long run.

Training our first employees in every area we could think of prepared them to be able to train the next wave of staff. In turn, those staff members were able to teach the team members that joined after them.

As people moved up the ladder in our business, the staff that joined early on were able to train up the juniors that came in after them. Higher paid employees were able to use their time to liaise with clients and strategize rather than spending their time on training—making the business more successful and profitable, while not losing any of the vision that we had for the company or how our digital marketing client work was undertaken.

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• Documenting your processes and making life easier

If you want to start an agency without having outside funding, you need to find ways to do things in a non-traditional manner.

If your business takes off straight away, then it is likely that you are going to be taking on staff fairly quickly to cope with demand. When you have new staff starting regularly, you need two things in place—process documentation and basic HR functions—preferably avoiding having to hire an HR person too early.

At Louder.Online we made sure that we concentrated on these very early on. We documented our processes from day one in some software called Process Street . The software lets you create checklists and workflows that any of your staff can run at any time.

We use Process Street to document things like:

• How to answer the phone
• What to do when you are sick
• How to put in an expenses report
• How to book a holiday
• What is needed before a new employee starts
• What is required when an employee leaves

Having these processes documented means that everyone knows what they need to do and can follow a standard protocol. They don’t have to ask their manager or other staff.

This saves time and means that the employees that you have at your agency can actually spend more time on billable work for the clients. That, in turn, makes you more profitable . You are saving money that might otherwise have had to have come from outside funding.

We also didn’t want to have to hire an HR person until we really needed to and we certainly didn’t want to outsource that to a third party. They both cost a lot of money, and we didn’t want to have to use outside funding to do that.

After some searching around in the early days, we found some software called AppogeeHR .

The software boasts:

• Centralized employee information
• Leave and sickness management
• Performance and learning tracking
• OKR management

It is simple to use, and it means that my business partner and I were able to act as HR without having to spend a lot of time on it. As earlier employees moved up, they were able to take on some of the work as well—and of course, this was all documented in a subsection of Process Street for when they needed it.

There is a saying that “necessity is the mother of invention,” and when we knew we didn’t want to use outside funding we looked for ways that we could make sure we didn’t have to.

• Bootstrapping

If you don’t have that cash injection at the start of your businesses life, then you need to be bootstrapping .

A dictionary definition will tell you that it’s to get oneself into or out of a situation using existing resources. When you read other articles, they will talk about relying on personal income or savings, and they talk about sweat equity.

We think the definition can be a little broader than that—essentially optimizing your current situation. We did this through an intelligent choice of clients and being smart with our cash. We found these to be essential to avoid that outside funding.

Getting good clients

Bad clients bring you down. Bad clients cost you money. Bad clients suck up your time.

If you don’t want to be spending money on additional staff to cover those losses, then you need to know how to spot a good client. Taking on every client that comes your way was never an option for us.

So how do you spot a good client? Here are my tips:

• Choose clients that will let you do your best work—stay away from the clients that overly worry about cost, because they will cost you in the long run.
• Choose clients whose business you believe in—the synergy between your agency and their business will lead to a healthy and respectful relationship.
• Work with clients who understand what you do—if they have some knowledge of the digital marketing landscape then they will be interested in what you do and don’t expect the world.

Being smart with your cash

This one sounds kind of obvious, right? But how many stories in the last few years have you read about businesses going under because of the inordinate amount of cash they spent on offices and perks to try and attract staff?

The employees that join your company are likely to know about these perks and want to see some of them. This is where you have to try and resist. Sure they are fun, but if you don’t want that outside funding, then you need to be sensible.

Company culture is not about the arcade machines and novelty slides from one floor to another. Company culture is about the bonds you create, the work that you do and how comfortable people feel at work.

People want to enjoy their work. When people enjoy their day to day life they produce better work, and they stay with a company longer. Combine these two together, and it cuts down the money you need to spend on recruitment and training—another way to avoid using outside funding.

• Financial goal and milestone setting

Being smarter with your cash and spending less is one thing; financial goal and milestone setting is another. We knew we would have to create something scalable from the start and also be able to predict with some degree of accuracy what our potential revenue might be.

As we were starting a digital agency, we knew we were going to be selling hours from the very start. We knew that tracking employee time and client budgets were the way we wanted to head in. Using a project management tool like Liquid Planner or a Harvest / Basecamp combination can really help with this.

We set prices for staff, created client folders and subprojects early on. Every member of staff had tasks assigned that they accurately track time against. This allowed us to make sure we didn’t go over or under for clients and the tools turn the hours into dollars in detailed reports.

We started in a very granular way and had activities set for the different types of work that we were doing. This allowed us to accurately predict how long specific tasks would take and we could pitch accordingly—there was no finger in the air guesswork.

After we had started to collect this data we could predict how much revenue we might bring in per client. From there we created financial milestones based on the close rate of proposals and how much similar projects had cost—and whether they had come under or gone over. We found this to be an accurate way of getting solid estimates on where the business would be in six months, a year, five years and beyond. It’s strategic planning or Lean Business Planning .

• Start small but plan for growth

That’s how we did it at Louder Online, we took a no outside funding stance from the start and made sure we looked for alternative solutions to cut costs. We started small and made sure that there was a culture in place from day one.

We made sure that we documented everything so that new employees would know what they had to do and when.

We enabled the staff to train each other as the agency grew, creating last bonds and teamwork.  

It isn’t for everyone and it was definitely hard for us at the start, but it has made us the profitable digital marketing agency that we are today and we wouldn’t change that for the world.

To launch your own digital marketing agency, start by putting together a business plan. Check out our digital marketing agency business plan example and free template for additional guidance.

Aaron Agius, CEO of worldwide digital agency Louder Online is, according to Forbes, among the world's leading digital marketers. Working with clients such as Salesforce, Coca-Cola, IBM, Intel, and scores of stellar brands, Aaron is a growth marketer—a fusion between search, content, social, and PR.

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Digital Marketing Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your digital marketing agency business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their digital marketing agencies.

Sample Business Plan for a Digital Marketing Agency

Below is a business plan example to help you create each section of your own digital marketing business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Trending Next is a startup digital marketing agency located in Atlanta, Georgia. The company is founded by Michelle Taylor, an experienced digital marketer who has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and has worked for several years for a prominent marketing agency based in New York. Now that Michelle has gained the education and experience in managing a digital marketing agency, she is ready to start her own company, Trending Next. Michelle is confident that her digital marketing and communication skills will enable her to run a profitable digital marketing agency of her own. Michelle is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a digital marketing firm – sales and marketing, customer support, technology management, customer relations, administration, and finance.

Trending Next will provide a full suite of digital marketing services for businesses of all sizes throughout the United States. The company will be the go-to digital marketing firm in Atlanta for innovative marketing strategies using the latest technology and tools. Trending Next will create and launch digital marketing campaigns through a variety of channels from SEO and email to content and video marketing. The company will be the ultimate choice for customer service while guaranteeing expertly developed personalized marketing solutions for each client.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Trending Next will provide:

• Social media
• Content marketing
• Email marketing
• SMS marketing
• Sponsored content
• Native advertising
• Marketing automation
• Affiliate marketing

Customer Focus

Trending Next will target businesses of all sizes and industries in the United States. No matter the customer, Trending Next will deliver the best communication, service, and effective digital marketing campaigns.

Management Team

Trending Next will be owned and operated by Michelle Taylor. Michelle is a graduate of New York University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She has over five years of experience working as a digital marketing manager for a prestigious marketing agency based in New York. Now, Michelle aims to bring her digital marketing skills to work in her new location in Atlanta, Georgia. She will be the company’s chief executive officer and will oversee the digital marketing staff and help develop and implement the company’s digital marketing service offerings.

Michelle has recruited an experienced business manager, Joshua Anderson, to be the company’s chief operating officer and help oversee the business operations. He has a master’s degree in business administration from Georgia University and over 15 years of experience managing his own company. Joshua will handle the day-to-day operations, including project management, customer relationships, and logistics.

Success Factors

Trending Next will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Skilled team of digital marketing experts who will work with each client to develop and implement personalized marketing campaigns tailored to their specific needs and goals.
• Trending Next will continuously seek out and incorporate the newest trends in digital marketing to ensure the best marketing efforts for each client.
• The company offers competitive pricing and discounts for regular customers.

Financial Highlights

Trending Next is seeking $300,000 in debt financing to launch its digital marketing business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the office and purchasing office equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office build-out: $90,000
• Equipment, supplies, and materials: $60,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $130,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Trending Next.

Company Overview

Who is trending next.

Trending Next is a newly established digital marketing company in Atlanta, Georgia. Trending Next will provide a full suite of digital marketing services for businesses of all sizes throughout the United States. The company will be the go-to digital marketing firm in Atlanta for innovative marketing strategies using the latest digital marketing technology and tools. Trending Next will create and launch digital marketing campaigns through a variety of channels from SEO and email to content and video marketing. The company will be the ultimate choice for customer service while guaranteeing expertly developed personalized marketing solutions for each client.

Trending Next will be able to guarantee the effectiveness of its digital marketing strategies thanks to the latest and most innovative digital marketing technology and expertise of its leadership team. The company’s team of highly qualified professionals experienced in digital marketing will ensure each client’s marketing campaign is tailored to meet their specific needs and goals.

Trending Next History

Trending Next is owned and operated by Michelle Taylor, an experienced digital marketer who has gained valuable knowledge during her five-year tenure working as a digital marketing manager at a premier digital marketing agency in New York. Now that Michelle has gained the experience and knowledge of how to manage a digital marketing agency, she is ready to start one of her own. Michelle has begun recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day to day complexities of running a digital marketing firm –  – sales and marketing, customer support, technology management, customer relations, administration, and finance.

Since incorporation, Trending Next has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Trending Next, LLC to transact business in the state of Georgia
• Has signed a letter of intent to lease the office space
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include previous employees, colleagues, and experienced digital marketing professionals to begin building a team of experts for the company’s management team
• Began recruiting a staff of operational positions including accountants, administrative personnel, and sales representative to work at Trending Next

Trending Next Services

Industry analysis.

The digital marketing industry in the United States is valued at approximately $30.6B and is forecasted to grow by 3.7% this year. The digital marketing industry comprises several different marketing channels: SEO, PPC, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, marketing analytics, inbound marketing, sponsored content, native advertising, marketing automation, and affiliate marketing. Digital marketing agencies can choose to specialize in some combination of these channels or all of the above.

One of the major demand drivers for digital marketing is the increase in internet traffic volume. As this volume increases due to more consumers using smartphones, tablets, and computers to make purchases, more businesses will need marketing services to expand their online presence.

The primary challenge for new digital marketing agency operators is the high level of competition present in the industry. Another challenge is the speed at which digital channels evolve. Industry operators must keep up with the latest digital marketing trends, channels, and technologies to remain competitive.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for the United States are:

Customer Segmentation

Trending Next will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Small businesses (less than 100 employees)
• Mid-sized businesses (101-500 employees)
• Large businesses (over 500 employees)

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Trending Next will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Perfect SEO

Perfect SEO is one of the largest digital marketing firms in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was established as a traditional marketing agency (Perfect Marketing) in 1990 and has since grown to 30 offices throughout the country. As digital marketing has become the norm, the company has transitioned to a more digital mindset and changed its name to Perfect SEO. The company still provides traditional paid advertising activities in addition to its digital marketing offerings. As the name specifies, the company’s digital marketing expertise centers on search engine optimization (SEO) in particular. Perfect SEO aims to deliver high-quality services through its innovative digital marketing process. Perfect SEO’s team of experienced digital marketing professionals are experts in SEO and able to provide business clients with effective marketing solutions.

Grow Your Business Fast

Grow Your Business Fast is a small digital marketing agency catering to local businesses in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas. Grow Your Business Fast provides a variety of online marketing services including the development and deployment of social media campaigns, website advertising, technical SEO, content marketing, video marketing, email/SMS marketing, and PPC. The company is owned and operated by experienced marketing professionals with over three decades of experience in creating and managing marketing campaigns for companies of all sizes.

Innovation Online

Innovation Online is a trusted Atlanta, Georgia-based digital marketing firm that provides superior digital marketing services to business clients throughout the United States. The company is able to provide a wide variety of services using the latest digital marketing strategies and tools. Innovation Online specializes in creating innovative social media marketing and cohesive digital marketing strategies for businesses in a range of industries, with retail being the most well-known. The company has been recognized for creating the most popular marketing campaigns for some of the largest retailers in the country.

Competitive Advantage

Trending Next will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Trending Next will continuously seek out and incorporate the newest trends and tools in digital marketing to ensure the best marketing tactics for each client.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Trending Next will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Trending Next is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

As a digital marketing agency, Trending Next will lead by example. The company’s marketing director will create engaging accounts on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Trending Next maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and fun content to provide an example of what the company is capable of creating for clients.

Professional Associations and Networking

Trending Next will become a member of professional associations such as the Digital Marketing Association, American Marketers Society, and the Georgia Marketing Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s client network.

Email/SMS Marketing

Trending Next will use email and SMS marketing to target potential business clients by sending them targeted emails, newsletters, and promotional updates to incentivize them to engage with the company.

Website/SEO Marketing

Trending Next will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the social media campaign to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Trending Next is able to provide. The website will also provide testimonials from satisfied clients.

The marketing director will also manage the company’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “Atlanta digital marketing agency” or “digital marketing firm near me”, Trending Next will be listed at the top of the search results.

Pricing Strategy

The pricing of Trending Next will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Trending Next.

Operation Functions:

• Michelle Taylor will be the chief executive officer and will oversee the digital marketing staff and be the creative driver for new marketing tools and tactics. Michelle has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Joshua Anderson – Chief operating officer who will manage the day-to-day operations, budgeting, client relationships, and logistics.
• Daniel Moore – Accountant/bookkeeper who will provide all accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• Paul Wilson – Marketing director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and outreach.

Milestones:

Trending Next will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

12/1/2022 – Finalize lease on the office space

12/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Trending Next management team

1/1/2023 – Begin build-out of the office, purchase equipment, and start networking

1/15/2023 – Begin implementing the marketing campaign

2/15/2023 – Finalize contracts for digital marketing professionals to work at Trending Next

3/15/2023 – Trending Next officially opens for business

Trending Next will be owned and operated by Michelle Taylor. Michelle is a graduate of New York University with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing. She has over five years of experience working as a digital marketing manager for a prestigious marketing agency based in New York. Now, Michelle aims to bring her digital marketing skills to work in her new location in Atlanta, Georgia. She will be the company’s chief executive officer and will oversee the staff and help develop and implement the agency’s services.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Trending Next are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the company’s services. The company charges fees on a per-project basis and offers monthly retainers for ongoing marketing management.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a digital marketing agency. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, office equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average number of accounts per month: 10
• Average fees per month: $50,000
• Overhead costs per year: $700,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement

Free Digital Marketing Business Plan PDF

You can download our free digital marketing agency business plan template PDF here . This is a sample digital marketing agency business plan template you can use in PDF format. You can easily complete your Digital Marketing Agency business plan using our Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template here .

Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan FAQs

What is a digital marketing agency business plan.

A digital marketing agency business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your digital marketing agency business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target audience , presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

What are the Steps To Start a Digital Marketing Agency?

Starting a digital marketing agency can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your business goals and get started faster.

1. Develop a Digital Marketing Business Plan – The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed digital marketing business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research to determine potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure – It’s important to select an appropriate legal entity for your digital marketing business . This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your digital marketing business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Business – Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your marketing business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options – It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your digital marketing agency business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location – Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees – There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Digital Marketing Agency Equipment & Supplies – In order to start your marketing agency , you’ll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business – Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your digital marketing agency. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective digital marketing strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful digital marketing agency:

How to Start a Digital Marketing Agency

How to Create a Business Plan for a Digital Agency

The demand for digital marketing services has skyrocketed.

As businesses strive to establish a strong online presence, the need for digital agencies has become more prominent than ever.

If you’re considering starting your own digital agency, it’s crucial to have a well-thought-out business plan in place. A comprehensive business plan will not only guide you through the initial stages of setting up your agency but also serve as a roadmap for long-term success.

In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps to create a business plan for your digital agency, ensuring that you have a solid foundation to build upon.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a brief overview of your digital agency and its objectives. It should highlight the key points of your business plan and provide a snapshot of your agency’s mission, vision, and goals . T

his section should be concise yet compelling, capturing the attention of potential investors or partners.

• Brief overview of your digital agency and its objectives
• Highlight the key points of your business plan
• Snapshot of your agency’s mission, vision, and goals

2. Company Overview

In this section, you will delve deeper into the details of your digital agency. Provide information about the history of your agency, its legal structure, and the team behind it. Highlight your agency’s unique selling proposition (USP) and explain how it sets you apart from your competitors . Additionally, outline your agency’s core values and the culture you aim to foster within your organization.

• Provide information about the history of your agency
• Explain the legal structure and ownership details
• Introduce the key members of your team
• Highlight your agency’s unique selling proposition (USP)
• Outline your agency’s core values and culture

3. Market Analysis

Conducting a thorough market analysis is crucial to understanding the digital marketing landscape and identifying potential opportunities. Research the current market trends, industry growth rate, and customer preferences.

Identify your target audience and analyze their needs, pain points, and buying behavior . This information will help you tailor your services to meet the specific demands of your target market.

• Research current market trends and industry growth rate
• Identify your target audience and analyze their needs
• Understand customer preferences and buying behavior
• Determine the size of your target market and its growth potential

4. Services Offered

Outline the range of services your digital agency will offer . This could include website design and development, search engine optimization ( SEO ), social media marketing, content creation, pay-per-click ( PPC ) advertising, and more. Clearly define each service and explain how it will benefit your clients . Highlight any unique or specialized services that differentiate you from your competitors.

• Outline the range of services your digital agency will offer
• Clearly define each service and its benefits to clients
• Highlight any unique or specialized services you provide

5. Target Market

Identify your target market and create buyer personas to better understand their characteristics, preferences, and needs. Consider factors such as demographics, psychographics, and geographic location. This information will help you tailor your marketing strategies and effectively reach your target audience. Additionally, analyze the size of your target market and its growth potential to assess the viability of your agency’s services.

• Identify your target market and create buyer personas
• Create an ideal client profile
• Understand the characteristics, preferences, and needs of your target audience
• Consider demographics, psychographics, and geographic location

6. Competitive Analysis

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of your competitors to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning. Research their service offerings, pricing strategies, target markets, and marketing tactics. This analysis will help you identify gaps in the market that your agency can capitalize on. Differentiate your agency by highlighting the unique value proposition you offer and how it addresses the pain points of your target audience.

• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of your competitors
• Identify their strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning
• Research their service offerings, pricing strategies, and target markets
• Highlight your unique value proposition and how it addresses customer pain points

7. Marketing and Sales Strategy

Develop a robust marketing and sales strategy to promote your digital agency and attract clients. Outline the channels you will use to reach your target audience, such as social media, content marketing , email marketing, and networking events. Define your pricing structure and any promotional offers or packages you will provide. Additionally, outline your sales process and how you will nurture leads to convert them into paying clients.

• Develop a robust marketing and sales strategy
• Define the channels to reach your target audience
• Utilize social media, content marketing, email marketing, and networking events
• Outline your pricing structure and any promotional offers or packages
• Explain your sales process and lead nurturing strategies

8. Operations and Management

In this section, outline the operational aspects of your digital agency. Define your organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities of team members, and any external partnerships or collaborations. Discuss your workflow processes, project management systems , and tools you will utilize to ensure smooth operations. Additionally, address any legal and regulatory requirements specific to your industry.

• Define your organizational structure and roles
• Outline responsibilities of team members
• Discuss workflow processes and project management systems
• Address any legal and regulatory requirements

9. Financial Projections

Provide a detailed financial forecast for your digital agency, including revenue projections, expenses, and profit margins. Consider factors such as pricing, client acquisition costs, and recurring revenue streams. Outline your funding requirements, whether through self-funding, loans, or seeking investors. Include a break-even analysis and a timeline for achieving profitability.

• Provide a detailed financial forecast for your agency
• Include revenue projections, expenses, and profit margins
• Consider pricing, client acquisition costs, and recurring revenue streams
• Outline funding requirements and potential sources
• Include a break-even analysis and timeline for profitability

Example Business Plan for a Digital Marketing Agency Specializing in SEO

Executive Summary:

[Your Digital Marketing Agency ] is a dynamic and innovative digital marketing agency focused on providing top-notch SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services to businesses of all sizes. With a team of seasoned experts, cutting-edge technologies, and a commitment to delivering measurable results, we aim to empower our clients to achieve online success. Our comprehensive approach to SEO, coupled with a client-centric philosophy, sets us apart in the competitive digital marketing landscape.

Company Overview:

[Your Digital Marketing Agency] was founded in [Year] with the vision of helping businesses thrive in the digital realm. We specialize in SEO services, leveraging a combination of on-page and off-page strategies, keyword optimization, and analytics to boost our clients’ online visibility. Our team comprises experienced SEO professionals, content creators, and digital marketing strategists dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends.

Market Analysis:

The digital marketing landscape is rapidly evolving, with businesses increasingly recognizing the importance of a robust online presence. The global SEO market is projected to grow at a CAGR of [X%] from [Year] to [Year]. This growth is driven by the increasing reliance on search engines and the competitive nature of online markets. Our agency is strategically positioned to capitalize on this growth by offering tailored SEO solutions that align with the evolving needs of businesses.

Services Offered:

• On-Page SEO: Website optimization, content creation, meta tags, and keyword analysis.
• Off-Page SEO: Link building, social media engagement , and influencer outreach.
• Local SEO: Targeted strategies to enhance visibility in local search results.
• Technical SEO: Website audit, performance optimization, and mobile responsiveness.
• Analytics and Reporting : Regular performance tracking, data analysis, and actionable insights.

Target Market:

Our primary target market includes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to strengthen their online presence and large corporations looking to maintain a competitive edge in the digital landscape. We aim to work across diverse industries, tailoring our services to meet the unique challenges and goals of each client.

Competitive Analysis:

In a competitive market, [Your Digital Marketing Agency] differentiates itself through:

• Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success with past clients and case studies .
• Comprehensive Approach: Offering a holistic range of SEO services to address all aspects of online visibility.
• Innovation: Staying abreast of industry trends and utilizing the latest technologies for optimal results.

Marketing and Sales Strategy:

Our marketing strategy involves a multi-channel approach, including:

• Content Marketing: Sharing valuable insights through blogs, whitepapers, and webinars .
• Social Media Engagement: Building a strong online presence through platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter , and Instagram .
• Strategic Partnerships : Collaborating with other businesses to expand our reach.

Our sales strategy emphasizes personalized consultations, transparent pricing, and tailored solutions to address each client’s unique needs.

Operations and Management:

[Your Digital Marketing Agency] is led by a seasoned management team with extensive experience in digital marketing and SEO. Our operational framework ensures efficient project management, seamless communication , and continuous improvement. We invest in ongoing training and professional development to keep our team at the forefront of industry best practices.

Financial Projections:

The financial projections are based on conservative estimates, with a focus on sustainable growth. Key financial metrics include:

• Revenue Projections: Anticipated growth based on market demand and expansion strategies.
• Cost Analysis: Detailed breakdown of operating expenses, marketing costs, and personnel expenses.
• Profit Margins: Projections for net profit margins, demonstrating the agency’s financial viability.

These projections are underpinned by a commitment to fiscal responsibility and the agility to adapt to market changes.

Wrap up your business plan with a compelling conclusion that summarizes the key points and highlights the potential for success. Reiterate your agency’s mission, vision, and goals, and emphasize the unique value proposition you offer.

End on a positive note, expressing your confidence in the future growth and profitability of your digital agency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: how long does it take to create a business plan for a digital agency.

A1: The time required to create a business plan fora digital agency can vary depending on various factors such as the complexity of your agency’s services, the depth of market research required, and the level of detail you want to include in your plan. On average, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to develop a comprehensive business plan.

Q2: What should I include in the market analysis section of my business plan?

A2: In the market analysis section, it is essential to research and analyze the current digital marketing landscape, industry trends, and customer preferences. Identify your target audience and understand their needs, pain points, and buying behavior. Additionally, assess the size of your target market and its growth potential. This information will help you tailor your services and marketing strategies to effectively reach your target audience.

Q3: How can I differentiate my digital agency from competitors?

A3: To differentiate your digital agency from competitors, it is crucial to identify your unique selling proposition (USP). This could be a specialized service you offer, a specific industry niche you cater to, or a unique approach to solving your clients’ problems. Highlight your USP in your business plan and explain how it sets you apart from your competitors. Emphasize the value you bring to your clients and how your agency can address their pain points more effectively than others.

Q4: What should be included in the financial projections section?

A4: The financial projections section of your business plan should provide a detailed forecast of your agency’s revenue, expenses, and profit margins. Consider factors such as pricing, client acquisition costs, and recurring revenue streams. Outline your funding requirements and sources, whether through self-funding, loans, or seeking investors. Include a break-even analysis and a timeline for achieving profitability.

Q5: How can I effectively market and sell my digital agency’s services?

A5: Developing a robust marketing and sales strategy is crucial for promoting your digital agency and attracting clients. Determine the channels you will use to reach your target audience, such as social media, content marketing, email marketing, and networking events. Define your pricing structure and any promotional offers or packages you will provide. Additionally, outline your sales process and how you will nurture leads to convert them into paying clients. Regularly evaluate and adjust your marketing and sales strategies based on the results and feedback you receive.

• Social media marketing: Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to engage with your target audience, share valuable content, and showcase your expertise.
• Content marketing: Create high-quality, informative content such as blog posts, articles, and videos that resonate with your target audience. This will help establish your agency as a thought leader in the industry.
• Email marketing: Build an email list and send regular newsletters, updates, and promotions to stay connected with your audience and nurture leads.
• Cold Email and LinkedIn Outreach : Reach out directly to potential leads and start a conversation
• Networking events: Attend industry conferences, seminars, and networking events to build relationships, generate leads, and establish your agency’s presence.
• Referral programs: Encourage satisfied clients to refer your agency to others by offering incentives or rewards for successful referrals.

Creating a business plan for your digital agency is a crucial step towards building a successful and sustainable business. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can develop a comprehensive plan that will serve as a roadmap for your agency’s growth and success.

Remember to regularly review and update your business plan as your agency evolves and adapts to the ever-changing digital landscape. With a solid business plan in place, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that come your way in the dynamic world of digital marketing.

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Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Starting a digital marketing agency is an exciting endeavor requiring commitment and planning, and having a comprehensive business plan template and guidebook is essential for entrepreneurs to succeed. The #1 Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template & Guidebook is an invaluable resource designed to help turn your dreams into reality, offering detailed instructions on everything from naming your business to managing revenue. Get ready to hit the ground running with this comprehensive roadmap to success!

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• How to Start a Profitable Digital Marketing Agency Business [11 Steps]

How to Write a Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your digital marketing agency business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your digital marketing agency business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a digital marketing agency business:

Our mission at [Digital Marketing Agency] is to provide professional and innovative digital marketing solutions that create significant value to our clients, promote their businesses and increase their online visibility. We strive to be the leading digital marketing agency in [geographic area], offering our clients the best possible customer service with results-driven solutions.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Digital Marketing Agency Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your digital marketing agency business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your digital marketing agency business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your digital marketing agency business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your digital marketing agency business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a digital marketing agency business?

• Computer and other tech equipment
• Internet connection
• Office space and furnishing
• Digital marketing software and tools
• Accounting and bookkeeping software
• Business licenses and permits (if applicable)
• Advertising budget for paid campaigns

5. Management & Organization of Your Digital Marketing Agency Business.

The second part of your digital marketing agency business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your digital marketing agency business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Digital Marketing Agency Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a digital marketing agency business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a digital marketing agency business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your digital marketing agency business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your digital marketing agency business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your digital marketing agency business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Digital Marketing Agency Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a digital marketing agency business.

A business plan is essential for the success of a digital marketing agency business. It helps owners, investors, and potential clients determine the direction, goals, and procedures of the business. It outlines the plans for how the agency will operate and grow, as well as its financial projections. A business plan also serves as a roadmap for how to structure, manage, and track different aspects of the business.

Who should you ask for help with your digital marketing agency business plan?

You should seek advice and assistance from a trusted business advisor or consultant who has experience in creating digital marketing agency business plans. Additionally, there are many resources available online that can provide guidance on how to create a successful business plan.

Can you write a digital marketing agency business plan yourself?

Writing a business plan is a complex process and while it is certainly possible to write a digital marketing agency business plan without professional help, it can be beneficial to get input from experts in the field. This can help ensure that the business plan outlines a comprehensive strategy for success. Additionally, if you are applying for funding from an investor or financial institution, it may be necessary to have a professional business plan in order to be eligible for the loan or funding.

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How to Write A Killer Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan

Short on time, let's get started, ready to acellerate your biz.

Do you have a business plan for your digital marketing agency? If not, you’re missing out on a brilliant tool to help you structure growth and progress over time. 

Many people think of creating a business plan as being a tedious, time-consuming process. The truth is, it can take a couple of weeks or even months to perfect your plan. However, with the right knowledge in place, you can create a killer digital marketing business plan with relative ease.  

We’re here to share that knowledge with you and get you on the right track. 

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about why business planning is so important, how to create your own digital marketing agency business plan, and how to implement it for ongoing success. 

What is a Business Plan?  

A business plan is a detailed document that creates a picture of your agency as it is today and details your growth plan over the next three or five years. Your business plan will structure and explain your key business goals and your strategies for how to reach them.  

Most plans include plenty of market research to support these strategies and provide proof that they will provide the results you want to see. 

Why Do You Need a Digital Marketing Business Plan?  

Your digital marketing business plan should include your key short-term and long-term goals and digital strategies. It should also cover an analysis of your competitor landscape, and other information like budgets, timelines, the channels you aim to target, and more. 

Your business plan will act like a roadmap that shows you exactly what you need to do to work towards your desired path. You probably already know where you want to get to, and your plan will supply you with a specific, logical route to take to get there. 

You’ll also need a complete business plan to secure funding and attract investors and stakeholders. Virtually all businesses use a business plan to obtain funding from investors. So, the clearer and more convincing your plan is, the more likely people will be to invest time and money into your venture.  

Of course, your plan should include a projected marketing budget that will show you exactly how much you need to spend to market your services effectively to the right audiences. If you can get your brand in front of your target market without breaking the bank, you’ll be in a great position to maintain profitability in the long run. 

Common Business Plan Structures  

A business plan usually contains a scope of between one and three years – and in some cases, up to five years. Most business plan structures include sections for sources of revenue, cost management strategies, new service development strategies, marketing budgets, and projected profitability figures.  

They also include existing financial performance reviews, objectives, and strategies to achieve them, and your value proposition. Along with sales and marketing tactics, operational strategies, financial forecasts, hiring and staffing strategies, and any foreseen potential challenges. 

The purpose of a good plan is to align your goal opportunities with strategic activity, resources, and effort to achieve your desired growth. Luckily, there are plenty of templates available online that break down your digital marketing business plan into simple, easy-to-understand categories. This helps to ensure that you include all the information you need without leaving anything crucial out. 

How Do I Develop My Digital Marketing Strategy?  

There are five key stages to developing your agency’s digital marketing strategy .  

Step 1: Planning  

Every solid digital marketing strategy needs a plan. We highly recommend using data to assess the efficacy of your current marketing practices and develop tactics to improve them.  

You can craft a plan using KPI dashboards, customised analytics, and SMART goals to craft a step-by-step improvement strategy for your digital marketing, lead generation, and sales approaches. 

Step 2: Reaching out to leads  

Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to enhance your marketing funnel by reaching out to as many leads as possible and building awareness of your agency. Use the latest, most effective online marketing approaches like paid advertising and SEO to drive traffic to your site. 

Step 3: Take action  

By this, we mean interacting meaningfully with your target audience through your website and social channels to generate as many quality leads as possible. Once you’ve reached your audience, take action to guide them through your marketing funnel towards making a purchase.  

Content marketing is especially effective in this regard. It helps to entertain, educate, and engage potential leads, helping to persuade them to become customers. 

Step 4: Convert your leads  

Strategies like nurturing leads, optimising your conversion rates, and retargeting past customers are all excellent ways to convince your leads to become loyal customers.  

You should consider using website personalisation and social commerce to your advantage. Data shows that 87% of eCommerce shoppers use social media to help them make purchase decisions! 

Step 5: Engage your customers  

Now that you’ve successfully transformed leads into customers, there are many ways to increase sales from them by keeping them engaged in the long term. Use tools like personalised website, email, and social media communications using customer data to create customised marketing campaigns.  

You can obtain this data using A/B testing, customer personas and content mapping, customer feedback, website surveys, and more. Predictive analytics tools are also great for finding out the best times to engage with your customers and follow up with them. 

How Do I Create My Business Plan?  

As we mentioned earlier, we’re big fans of using business plan templates to structure digital marketing efforts and strategies. Using a template is the best way to ensure that you include every piece of information you need to secure funding from investors and drive your agency forward. 

Your plan should include: 

• An executive summary 
• Company overview 
• Industry analysis 
• Customer and competitive analyses 
• Marketing and operations plans 
• Management team structures 
• Financial plans 
• Balance sheets and a cash flow statement 
• An appendix and summary 

How Do I Successfully Implement My Business Plan?  

Once you have your business plan in hand, it’s time to gather your team and inform them of the details. Additionally, you can share any metrics (like sales or conversions) that need to be prioritised. Establish timelines and milestones for reaching these goals.  

Delegate tasks and responsibilities to the right team members and create systems that will allow you to measure your results and progress. Remember to schedule regular business plan review sessions as well. This is a working document that will need to be updated frequently as your goals and the greater market shift. 

A Plan For Progress   

Every agency needs a strong digital marketing business plan to structure and guide its progress towards its greater goals. Use our tips to create a complete, comprehensive plan that will secure your success. 

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• 📈 Identify your target audience, market, and competition to understand the landscape of your industry.
• 📊 Set measurable goals and KPIs to track your progress and evaluate the success of your digital marketing plan.
• 💻 Develop a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that includes tactics such as SEO, PPC, content marketing, social media, and email marketing.
• 👨‍💼 Assign responsibilities and establish a timeline for each step of your digital marketing plan to ensure accountability and efficiency.
• 📱 Use digital tools and platforms to automate and streamline your marketing efforts, such as Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Hootsuite.
• 👍 Continuously evaluate and adjust your digital marketing plan based on data analysis and customer feedback to optimize your results.

How To Write a Marketing Agency Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for marketing agency businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every marketing agency owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template

What is a Marketing Agency Business Plan?

A marketing agency business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Marketing Agency Business Plan?

A marketing agency business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Marketing Agency Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful marketing agency business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a marketing agency business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your marketing agency
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your marketing agency , you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your marketing agency, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen marketing agency business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a marketing agency business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the marketing agency industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of a marketing agency may include small businesses, non-profit organizations, or even individuals.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or marketing agency services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your marketing agency may have:

• Proven track record of success
• Strong client base
• Robust marketing strategy and execution
• Highly qualified and experienced team
• State-of-the-art technology and tools

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your marketing agency via public relations or word-of-mouth.

Operations Plan

This part of your marketing agency business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a marketing agency include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding X new clients or launching a new website.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific marketing agency industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Marketing Agency

Balance Sheet

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Marketing Agency

Cash Flow Statement

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup marketing agency .

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Marketing Agency

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your marketing agency . It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

If you are seeking funding from investors or lenders, it is especially important to have a well-written business plan that demonstrates the expertise and experience of your management team, as well as your company’s potential for financial success. By taking the time to write a detailed and comprehensive business plan, you will give your marketing agency the best chance for success.  

Finish Your Marketing Agency Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your marketing agency business plan?

With our Ultimate Digital Marketing Agency Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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Start a Digital Marketing Agency [Business Plan + Documents + 20 Templates]

If you're looking to start a digital marketing agency, you’ve come to the right place.

There are over 5 million new businesses started every year , and the need for digital marketing grows with each one.

While the demand for these services is soaring, success in digital marketing still requires a thorough understanding of both internal and external operations. 

That’s why our experts at Slam Media Lab (Slam) are breaking down the steps and strategies you’ll need to build, operate, and scale your agency. 

Founded during the pandemic and based in San Francisco , Slam has scaled to a $2M agency focused on Webflow , SEO , branding , and content marketing. 

This growth wasn’t magic; it was the product of consistent and effective strategies, which we’ll share in this guide.

While this article provides a comprehensive foundation for your agency, we’ve assembled an entire course dedicated to those looking to go the full nine yards.

In our How to Start an Agency course, you’ll find everything from how we got our first clients to ways to crush your sales process, arming you with the knowledge and resources needed to build a successful digital marketing agency.

Understanding the Types of Digital Marketing Agencies

Before you can offer your digital marketing services, it’s important to determine which types of digital marketing you’ll provide. 

While it’s possible to start a full-service digital marketing agency, building knowledge and authority across all types of digital marketing services will require a significant amount of time and resources. 

By selecting a specific service, you can diminish this learning curve, obtain better results, and establish credibility for your services. 

These services might include:

• PPC Advertising
• Social Media Marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Content Marketing
• Influencer Marketing
• Email Marketing

To determine which service you’ll offer, consider your skill set and interests, as well as any relevant work experience. In our How to Start an Agency course, we break down the various service types to help you make this distinction. 

Using this resource, take some time to identify a service that you find interesting and start learning everything you can about your specific field. To further expedite your growth, you should also focus on and pick a niche, which we’ll dive into later in the article.

Once you've determined your service, you can move onto the next step: the legal foundation.

Starting a Digital Marketing Agency Legally

Before you can onboard clients and send invoices, you’ll need to consider your legal structure. In the U.S., some of the most common business structures for new agencies include:

• Sole Proprietorship
• Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• S-Corporation

A sole proprietorship requires no legal registration, but also provides no legal distinction between the owner and business, often causing issues with record keeping and liability due to the lack of separation between personal and business liability.

To open a business bank account and keep accurate records, you’ll need to establish a formal business entity like an LLC or S-Corporation. For new digital marketing agencies, an LLC is often the go-to structure due to the low cost and separation of business and personal liability. 

As you scale, you might consider transitioning to an S-Corporation , which could help you save on taxes by paying yourself as an employee.

Once your formation documents have been approved, you’ll need to apply for an employer identification number (EIN) . This number is essentially your agency’s social security number, allowing you to open a business account at nearly any credit union.

Business bank accounts allow you to separate personal and business transactions, aiding in tax reporting and liability distinction. By setting up your account before providing services, you can establish a secure foundation of record keeping with your personal and business assets separated.

With your legal and financial foundation in place, you can then move on to building, operating, and scaling your digital marketing agency.

7 Steps to Start a Digital Marketing Agency

Once your agency is recognized legally, you can begin getting recognized by clients. In this section, we’ll break down how to do this in 7 steps:

Identifying Your Target Client

• Determining Your Services & Pricing

Establishing Your Operational Processes

Acquiring clients for your agency, establishing a strong online presence, getting recognized with seo.

• Expanding Your Network and Audience 

Just like when selecting a specific service, identifying a target client will make it much easier to build knowledge and authority in your niche.

Through targeting a specific type of business, you can develop an understanding of their unique challenges and goals, which would be nearly impossible when serving all industries. 

By identifying these challenges and goals, you can craft marketing material and sales strategies that resonate with your target client. 

For example, an HVAC company and an athleisure brand face completely different struggles on a day-to-day basis. By crafting each message to speak directly to your desired client, you can ensure your content resonates with their experiences.

Beyond the benefits of targeted copywriting, serving a specific client makes it much easier to get involved with groups in the industry.

Instead of joining groups like “US Business Owners,” which are crowded by competing marketing agencies, you can join specific groups, such as “Gym Owners in Arizona.” While targeted groups have far fewer members, it’s much easier to establish yourself as an expert and become the go-to agency for that group’s members.

Whether it’s through valuable posts or insightful messages, understanding and connecting with your target client allows you to expedite your growth and boost your niche authority. 

In the How to Start an Agency masterclass, we’ll share everything you need to know to identify the optimal target persona for your digital marketing agency.

Determining Your Pricing Structure

With your service and target client in mind, the next step is to determine your pricing structure. In most cases, pricing structures fall under one or more of the following:

• Project: The price is calculated using a predetermined formula. To determine the price, estimate the total project costs, including labor, and add a margin to protect profits.
• Performance: The payment is determined by your results. This method can be unpredictable, but it is often effective for high-performing agencies. 
• Time: The total price is based on an agreed-upon hourly amount. This structure ensures the project covers your labor cost, but it is often unfavorable for large-scale projects.

By using the same pricing structure for each client, you can simplify your quotation process, improve your financial analytics, and ensure a consistent profit margin. 

However, there’s a lot more to consider than just the structure when pricing your services. Knowing this, we’ve dedicated an entire module of the How to Start an Agency course to breaking down how to find the perfect price for your services. 

With your target client and service pricing in place, you can begin onboarding your first clients. To do this, you can employ a wide variety of strategies, which you’ll also find in the How to Start an Agency course. 

However, the foundation of client acquisition is quite simple. To get your first clients, you’ll need to do the following:

• Establishing a strong online presence
• Developing a valuable content strategy
• Expanding your network and audience.

When clients are searching for a digital marketing agency, first impressions are everything. Because of this, it’s important to build a website and establish social profiles, providing relevant value to attract and engage your target client.

To build your website, some of the best website design tools include:

• Webflow (Our favorite at Slam!)
• Squarespace

It’s also helpful to establish a presence on other platforms to maximize your reach, whether it’s your Google Business profile, Clutch listing, or a local directory.

Once you’ve established your agency online, you’ll need to provide relevant value to rank, engage, and convert. 

To do this, you’ll need to understand and employ SEO strategies while designing and managing your website. This includes everything from researching and implementing specific keywords to building authority within search engines.

In Slam’s How to Start and Grow an Agency course, we break down our exact processes to design an SEO content strategy for your marketing agency.

In our resources section, you’ll also find a wealth of additional tools and templates to help you with everything from organization to optimization.

Developing a Valuable Content Strategy

To develop this strong online presence, you’ll need to employ a comprehensive content strategy. 

These strategies might include sharing informative blog articles, social media guides, and eventually, testimonials from clients who’ve found success with your services. 

Through sharing this content, you’ll establish credibility at the first touch point, saving you the hassle of proving your worth during the sales process.

To define your agency’s content strategy, implement the following 5-step process:

• Establish your brand strategy and identity
• Determine which platforms you’ll focus on
• List your target audience’s questions and challenges
• Create content for each of these queries
• Schedule and share content consistently

By implementing these steps, you’ll develop a targeted audience and position yourself as the marketing expert in their industry. A comprehensive content writing strategy also helps you expand your reach. 

When Google, or your social media platform, recognizes that you consistently provide valuable content that your target audience engages with, you’ll gain authority among both your audience and your marketing platform.

This means your content will be shown to more users, providing targeted and organic leads for your digital marketing agency.

Expanding Your Network and Audience

While inbound strategies will help you develop a consistent flow of targeted leads, proactively expanding your network will often be the quickest way to find your first clients.

By providing value to your target client and connecting with them on platforms like LinkedIn, you’ll be able to rapidly expand your network and audience.  

Networking may also include attending local events, engaging in relevant groups, or connecting directly with business owners. 

A comprehensive network will continue to provide value, often serving as the lead source of referrals for agencies. In the How to Start an Agency Masterclass, we’ll uncover Slam’s cold outreach and content strategies, allowing you to turn your LinkedIn profile into a lead-generating machine.

A scalable agency is founded on clear operations. By establishing these processes early on, you'll mitigate the growing pains that often come with a rapidly expanding client base. 

As your client base grows and you begin to hire employees, these processes will serve as a benchmark to ensure your agency retains quality at scale. 

While these processes can outline any aspect of your agency’s conduct, some of the most critical include client onboarding, communication, and project management.

Client Onboarding

From your first client interaction to establishing service terms, a consistent agency onboarding process allows you to easily identify what works and what doesn’t.

In your client onboarding operations, the basic framework includes:

• Identify client needs and goals
• Tailor an effective solution
• Agree on pricing and deliverables

Each of these operational processes should contain specific information detailing how you interact with the client at this stage . As more and more clients go through your set processes, you’ll be able to effectively collect data on where sales are lost, allowing you to continuously optimize your operations.

Communication

After the sale, communication is still a key factor in retaining clients and optimizing internal operations. An effective communication process will outline the means of communication, as well as the necessary client touch points.

For example, you might mandate that your team reach out to each client on a weekly basis to discuss challenges and opportunities. By doing so, you’ll establish a stronger relationship with your client, increasing the customer lifetime value .

These communications can go through a number of channels, such as:

While email is often sufficient for new agencies, software like Slack and Discord provide a plethora of tools, designed to streamline communication both internally and externally.

Project Management

Once you’ve onboarded your clients and established clear communication guidelines, the next key consideration is how you’ll manage your projects. 

As your client base grows, you’ll need to integrate clear guidelines detailing the organization and management of each project. This ensures that your services are scalable and that your service quality is not hindered by a surplus of clients.

For project management, you’ll likely seek one of the following tools:

• Google Sheets

By managing your projects with these tools, you can track your deliverables and deadlines, ensuring each project is on-schedule. At Slam, we use Notion to organize client accounts, project timelines, meeting notes, and any important information for a project. 

To help you format your Notion account, we’ve also developed a Notion document template to help ensure your agency remains on-task and on-time.

Financial Accounting

The final key operation is accounting. To start and scale a digital marketing agency, you must have a clear understanding of your finances, including monetary key performance indicators (KPIs) and accounting processes.

By monitoring your marketing agency KPIs , such as cost per acquisition, profit margins, and average lifetime value, you can optimize your finances and ensure your agency’s pricing is profitable and scalable.

To track and optimize your finances, the following tools are often used:

Starting off, Stripe is often the go-to solution for transactions and analysis, which can be supplemented with additional data through customized spreadsheets on Google Sheets. 

As you scale, you’ll likely seek a more comprehensive solution, like QuickBooks or Xero, to effectively monitor and analyze higher volumes of transactions.

Ready to Start a Digital Marketing Agency with Slam?

With this article, you’re well equipped to begin your journey into reaching these clients. However, this is just the foundation. 

If you’re serious about building a 7-figure digital marketing agency like Slam, you’ll need to invest time and resources into understanding each aspect of your business and services.

Fortunately, you don’t have to look too far. We’ve compiled everything we’ve learned from scaling Slam Media Lab in our How to Start an Agency Masterclass.

Each module breaks down a critical step in building a successful marketing agency, sharing over 20 agency tools, templates, and 10 hours of guides throughout the course.

• Blueprint to creating your agency
• My Journey (Slam’s Origin Story)
• The role of an agency CEO
• The company setup
• Finding your niche
• How to get your first clients
• Setting up services & pricing
• Crafting a winning proposal

Through hard work, consistency, and the implementation of these strategies, you can build, operate, and scale a digital marketing agency with confidence.

Liked this? Check out our specific guides for your agency type!

• How to Start a Content Marketing Agency 
• How to Start a Creative Agency 
• How to Start a Facebook Ad Industry 
• How to Start a PR Agency 
• How to Start a Google Ads Agency
• How to Start an SEO Agency  
• How to Start a Social Media Marketing Agency
• How to start an Email Marketing Agency
• How to grow a Digital Marketing Agency

Join our email list to be the first to know about exciting launches, new products, and tools to help you and your team grow online.

Slam Media Lab is an award-winning digital agency hyper-focused on SEO, web design, content marketing, and brand design. We help impact organizations shaping the future win online through conversion-driven design.

Services from Slam

How to start an agency [course & 20+ templates].

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We can help you get the online presence you need, so you can focus on winning clients.

Read More from Slam

How To Write SEO-Friendly Blog Posts [Tips + Templates]

Webflow Zapier Integration: How to Automate Your Workflows

How to Start a Social Media Marketing Business (2025 Entrepreneur’s Guide)

Let’s make something amazing.

Are you ready to make this official? We’re always excited to hear about new projects. We’ll be in touch within 48 hours to let you know if we’re a match. We’re typically booked 1-3 months out, so let us know if you have a tight deadline.

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Digital Advertising Agency Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Internet Based Industry » Digital Marketing Agency

Are you about starting a starting a digital advertising agency ? If YES, here’s a complete sample digital advertising agency business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

If you have a penchant for advertising, then you may want to start a business that revolves around it. In many countries of the world like America, you are required to be a member of a body, as well as get some certifications in some advertising fields. These hurdles stated, helps you to operate at a much deeper level that stands you out in business.

A Sample Digital Advertising Agency Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

A standard Advertising agency create advertising campaigns for periodicals, newspapers, radio, TV and other media platforms such as social media. Through internal capabilities or delegating, ad agencies provide advice, creative services, account management, production of advertising campaign material and of course media planning and buying like ad placement et al.

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Establishments in the Advertising Agencies industry are responsible for creating advertising campaigns and place the advertisements in periodicals, newspapers, radio, TV and other media outlets such as social media and digital media platforms.

The arrival of new media and, in particular, the trend moving away from traditional media and toward digital and online services, has stimulated a drastic change in advertising strategies. As a matter of fact, loads of traditional advertising agencies have started to specialize in online advertising cum digital marketing so as to stay competitive in the industry.

As a result of this trend, the revenue generated in the industry has grown tremendously over the years. Going forward, the Advertising Agencies industry will continue to experience sustained growth, as the proliferation of digital devices, such as tablets and smartphones, provide new streams of income.

No doubt, the Advertising Agencies industry is in the mature phase of its life cycle and luckily for the industry, the advent of digital media has provided an opportunity for the industry to explore and experience vibrant growth. Of course, the industry is becoming more concentrated, as seen by a few large global firms dominating the market and gaining huge market share of the available market.

The Advertising Agencies Industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world especially in developed countries such as united states of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, France and Italy et al.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 65,454 licensed and registered advertising agencies responsible for employing about 251,296 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $43billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at 3.5 percent. It is important to state that the establishments with lion shares of the available market in this industry are The Omnicom Group Inc., WPP and IPG.

Over and above, advertising agencies cannot be phased out despite the change in advertising approaches and the emergence of new media. It is easier for advertising agencies to leverage on modern technology to reach – out to their target market. As a matter of fact, it is cost effective and far reaching for them to make use of social media platforms to carry out some of their advertising campaigns.

2. Executive Summary

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is a U.S based and world class advertising agency that will be located in Los Angeles – California. We have been able to secure a standard and well – positioned office facility in a central business district in Inglewood.

We are an advertising agency that is set to compete in the highly competitive advertising agencies industry not only in the United States market, but also in the global market because our clientele base will not be restricted to just businesses and organizations in the United States but in the internal market.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. will offer robust advertising services to both corporate organization and individuals. Our core services will revolve around creating advertising campaigns and place the advertisements in periodicals, newspapers, radio, TV and other media outlets such as social media and digital media platforms and other related advertising and media consulting and advisory services.

Our business goal is to become one of the leading advertising agencies in the United States of America with high profile corporate and individual clients scattered all around the globe. Our workers are going to be selected from a pool of talented and highly creative advertising and media experts in and around Los Angeles – California and also from any part of the world as the business grows.

We will make sure that we take all the members of our workforce through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company and to compete with leading advertising agencies such as The Omnicom Group Inc., WPP and IPG in the United States and of course throughout the globe.

At Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc., our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s business needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is founded by Lilian Goldberg and her friend and business partner for many years Lesly Henderson. They both graduated from University of California, Beckley with BA in Mass Communications and they have a combine experience that revolves around corporate branding and advertising, market researching, sales, web designing, graphic designing, and business management et al.

3. Our Products and Services

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. was established with the aim of maximizing profits in the Advertising Agencies industry. We want to compete favorably with leading advertising agencies such as The Omnicom Group Inc., WPP and IPG in the United States and of course throughout the globe which is why we have but in place a competent team that will ensure that we meet and even surpass our customers’ expectations.

We will work hard to ensure that Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. do not just work for clients in the United States of America, but also for clients in other parts of the world. Our products and services are listed below;

• Advertising services
• Creative services
• Public relations services
• Media planning, buying & representation
• Creating advertising campaigns
• Disseminating advertising campaigns through available mediums, such as TV and periodicals
• Other related media and advertising advisory and consulting services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to establish a standard and world class advertising agency whose services and brand will not only be accepted in the United States of America, but also in other parts of the world.
• Our mission is to provide professional and highly creative result oriented advertising services and other related advisory and consulting services that will assist businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations in promoting their brands and reaching out to a wide range of potential customers all over the globe.
• We want to build an advertising agency that can favorably compete with other leading brands in the advertising agencies industry.

Our Business Structure

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is a world class advertising agency that intend starting small in Los Angeles – California, but hope to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading advertising agencies such as The Omnicom Group Inc., WPP and IPG in the United States and of course throughout the globe.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hiring the best hands within our area of operations.

At Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, and creative, result driven, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the board of trustees of the company. In view of the above, Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Executive Officer
• Creative Director

Advertising cum Digital Marketing Specialist

Human Resources and Admin Manager

• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Web Designer cum Graphic Artist
• Content Creator / Online Traffic Generator

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization

Creative Director:

• Serve as project manager of the organization; works directly with employees
• Responsible for designing advertising concepts and winning business proposals for the organization
• In charge of copy writing and laying out chronological advertisement plans
• Develops strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities; presenting assumptions; recommending objectives.
• Accomplishes subsidiary objectives by establishing plans, budgets, and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress; making mid-course corrections.
• Coordinates efforts by establishing procurement, production, marketing, field, and technical services policies and practices; coordinating actions with corporate staff.
• Builds company image by collaborating with customers, government, community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices.
• Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; benchmarking state-of-the-art practices; participating in professional societies.
• Make certain that operations and marketing department perform efficiently, coordinate employee efforts, and facilitate communications between management and employees
• Ensures that the organization work in line with international best practices.
• Responsible for handling media planning, buying & representation
• Responsible for creating advertising campaigns
• Responsible for disseminating advertising campaigns through available mediums, such as TV, Radio and periodicals et al
• Responsible for handling core digital services such as banner advertising, video advertising, rich media advertising, sponsorship advertising, classifieds/directories, lead generation, mobile messaging/email, digital display advertising, mobile advertising, social media management
• Handle other related media and advertising advisory and consulting services
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily office.

Sales and Marketing Manager

• Manage external research and coordinate all the internal sources of information to retain the organizations’ best customers and attract new ones
• Model demographic information and analyze the volumes of transactional data generated by customer
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of development projects.
• Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develop, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Create new markets cum businesses for the organization
• Empower and motivates the sales team to meet and surpass agreed targets

Accountant / Cashier:

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Zebra Plus Digital Marketing Consulting™, LLC
• Serves as internal auditor for Zebra Plus Digital Marketing Consulting™, LLC.

Web Designer cum Graphic Designers

• Liaising with clients to determine their requirement and budget
• Responsible for Optimizing Website Functionality for owners of existing websites
• Responsible for Search Engine Optimization Services and Code Writing Services
• Responsible for developing concepts, graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and websites
• Responsible for managing client proposals from typesetting through to design, print and production
• Responsible for preparing drafts or material based on an agreement brief.
• Research and advice the organization on style, genre and other trendy info as it relates to new media and traditional media advertising.

Content Creator / Traffic Generator

• Responsible for creating contents for the organization as it relates to advertising
• Responsible for creating content / buzz words that will help attract traffics
• Responsible for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Responsible for engaging internet users to get help statistics and leads
• Liaising and working effectively With other staff members to generate sales for our clients
• Welcomes clients and potential clients by greeting them in person, online or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the creative director in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries.

6. SWOT Analysis

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. engaged the services of a core professional in the area of business consulting and structuring to assist our organization in building a well – structured advertising agency that can favorably compete in the highly competitive advertising agencies industry in the United States and the world at large.

We know that if we get things right before starting our advertising agency, we will not have to struggle before attract loyal clients and building our clientele base cum corporate profile to a level where we can easily breakeven in record time.

We hired the services of Dr. Edwards Christopher, a HR and Business consultant with bias in business structuring to help us conduct SWOT analysis for our company and he did a pretty good job for us. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc.;

Our core strength lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of creative, result driven and highly proficient advertising cum digital marketing expert, a team with excellent qualifications and experience various niche areas in the advertising agencies industry and other related industry.

Aside from the synergy that exist in our carefully selected advertising cum digital marketing experts, our services will be measurable, result driven and guided by best practices in the industry.

As a new advertising agency in Los Angeles – California, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and gain acceptance especially from top profile clients in the already saturated and highly competitive advertising agencies industry; that is perhaps our major weakness.

Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to pump into promoting our business especially via main stream media (TV, Radio and Newspapers et al) the way we would want to.

• Opportunities:

No doubt, the opportunities available in the advertising agencies industry is massive considering the number of individuals and corporate organizations with active presence on the internet and of course the pretty large numbers of people who visit the internet / social media platforms on a daily basis and own mobile phones / smart phones and other related gadgets.

As a standard and world class advertising agency, we are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that is available in the industry.

Just like any other business, one of the major threats that we are likely going to face is economic downturn. It is a fact that economic downturn affects purchasing / spending power. Another threat that may likely confront us is the arrival of advertising agency, a digital marketing agency or even a social media marketing company in same location where our target market exist and who may want to adopt same Business model like us.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

It is trendier in recent time to note that, loads of traditional advertising agencies have started to specialize in online advertising cum digital marketing so as to stay competitive in the industry. As a result of this trend, the revenue generated in the industry has grown tremendously over the years.

Going forward, the Advertising Agencies industry will continue to experience sustained growth, as the proliferation of digital devices, such as tablets and smartphones, provide new streams of income.

Another common trend in the advertising agencies industry is that, majority of advertising agencies no longer rely on tradition media for advertisement, they now fully embrace new media. As a result of this trend, they no longer settle for clients within the location where their physical office is located but also from any part of the world.

The truth is that with the advent of the internet, it is now easier for an advertising agency to work for clients in any part of the world. For instance, an advertising agency can be located in the United States of America and have their biggest client in United Arab Emirates or in China. Many thanks to the power of the internet which has brought the world closer to us.

Lastly, the advertising agencies industry will continue to evolve due to the advancement of computer technology and software applications designs et al.

8. Our Target Market

Prior to starting our advertising agency, we are certain that there is a wide range of both corporate and individual clients who cannot successfully run their businesses without the services and support of a standard advertising agencies; a company that can help them reach out to their target market and effectively promote their corporate brand and image.

In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various corporate organizations, non – profits, government agencies and individual who we know can’t afford to do without our services. We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that we meet and surpass the expectations of our clients

Below is a list of the people and organizations that we have specifically market our services to;

• Banks, Insurance Companies and other related Financial Institutions
• Blue Chips Companies
• Corporate Organizations
• Manufacturers and Distributors
• Real Estate Owners, Developers, and Contractors
• Research and Development Companies
• The Government (Public Sector)
• Schools (High Schools, Colleges and Universities)
• Celebrities, Politicians, Public Figures and Public Speakers
• Sport Organizations
• Religious Organizations
• Political Parties
• Television Stations
• Printing Press (Publishing Houses) and Authors
• Branding and Advertising agencies
• Aspiring celebrities
• Entrepreneurs and Start – Ups

Our Competitive Advantage

Surviving in the business world as an advertising agency requires more than, your expertise, knowing how to conduct your business but also how to network with key people that matters; decision makers that can decide who will get a contract or a business deal.

We are quite aware that to be highly competitive in the advertising agencies industry means that you are not only expected to be able to deliver consistent and excellent services, but you must be result driven and able to meet set targets. No one would want to continue to hire your services if don’t always meet up with the target sales the organization intends to generate when they hire your services.

Our competitive advantage lies in the power of our team; our workforce. We have a team of creative, result driven and highly proficient advertising cum digital marketing experts, a team with excellent qualifications and experience various niche areas in the advertising agencies industry and other related industry.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (startups advertising agencies in the United States) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the advertising agencies industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to meet and surpass the expectations of all our clients.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. will generate income by offering the following advertising cum digital marketing services and other related services;

• Disseminating advertising campaigns through available mediums, such as TV, radio and periodicals

10. Sales Forecast

One thing is certain, there would always be corporate organizations, government agencies, non – profits and individuals who would need the services of advertising agencies to help them increase sales or promote their brands and corporate image.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is well positioned to take on the available market in advertising agencies industry and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income / profits from the first six month of operations and grow our advertising agencies to enviable heights.

We have been able to critically examine the advertising agencies marketing space and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projection is based on information gathered on the field and some assumptions that are peculiar to similar startups in Los Angeles – California.

Below is the sales projection for Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc., it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of our media and advertising services we offer and our target market;

• First Fiscal Year-: $200,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $500,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same advertising agency services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are mindful of the fact that there is stiffer competition in the advertising agencies industry; hence we have been able to hire some of the best marketing experts to handle our sales and marketing.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the advertising agencies industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall business goal of Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc.

Our corporate goal is to grow Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. to become one of the leading advertising agency brands in the United States of America which is why we have mapped out strategy that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in the United States of America but also in other parts of the world.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our advertising agency by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to individuals, corporate organizations, government agencies, non – profits, religious organizations and key stake holders.
• Promptness in bidding for advertising and digital marketing contracts from the government and other cooperate organizations
• Advertise our business in relevant business magazines, newspapers, TV stations, and radio station.
• List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
• Attend relevant international and local expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver excellent services
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage direct marketing approach
• Encourage word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied clients

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our in house brand and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and individual clients in the whole of the United States and beyond which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our advertising agency.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc.;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our services
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around Los Angeles – California
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact corporate organizations, non – profits and government agencies by calling them up and informing them of Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. and the services we offer
• List Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

At Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. we will keep the prices of our services below the average market rate for all of our customers by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance from corporate organizations who would hire our services. In addition, we will also offer special discounted rates to all our customers at regular intervals.

We are aware that there are some one – off jobs or government contracts which are always lucrative, we will ensure that we abide by the pricing model that is expected from contractors or organizations that bid for such contracts.

• Payment Options

At Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc., our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our plans with little or no itches. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials so that it will be easier for clients to make payments when necessary.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

It is a known fact that, in setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The materials and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a standard advertising agency; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. However, this is what it would cost us to setup Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. in the United of America;

• Business incorporating fees in the United States of America will cost – $750.
• The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license will cost – $3,500
• Leasing / renting an office space in a good location in Los Angeles – California that will accommodate the number of employees for at least 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) will cost – $150,000.
• The cost for furnishing and equipping the office (computers, printers, projectors, markers, servers / internet facility, furniture, telephones, filing cabinets, and electronics) will cost – $30,000
• The amount required to purchase the needed software applications – $3,500
• Launching an official Website will cost – $500
• The amount need to pay bills and staff members for at least 2 to 3 months – $70,000
• Additional Expenditure such as Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions will cost – $5,000
• Miscellaneous – $5000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about two hundred and fifty thousand ( 250,000 ) U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a medium scale but standard advertising agency in the United States of America.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is a business that will be owned, financed and managed by Lilian Goldberg and her friend and business partner for many years Lesly Henderson. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $85,000 and soft loan from family members $15,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $150,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

It is an established fact that, the future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our advertising services and other related media and advertising advisory and consulting services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Lemon & Lilac™ Advertising Agency, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and standard operating processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as determined by the board of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Securing a standard office facility in a good location in Los Angeles – California: Completed
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All form of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the start – up capital from the founders: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the business: Completed
• Secure trademark for our products: In Progress
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In Progress
• Creating Official Website for the business: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

Vnukovo International Airport

Notable Places in the Area

Vnukovo Airport

Locales in the Area

Bol’shoye Pokrovskoye

• Type: Airport
• Description: international airport serving Moscow, Russia
• Categories: international airport , airport , commercial traffic aerodrome , federal aeroport and transport
• Location: Vnukovo District , Western Administrative Okrug , Moscow , Moscow Oblast , Central Russia , Russia , Eastern Europe , Europe
• View on Open­Street­Map

Vnukovo International Airport Satellite Map

Landmarks in the Area

• Stantsiya Aeroport Railway station
• DoubleTree by Hilton Moscow - Vnukovo Airport Hotel, 2½ km northeast
• Vnukovskoye Kladbishche Cemetery, 4½ km northeast
• Stantsiya Tolstopal’tsevo Railway station, 5 km west
• Stantsiya Lesnoy Gorodok Railway station, 5 km northwest

Popular Destinations in Moscow

Curious places to discover.

Serviceplan Sets Up Ambitious Leadership Team for Moscow Office

Serviceplan Moscow have announced a new leadership team comprising three women at the top of their game; Evgenia Arabkina, Olga Starichenko and Anastasia Boykova.  The goal of the new team is to take Serviceplan Russia to the next level, and raise the profile of Serviceplan Group's 'House of Communication' in Russia, which offers clients an integrated agency comprised of digital, marketing and creative expertise.  

The Serviceplan Group is the largest and most diversified owner and partner-managed agency group in Europe. Founded in 1970 as a traditional advertising agency, Serviceplan quickly developed its “House of Communication” concept, creating the only fully integrated agency model in Germany, combining all communication disciplines under one roof.  With 4,200 employees the Serviceplan Group is represented in 24 agency locations around the world including Moscow.   Serviceplan Russia's new management team aims to put the House of Communication on the map of the Russian advertising industry. The appointment of the new leadership team in Moscow is a natural progression for Serviceplan Group, as it continues with accelerated internationalisation of the House of Communication model.  

Serviceplan Russia Managing Director Olga Starichenko has over 18 years experience in major advertising agencies: Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and BBDO leading account services for international Clients such as P&G, Dirol Cadbury, The Coca-Cola Company, Philip Morris, X5 and many more.

Olga Starichenko commented: “Serviceplan globally stands for “Building Best Brands” and thanks to the concept “House of Communication” we have all possible services to come up with fresh omnichannel campaigns. We are here to offer more energy to our clients and the industry itself. It’s an honor for us to join such a famous network and we’ll do our best to be aligned with our experienced European offices.”

Serviceplan Russia Executive Creative Director Evgenia Arabkina has worked in advertising for more than 15 years, including within the Saatchi & Saatchi and Havas Networks. She set up Havas Life Moscow agency, which focused on the wellness and social responsible advertising.

With her extensive FMCG experience, combined with digital and wellness expertise, she was the leader of Durex global communication development and other global health brands. Arabkina has won multiple awards including; Effie awards, Red Apple, Ad Black Sea and Young Lions Russia. She believes that in order to incite change, you should put passion into your creative ideas.

Evgenia Arabkina said: “We are here to change the rules of the game in advertising. This is the time for new creativity, which unites thinking and technology, cultures and talents. Because outstanding creativity is what can change brands into great ones.”

Anastasia Boykova has more than 10 years planning experience. She began her career at McCann Erickson, where she was mostly responsible for Nestle Purina brands, and from a communication point of view she successfully managed Friskies, Felix and Gourmet in one portfolio. In 2013 she joined the strategic department of Havas and became a trusted lead on two of key accounts: RB and Sandoz. Boykova is proud to be responsible for client winning strategies, and proud to enjoy the trust and love of the creative teams.

Anastasia Boykova added: “We believe that constant challenge is the only way to win in this ever changing world. So we challenge ourselves, we challenge rules of the game in advertising and push the boundaries to benefit our clients.”

Serviceplan Russia is a creative agency in the Serviceplan Group, together with Mediaplus, Plan.net – full digital services and Louder - experiential marketing agencies.

Moscow Agency of Innovations Puts Smart City Solutions on a Map USA - English USA - Français USA - Deutsch

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Dec 20, 2019, 03:47 ET

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MOSCOW , Dec. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Business Space by the Moscow Agency of Innovations has recently hosted a discussion dedicated to SMB strategies for harnessing the smart city opportunity. The meeting, held as part of the Startup Cafe series, brought together technology experts, investors, startup founders, and representatives of the local government.

Smart city technologies are increasingly penetrating our lives. Some of us can operate home equipment with a smartphone, while others manage automated processes in whole cities with similar ease. Many disruptive technologies emerge from startups, and that is why their experience is so coveted by large companies that are eager to onboard ready-to-go solutions rather than invest significant amount of time and money in developing things from scratch. It is startups, small and medium-sized technology and engineering companies, who are ready not only to come up with new ideas and products, but also test and continuously improve them within short timeframes. Not surprisingly, the Startup Cafe discussion was focused on how to get a smart city project off the ground: from developing an initial idea to running a live environment test on a city scale.

The focal point of the meeting was the presentation of an open database designed by the Moscow Agency of Innovations in collaboration with its research partner Deloitte CIS. The database is accessible via an interactive map of domestic smart city solutions available in Moscow . They are grouped into several categories: security, city infrastructure, smart home, construction, transportation and mobility, healthcare, education, tourism and recreation, retail and services. Hosted on the Agency's website under the Analytics section, the database is updated in real time and is easily searchable and browsable. Any company that meets the eligibility criteria can put information on its products and services on the map.

"We plan for the map to become a large interactive platform that will enable any organization in Russia find an innovative product according to its needs and expectations. For the market players, it will be a tool to promote their solutions at no cost," said Alexei Parabuchev, CEO at the Moscow Agency of Innovations.

This project is expected to boost recognition for small technology companies. It will help them minimize administrative barriers and, most importantly, shorten the distance between them and their customers (corporations and city governments).

"The digitization of the whole country is a giant infrastructure project with enough space for small and medium-sized businesses: large players create a framework, which can accommodate other, smaller entrants. Moscow is a unique self-developing region, a lab and an example for other cities eager to become smart ones. In this regard, Moscow has a duty to share its practices with other cities," noted Alyona Vatbolskaya, a spokesperson with Rostelecom, Russia's national telecommunications operator. 

According to her, large companies often set up innovation clusters dedicated to the development of smart technologies, while startups can participate in technology competitions to win funding for their projects.

Another opportunity for startups to gain attention is to join Smart City Lab, an organization tasked with the supervision of large technology projects in Moscow . Set up in 2016 as the innovations arm of the Moscow Department of Information Technology, Smart City Lab is responsible for Moscow's technology collaboration with city administrations and businesses. Its analysts study the world's best practices and work with technologies that can help Moscow become a more sustainable city.

"Nearly 95% of all contracts for the procurement of innovations we announce are for small and medium-sized enterprises. We work with startups, with young companies, with new and interesting technologies. Our goal is to find them and test them on the city's premises," emphasized Ivan Parkhomenko , projects leader at Smart City Lab.

In this regard, of particular importance is the protection of intellectual property. Although startups often exaggerate the risk of having their ideas stolen by large companies, the former can certainly benefit from joining credible acceleration programs, such as the ones offered by the Skolkovo Foundation and the Moscow Agency of Innovations.

The last Startup Cafe meeting at the Digital Business Space, dedicated to digital health, took place on December 18 .

SOURCE Moscow Agency of Innovations

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