How to Get Clients for Your Digital Marketing Agency in 2024

The digital marketing industry is brimming with agencies that excel at delivering results for their clients, yet many face challenges when trying to grow their own businesses. 

For newcomers, the task of getting clients can feel like navigating a maze, and the quest for clients becomes an often neglected priority. We get those feelings of uncertainty and are here to help. Even with your experience, it is crucial for our veteran agency owners to adapt to rapidly shifting digital trends. 

With the landscape evolving almost daily, now is the time to invest in yourself and ensure you’re not left behind. Whether you’re a new face or an old hand adjusting to the latest trends, this guide is your roadmap to thriving in 2024 and beyond.

15 Proven Ways of Getting Clients for a Digital Marketing Agency

Take Advantage of Online Directories Leverage Artificial Intelligence Treat Yourself Like Your Own Clients Prioritize Your Portfolio Blog About Marketing Get Interactive Build a Following with Your Newsletters Get Into the Continuing Education Game Use LinkedIn Much More Effectively Combine Google Ads and Facebook Ads Harness the Magic of Video Share Your Client Reviews Deepen Your Industry Specialization Enhance Social Media Engagement Get Out from Behind the Desk

1. Take Advantage of Online Directories

There is a very important reason why we are placing this on the front. Yes, online directories are our area of expertise. But the reason it’s our area is that we firmly trust in the directories’ capacity to boost a digital marketing agency’s outreach and success more than anything else.

A top-notch website is essential to getting clients for your digital marketing agency but when your SEO is not as powerful as online directories, you’ll get behind them in the SERPs. For example, our marketing agency directory, in particular, offers this pivotal advantage, ensuring enhanced visibility in search results.

We also offer a suite of features to elevate your digital presence, such as an agency profile page, enhanced SEO advantages, and digital PR efforts. Our members benefit from the exclusive ability to share content with our community, a feature that fosters engagement and positions your agency as a thought leader.

To take our services one step further, in 2023, we initiated our game-changing Request for Proposal system, “Get Quotes.”

“Get Quotes” is a streamlined process where brands share their needs and budgets through our platform, DAN, and reach out to their best matches!

While we’re passionate advocates of our platform, Digital Agency Network, we recognize and respect the myriad of other valuable digital marketing agency directories out there.

As you venture into this realm, a word to the wise: not all are crafted equally. While some might give you a basic listing, others (our platform, Digital Agency Network, included) offer added perks like advertising opportunities, a job board for recruitment, and special discounts for digital marketing events. As you embark on this journey, remember to research, compare, and select platforms that will genuinely amplify your digital agency’s reach and reputation.

2. Leverage Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence can significantly transform your approach to sourcing and securing new clients. Let’s dive deeper into how to use AI to get clients for your digital marketing agency:

Automated Lead Generation: Think of AI as your own digital detective. It swiftly scans through social media to identify people who might be interested in what you offer. This saves time and ensures that the leads you gather are relevant.  Lead Qualification: Once potential leads are identified, AI can take a deeper look at online footprints to evaluate how well they match your agency’s services. By evaluating factors like engagement rates, content interests, and past behaviors, AI offers a higher chance of conversion. So, it’s about quality over mere quantity. Personalized Touch: AI’s ability to analyze vast datasets means it can tailor marketing campaigns to each prospect’s preferences. From the tone of messaging to the delivery timing, every aspect can be fine-tuned. Remember, a personal touch in campaigns often leads to better engagement. Smart Spending: With AI, you can predict which marketing channels and campaigns will yield the best ROI. Instead of spreading your budget thin, AI helps concentrate resources where they’ll make the most impact.  Feedback Loop: AI uses past data to predict future trends, which allows for immediate feedback on campaign performance. This continuous loop ensures that strategies are always evolving, adapting to the latest trends and audience behaviors. Mistakes can be quickly rectified, and successes can be amplified. Predictive Analytics: AI uses past data to predict future trends. By anticipating client needs, you’re positioned to offer solutions before they even ask. Staying a step ahead by anticipating needs is a surefire way to impress prospects. Content Optimization: AI can suggest content adjustments based on what’s resonating with your target audience. Whether it’s tweaking headlines, adjusting CTAs, or shifting the content’s tone. With optimized content, you’re more likely to attract and retain a potential client’s attention. Engagement Tracking: You can go beyond basic metrics with AI. By understanding nuances like time spent on content or navigation patterns, you can refine your approach for even better future interactions.

3. Treat Yourself Like Your Own Client

How do digital marketing agencies attract clients? The answer is becoming their most important client.

You already possess a proven process that delivers results for your clients. It’s time to allocate a portion of your schedule to implement this same process for your agency.

Approach this task with the same rigor and attention to detail as you would for any client. Begin by developing a comprehensive brand guide, diligently collecting and analyzing data, crafting a data-driven marketing strategy, and meticulously executing each step of this plan.

Remember to apply all the strategies and insights you offer to your clients. Utilize storytelling techniques to establish a deeper, more authentic connection with your audience, ensuring your narrative resonates and engages.

Most importantly, maintain the best possible standards of quality. Business owners observing your marketing efforts will use them as a barometer for your commitment to their projects. If you don’t put in much effort, they can assume that you won’t put in much effort when handling their business. Setting a high standard for the services you provide means that you must approach your marketing with the same commitment to quality and diligence that you make to your clients.

4. Prioritize Your Portfolio

When it comes to attracting digital marketing clients, your portfolio speaks louder than words. It’s the tangible evidence they need to gauge your expertise. Moreover, boasting prestigious digital marketing certificates from your team can significantly bolster your credibility, but what truly sets you apart is the real-world success you’ve achieved for your clients.

Clients are looking for a team that can authentically represent their brand voice. You can demonstrate your adaptability and willingness to fit any client’s distinct voice by showing the companies you’ve worked with. And don’t forget to share results and case studies. A prime example of this can be seen in NoGood‘s portfolio. They excel not only in presenting their broad client base but also in sharing detailed case studies. For each project, they provide a comprehensive overview, including the challenges faced, the strategies implemented, and most importantly, the results achieved.

Secondly, tailor your portfolio to attract the type of work you desire. For instance, if your goal is to secure more clients in the healthcare sector, prominently feature your successful projects in this area. This not only signals to potential clients your proficiency in their specific field but also underscores your focus on a particular digital marketing niche.

5. Blog About Marketing

You probably already tell your clients about content marketing and how important it is to establish themselves as experts in their area, and some of them decide to do it on their own.

But soon, they realize the complexities involved and turn to professionals. This is where your agency comes into play, especially if your marketing blogs have been their go-to resource during their DIY phase.

In the era of AI-driven content creation, tools like ChatGPT 4 can be invaluable for crafting blog posts as they are highly skilled in content creation. But keep in mind that human touch is irreplaceable and you should edit your content to put it into the final form. No matter how perfect and appropriate your prompts are, check the tone of voice, keywords, consistency, and unity. So, always sprinkle in your insights and give any AI-generated content that final human finesse. 

Your blog gives you credibility, which helps you get SEO clients. That’s why utilizing your blog effectively is a vital strategy in attracting digital marketing clients. With blogging being one of the most effective measures for SEO, it’s crucial to demonstrate that you practice what you preach.

Expanding your blogging reach beyond your website is also beneficial. Consider guest blogging on popular platforms frequented by business owners and executives, like Business Insider and Forbes. This not only increases your visibility but also establishes your authority in the digital marketing realm.

Matt Cutts, Administrator at United States Digital Service, shares more about the effective techniques for building links and eventually getting more clients:

6. Get Interactive

To find digital marketing clients, implementing social media strategies is a cornerstone but most brands fall short on the “social” aspect. They spend plenty of time posting their own content but little time sharing, commenting, and otherwise engaging online.

You can begin by pinpointing a selection of companies you’re eager to collaborate with. Actively follow their social media accounts and periodically engage with their content. A couple of thoughtful comments each week can significantly increase your visibility.

Such engagement puts your agency’s name on the radar of these businesses, particularly in cases where the owner or manager personally handles their social media. 

This familiarity lays the groundwork for a more receptive interaction. When the time comes to reach out directly, what would have been a cold call transforms into a warm introduction, thanks to the rapport already established through your social media interactions.

7. Build a Following with Your Newsletters

Local businesses are constantly seeking ways to enhance their operations and boost their revenues. Positioning your agency as the go-to expert for such growth is a strategic move. While your blog is a valuable tool in this regard, establishing a direct line of communication through an email newsletter can be even more impactful.

Initiate a series of weekly email newsletters packed with fresh marketing insights, practical tips, and industry trends. Focus on crafting content that is both informative and engaging, reinforcing your position as a thought leader in the field. To expand your reach, implement strategies to get more subscribers. This could include a coordinated social media campaign and ensuring that your website features a prominent, user-friendly “subscribe” button.

If people sign up for your newsletter, your company becomes more than simply a knowledge source for them—it serves as a weekly reminder of your dedication to their success. Being regularly in their inboxes increases the likelihood that they will choose you first when they need professional marketing services.

However, it’s crucial to grow your subscriber base ethically. Avoid any tactics that could be perceived as spammy or intrusive, such as signing people up without their explicit consent. If you start getting labeled as spam by a few recipients, you’ll have a harder time getting into other subscribers’ inboxes instead of their spam folders.

8. Get Into the Continuing Education Game

Marketing is always evolving, and for business owners and administrators, staying on top of the latest trends is essential for their success.

Many businesses are ready to invest in learning about the latest in marketing trends and practices through mini-courses and seminars. Why not be the one to offer these valuable learning opportunities? This approach benefits your agency in two significant ways. First, it creates an additional revenue stream. Second, it positions you as an expert in the field. If you’re knowledgeable enough to teach it, it’s clear you’re skilled enough to excel in the work itself.

If organizing seminars and courses isn’t your preference, consider participating in the conference circuit. Look for business conferences in your area and propose to be a speaker. It might take some time and effort to get chosen, and you might have to pitch to several conferences. But once you start accumulating speaking engagements, your credibility will grow, and it’ll become easier to secure more opportunities.

Speaking at these events can be a game-changer for your business. It not only provides exposure but also cements your status as a leading authority. Being chosen as a speaker at a conference boosts your credibility, as the audience recognizes the value and expertise you bring to the table.

9. Use LinkedIn Much More Effectively

LinkedIn is a great platform for connecting with individuals; it can be the ultimate answer to how to find companies that could benefit from your marketing expertise. It’s an interesting place to build connections and relationships, not just with your potential clients but also with future employees or more, so it is always crucial to use LinkedIn in a more effective way.

LinkedIn offers many opportunities for your brand to reach out to many people. You can join groups, share content, and advertise your agency’s company page to the vast LinkedIn user population. Every action you take on the platform has the potential to draw in new customers. You can publish sponsored content, send direct messages or connection invitations to your potential clients, and join related LinkedIn groups where you can come across potential clients who are looking for your services.

10. Combine Google Ads and Facebook Ads

Most of your potential clients will start searching for a digital marketing agency to partner with on Google. That is why it is crucial to work on your SERP results to rank organically higher in Google search results. However, it takes more time than you probably need. In this situation, you may want to combine the best of both worlds: Google Ads and Facebook Ads. 

By targeting the right keywords, Google Ads will help you attract potential clients right away. Facebook, on the other hand, is still one of the most used social media platforms, and among billions of users, we’re pretty sure you can reach out to your potential customers as well. Using targeted ads on these platforms is not only effective for local outreach but also a key answer to how to get international clients for digital marketing.

The best way to get your agency noticed by potential clients on Facebook is through Facebook Ads. Since gaining organic attention on the platform can be challenging for businesses, Facebook Ads offer a direct and efficient solution. They are also more cost-effective than many other digital advertising methods, with a lower average cost-per-click. This makes Facebook Ads a budget-friendly option, allowing your agency to make a considerable impact even with limited financial resources.

11. Harness the Magic of Video

As we navigate the digital landscape of 2024, videos stand out as a beacon of innovation, allowing you to establish an authentic and vibrant connection with your desired audience. 

With each frame and narrative, you have the ability to unveil not only the services your agency provides but also the very essence of who you are. These videos seamlessly blend your agency’s core values, highlighting your distinct culture and innovative approach. Video content is a great way to attract companies looking for marketing agencies who understand the power of visual storytelling. Through the enchantment of video, potential clients are invited into an immersive experience that goes beyond words and images, fostering a genuine and enduring connection.

As we navigate the digital landscape of 2024, videos stand out as a beacon of innovation, allowing you to establish an authentic and vibrant connection with your desired audience. 

With each frame and narrative, you have the ability to unveil not only the services your agency provides but also the very essence of who you are. These videos seamlessly blend your agency’s core values, highlighting your distinct culture and innovative approach. Through the enchantment of video, potential clients are invited into an immersive experience that goes beyond words and images, fostering a genuine and enduring connection.

12. Share Your Client Reviews

A dedicated webpage for reviews and testimonials serves as a canvas on which the voices of your satisfied clients come together to paint a vivid picture of the value and excellence your agency offers. Through the authentic experiences shared by your clients, potential partners can gain insight into the transformative journey you can guide them through. 

Your potential clients will conduct research across various platforms, including Google and Facebook. By emphasizing your reviews and featuring them on your website, you signal your confidence in past partnerships. You can create a similar area on your website, just like Damteq does:

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13.Deepen Your Industry Specialization

Think of your marketing portfolio as a showcase of your expertise, with each project highlighting your in-depth knowledge of different industries. This targeted approach shows potential clients that your agency is deeply invested in understanding the unique aspects of various sectors.

For example, look at the agency Together. They’ve specialized in serving technology companies, exemplifying a focused approach. Their dedication to the tech sector has equipped them with the ability to offer precise strategies tailored for tech businesses. This is a clear illustration of how an agency can establish itself as a trusted authority in a specific field.

This level of specialized expertise is far more impactful than a generic sales pitch. It’s a definitive sign to clients that your team possesses the insights and experience necessary to address the distinct challenges of each industry.

14.Enhance Social Media Engagement

Turning your social media from just another broadcasting outlet into a lively engagement platform is a big leap in your digital game plan. It’s all about making your platforms places where real talks happen, insights get shared, and genuine connections blossom. 

With this hands-on approach to engagement, your agency is stepping up as a leader and influencer in the community. This kind of vibrant, interactive online presence is just what clients are looking for – they value your expertise, sure, but they’re also keen on your ability to engage and build solid relationships.

Whether it’s tapping into the storytelling charm of TikTok and Instagram Reels, or getting into the exciting new worlds of Web3 and the metaverse, your agency is showing some real pioneering vibes. This tells potential clients that your agency is right up there, leading the charge and shaping what’s to come.

15. Get Out from Behind the Desk

You can’t ignore the digital world, but sometimes you need to step out into the “real world” too.

Start building a presence at local events where you’ll find business owners and other decision-makers. That should include networking events, business expos, trade shows, you name it.

The goal is to make yourself a known part of the local business community. Get to know your fellow business owners and potential clients.

As you build your Rolodex, start referring people to the businesses you know when the opportunity arises. Not only will grateful business owners be more likely to become clients, but they’re also likely to return the favor and refer others to you.

The right conference can be a game-changer for your business. If you are keen to learn how in detail, Vanessa Van Edwards, Behavioral Investigator, explains more about how face-to-face communication is effective:

How to Find Clients for Digital Marketing Agency: The Most Effective Ways

As a marketing agency, it can be challenging to find the right balance between working on your clients’ businesses and your own. Too many agencies put themselves on the back burner, but it is critical to build and maintain a healthy, long-term relationship with each of your clients. As tracking all of your clients’ data gets harder and harder, it is better to think of implementing a customer relationship management tool for your agency. Before losing a critical client and hoping of pulling in a new one, step into AI-driven CRM software to keep track of each of your client’s data and activities. While you, as an agency owner, focus on developing new marketing strategies, CRM apps take care of collecting, tracking, and managing all your client data.

SaaS tools for digital agencies provide stand-out features including digital marketing and social media campaign management, automated lead generation, CRM, pipeline management and sales tracking, reporting, customer services and more. If you understand your agency’s core needs in the first place, you can better at finding new clients and growing your agency’s revenue in 2024.

Social Media for Reaching Out to Potential Digital Marketing Agency Customers

Social media is no doubt one of the most used communication channels of our day. It allows businesses and brands to reach and engage with their potential customers with constantly updated algorithms and advertising options. The key point; however, is to figure out how you can stand out from your competitors and the strategies you need to reach your potential digital marketing customers. An effective social media strategy is essential to understand where to find clients for digital marketing, as it allows you to connect directly with businesses seeking your services.

We believe what’s essential is a strong social media marketing strategy to engage with brands looking for digital marketing services.

Below, we have listed the initial steps you should take to use social media effectively to get new clients.

1. Create Less Formal Social Media Posts

Yes, selling is critical! However, it is just as important to determine your target audience, create suitable posts, convince clients from a different perspective, and direct them to your website. But just advertising products by flooding users with boring information is no longer enough in this creative world. With fun posts that will reflect your company and team, your potential customers can get to know you, thereby increasing their desire to work with you.

2. Give Your Customers an Inside Look

Create posts where you briefly describe your products and services so that visitors will have an idea of whether your agency is what they’re looking for. You can offer a trial demo for interested clients, or you can organize a meeting to be able to introduce your agency in a detailed way. 

3. Create Polls and Ask Your Audience’s Opinions

It can be challenging to get your audience to interact with your social media content; occasionally, even well-written articles and captivating videos fail to interest users. Though, you have not only well-designed images and reels but a few more options to engage your audience. When it comes to learning more about your audience, polls offer a variety of advantages. They are simple, and therefore people love to participate and share their thoughts and opinions. By using polls, you can eliminate a lot of these assumptions and get a clear understanding of how your audience feels about your company or a certain product.

4. Use Hashtags (The Right Ones!)

Users might easily become overwhelmed by an excessive amount of information. Using hashtags makes it simple to filter out unnecessary digital clutter and concentrate only on the information we truly need. You can connect with your industry and your target audience by using an industry-specific hashtag. The use of many hashtags, however,  might make your message seem cluttered and unprofessional. So make sure to avoid overusing them!

5. Infuse Storytelling into Your Strategy: Captivating Narratives that Resonate

Storytelling is like a timeless art that’s got this amazing power to totally captivate, inspire, and leave a lasting impact. So, why not dive into that enchanting world of storytelling on social media? We’re talking about spinning narratives that totally resonate with what your audience dreams of and struggles with.

You can craft narratives that artfully portray the journey from adversity to triumph, and position your agency as the catalyst behind these awe-inspiring transformations. These stories aren’t just lines on a screen; they’re emotions that hit you right in the feels. They make your brand super memorable and relatable, turning potential customers into lifelong fans.

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The tips above can help you get clients, no matter how small or large your agency is. The key is a varied marketing strategy that combines your staple of digital marketing with old-fashioned methods as well. Don’t forget to be transparent about your agency’s pricing too.

You can start right away by joining the Digital Agency Network and seeing everything we have to offer.