Answers to topical questions of young web studios / digital agencies

Young (and not only in terms of time spent on the market) studios and agencies sometimes resemble small boats thrown into a huge digital ocean. And even if at the helm (sorry, at the helm) there are people from large TOP companies, it is still difficult for them: new tasks, new circumstances. Doing one-pointed functions in a large organization with a streamlined structure is one story. And to be in the center of a team of 5 people, where everyone plays the role of an “orchestra”, is another matter.

Therefore, in the framework of this article, we will answer the most common questions (although some of them are incorrectly formulated). I do not know what niche you have occupied / aspire to occupy, what services you provide, how much you, how expensively you sell. But I will try to unify the recommendations.

1. Where to get orders?

According to science, of course, starting from this is not right. But since you do not have financial reserves for at least six months, there are few clients on the subscriber station, and specialists are bored without work - they will have to.

There are more than 25 lead generation methods for agency business. And although some of them lie on the surface in the open access, it is not necessary to throw everything at once. Try to concentrate on 3 - let it be at the beginning of the journey:

• Tenders (with moderate filtration). Do not think that only the “old men” and the hustlers, who have connections everywhere, win in them. In many cases, it is possible to break even without dumping. Be prepared for bureaucracy (even if you do not have a current account, close this article and go to moikrug.ru ) and wait for a long answer. If this is a massive open tender with interesting figures, there will not be “ceremony” with each candidate for a long time. Perhaps even on the phone do not talk. Just delegate the initial stage (selection and routine processes) is not very expensive employee. And when the time comes for “politics” and demonstration of competencies, turn on your own (when you grow up, it will not be possible to do this anyway).
  
  
• "Cold" visits. Phone, e-mail, soc. networks, messengers - in this case all the tools are good. I must say that not everything is as simple as it seems, and you will have to fill a bunch of cones. Until you go deep into the mastery of this business, just take a quantity: “knock” as many doors as possible. Just abstract from competitors. Wandering through directories in search of companies without a website that you call using the standard scheme (“Need? No. Good-bye!”) Will be a waste of time. Do not expect that you will be able to sell something expensive in a flash. Try to be friends (in the long run it is more profitable) and invest in a small piece of free work (but only making sure that there is a prospect).
  
  
• Freelance Exchange. Yes, yes, no need to "spit" and dismiss the good old freelancing. There are applications. And most importantly - they are "hot." If you do not shoot the first 2 methods, then freelancing will not let you die of hunger (read "pay RFP and rent"). Do not believe? Sort somehow budget requests - you will see delicious numbers. And many medium-sized studios do not neglect to keep their accounts there, sometimes picking up orders.

Due to the lack of a portfolio, time and budgets for your own marketing, I will not recommend you to make your way into the ratings, wait for the effect of SEO, put the last penny into the CPC. No comments.

And now the main surprise: do not think that with a set of projects you can relax. It’s not a fact that you will master them all yet (no wonder your older colleagues grin when they hear a cry about sales). There are stories when players left the market without problems with sales. Think about it.

2. We need the best employees.

While the owner of a small agency goes to seminars / webinars, where ordinary employees of large ones speak, it’s not worth hoping to get cool specialists / managers. Even if you otkhedhanti strong unit itself in the state, it either quickly leaves (because accustomed to the projects and the structure of another level) or eat most of the Fund ZP. Alone in the field is not a warrior, he can not save the whole team.

There are 2 solutions:

• [ Caution: Again, the risk of falling cones on the head! ] In cases where there are resources (time, skills, nerves or money), you can raise people "from scratch". Just those who fall into a stupor, hearing the term "conversion". Do not worry - purposeful, talented, active guys in six months can come to the level when they themselves will teach you new tricks. And you can start working with them even without large salaries. But then at each position you need to take at least 3 candidates (2 of them will leave 100% once) and allocate their own time for the control of training, carefully selecting methods and materials.
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• "Srednyachki." Here it will be necessary to rebuild business processes: these are already ready-made specialists, but requiring investments in the form of at least a mid-market RFP. So, you can not immediately hire 100,500 such units. From this it follows that the load on each unit must be greater. You will be forced to optimize the processes and at the beginning to maintain maximum productivity (not equal to “squeeze all the juice”).

3. How to expand?

Imagine your dreams. "The whole of the Russian Federation, the West, the expansion of services to the maximum of the complex, entry into new niches ...". And then “bam” and wake up from the SMS of the office owner: “Guys, you are bored with your delays, today new potential tenants will come to watch the premises”.

Not all at once, comrades! The horizons of your dreams do not always coincide with reality. Win at least 1 niche in your urban-type settlement in the theme of car services with an average budget for SMM (I exaggerate).

You can always expand, but this expansion should be with a rational grain. If there is a resource, then at first it is better to implement it in one of the following ways:

• Take on an extra unit to delegate the routine.
• Teach the whole team (including yourself) techniques for improving efficiency and motivation.
• Arrange a business breakfast with several potential customers.
• Invest in improving your site and presentations (it is important not to perfection - it is enough to make at least 70% of the best quality).
• Buy a more convenient / productive tariff in the service / tool that you often use.
• Test a small budget (= low-cost queries) in contextual advertising.
• And just leave it for a rainy day. Believe me, it can come not only tomorrow, but right today, when you read this article.

CALL-TO-ACTION:

1. Plan!
2. Act!
3. Do not be afraid!