marketing agency business plans

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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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!