Perhaps you have a special talent for both computers and marketing and you’re looking to start a new business for yourself. If this is the case, consider forming a digital marketing agency to help other companies develop an online presence for themselves and their products and services. Before you dive into your new endeavor, though, there are a few steps you will need to take to prepare.

Learn the Ropes

Your first step in creating a successful digital marketing agency is to learn the ropes. While you already know a lot about computers and marketing, you might need more education about how to put them together. You could take some classes in digital marketing so you are familiar with all the terminology and expectations. You can choose formal college classes or more informal ones. There are plenty of resources available online as well if you want to build a “course” of your own.

As you study, make sure that you build your skills in designing ads, constructing marketing campaigns, using marketing systems, tracking and statistics and developing effective messaging. You will be using these skills all the time in your business, so it is certainly worthwhile to make sure they are firmly in place.

Because you will be running your own business, you should also take some classes, or at least do some research, in best business practices. You will need to learn about setting up your business, bookkeeping, legal considerations, tax requirements and much more. You may be inclined to plunge directly into the fun activities of digital marketing, but don’t ignore the business side of the equation, or your new company might fail before it even gets off the ground.

Practice

Many industry experts recommend that you get in some practice before striking out on your own. You might work for a digital marketing agency for a while to gain experience, or you could take some jobs as an independent contractor. Doing this allows you to see how digital marketing works in a real-life setting. It can also build your confidence and introduce you to people already in the field, people who can serve as important network connections later on when you start your own agency. Don’t hesitate to set some challenges for yourself, too, like creating a marketing campaign for a renewable energy lesson plan and materials. As you practice your profession, build up a portfolio of your best work that you can present to clients later on.

Develop a Business Plan

When you are ready to plunge into setting up your business, you must develop a business plan. A business plan lays out in detail the primary activities and goals of your business, analyzes your competition, sets outs how you how you will attract and interact with clients, comments on whether or not you will have employees (and if you do, what their roles will be) and develops a budget.

As the owner of a digital marketing agency, you will also need to determine how you will bill your clients. You might choose an hour-by-hour system, a flat retainer or a commission-based model. Each of these will require a different billing setup, and you will need to have that in place before you take your first client.

Discover Your Niche

As part of your business plan, you should also think about discovering your niche. Ask yourself if there are particular industries that you are especially comfortable working with or types of businesses you prefer to serve. You might, for instance, truly enjoy working with small businesses or companies in the computer industry. You may have to take many different types of clients as you are first building your business, but eventually you might gear your agency toward your chosen niche. Therefore, develop your business plan with that in mind, and also work to make connections with people in your niche.

Starting your digital marketing agency will require plenty of time and effort, but if you follow these steps and stay on track, you may find yourself enjoying your own business very soon.