Tony Guo is one of the most prolific web marketers in America today and he is a true revelation of what hard work can do to your online ventures. Tony has been working as a SEO expert for close to 10 years now and has established more than one internet marketing firm and they are all doing great. We sought to find out from him how he managed to become so successful in such an unorthodox business venture. Here is what Tony had to say;
Well, first of all internet marketing is not an unorthodox means of making money. It is actually a lucrative business and if done properly, it can be very rewarding. Almost every single business today is online and this means that there are opportunities left right and center for internet marketers. If you were thinking about starting an internet marketing firm, then be sure there is no better time than today. If you are having trouble starting you marketing firm, here are a few tips to help you get started. Here are 10 tips on how to start an internet marketing firm as provided by the expert himself Tony Guo;
1. Don’t make money a priority
If the only reason you are looking to start a marketing firm is to make millions, then am sorry to say that you will not be successful. It might be a rewarding career in terms of money but you need to start with a reason that’s more than just money. Think about establishing yourself and with time money will start trickling in on its own.
2. Begin small
The first step towards a successful freelancing and marketing career is to start small. Try promoting your own blog for example and see how well you do. Before you start a firm, try your hand in your own small blog or small online business and see how well it goes. This gives you experience and prepares you for challenges awaiting you.
3. Focus on something more specific
Instead of trying to offer more four services to companies, why not specialize on something specific and work hard to be an expert at it? There more specialized you are in an area, the higher the chances of a company hiring you for the service.
4. Create a network
During your first few years of your marketing, it is important to make sure that you create a network with as many marketers and companies as possible. Don’t try to cold call companies right from the start. Talk to your friends and create a good network, with time, you will start getting referrals and job opportunities.
5. Set a reasonable price
When you land your first few gigs, please make sure that you charge a reasonable fee. If you want to get returning clients, never overcharge them and neither should you burden yourself by undercharging for your services! With time, raise your minimums and prices a bit but only after you have set a standard of quality. Let your quality be the standard the employers use to pay you.
6. Never hesitate to turn down bad offers
Some clients will want to exploit you in one or the other. They will either want to underpay you or overwork you. Never hesitate to pass on such bad clients. The time you waste with such clients can be used for other better projects. You want someone that treats you well and pays decently.
7. Consider hiring a team
When the workload starts getting too much, it is time to consider hiring a team to help you with the projects. Be careful who you add to your team because this can make or break the company. I know of people who hired untrustworthy employees and they ended up bringing down the whole firm.
8. Watch deadlines
Always be a trustworthy employee who keeps time and sticks to the instructions given. Always make sure you keep time with any form of project awarded to you. Update your employers on the progress of work and demand feedback for every project that you do.
9. Update you CV
The internet keeps changing by day, so should your marketing techniques. Never stop learning new ways and updating your CV with more and more certifications. The more updated your CV is, the more likely you are to get opportunities. Keep learning on new ways and techniques and it will pay off in terms of opportunities.
10. Diversify
When you become very successful in one niche, it is time to diversify and try your hand in new things. Keeping all your eggs in one basket in marketing can be quite dangerous with such changing times. You need to get something else to complement your income and there are quite a number of options to explore online. Find one and diversity your hustle.