How to Build a Thriving Social Media Marketing Agency

Ten years ago, Mad Men gave us a glimpse into the daily happenings at Sterling Cooper, a fictional 1060’s New York creative agency where success was measured in lavish office parties, whiskey-fuelled brainstorming sessions, and extravagant client dinners. Today, in the digital age, the perception of a thriving social media agency has somewhat changed. Whilst it’s easy for people to chalk success up to one’s ability to stay in sync with a viral TikTok dance, tap into brat summer, or drive visibility through a sixty-second aesthetically pleasing butter board video; there’s a lot more to building a successful social media marketing agency than simply riding the trend wave. Behind every viral moment, ecstatic client, successful campaign, and profitable agency is a carefully crafted business strategy that integrates systems, processes, and business acumen.

Organisation is key; structure sets you apart

As a social media agency owner, one of the key lessons I've learned is that organisation is not just a nice-to-have; it’s the backbone of everything. Competing deadlines, managing cash flow, and keeping a pipeline of clients to scale can easily overwhelm you if you're not set up to succeed. Early on, I learned that you can’t just wing it. Too many competing deadlines without solid systems and processes in place leads to unnecessary stress on the team. Since then, I implemented strict systems and processes —everything from project management tools to automated invoicing. Staying organised allows us to maintain the standard of work we’ve become so well known for and that helps us organically scale via word of mouth and leaves room for creativity and staying on top of the changing landscape and trends.

Know your numbers

I’ve seen too many people dive into agency land without a clear understanding of their financials. If you don’t know your numbers, how can you make informed decisions and ensure long-term sustainability of your agency? Knowing your income, expenses, and profit margins helps you set realistic goals, make smart investments, and know where you stand from a cash flow perspective. Without a clear grasp of your financial health, you risk under-pricing your services, overspending on unnecessary costs, or failing to allocate resources effectively for growth. At the end of the day, you can’t scale if you don’t know your numbers.

Charge Your Worth

When you’re building a business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to charge less to attract clients. At LickYourPhone Media, we learned early on that setting the right price not only reflects the quality of your service but also builds trust with clients. If you’re charging too little, you’re signalling that your services aren’t valuable.

Identify the unique benefits your agency offers compared to competitors. This could be expertise in a niche market, proven results, or a specific service offering that stands out. Highlight what makes you different.

Research what other agencies are charging, but don’t undervalue yourself by competing solely on price. Position your rates based on your experience, industry standards, and the complexity of the projects.

If you’ve delivered results like increased revenue, leads, or engagement for previous clients, use this data to justify your rates. Clients are more willing to invest when they can see the tangible return on investment of a campaign or ongoing work.

Automate & Integrate AI: Scale Faster with Technology

The future of social media marketing lies in automation. One of the best decisions you can make early on is to invest in automated systems and artificial intelligence (AI). Not only does this help with scalability, but it also frees up time to focus on strategy and creativity—where your value truly lies.

AI tools can help streamline everything from customer service chatbots to personalised email marketing campaigns. The sooner you integrate AI into your workflow, the faster you can grow. We’ve used automation to streamline client onboarding and reporting processes, allowing us to handle more clients without compromising on quality.

Start with your low hanging fruit

Every agency starts small. We did too. When I started LickYourPhone Media, I sent out email marketing campaigns to a targeted list of contacts. This helped land our first clients and got the ball rolling. From there, we became known as the go-to specialists for social media marketing in the hospitality, food, and beverage industry.

You don’t need a huge ad budget to start; sometimes, it’s about reaching out to the right people at the right time. Once you gain traction, it’s easier to expand and diversify your client base. Don’t overlook the power of networking and word-of-mouth in the early stages of your business.

Delegate wisely, hire the right people

As a business owner, you can’t do everything, and you shouldn’t try. It’s your job to delegate effectively so you can focus on strategic growth rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day operations.

Key to this is hiring the best people for the job and then trusting them to do it. Our team is hand-picked based on their expertise in social and digital media marketing, influencer marketing, and videography.

Knowing when to hire locally versus overseas is also important. For example, overseas VAs (Virtual Assistants) may seem like a cost-effective option, but often, managing remote overseas workers can take up more of your time and require quality control.

People first

At the core of every successful agency is a strong team. After working in corporate finance, I promised myself I would never create an environment where people felt undervalued. I start every day with a mentoring session to ensure my team feels appreciated, motivated, and valued. We also operate a virtual office, an approach led by my team, who really value the flexibility working from home offers. And through this enhanced flexibility, our agency is also more inclusive of different people’s own unique ways of working and individual needs.

Happy employees are productive employees. When people love what they do, it shows in their work, and that translates into client satisfaction.

Back yourself

Mindset is half the battle in entrepreneurship. I’ve always been “delusional” enough to believe that I would succeed, even when the odds were stacked against me. That’s not to say that my journey hasn’t been filled with setbacks, but I’ve remained resilient and have always kept pushing, and I always come out stronger and with learnings.

Once I learnt to trust in my decision-making, I was able to take more calculated risks that have helped scale the business to what it is today. It also sets the tone in the agency that it’s ok to make mistakes and fail - it’s how we move forward and take those learnings into the work we’re doing.

Market your own agency

You’d be surprised to learn how many agencies neglect their own marketing efforts. We’ve built a following of over 2 million users across our platforms, showcasing our expertise to potential clients. These platforms are our portfolio. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there; ensure your contact details are easily accessible; invest in paid ads; and create thumb-stopping content that attracts. Marketing your agency is just as important as marketing your clients' businesses.

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