How to Start a Digital Marketing Business

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As somebody who spent 12 years working in the warehouse industry, I can confidently tell you that the idea of starting an online business was the most intimidating goal I ever reached for. I spent most of my twenties and my early thirties proving that I could make it in a "man's industry". The looks I got from these guys when I walked in for my first day of work was all of the motivation I needed to get as good as possible, and then eventually become better than them.

And guess what? I did exactly that. When you have someone physically in front of you challenging you to show what you're made of, it gives you a spark you didn't even know you had. But, starting a business at home, all by yourself? Well, who's going to inspire me to be the best at that? Myself? No thank you!

I tried and failed so many times at trying to break into the digital world. I tried online workout programs, I tried starting a Youtube channel, I tried starting a blog over and over. I would always end up giving up when it came time to execute and actually make the content I needed to launch these ventures. It took me a long time to realize that it was because the only voice I was listening to was the mean girl in my own head. I was also getting so confused when it came to the whole process of getting everything set up and keeping up with it as well.

Eventually, I discovered the 5 necessary steps to creating a successful online business with no tech experience needed!

1. Have a product that people want to buy

2. Set up a website

3. Build an email list

4. Leverage social media to promote your product

5. Dedicate real time to growing your business

Go ahead and pull up a chair, grab a tasty drink, and let's get into it!

Step 1: Have a Product That People Want to Buy

So, obviously if you want to make money online, you have to have something for people to buy. Before you do ANYTHING, figure out what it is you want to offer to the world. This could be in the form of digital products such as courses, webinars, ebooks, printables, etc. Personally, I find that already having a product ready to go makes the whole set up process a little more fun and a lot less stressful.

If you don't know what to create, you could always set up affiliate deals to promote products in your blog posts or on your social media pages. If you have no idea where to begin, I highly recommend getting started with the Amazon Affiliate Program. It's very easy to join!

Another site I would suggest is clickbank.com, which is an affiliate marketplace. You can search for a whole bunch of different affiliate offers based on your niche.

Of course, there's always good old organic outreach. Just think of some of your favorite products and check their brands website for an affiliate program. Most companies offer them these days.

OR you could invest in a program that gives you a full step-by-step process to starting and running an online business. My free guide gives you a sneak peek into the details. The best part is that the program itself is now your product to sell, at 100% PROFIT. You literally have the opportunity to earn while you learn. It's almost like getting paid while you're getting trained for a new job. This is actually the program that helped me gain so much clarity on the digital marketing world.

If you're interested in skipping the leg work and getting everything you need in one package, click here.

2. Set up a website

Once you have your product, or affiliate links ready to go, the next step is purchasing a domain and then purchasing and setting up your website. Now, there are a few different ways you could do this, but I'm going to tell you about the three ways I know the most about.

The first way is how I got started. I purchased both my domain and website from godaddy.com. It makes the whole process of managing a blog a bit simpler because I don't have to worry about different platforms or keep track of different website logins.

Going through the set-up process on godaddy is very simple and beginner friendly.

Since then, I have pivoted my blog to a platform called systeme.io which is an all in one marketing platform. I will touch on that a little bit later.

The next option would be to use Squarespace for your website. I have used Squarespace in the past, when I first attempted to set up a blog, and it's also a very user-friendly platform that makes set up easy for those who are beginners.

The final option is using Bluehost for your domain hosting, and Wordpress for your blog/site. Every seasoned blogger I have learned from absolutely SWEARS by this method. Wordpress has a variety of different plug-ins available for whatever website needs you have.

However, I have also heard that it can be a bit overwhelming for those who are new to building and running a website.

3. Set up an Email List

Listen, any and everyone in the world of digital marketing will always tell you that the most important aspect of running an online business is having an email list.

Your email list is essentially the tool that automates your business.

Just think about any time you receive an email from one of your favorite clothing stores. Most of the time, sure, you probably end up deleting that email, but then there are times when you see a nice big sale stated in the subject line, and then the next thing you know, you've had yourself an online shopping spree.

The people on your email list will almost always be your best customers, so learning the art of nurturing that list is going to be extremely important to driving sales.

But first, you must decide which marketing platform you'd like to use. My favorite platform is systeme.io. This all-in-one marketing platform has literally EVERYTHING you need to run and fully automate your business.

You can create email campaigns specific to certain sales funnels, newsletters to connect with your customers and promote your lead magnets.

You can also add sales funnels for your blog, digital products, affiliate deals, etc. I absolutely LOVE this platform!

ConvertKit and MailChimp are also very solid options that I have heard good things about from other bloggers and digital creators.

4. Leverage Social Media to Promote Your Product/Website

You can't get into the digital marketing world without utilizing social media. You won't see any success if you don't. This is where a lot of people falter. A lot of people (myself included), think of content creation and digital marketing in terms of all of the rewarding aspects. Having more time freedom, paying off debt, being more present with your family, buying a dream home, traveling. But a lot of people don't think of the work aspect that goes into it because they don't think of it as work.

I understand that the idea of spending a couple hours a day posting on social media sounds laughable to be considered a job, but you have to see it in the eyes of a business marketer, not an individual who's sitting on their lunch break, doom scrolling through Tik Tok.

First thing's first, pick a platform to get really good at. Learn everything there is to know about being successful on that platform and then stick with it for 30 days. You have to be consistent in showing up every day. If you're not consistently posting and engaging your audience on a daily basis, your content is not going to be seen.

Do not try to go all in and all out on every social media outlet. You can incorporate more as you get better, but if you try to do it all at once, you're going to get extremely burnt out.

5. Dedicate Real Time

As I stated in the last point, you have to treat this like a real job. It's easy to get caught up in the vision of what digital marketing and content creation can do for you. Trust me, I have found myself way too often getting distracted by my daydreams, but you can't make those dreams come true if you don't put in the real-life work.

You wouldn't show up to your hourly job for one day of work and then expect to get paid for a full 40 hours. You can't post once or twice a week on social media and expect to grow a massive following overnight.

You wouldn't show up for one year of college and expect to be credited for four years and given a degree.

You work hard for the things you want the most. If you want to live the "Influencer Lifestyle", you have to put in the influencer effort. You only see the highlight, not the hard part.

In closing, achieving success in the digital space is not an impossible goal to work for. I find that the people who typically speak down on it are people who either don't understand what it is, or people who put in minimal effort at trying, and are now bitter because they failed.

There will always be someone to tell you that what you're doing and what you're working for is pointless, or not the "right way" of doing things. A lot of the most amazing things in this world have been created by people who were doubted by many.

Don't let the criticism of others dictate how you live your life or how you put yourself out there.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent."

-Mandy