How to start a digital marketing agency 990

A $990 budget is tight, but it's workable if you're starting solo and leveraging free tools aggressively. Your first priority is establishing legitimacy without spending on expensive branding or office space. Register your business legally—this costs $50-150 depending on your state and whether you choose an LLC or sole proprietorship. You'll want a business license and EIN from the IRS, which is free. This takes a few hours online and gives you credibility with clients and the ability to open a business bank account. Open a basic business checking account (many banks offer free accounts) and keep your finances separate from day one. This costs nothing and protects you legally.

Allocate roughly $300-400 for your online presence. Get a domain name ($12 annually) and basic hosting ($5-10 monthly). Use WordPress with a free theme and Elementor's free builder to create a simple portfolio website—this takes a weekend of work but needs no design skills. Spend $100-150 on essential software: Canva Pro ($120/year) for client-ready graphics, and use free alternatives for the rest. Google Workspace's free tier covers email and basic collaboration. Free tools like Ubersuggest's free version, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Semrush's free tier handle SEO research. Grammarly's free version covers writing quality. You've now spent roughly $500.

Your remaining $400-490 should cover initial client acquisition and business operations. Don't spend it all at once. Put $50 toward a basic CRM like Pipedrive's free tier or HubSpot free version. You'll need a phone number service like Google Voice (free) for client calls. Spend $200-300 on targeted LinkedIn ads or Google Ads testing your positioning with real clients—this teaches you what actually works. The rest covers miscellaneous costs like domain renewal, software upgrades as you grow, or emergency expenses.

Your biggest asset is your time, not your budget. Spend the first month offering deep-discount services to 3-5 clients you choose strategically. Document their results meticulously because case studies and testimonials become your marketing. Build on those wins rather than trying to scale too quickly. Once you have proof of results, you can reinvest client revenue back into the business and actually grow.