How to Get Clients for Social Media Marketing Agency (SMMA)

Thinking about starting a social media marketing agency? Or maybe you already have one and want to scale?

There’s one thing that keeps every agency owner up at night:

How do I land more clients?

That’s probably why you’re here, researching how to get your first (or next) client for your SMMA. 

Am I right?

As the CMO of Saleshandy, I know the struggle of bringing in new clients. No matter where you are in your journey, acquiring clients is always a challenge.

Why? Because you need to build trust, showcase case studies, and prove your value before a client even considers saying yes. 

That can feel overwhelming, right?

But what if I told you there are 15 ways to land clients without all the struggle? I’ve tested them, refined them, and used them to win clients myself. 

And trust me, the first method alone can completely change the scale of your agency.

So, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s get you the clients you need to grow your SMMA or social media advertising agency.

How to Get Clients for Your SMMA [15 Ways to Get Started]

In this section, I’ve described 15 strategies that can help you get clients for your social media marketing agency. 

Believe me, you won’t only read this blog post, but you will bookmark it. I’ve listed strategies based on their impact.

1. Cold Email Outreach (Statistics Show a 4400% ROI)

I know you’re already familiar with cold email outreach. But if you’re not getting results, you’re probably doing it wrong.

• Maybe you don’t have the right tool.
• Maybe you don’t have the right leads.
• Or maybe you don’t know the correct process for cold email outreach.

No worries, I’m here to break it all down for you. (Plus, I’ll share 100% effective cold email tips so you can get the most out of this guide).

TL;DR of the Cold Email Outreach Process

• First things first, you need correct, valid, and verified email addresses for your prospects.
• Next, you must warm up your email accounts/domains for high deliverability.
• Then, you need a cold email outreach tool to automate and streamline your campaigns.
• Finally, you need to write a personalized, compelling email copy that grabs attention and converts.

Sounds like a lot, right? Especially if you’re just starting out. 

But what if I tell you that all of this can be automated? (And yes, it’s worth investing in!)

How Saleshandy Simplifies Cold Emailing

• B2B Lead Finder with 700M+ professionals and 60M+ company contacts
• 10+ filters to narrow down your leads search by industry, company name, size, location, skills, and more
• Verified and quality email addresses (automatically removes invalid emails to minimize bounce rates)
• Unlimited email accounts, team accounts, and clients without extra costs (unlike other tools that charge more!)

Apart from that, Saleshandy helps you to get things done in the right way.

With Saleshandy, you can set up automated sequences using pre-built templates or fully personalized emails.

And the best part? There’s even more.

What are you waiting for? Get started with a 7-day free trial today!

Find high-quality leads, send personalized cold emails, and start growing your SMMA. 

2. LinkedIn Networking

One of the most effective ways to generate high-quality leads is to use LinkedIn. It is well known for prospecting, cold DMs, and gathering detailed information. 

After cold emailing, LinkedIn has become a powerful platform. Over the years, it has helped businesses, solopreneurs, and entrepreneurs get business. 

With limited efforts of posting, interacting, and making connections, you can land deals that help you grow your social media marketing agency. 

LinkedIn is best known for B2B clients (Although it markets itself for recruiters to hire the best candidates and vice versa). 

(3 quick tips for you; although if you read this entire section, you will find more tips that actually work)

You can find potential clients for your SMMA that are impressed with your content, work, or case studies and will reach out to you with their questions, queries, or feedback. 

Here are more tips that work to get clients on LinkedIn. (I bet if you follow these tips, you will land a really good number of clients, but ensure you do it mindfully.)

Apart from all these tactics, you can use LinkedIn Sales Navigator, which is LinkedIn’s official tool, to get information like emails, phone numbers, company names, and the rest of the details in your hand.

However, it’s paid, and the plans are costlier than those of lead finders. Of course, it’s one of the best tools, but it depends on your specific needs as well. 

You can use Saleshandy Connect, which is a Google Chrome extension that allows you to find emails and contact details from your LinkedIn profile. (It’s free of cost)

However, there is a drawback that you can only find a single lead information in a go. 

To get bulk contact information, you can use Saleshandy Lead Finder, which helps you to get contact details for up to 100 URLs of your LinkedIn profile and get started with that. 

You can read this guide to learn about the top LinkedIn email finders for prospecting. We’ve listed 12 tools to help you choose the best one that fits your needs.

3. Cold Calling Campaigns

Next on our list is cold calling, which is also a direct but powerful approach to getting clients. 

If you do it well, you’ll land a really good number of clients. (Remember, rejections in cold calling are natural and a part of the entire process.)

Lead Finder platforms like Saleshandy can help you get the phone numbers of your prospects and get started. 

Apart from that, there are different types of tools that help you with cold calling, such as Chorus.ai, Dialpaid.ai, and Ringover. 

To make cold calling work for you, you must know its tactics, the entire process, and tips for objection handling. 

Well, I’ve shared a few tips that would help you to improve your cold-calling game. 

Well, if you are a novice in cold calling, I have an amazing way to help you out. Check out this YouTube video of Saad Calling.

PS: Read this complete guide on how to do cold calling for closing more deals.

4. Social Media DMs

Social media platforms can make it easy for you to find clients. 

However, to take complete advantage of social media platforms, you need to know where business owners, decision-makers, and marketers are most active.

Let me show you the best platforms for client acquisition and how to use them for your benefit.

1. Instagram: Best for Local Businesses, Coaches, and Ecommerce Brands

• Many businesses post regularly but struggle with engagement.
• Target brands with low interaction (under 20 likes/comments per post).
• Send a short and personalized DM offering quick help.
• Stay on their radar by engaging with their Instagram Stories.

2. Facebook: Best for Small Businesses and Service Providers

• Local businesses still function on Facebook for marketing.
• Join business groups where entrepreneurs discuss challenges.
• Engage in group discussions before sending DMs to build trust.
• Target businesses are running Facebook ads but are getting weak engagement.

3. Twitter/X: Best for Startups and SaaS Founders

• Founders and decision-makers often discuss business challenges openly.
• Reply to their tweets and engage before sliding into their DMs.
• Share insights and case studies as tweets to attract inbound leads.
• Use Twitter search to find people looking for social media help (actively).

4. TikTok: Best for Influencers, Content Creators, and DTC Brands

• Many brands want to grow on TikTok but don’t have a clear strategy.
• Engage with their content before pitching your services.
• Offer a free content strategy audit to capture their interest.

These are the social media platforms that help you to find clients for your social media marketing agency. Sounds good? 

Next, let’s learn about an ideal way to connect with business owners to get clients. 

How to Send DMs That Get Replies on Social Media Platforms

Here is how to make your DMs actually work to get clients for your digital marketing agency:

You must take advantage of the right platforms, and a strategic outreach approach will help you land value clients faster.

5. Content Marketing Strategy

Content. It’s a single world, but everything revolves around it.

Everything from social media posts, reels, research, and blog posts to SEO revolves around content.

If you have good content, you’re able to get clients faster than anything else.

Create valuable content; you’ll automatically start getting an audience for your business.

If you’ve noticed recently on Instagram, social media agencies that are newly started or influential share their story.

They created themselves as their brand face and became content creators.

Their struggle, challenges, achievements, tactics, tips, and experiences, they started sharing on Instagram, YouTube, and even on LinkedIn.

It also shows that if you’ve established yourself on these platforms, you can help others, too.

If you are successful, you will help others become successful. That makes sense, right?

For content marketing, you need to start with creating a website where you can post your blogs.

With blogs, landing pages, case studies, and social media posting, you will be able to build a reputation on search engines like Google, Bing, and more.

Create a strategy to get clients and follow the authentic process of content marketing. Writing content in different categories like ToFU, MoFU, and BoFU.

This content marketing funnel is about writing content for the top of the funnel, middle of the funnel, and bottom of the funnel. 

Following this strategy helps businesses build authority on search engines, gain organic traffic, and run their businesses. 

6. Search Engine Optimization

Let me be honest and get straight to the point. 

SEO helps your website rank higher on Google when businesses search for social media services. This means free and organic traffic from people who already need your services.

Let’s understand it step by step. 

1. Understand How SEO Works

SEO is about making your website visible to the right audience. It involves three key elements:

• Keywords: Words and phrases people type into Google.
• Content: Blog posts, landing pages, and case studies that answer client questions.
• Backlinks: Links from other websites that improve your site’s credibility.

2. Choose the Right Keywords

To attract the right clients, you need to rank for keywords they are searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find keywords.

• Short-tail keywords: High search volume but competitive (social media marketing).
• Long-tail keywords: Lower competition but more targeted (Facebook ads for real estate agents).

3. Optimize Your Website

Your website should be fast, mobile-friendly, and optimized for conversions.

• Homepage: Clearly state who you help and how. Plus, add client testimonials.
• Service pages: Create dedicated pages targeting specific services (Instagram growth for e-commerce brands).
• Case studies and testimonials: Show results to build trust.
• Contact page: Make it easy for potential clients to reach out.

Make sure each page has SEO-friendly titles, meta descriptions, and internal links to improve rankings.

4. Publish Quality Content

Content marketing helps your website rank and positions you as an expert.

• Blog posts: Answer client pain points (“How to Get More Leads with Facebook Ads”).
• How-to guides: Step-by-step articles explaining solutions (“SEO vs Paid Ads: Which One is Better for Small Businesses?”).
• Comparison posts: Compare tools or strategies (“Instagram Ads vs TikTok Ads: What Works Best?”).

Your content should be optimized with proper headings, keywords, and internal links for better rankings.

5. Build Quality Backlinks

Backlinks are votes of confidence from other websites. The more high-quality sites link to you, the higher Google ranks your website.

Here are the ways to build backlinks:

• Guest posting: Write articles for other marketing websites.
• Quora and Reddit: Answer questions related to social media marketing and link back to your site when relevant.
• Join Slack groups: There are multiple groups on Slack and other platforms that help you to get backlinks. 

While getting backlinks for your business, you need to avoid spammy backlinks. This helps you reduce the chances of your rankings being hurt. 

6. Optimize for Local SEO

If you want local clients, you need to rank in local searches like “SMMA in [City].”

• Google My Business: Set up and optimize your profile.
• Local directories: List your website on platforms like Yelp and Clutch.
• Client reviews: Encourage clients to leave positive reviews.

7. Capture Leads and Convert Visitors into Clients

Most website visitors won’t contact you immediately.

You need to take advantage of techniques like lead magnets to capture their contact info and follow up. 

Here are the examples:

• Free audit: “Get a free social media strategy review.”
• Ebook: “7-Step Guide to Scaling Instagram Ads.”
• Webinar: “How to Grow Your Business Using Facebook Ads.”

Once you collect leads, use email marketing to nurture them and turn them into paying clients.

8. Track, Improve, and Scale

SEO requires constant optimization. Tracking tools are used to measure performance and make adjustments.

• Google Analytics: See how much traffic your site gets.
• Google Search Console: Track which keywords bring visitors.
• Hotjar: Analyze visitor behavior on your site.

If a strategy is working, scale it. If not, adjust your approach.

7. Paid Advertising Campaigns

I know SEO is a long-term game. If you want something quick, then paid advertising campaigns can work the best. 

Instead of waiting for traffic, you can run ads. 

Let’s learn about the process. 

1. Identify and Select the Right Paid Advertising Platform

Choosing the right one depends on your target audience and the type of businesses you want to work with.

• Facebook and Instagram Ads: These two platforms are best for B2C brands, e-commerce, and local businesses.
• Google Ads (Search and Display): This platform is ideal for intent-based leads. 
• LinkedIn Ads: This platform is the best option for B2B marketing. 

2. Create Ad Campaigns That Convert

After selecting platforms, you need to create and launch ad campaigns that work best for you. 

• Attract leads with a free social media audit, case study, or strategy session. This can help you get clients for your social media marketing platform. 
• Next, write an engaging ad copy that has humor, numbers, data, or creativity to make it connect with your audience. 
• Further, you can reach similar clients and set up retargeting ads to bring back people who are engaged with your website.

3. Track, Analyze, and Scale Your Ads

Running ads without tracking performance is a waste of budget. Regular optimization ensures better results over time.

You can track metrics like Cost Per Lead (CPL), Click-Through Rate (CTR), and Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) to measure success. 

Test different ad creatives, copy, and audience segments. This helps you know what results are offered in ad campaigns.  

Once you identify winning campaigns, increase the budget on high-performing ads while pausing underperforming ones. 

8. Events and Webinars

Events and webinars are one of the best ways to connect with potential clients. When people see you sharing insights live, they trust you more. 

You need to take help and engage with attendees. This makes it easy for you to build relationships that can turn into business opportunities.

Once events or webinars end, you need to follow-up. (No generic follow-up)

You’ve to offer some value in your follow-up message and connect with your prospects with a quick tip or a free audit.

If you’re hosting a webinar, make it about teaching. You need to share real examples, case studies, and practical tips during the webinar. 

Don’t forget to reuse the content and turn it into blog posts, short social media clips, or YouTube videos to reach even more people.

9. B2B Influencer Partnerships

So, next on our list is the B2B influencer partnerships approach that helps you to get clients for your business.

Let me show you the entire approach that I follow. Here are the steps to get started in B2B influencer partnerships. 

1. Define My Goals and Audience

• Set clear goals: I start by deciding what I want to achieve (Get 50 qualified leads in 3 months).
• Identify my ideal clients: I narrow down the audience by industry, company size, or common challenges they face so I can partner with influencers who reach these decision-makers.

2. Find the Right Influencers

• Look for niche experts: I search for influencers who are trusted voices among my target audience (for example, a digital transformation expert for SaaS companies).
• Check compatibility: I make sure their tone and values match my brand.
• Take proper decisions: I consider working with micro-influencers for higher engagement or macro-influencers for broader reach.

3. Plan the Partnership for Shared Growth

• Identify opportunities for overall growth: I look for ways we can both benefit from, like increasing brand visibility and generating new leads.
• Decide the partnership: I decide whether to collaborate on webinars, co-create content, or set up referral agreements.
• Set clear roles: I make sure both parties know their responsibilities, from content creation to following up on leads.

4. Execute Campaigns on Key Platforms

• Choose the right platforms: I use LinkedIn for professional posts and Instagram for engaging visuals. You need to do the same by identifying what and how you can offer value.
• Collaborate on content: Together with the influencer, I create case studies, host joint webinars, or do live sessions that showcase my expertise and build trust with potential clients.

5. Follow Up and Build Long-Term Relationships

• Reach out personally: After the campaign, I contact engaged viewers to offer a free strategy call or a limited-time deal.
• Track performance: I monitor key metrics like leads, engagement, and website traffic to see what works best.
• Maintain ongoing partnerships: I believe in building long-term relationships rather than one-off deals to ensure a steady stream of high-quality leads over time.

10. Client Referral Programs

Client referral programs are a great way to grow your business without spending extra money on ads or marketing. 

Why? 

People trust recommendations from friends or colleagues more than any ad, even while searching on their own. 

Referral programs don’t cost much to run, but they can bring in continuous clients. 

Here are the tips that work best to get clients with referrals. 

That’s it. It is easy to set up a client referral program to get clients fast for your business if you do it in the right manner. 

If your clients love your work, they can help bring in new business by referring you to others.

If you’re not using this method, you’re missing out.

11. Freelance Marketplace Platforms

Freelance marketplace platforms are fantastic if you’re looking for new clients or just getting started for your SMM agency. 

Here are the popular platforms that are best for freelancers. 

• Upwork: Best for long-term projects and serious clients.
• Fiverr: Perfect for smaller gigs and building a portfolio.
• Freelancer.com: Offers a variety of job categories to explore.
• Toptal: Only the best freelancers get in, but the clients are premium and willing to pay for quality.

Next, let me share how to make your profile work the best and start getting clients in.

• Make sure your profile shows exactly what you do with your experience and includes a portfolio and a free sample of your best work.
• Don’t send the same proposal to every job. Tailor it to each client to show why you’re the right fit for the project.
• The better your work, the more reviews you’ll get and the more clients you’ll land. Because your reputation is everything on these platforms.

Freelance marketplaces are the best way to build your client base. If you put in the effort in the right direction, you’ll get clients who need your services and are willing to pay.

12. White Labeling Services

You partner with another company that provides the service or product, and you brand it as your own. It’s like expanding your business without the extra overhead.

Here are the reasons why white labeling services are powerful. 

• You can offer a variety of services without having to do the work yourself. It’s a great way to expand your business without much risk.
• The third-party company handles the heavy lifting, so you can focus on bringing in new clients and building relationships.
• You still get to control the branding, the client experience, and how you present the service.

So, how is this strategy? Sounds interesting, right? 

Let’s learn how to choose the right white-label partner for your business. 

White labeling lets you find clients or leads for your SMMA without doing all the hard work yourself. 

Remember, with the right partner, you can get more clients for your business over time. (It’s all about making the right choice at the right time!)

13. Podcast Guest Appearances

Podcast guest appearances are a fun and natural way for me to share my story and help business owners solve real problems. 

When I hop on a podcast, I chat like I’m talking to a friend, sharing practical tips, funny behind-the-scenes moments, and real-life wins that show exactly how my SMMA can help. 

It’s all about being genuine and relatable and leaving listeners with a spark of inspiration to take action.

Here are a few tips that work best for me, and (believe me) these will work for you as well. 

A genuine and conversational podcast appearance improves credibility and results in meaningful connections that convert into clients.

Every chat is a chance to learn, connect, and grow together.

14. Hosting a Free “Fix Your Socials” Livestream

If you run a social media marketing agency (SMMA) and want to attract clients, hosting a free livestream can be a powerful way to showcase your skills, build trust, and get paying clients.

However, to make it work right for you, you need to have a clear plan that works for you and provides your clients with free value in exchange. 

Read further to learn before, during, and after things to take care of for live streaming. 

Before the Livestream:

During the Livestream: 

After the Livestream:

If you have recently been on LinkedIn, you might have seen creators or experts in fields like SEO, content marketing, YouTube, or product development/management sharing their insights. 

They also conduct live webinars or live streams to guide their audience in sharing personal experiences, learnings, insights, and more. 

15. Build a Niche Newsletter

Build your audience. This is the best thing you can do for your business and yourself. 

Believe me, instead of relying on other platforms, the primary thing is to build your following and get enough subscribers. 

Your audience on your platform. That means you have the power. 

It is not that easy. You have to have a good plan and share information or value that connects and ACTUALLY helps the target audience. 

And, of course, it is time-consuming. So, you have to be patient when implementing this strategy. 

And, yes, it’s not a quick start to get clients. 

If you want a quick start, you need to get started with cold emailing. 

How to Choose the Best Strategy to Get Clients for Your SMMA?

Selecting the right strategy helps to attract clients for your SMMA. Instead of choosing a single approach, you need to identify your strengths, market trends, and client preferences. 

How? 

Here are the steps to choose the perfect strategy for your business. 

1. Evaluate Your Strengths and Resources

Before selecting a strategy, identify what you are best at and what resources you have available. 

By understanding your strengths, you can select a strategy that CAN actually provide results.

2. Understand Your Market and Ideal Client’s Behavior

Next, you need to understand who your clients are and their behavior.

How? Ask these questions and find answers. 

Believe it or not, the better you align your approach with your client’s preferences, the better you convert clients for your social marketing agency. 

3. Test Different Methods and Double Down on What Works

Neither can you rely on a single strategy, nor is there any single strategy that gives you tons of clients. The best way to find what works is through experimentation.

Once you identify what works best, think of resources to scale that strategy. 

4. Combine Multiple Strategies to Get Better Results

Relying on one method alone can limit your potential growth. However, you need to work on multiple strategies for constantly acquiring new clients.

By using multiple strategies, you build a stable and scalable client pipeline.

Pick the Right Client Acquisition Strategy for Your SMMA

If you’ve made it to this conclusion, I know you’ve gone through all the strategies.

From cold emailing to building a newsletter, every method works when done right. 

But you need to figure out what works best depending on your niche, industry, and market position.

Instead of just thinking, try different strategies together. Test, analyze, and double down on what brings the best results for your SMMA.

Still confused about choosing your first strategy? Give cold emailing a shot. Trust me, it’s not as tricky as it used to be!

Start your 7-day free trial of Saleshandy and start landing clients today!

FAQs About Getting Clients for Your SMMA

1. How do I get my first SMMA clients?

Start with your network, such as friends, family, or past clients you have worked with once or twice before. Cold email businesses with a solid pitch. Use LinkedIn to connect with decision-makers. Offer free audits or case studies to prove your expertise and build trust.

2. What mistakes should I avoid when getting SMMA clients?

Don’t spam generic messages, personalize every pitch. Avoid underpricing your services; it attracts low-quality clients. Never skip case studies or proof of work; clients need to see results before they trust you.

3. Should I offer free work to get my first SMMA client?

Yes, but you need to do it strategically. Instead of full services, offer a free audit, consultation, or limited trial. This builds trust and proves your expertise while setting the stage for a paid deal.