Starting a Marketing Business - Need Advice

SeoProMatt

SeoProMatt

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Hey guys,

I'm currently in the early steps of starting a real estate marketing company.

I'm set on the marketing front. I did marketing for a real estate team last year as a summer job and I skyrocketed their sales. They paid me $19/hour but I increased their revenue by almost $200,000.

The issue is I'm still in college now (graduating in May 2019). After college, I'm going to be working 9+ hours a day to get these student loans off my ass ASAP.

I have time to do the work or get new clients, not both. Should I partner up with a friend of mine that can take care of acquisition while I focus on the marketing and split the business.... or hire a VA?

A Virtual Assistant would obviously be cheaper than having a partner but I feel like my friend would be more effective and grow the business faster.

I'm struggling to decide what is better long-term.

Any Advice?
 
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I can't give you an advice, but I see way too often partners become enemies when the business start to generate substantial revenue.
 
long term a friend that you can trust is better as a random VA, but as said before friends can become enemies when its suddenly about business.
 
SeoProMatt said:
Hey guys,

I'm currently in the early steps of starting a real estate marketing company.

I'm set on the marketing front. I did marketing for a real estate team last year as a summer job and I skyrocketed their sales. They paid me $19/hour but I increased their revenue by almost $200,000.

The issue is I'm still in college now (graduating in May 2019). After college, I'm going to be working 9+ hours a day to get these student loans off my ass ASAP.

I have time to do the work or get new clients, not both. Should I partner up with a friend of mine that can take care of acquisition while I focus on the marketing and split the business.... or hire a VA?

A Virtual Assistant would obviously be cheaper than having a partner but I feel like my friend would be more effective and grow the business faster.

I'm struggling to decide what is better long-term.

Any Advice?
Click to expand...
Where your friend is concerned make an agreement detailing exactly the roles you each will do and what's expected, both sign and date it, make copies. Set out from the start and be clear. Best to get a lawyer to draw it up
 
Don't go into business with friends or family. I've learned that lesson the hard way.
 
Partner up. You can achieve a lot more with two heads. Especially if you’ve both got strong skills to bring to the table. And especially as it sounds like it’s your first solo venture.
 
davids355 said:
Partner up. You can achieve a lot more with two heads. Especially if you’ve both got strong skills to bring to the table. And especially as it sounds like it’s your first solo venture.
Click to expand...
I have a tutoring company and 2 affiliate sites but I want to build something I'm interested in and passionate about.

t2van said:
Don't go into business with friends or family. I've learned that lesson the hard way.
Click to expand...
Quite a few people have given me that advice.

itz_styx said:
long term a friend that you can trust is better as a random VA, but as said before friends can become enemies when its suddenly about business.
Click to expand...
Yeah, money tends to change people.
 
I was in this exact same position, I started with real estate marketing. Shoot me a PM with some contact information and you can ask me whatever you want by phone or Skype
 
It's hard to find a business partner. You need to find someone you can trust at 100% . A partner will have different point, but if you want someone that just approved everything you said get a va would be a better option
 
mattfinely said:
How did you do that?
Click to expand...
I could probably write a book. I just give you a list in order of most effective to least effective

1. Networking
2. Referrals
3. FB Ads.
4. Craigslist.
 
I can't believe nobody has said this already...

1. Build a website, business cards, brochures, & everything you need for your agency.
2. Post an ad on craigslist, facebook, instagram, ect.. Saying that you're "hiring"
3. Tell all the applicants you run a marketing agency & you need representatives.
4. Pay them in commission only & sell them a dream (they only make money when you make money)
5. Give them some business cards, a company t-shirt, & some brochures so that they feel special.
6. They bring you clients. You pay them. You make money. Everyone is happy.
 
AdventureManJules said:
I can't believe nobody has said this already...

1. Build a website, business cards, brochures, & everything you need for your agency.
2. Post an ad on craigslist, facebook, instagram, ect.. Saying that you're "hiring"
3. Tell all the applicants you run a marketing agency & you need representatives.
4. Pay them in commission only & sell them a dream (they only make money when you make money)
5. Give them some business cards, a company t-shirt, & some brochures so that they feel special.
6. They bring you clients. You pay them. You make money. Everyone is happy.
Click to expand...
fucking love it, I'm going to look into this.
 
SeoProMatt said:
I could probably write a book. I just give you a list in order of most effective to least effective

1. Networking
2. Referrals
3. FB Ads.
4. Craigslist.
Click to expand...

Start with a post here. I'm sure the community will appreciate it :)
 
AdventureManJules said:
I can't believe nobody has said this already...

1. Build a website, business cards, brochures, & everything you need for your agency.
2. Post an ad on craigslist, facebook, instagram, ect.. Saying that you're "hiring"
3. Tell all the applicants you run a marketing agency & you need representatives.
4. Pay them in commission only & sell them a dream (they only make money when you make money)
5. Give them some business cards, a company t-shirt, & some brochures so that they feel special.
6. They bring you clients. You pay them. You make money. Everyone is happy.
Click to expand...

You just quoted the formula for every successful startup out there
 
@mattfinely Hoping that's a sign then!
That's been the model for my startup, but we haven't been operating long enough to judge success.
I'm just a months into the making right now...
However, I've learned a few other tricks just like that one haha. Should be smooth sailing from here
 
JLee411 said:
I can't give you an advice, but I see way too often partners become enemies when the business start to generate substantial revenue.
Click to expand...
^^^ Don't partner with a friend. Most of the time it always goes south. I speak from experience and even if it doesn't go south, it changes your relationship.
 
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