How I got started in online business
Full breakdown of the Local Marketing Vault program
Before we get into this guide, let me say this loud and clear:
I know how a lot of online business content sounds…
“Here’s how I made $500,000 in six months while drinking coconut water in Thailand.”
This is not that.
This is the self-starter guide I would have used when I was selling broken pieces of gold to make rent.
True story. March 2023.
Everything in this article is based on what I learned from the Local Marketing Vault (LMV). LMV is a coaching program that teaches you how to build your own online business by helping local businesses get customers.
I wouldn’t be running my business, or earning what I earn today, if it weren’t for LMV. Period.
This guide is for you if…
You’re serious about building a real online business
You want a business model that actually makes sense
You’re not a tech genius, and don’t want to learn coding
You want to work fully remotely, with no location requirements
You want to actually help people, not just sell them “stuff.”
100% transparency here: I have no problem telling you that if you decide to join the program after reading this, I might get a commission from LMV.
But whether or not I earn anything, I’ll feel good about sharing this.
Because doing the LMV program showed me how to really make online business work. And if I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t be...
Working for myself full-time
Getting paid to write for 8-figure entrepreneurs
Being able to skip Canadian winters and run my agency from Thailand, Florida, Kelowna.
No. I’m not financially-free. I still need to work.
But I’ve been able to 5x my corporate income while having complete location freedom. To me, that is a win worth sharing.
If you really want to have your own online business…
and you feel stuck because you don’t know who to trust…
and you’re willing to learn, take action, and just figure it out…
This is for you.
I’m going to explain exactly how this business model works, how people get clients, what services you can offer (even if you’re not "techy"), and how to turn those skills into a real business that pays you.
But this isn’t a pitch. This is the full breakdown of the business model, so you can decide for yourself if it’s worth pursuing.
So, soak up this guide like your future business depends on it.
I don’t use the phrase lightly, but LMV genuinely my life. It changed the way I earn a living — and how I see myself as a business owner.
And I wouldn’t be writing this if I didn’t believe it could change yours too.
What is SMMA, and Why Do It?
SMMA = social media marketing agency.
It means helping local businesses (like plumbers, gyms, dentists) get customers using platforms like Google, Facebook, and email.
You’re not selling gadgets from China or posting dance videos. You’re learning how to get real customers for real businesses.
In my experience—especially starting out with no money or team—this is one of the few business models that made sense to me.
Here’s why I think this works for newbies like me:
Low startup cost: You don’t need a storefront, a warehouse, or a bunch of video-editing apps.
You need Wi-Fi, a computer, and the willingness to try.Completely remote: You don’t have to live in the same city as your clients.
Less competition: Most big marketing agencies don’t care about the small mom-and-pop shop down the street. That’s your opening.
It’s actually scalable: I’ve seen people in the LMV program grow their businesses to $20k per month, just doing it by themselves.
You can stay solo or build a team. Either way, your income isn’t tied to punching a clock.High profit margins: When I charged a business $1,000 per month to send them customers, I kept about $900 of that.
You won’t find profit margins like that in dropshipping or Amazon FBA.(Maybe most important) You’re actually helping people. This isn’t some 5% commission affiliate gig, it’s a real business.
I wanted a business I could have real integrity in.
Saying “I help local businesses get customers” felt way more aligned for me than saying, “I sell people stuff from China.”
If you’re committed to being your own boss and having your own online business, I believe this is the smartest model to start with.
Why?
Because when you understand how to drive traffic, get customers, and help other businesses grow—those skills will serve you in any kind of business you might get into.
Why I Picked (and Recommend) Local Marketing Vault
I didn’t come up with this business model. I just followed the blueprint.
James and Jason — the guys behind Local Marketing Vault — built this system over 11 years.
My partner (now husband) and I joined LMV in 2022. We watched every training, copied their strategies, made mistakes, and now we earn anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per client — per month — using their teachings.
We’re not special. We were just consistent. And we had a proven system.
What stood out to me about LMV right from the get-go:
The longevity — James and Jason launched the program in 2017 after scaling their own agency to over $100,000 per month.
In the world of online coaching programs, eight years alone is rare. But eight years with a solid reputation is even rarer.
That brings me to…The ratings — A+ with the Better Business Bureau, 4.9/5 stars on Trustpilot.
When researching a program, you have to look at third-party sources like these. Reading random blogs isn’t reliable because you don’t know who that blogger might be getting paid to promote.The tone — The first time I ever saw one of James’ videos, I remember thinking, “Finally, something that feels real.”
I liked his unapologetic, no-BS energy. Sort of a take-it-or-leave-it approach. Like he doesn’t care if people believe him, because he knows his program works.
The application to join — About two years ago, someone reached out to me and asked to talk with me about my experience in the program.
I distinctly remember James saying to me before the call, “We’re not gonna be a good fit for everybody. And if someone seems too skeptical, too old, or just not that committed to building their business — don’t try to convince them. We want people in LMV who are coachable, and who want to really do this.”
That always stuck with me. They care about people’s success in their program.
And that’ll be the same if you read this article and decide to book a call. You’ll talk to me or someone else who’s actually done the program.
And there won’t be pressure or “salesy” vibes. It’s a conversation with someone who’s done this, and is there to help you figure out if it’s what you’re looking for.
Let’s get into what you actually learn in LMV.
What Services Do You Sell?
One of the hardest parts about starting your own business is knowing what the hell to sell, so you can get paying clients.
Like, what does “providing value” really mean anymore?
Well, it means solving problems for people — specifically problems they don’t have the time or knowledge to do themselves.
You don’t need a marketing degree, another certification, or to know how the TikTok algorithm works.
You just need to offer services that local businesses already need help with.
Here are six of the most in-demand services local biz owners will pay for:
1. Message Marketing ($297–$497/month)
This is hands-down one of the simplest, fastest ways to earn a small business some money.
You help them message their past customers with a great offer. That’s it.
Example: We helped an HVAC technician send a message to 2,170 of his past customers.
129 responded.
70 booked appointments.
That turned into $12,250 in revenue and $7,350 in profit — in under a month!
He literally asked us to pause the campaign because he got too busy.
Here’s the exact message we sent:
“Hey [First Name]! Joe here from Razok HVAC. To thank you for being a previous customer, we’re offering you 75% off our spring duct cleaning service!
(Regular $269!)
Just $68 for the first 8 vents, and $6.50 per additional vent after that.
(Don’t worry — we’ll be able to tell you beforehand how many vents your home has!)
Just text us back YES or give us a call at [Insert Number] to confirm.
Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
Thanks, Joe.”
Time it took us to set up? 35 minutes — using a prebuilt campaign from LMV.
2. Reputation Management ($97–$497/month)
What’s the first thing you look at when deciding on which plumber to call or which restaurant to visit? Probably their ratings and reviews.
And most small businesses owners have no method of collecting reviews or handling negative ones.
If a business has bad Google reviews (or none at all), they’re losing money.
You can fix that with a simple automation that handles this for them.
Example: When a plumber leaves an appointment with a customer, that customer gets an automatic text/email, asking them how their service was.
If they click thumb’s up, they get taken to his Google review page where they can leave their rating.
If they click thumb’s down, the message gets forwarded to the plumber for him to respond to.
More reviews for a business = more credibility = more new customers.
3. Lead Generation ($500–$5,000/month)
Yes, that’s a big price range. That’s because it greatly depends on the industry you’re advertising for.
This is what most people think of when they hear "marketing."
You run simple ads (on Facebook, Google) that generate leads.
A lead is someone who’s interested in your client’s service. It’s someone who fills out your form, books a call, or asks for more info. Basically, someone who raises their hand and says, “I might want this.”
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok are ideal for running ads for “want” services — when people want something but don’t necessarily need it immediately. Think hair salons, spas, yoga studios, restaurants, etc.
Whereas Google ads are best for need-now services.
If someone’s AC busts on a hot summer day, they’re not searching for an HVAC repairman on Facebook. They’re Googling.
Example: We’ve run lead gen campaigns for landscapers, realtors, HVAC companies, and electricians — all of it using LMV’s instructions.
Even if you’re figuring out lead gen on your own, it’s simpler than you might think.
What you do is…
Select relevant keywords that potential customers might use when searching for the service (“emergency plumber” or “plumber in [city]”).
Create simple ad campaigns using these keywords.
Write some words that highlight the unique selling points of the service (“24-hour service” or “Free quotes.”)
Use location targeting to show the ad to people in the business’s service area.
Monitor and tweak the campaign based on metrics like clicks, cost per click, and form fill-outs.
You can set up these campaigns in an afternoon. And once they’re working, they run mostly on autopilot.
4. SEO ($700–$3,000+/month)
This one’s for businesses who want to show up on the first page of Google with a full, professional website.
Not a two-page landing page, but a full sha-bang website with all the blogs, About Us, and Company History pages.
A business owner might build themselves a decent website, but that website may never get seen.
Why?
Because if Google can’t easily scan a website and determine its content, the algorithm won’t want to show that site to people.
Therefore, this is a very valuable service for those who want a professional, branded website that customers can actually find online.
Personally, I don’t do this service in-house. I outsource to a software like DashClicks for $300/month. They do the work behind the scenes, and let you resell it under your agency.
LMV taught us this service too, and how to outsource it.
You don’t have to be an expert at any of these services, by the way. You just need to know how to explain it to your clients, so they understand how it’ll help them.
5. Content Creation ($500–$5,000+/month)
Most business owners suck at social media. Or they just don’t have time for it.
If you (or your team) can create posts, reels, blogs, videos — this is a valuable service that can grow their brand and keep customers in their world.
Similar to SEO, this is more of a long-play service. So, I wouldn’t lead with it if your client wants more customers ASAP.
If a plumber needs more business this month, lead generation or message marketing would help him more than posting on Instagram would.
The best plan is to always start a client with a service that’ll get them some wins right away. Then, you can introduce longer-play services like SEO or content creation.
6. Website Building ($500–$3,000+)
A lot of business owners will try to design their own websites — and you can tell because they’re messy. Messy websites don’t get views.
We built simple websites using LMV’s prebuilt templates. The program gave us ready-to-use websites that we could customize for our clients.
Then charged anywhere from $500 to $3,000, depending on what the client needed.
Now, before you start thinking you need to learn all these services yourself…let me stop you there. You don’t.
You can learn how these services work and outsource them, or partner up.
The point is: if you can help a business make money, they’ll gladly pay you to keep doing it.
Here’s a video of James explaining how some of these services work.
Do I Need to Do It All Myself? (How to Build Without Burning Out)
Nope. That’s the whole point of using a program like LMV (and of running your own business). You’ll eventually get other people to help your business grow.
Start by learning how to do everything yourself, so you understand the basics.
Then, you have options for how you grow your business.
Here are your options:
1. Learn the skill, do it yourself — for now
Sometimes you just gotta roll up your sleeves and do the work to get started.
But don’t get stuck here. If you want to build a business (not just a freelance job), the goal is to learn it well enough to delegate — then let go of the reins.
This is one of the biggest reasons why I think LMV has been around so long. They don’t just teach you marketing skills—they teach you how to grow a real business with them.
Their templates, strategies, and accountability trackers took all the guesswork out of it for us.
So no — you don’t need to do it all yourself. But yes — you should understand how it works before you hire it out, so you actually know how you want it done.
That’s how you build real confidence — and a real business.
Here’s the secret to growing a real business without burning out:
You don’t do everything yourself forever.
In fact, the smartest people inside LMV pick one superpower — like sales, relationship building, or fulfillment — and then partner up with someone who fills in the gaps.
(Fulfillment just means actually doing the marketing work—running ads, building websites, etc.)
2. Partner with someone who knows what they’re doing
This is what we did. We met other students in the LMV community who already knew how to do Facebook Ads, Google Ads, SEO, etc.
We’d sell the service, they’d fulfill it, and we’d split the profit 50/50.
This is a hack because we basically got paid to be mentored by someone who already knows what they’re doing.
Some of the top earners I’ve met in the program don’t touch fulfillment at all. They just understand the service, and enjoy talking to people about it. Then hand it off to someone they trust.
When I’ve partnered up, I would basically just…
Make a post in the community about what my client does, and what kind of partner I’m looking for.
Have conversations with people who reached out.
Vet them by asking to see some of the results they’ve gotten for similar clients.
Maybe even do a free trial together.
Remember, this is your business. You get to choose who you keep working with.
Tip: Get Clear on Roles + Revenue Splits
Before you say yes to any partnership, talk about the unsexy stuff:
Who’s collecting payments?
How fast is the work getting done?
How does everyone want to stay in touch?
The more clear you are upfront, the smoother things go. (And the less you end up in awkward “he said/she said” conversations.)
3. Hire a vetted freelancer or fulfillment agency
There are agencies (like DashClicks) that exist specifically so people like us can offer services without doing them ourselves. You white-label their work under your brand and keep the profits.
We chose to work with people inside the LMV community. We simply trusted them more than random strangers on Fiverr.
Tip: Act Like a CEO, Not a Freelancer
Freelancers get paid to do tasks. CEOs get paid to solve problems.
Freelancers think, “How much time will this take me?”
CEOs think, “How can I solve this faster, better, or without me at all?”
The sooner you make this shift, the sooner you start working on your business instead of in it.
Your clients don’t care if you’re solo or if you have a whole team. They just care that you do what you said you’d do.
So stop worrying about looking impressive.
Start building a simple system that gets results — even if it’s just you.
Ask yourself:
What steps need to happen to deliver the result?
Who’s responsible for each one?
How can I make this repeatable?
You don’t need a fancy dashboard. Notion, Google Sheets, a paper notebook — whatever works.
It’s not about being flashy. It’s about being reliable.
That’s what builds trust. That’s what gets you more clients. And that’s what keeps you from burning out and resenting your business later.
How to Land Clients (Who Actually Pay You)
Part 1: How to find real clients
This part scares most beginners. But I promise, it’s not that terrifying.
If you’re willing to put yourself out there a little — even awkwardly — you can land paying clients way faster than you think.
When you offer a service that actually helps people, you won’t feel like you’re “selling.” You’re just talking about how you help people.
There are three main ways people find clients:
Computer’s Reach: All online. The go-to for introverts.
Arm’s Reach: Talking to people in your existing network and social media.
Car’s Reach: In-person — for the extroverts or anyone brave enough to walk into a shop and say hi.
You can use one, two, or all three. Let’s break them down...
1. Computer’s Reach (Laptop Hermit Method)
This is for the introverts. Or the socially anxious. Or literally anyone who’d rather cold email a stranger than walk up and shake their hand.
Here’s how you get clients without leaving your house:
Upwork: It’s the easiest freelancing platform to get started on. Bid on small projects, deliver great work, get reviews from clients, and use those reviews to land higher-paying clients.
Google Prospecting: Search for local businesses in your (or any) city, then see who has a bad website, no reviews, or who shows up on page 3-5.
Reach out. Offer to help them.Groupon Hack: If a business is using Groupon, they’re probably desperate for new customers because they’re giving a ton of money away.
Reach out and show them a better way.
I made a whole free training on how to prospect using Groupon. Check it out here.Leads In Advance: This is the LMV signature move. You use your own money to send a business customers before you even talk to them. Then, once you see they’ve booked a few calls, call them up and say, "Hey, I sent you some leads. Do you want me to keep sending more?"
This is how James built his agency to $40K/month.
2. Arm’s Reach (Social Circle Sales)
You’d be shocked how many people in your circle know someone who runs a business.
When I went through the program, I started noticing small business owners everywhere.
And talking to those people doesn’t have to be awkward — especially if you offer to help them get more customers for free!
Here’s how to leverage your network without being weird about it:
Post on Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn: Something simple like, "I just learned how to help local businesses get more customers using emails and Google ads. Does anyone know any business owners who want more leads?"
Tag a few friends.Tap into DMs: Message people you know. Not with a pitch — just with curiosity. "Hey, I saw your cousin opened a gym — how’s it going for them? I’ve been helping local businesses get more customers, and I’m looking to get some more free trials under my belt."
Join local biz Facebook groups: Offer free tips. Comment on posts. Start conversations about what you’ve learned in LMV.
This is what I did. I just shared what I was learning, and people wanted to learn more.
Arm’s reach tends to work the fastest because these are often people you already have some connection with. They’re “warm” leads.
3. Car’s Reach (Feet-on-the-Street Style)
This is for the brave souls. Or the people who love face-to-face connection.
Walk into local businesses: Start a conversation with the owner. Ask how they get new clients. Mention that you help businesses do that.
Offer a free trial. Don’t overthink it.BNI or Local Networking Events: You show up. You shake hands. You mingle with other small business owners, and explain what you do.
I promise that if you’re friendly, you will leave with business cards!
True story: we got a $1,000 project through a local networking event by just showing up and talking like humans. And we didn’t even fulfill the work ourselves — we hired someone in LMV to do it.
Each method works, it just depends which one you want to work. Pick one that feels doable. Stick with it long enough to get through the uncomfortable reps, then keep going.
Finding clients isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being visible. So get visible.
Part 2: How to Land Your First Client (and Get Paid)
This is the part where you stop helping for free and start making money.
My first client was a podiatrist who paid me $500 to run a Facebook ad for his clinic. I didn’t even know what a podiatrist was before I did the LMV program, and I ended up helping him get 40+ new booked appointments!
But how do you actually ask for the money?
Play #1: The Paid Trial
This is our favorite way to land clients. Here’s a real story about how we did it:
Found a plumber on Groupon
Emailed him and asked if he could handle more customers
Offered to help him, free of charge, in exchange for a testimonial
Explain that $300-500 will be needed for the ad spend
Send them a recording of you putting that money into the ad
Track the ad performance, and book them some calls within 7 days.
It’s low-risk for them and high-confidence for you.
Pro tip: Show them the campaign BEFORE you launch it. Let them see exactly where the ad spend is going. This is how you build trust, and keep the client.
Then — once you’ve helped them make money — ask:
"Want to talk about keeping it going?"
Boom! Client.
Play #2: Monthly Retainer
Once you’ve earned their trust and delivered results, offer a monthly package.
Make it simple:
One flat rate (Ex: $2,000/month for service fee + ad spend).
Clear deliverables (Ex: X leads per month, Google ads, etc.)
One point of contact (You or your partner — not both)
Keep it human. Keep it simple. Just explain how you’re going to help them.
Business owners care about results, not resumes.
Help them make money, and they’ll gladly pay you.
(And tell their friends.)
Onboarding & Contracts
Alright — you’ve got a client.
Now what?
People really overcomplicate this part because they think they’re not smart enough. We think we need to include a bunch of fancy legal jargon to make an agreement with our clients.
But writing an agreement doesn’t need to be scary, or full of confusing words.
Here’s the step-by-step to bringing on a client:
Keeping Contracts & Agreements Simple
The most simple way to think about what to include on a client agreement: the WHAT WHY HOW framework.
What are you agreeing to exchange? Your service of x, y, z for their investment of $X.
Why is this service going to help the client solve their problem?
How is this going to happen? Think about what both parties can expect in the first 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days.
How are payments going to be made, and when?
How should your client expect to communicate with you?
LMV gives you a contract + onboarding system that runs on Go Highlevel (GHL). We didn’t have to build it from scratch. We’d just tweak the details, and send it.
The whole point of doing this is just to set clear expectations and be on the same team as your client. That’s it.
Automate the Boring Stuff
There’s a reason why so many online business owners use GHL. You can literally run your entire business from one place.
Including:
Sending client agreements
Create a profile for each client
Communicating with them via text, phone, email
Tracking the services you do for them, so you can see their results.
No forgetting who paid you. No duct-taping 12 tools together. And—most importantly—no guessing about the value you’re bringing to your clients’ business.
It’s all right there in your dashboard.
Tip I learned in LMV:
One thing I learned from James early on:
“Simple scales. Keep your business simple, so you can grow it without feeling too busy.”
How to Keep Clients Longer (and Earn More Doing It)
The thing that pulled me toward SMMA was the idea of doing win-win business.
If I’m charging a plumber $1,000 per month…
but I’m earning him an extra $8,000 per month…
why would he not want to pay me to keep doing it?
That’s the whole goal of the business: Make it stupidly easy for clients to say yes — and even harder for them to want to leave.
This isn’t about manipulating people. It’s about giving them a good return on their investment — so they want to keep making it.
For example, if a plumber pays me $1,000 per month and makes $8,000 from the leads I bring him, that’s an 8x return on their investment.
Not a hard transaction for him to want to make, right?
Tip I learned in LMV:
One of the best pieces of advice I received in the program was, “Focus on helping people first, and the money will come.”
Start With Their Goals, Not Your Menu
Don’t pitch SEO if they just need new customers ASAP. Don’t try to sell them social media content if their website looks like it was built in 2006.
In fact, don’t try to “pitch” your client anything right away.
Instead, do a two-call close.
Use the first call/meeting with a potential client to just try to understand their business. In LMV, they call this a CQI call — client qualification interview.
Ask them questions like:
What’s your biggest challenge right now?
What’s an average customer worth for you?
How are most of your customers finding you now?
How many new clients would make this a win for you?
What have you tried in the past to bring new customers in?
Are you keeping in touch with your clients via text, email, or social media?
Get a feel for what they need help with, then build your package around that.
Then Add Gasoline to the Fire
Once you’ve gotten a business some new work, they’ll trust you to help solve more of their problems.
Here’s a service combo I offered my clients:
Lead generation (ads) + message marketing (follow-up emails / texts).
Here’s why it works:
Lead generation puts a business in front of new eyeballs. It brings in new customers.
Message marketing sends exclusive offers to previous eyeballs. It keeps those customers coming back.
Most small business owners struggle with both. So if you can solve both these problems for them, they will happily pay you.
Again, it always comes back to you earning more for your client than what you’re charging them. That is why I chose this business model — because it makes sense.
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
I prefer learning from people who’ve done what I’m trying to do—especially when I’m spending someone else’s money (like running ads, etc.)
It’s a lot less stressful to take on a client when you know that what you’re doing is gonna work.
Even if you’re not in a program like LMV, you can work smarter instead of harder by learning what’s already working.
James has a whole playlist of proven marketing strategies for different types of businesses on his YouTube channel.
In the LMV program, they gave us proven, step-by-step strategies for 32 industries:
Gyms
HVAC
Salons
Realtors
Plumbers
Dentists, lawyers, landscapers — oh my!
We didn’t need to guess what works. We just plugged into what’s already been tested.
And if a client asks for something we hadn’t done before? We’d just watch a campaign walkthrough, and set it up that day.
Tip I learned in LMV:
You don’t need to be afraid of someone asking you a question you don’t know the answer to. Just be willing to say…
“You know what, I don’t have a good answer to that question. But I will have an answer to you by the end of the day.”
Then go ask the question in the LMV community.
How to Earn More Per Client
The fastest way to make more money is not to get more clients — it’s to charge more for the ones you already have.
There are two ways to accomplish this:
Raising prices for your current clients
Working with higher-value clients
1. Raise prices (once you know you’ve earned it)
This is why doing a proper onboarding is important. If both parties knew what was to be expected, and you exceeded that goal, then it makes sense to increase the value of your service.
In short: If you’re getting better-than-expected results for your client, it’s cool to charge more.
Example:
Client is paying you $1,000/month.
You’ve made them $10,000+ three months in a row.
Say: “Hey, I’ve loved working with you, and I’m so happy we’ve gotten you an even better ROI than you expected.
To reflect the value we’re creating, my new clients are now paying $2,000/month.
This will allow us to [explain why this’ll benefit both you and them].
If you’d like to continue working together, I’d be stoked to offer that same package to you moving forward.”
No pressure. No pitch. Just talk to them like a human.
2. Work with higher-value clients
Let me start this section by saying this: I don’t believe anyone should “niche down” right from the get-go.
If you’re brand new at online business, and have never solved a problem for a client before, focusing on only one industry will massively slow your progress.
Think about it…
If you’re a brand new fisherman, throwing out a massive net to a school of fish is going to catch you an opportunity much faster than using one small net on just one small group.
It’s not about getting the easiest pay check — it’s about getting experience, so you can learn who you really thrive working with.
That being said, some industries can afford to pay more than others simply because they earn more per client.
An average tow truck driver probably makes $50-$200 per tow job. But a roofer or an attorney makes $5,000-$15,000 per client.
Some industries have more wiggle room.
You can do the same work — but make more per client.
Turning One-Off Clients into Long-Term Ones
An absolute golden-ticket moment in business is when a client says to you, “What else could you help me with?”
That is how you know you’re doing this right.
Here’s how to turn one-off wins into long-term retainers:
1. Stack Your Services
Start with lead gen. Add message marketing. Then maybe sprinkle in some social media content or a better website.
Always start a client with the service you believe will get them the quickest win. That builds trust, and that builds momentum.
Each time you prove that you’re helping their business, you earn the right to charge more.
2. Deepen the Relationship
The longer you work with a client, the more you’ll know about their goals.
Help them:
Build better offers
Improve follow-up
Close more sales more often
When you do that, you become more than a “marketing person.” You become essential.
And when you become essential to someone’s business, you get paid more.
The goal isn’t to squeeze more out of people. It’s to deliver so much value, they’d feel dumb not to keep paying you.
How to Keep Getting More Clients
Once you’ve got a couple wins under your belt, here’s how to keep the momentum going:
1. Share Your Wins Publicly
This doesn’t mean becoming an “influencer.” It means:
Post a client result on social media.
Share what you did and how it helped.
Ask: “Know any businesses that could use help with this?”
People want to refer you when it makes them look good. If they feel like you’ll put real effort in, they’ll want to give you a chance.
2. Cold Outreach (But Smarter)
Don’t just message random strangers. Instead:
Pick a niche you’ve already gotten results for.
Ask if they’re taking on more clients.
Use your results as proof that you can help them.
Offer to send leads in advance (yes, another free trial).
Speed is your friend. Don’t wait a week to follow up. Launch the campaign ASAP. Book them a call within 48 hours.
The faster you get someone results, the faster you get paid.
3. Referrals (Still King)
Ask your happy clients:
“Do you know anyone else who needs this?”
“If you send me a referral, I’ll give you $200 off your next service.”
Tip I learned in LMV:
As soon as you book a customer for a client, see if you can get them on a call that day. Ask if you can record a 30-second testimonial. Use it in future outreach.
Your happy clients will sell your service even better than you can.
Tools for making this easier
Go Highlevel (aka GHL)
Like I said before, this is the tool most people in this business use. Because it does everything in one place:
Customer relations management (CRM) to track everyone you’re helping
Building funnels and landing pages
Appointment scheduling
Reputation management
Text/email automations
Payments and invoicing
It’s like the Swiss Army knife for agencies. And once you get the hang of it, it saves you so much time.
You can run your entire business from one dashboard instead of duct-taping together 12 different apps.
Loom
I use this for sending my clients screen recordings of their ads, dashboard, etc.
When I run a free ad trial for a new client, I like to show them that the money they gave me for ad spend is all going into the ad. So I’ll send my client a Loom video of me setting up the ad.
The extra transparency goes a long way, especially with new clients.
Stripe / PayPal / Wise
These are the different payment processors I’ve used in my agency. LMV taught me a few more, but these are the ones that’ve stuck.
Tip I learned in LMV:
Use your own credit card for ads, instead of your client’s.
I always send my clients a Stripe invoice before I get to work. Once it’s paid, I use my own company credit card for the ads, for GHL, etc.
This cuts out headaches of having to deal with a client’s card expiring, etc.
Plus, it ensures you get paid upfront. Invoice gets paid, we get to work.
Bonus tip: Choose a business credit card with perks like point collection or cash back. Use that card for things like ad spend, and you’ll get a nice little kickback.
Final Thoughts: If You’ve Made It This Far…
You’ve basically just read an entire course on how to use digital marketing for local businesses.
Don’t worry—you’re not supposed to do all of this today. Think of this guide like a map. Pick one step that feels doable, and start there. Take a step.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve gone over:
This business model works.
You don’t need to be a marketing expert.
You just need to help real businesses get real results.
The skills you build doing this will pay off for life — even if you pivot later.
If you want to do it yourself it from here — amazing. Screenshot this whole thing. Print it. Tape it to your wall.
But if you want to shortcut the trial-and-error and get help from the community that taught us everything, you can book a free call right here.
LMV helped me grow my business, and I’ve watched it do the same for hundreds of others.
If it’s a good fit, LMV will open their doors to invite you in. If not, we’ll still try to help you figure out what your best next step might be.
Either way — you’re clearly serious about this.
And that matters way more than being perfect.
FAQs (Sh*t People Always Ask)
Do I need an LLC?
Nope. Not right away.
Start as a freelancer.
Meaning you can operate under your own name and send invoices without needing to register anything officially yet.
Form an LLC once you’re bringing in consistent income.
(LMV teaches you how to do this).
Do I need to be tech-savvy?
If you know how to open an email, get on a Zoom meeting, and log into Facebook — you’re golden. LMV is made for people who’ve never touched an ad platform in their life.
If you can follow step-by-step videos, you’ll be fine.
Do I need a lot of money to start?
Nope. You can start doing this business on your own with zero dollars in your business bank account.
If you want to join LMV, there’s an investment — but they offer some surprising payment plans.
Full transparency: I’ve helped people join the program who were living in a school bus when they joined. So, when I say “flexible payment plans,” I mean it.
Can I do this with a full-time job?
Yes. Most people do. 5–10 hours a week is the average for most LMV members. James built this while working full-time as a teacher.
You might just need to swap Netflix for business-building.
Can I do this if I have a family?
Absolutely. You’re building something for them, not instead of them. Your business has to work around your life.
Is this too saturated now?
No. There are 33+ million small businesses in the U.S. alone.
LMV has ~8,000 students. Do the math. There’s more demand than supply.
How do I pick a niche?
Start with one of the 30+ proven niches inside LMV. Or pick an industry you already know something about.
Doesn’t need to be perfect — you’ll refine it over time.
What if I don’t know how to get results for a new niche?
Use LMV’s proven strategies. Offer a free trial.
Or partner with someone who knows that industry inside out.
That’s it.
You now know more about starting a local business marketing agency than most beginners online.
If you’ve made it this far, and you still don’t get started yourself, then you don’t have a knowledge problem — you have an accountability problem.
And honestly? That’s why we joined LMV. Because we didn’t want to spin our wheels figuring this all out on our own.
If you’re intrigued to learn more about this business (and LMV), you can use this link to watch an explainer video book a call directly with me. The LMV founders, James and Jason, gave me the go-ahead to let people into the program, if it’s a good fit both ways.
A “good fit” usually means you want to learn, you’ve got at least 5-10 hours per week, and you’re serious about building your own business—not just “maybe try it.”
I wouldn’t have taken the time to write this article if I didn’t believe you could have success with this business too.
The question is…do you?
Great article! I also started my online business a handful of years ago! It was so scary to get started. I joined Substack recently and am going to write about things similar to you but on the operations and systems side! Excited to learn more from you as well! Thanks for your content.