Small full-service marketing agency
Build a small team that runs ads, content and campaigns for a set of regular business clients.
- C$5k-25k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small agency with a few specialists, such as a strategist, designer and ad manager, delivering full campaigns for business clients, with a small office or shared workspace.
Your first three steps
- Decide your niche (for example home services or health clinics) and list the services you will offer
- Line up two or three anchor clients before taking on rent or hires, and use freelancers to cover gaps
- Choose a business structure with an accountant and set up your Business Number, bookkeeping and contracts
Who pays
Growing small and mid-sized businesses, franchises, local service companies and regional organizations with an ongoing marketing budget.
How it makes money
Monthly retainers and project fees for campaigns, websites, branding and ad management, sometimes with a management fee on ad spend.
Skills that help
- Campaign planning and strategy
- Selling and client management
- Managing freelancers or staff
- Budgeting and pricing projects
Watch out for
- Check provincial WCB/WSIB registration and payroll rules as soon as you hire employees
- Be careful with contractor versus employee classification, and check CRA guidance
- Get commercial general liability and professional liability insurance, and check what clients require
- Losing one big client can hit revenue hard, so spread your client base
- Check advertising rules for regulated sectors, and Quebec's French-language requirements where relevant
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: small full-service marketing agency
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a marketing agency in Canada?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your office or shared workspace, equipment, software and how many specialists you bring on at the start.
How much revenue can a small marketing agency make?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on your client base, pricing and team size. These are revenue estimates before wages, expenses and tax, and losing a big client can affect them.
What rules should I check when hiring for a marketing agency?
Check provincial WCB/WSIB registration and payroll rules as soon as you hire. Also check CRA guidance on contractor versus employee classification, insurance clients may require, advertising rules for regulated sectors, and Quebec's French-language requirements where relevant.
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Photo: Campaign_Creators on Pixabay