I Left My Tech Job And Bootstrapped A Marketing Company To $275K/Month
Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
Hello, I'm Andy Beohar, and I'm the founder of SevenAtoms Marketing Inc.
Around a decade ago, I embarked on the journey of establishing SevenAtoms Marketing with a singular goal in mind: to provide triple-digit ROI to both startups and established companies in the realms of SaaS, e-commerce, and Technology.
My mission has been centered around cultivating business growth by strategically implementing ROI-focused paid search advertising and content marketing. Throughout the years, our clientele has primarily spanned three vital sectors: SaaS, Technology, and e-commerce. Witnessing the successes of businesses within these sectors has been a driving force behind my passion for what I do.
SevenAtoms started as a bootstrapped startup that has flourished into an incredible journey of growth and accomplishment. Today, SevenAtoms Marketing generates a recurring monthly revenue of $275K, which is a true testament to the confidence our clients have in our capacity to deliver impactful results.
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
In early 2014, I took the leap and left my job in the tech sector to embrace the entrepreneurial journey. My vision was clear: I wanted to fuse my passion for data with tangible, bottom-line outcomes that could transform the trajectories of small businesses.
Given my tech background and proficiency in PPC, the concept of a PPC agency seemed like a natural fit. However, I faced significant challenges – limited funds, no existing client network, and no physical office space.
I made my first strategic move by bringing on a skilled content writer. Drawing from my savings, I ensured a steady salary for them. Our collaboration began in a shared co-working space, where we met each week to craft the foundation of our website and blogs. The dedication paid off as we swiftly produced a stream of content for SevenAtoms. Within three months, we secured a handful of modest clients.
I began to feel a sense of optimism and the potential of scalability with the venture. It was a significant turning point when I realized that we could cover our content writer's salary solely from the income we were bringing in – a huge relief that meant I didn't have to dip into my savings. This truly solidified my belief in the viability of the business.
Take us through the process of building the first version of your product.
Since SevenAtoms Marketing operated as a PPC and content marketing agency, providing a service rather than a product, my primary focus was on making sure that businesses truly grasped our processes. To achieve this, we dedicated ourselves to refining the content on our website and creating in-depth guides, ebooks, and blogs that left no stone unturned in explaining our methodology.
We delved into everything – from the intricate details of keyword research to the nuanced steps of setting up campaigns on platforms like Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bing, Capterra, Amazon, etc.
We didn't limit this approach to just PPC; we carried it over to our content marketing services. We took the extra initiative by providing writing samples to SaaS and tech companies. This way, they could get a tangible sense of the quality and type of content we could produce for them. We submitted sample blog posts to clients so they could gain an understanding of our capabilities.
At one juncture, the idea of adopting a SaaS business model with diverse marketing service packages crossed my mind. Yet, in the end, I opted against it. I didn't want to burden businesses with commitments before they could witness the results firsthand.
Knowing that my savings were deeply intertwined with the company's startup, I was dedicated to ensuring that every decision aligned with our core values and was thoughtfully considered. I ended up spending nearly $30,000 on startup costs before securing our first customer.
Challenges will always emerge, but it's how you respond that defines your journey. You need to pivot and adjust when necessary, drawing on your ability to think creatively and strategically.
Describe the process of launching the business.
Once I hit that website launch button, everything seemed to kick into gear for SevenAtoms Marketing. Those initial days were all about navigating our way through the vast digital landscape and establishing our presence.
Our website essentially functioned as our digital storefront, so it needed to leave a strong impression. While I can't provide screenshots of our original website, I can certainly share that we put a great deal of effort into crafting a sleek and professional design.
Our focus was on not just showcasing our services but also on educating visitors. We went the extra mile by creating valuable content while highlighting our expertise. Every word of our messaging was carefully chosen to illustrate how we could truly benefit businesses through our PPC and content marketing services.
As a bootstrapped startup, we were incredibly cautious about our expenditures and worked diligently to keep overhead costs minimal. Our initial costs encompassed a range of aspects, including web development, design, salary for content writer, and co-working space expenses.
We made sure to allocate funds for tools and software that were essential for our daily operations, such as keyword research tools, analytics platforms, and marketing automation software.
Shortly after the website launch, we sprang into action with a two-pronged strategy that combined organic and paid methods. A substantial portion of our time was dedicated to SEO efforts. Our content strategy revolved around crafting in-depth pieces that honed in on specific keywords with lower competition.
This strategic approach significantly boosted our chances of securing favorable search engine rankings. Concurrently, we initiated a small-scale paid campaign alongside our organic endeavors. We enticed businesses with the offer of a free audit for their PPC or content marketing strategies. This not only captured attention but also offered a taste of value right from the outset.
Initially, we planned to target small tech businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the goal of facilitating face-to-face meetings with their marketing teams or owners. Our paid campaign quickly generated approximately 15 leads. We conducted extensive audits for these leads and crafted in-depth proposals, to provide actionable insights.
Within just three weeks, we secured our first customer. My goal was the long-term growth of our clients, and we consistently exceeded expectations to achieve tangible results. Our clients appreciated our contributions and further amplified our growth through referrals.
We fully understood the importance of nurturing leads throughout the sales funnel. This led us to design well-thought-out email sequences that engaged and educated potential clients about our services, clearly illustrating how we could address their unique challenges.
Building a substantial customer base is no short sprint; it's more like a marathon. We began observing promising results within three months.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers
Our primary goal has always been to foster win-win partnerships with our clients. For us, client retention is a top priority, so we make it a point to go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results at every step.
This level of dedication has been a driving force behind our outstanding client retention rate, which stands at around 90% over the past five years. It's quite incredible to note that some of our clients have been with us for more than eight years – a testament to the strong bonds we've forged.
Here’s a case study on how we helped an automotive accessory e-commerce company grow from $ 2 million in sales to $18 million.
The field of marketing is an ever-evolving and dynamic realm. Staying ahead of the curve, being adaptable to new strategies, and embracing the latest upgrades are essential to grow traffic and get new clients.
Content has been a cornerstone of our strategy to secure search engine rankings. Regularly publishing content has allowed us to establish a strong online presence. We've worked diligently to build a community of 15K dedicated followers across multiple social media platforms. Our main strategy for growing our social accounts is to regularly publish authoritative posts with actionable takeaways. Our mantra is to provide valuable content, which has been a significant driver of our growth. We consciously avoid pursuing vanity engagements. Our email nurturing campaigns are a crucial part of our engagement efforts.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of our website's performance, we rely heavily on the Google Analytics dashboard. This tool offers insights into traffic sources, user behavior, and conversion rates. Armed with these insights, we can fine-tune our website and marketing strategies to achieve even better results.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
We're proud to say that we've achieved profitability and continue to experience steady growth year after year. Our website's traffic has been consistently on the rise, and it's gratifying to see our rankings for some fiercely competitive keywords landing us on the first page of Google.
An accomplishment we're particularly proud of is being recognized by Google as a Google Premier Partner, an honor bestowed upon a select few agencies.
Our immediate focus centers on strengthening our presence in the e-commerce vertical. We're determined to onboard more e-commerce companies and provide them with our expertise. Looking ahead, our long-term vision involves expanding our operations into Europe.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
Embarking on this journey, I've had my fair share of learning experiences – some valuable lessons, and others that came with their fair share of challenges. One of the early hurdles I faced was underestimating the power of a solid financial plan especially when we are growing so quickly.
Also, I think I could have done better if I recognized the significance of strategic partnerships and collaborations. Aligning with like-minded businesses could have broadened our reach and exposed us to new opportunities.
Our recognition as a Google Premier Partner was a game-changer. It amplified our credibility and helped us establish trust with potential clients. Capitalizing on the surge of interest in digital marketing as well as Google's recognition of our efforts boosted our growth. However, I've come to appreciate that it's about seizing opportunities and being ready to adapt.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
In managing SevenAtoms Marketing, I rely on a variety of platforms and tools that empower us to provide effective services while efficiently overseeing our operations.
We harness the power of Google Ads and Google Analytics for our PPC campaigns and to gain insights into website traffic and user behavior. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook are essential for engaging our audience and fostering a strong online community.
When it comes to email campaigns, we use tools like Mailchimp or HubSpot for crafting, automating, and analyzing our outreach efforts. We use WordPress to keep our website content up-to-date and SEO tools such as SEMrush and Ahrefs to refine our keyword strategies and track rankings.
We like to use platforms like HubSpot to assist us in automating marketing tasks and managing client relationships, while project management tools like Basecamp help keep us organized. Communication is streamlined with Slack, and Zoom and billing/invoicing are managed using QuickBooks.
We will work with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce to optimize online stores for our clients.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Two resources have significantly shaped my journey. First and foremost is Moz. The Moz platform has provided a wealth of indispensable insights and best practices in the realm of SEO.
Also, the book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini is an amazing read. It has provided insights into consumer behavior and the art of crafting effective campaigns.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
The most profound lesson I've learned is the necessity of resilience. Challenges will always emerge, but it's how you respond that defines your journey. You need to pivot and adjust when necessary, drawing on your ability to think creatively and strategically.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
We are looking to hire a full-time PPC marketing coordinator and Sales Representative. Here’s a link to the open positions.
Where can we go to learn more?
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
