12-Week SMMA Self-Study Plan
Phase 1: Foundations (Weeks 1–3)
🔑 Goal: Understand digital marketing basics + build your first online presence.
Week 1: Digital Marketing Basics
Learn: What is SMMA? What services agencies offer.
Free Resources:
o HubSpot Academy (Free Digital Marketing Course).
o Google Digital Garage: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing.
Practice: Create a simple LinkedIn profile + Instagram account for yourself as "Digital Marketer /
SMMA".
Week 2: Social Media Platforms
Learn: How Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn work for businesses.
Free Resources:
o YouTube: “Social Media Marketing for Beginners 2025”.
o Meta Blueprint (free official course).
Practice: Create 10 posts (using Canva) for a fake client (ex: local café or gym).
Week 3: Content Creation & Copywriting
Learn: How to design posts, write captions, and make hooks.
Free Resources:
o Alex Hormozi, Iman Gadzhi, and Neil Patel on YouTube.
o Copywriting frameworks (AIDA, PAS).
Practice: Write 5 ad copies + design 5 ad creatives.
Phase 2: Paid Ads & Client Systems (Weeks 4–7)
🔑 Goal: Learn to run ads + build client acquisition skills.
Week 4: Facebook & Instagram Ads
Learn: Campaign structure, targeting, budgets.
Free Resource: Meta Blueprint Ads courses.
Practice: Run a $5–$10 test ad for your own profile or a friend’s account.
Week 5: TikTok & Google Ads
Learn: Short-form video marketing + search ads.
Free Resources: TikTok Business Learning Center, Google Skillshop.
Practice: Create 3 TikTok-style ads (no spend yet, just content).
Week 6: Sales & Outreach
Learn: Cold DMs, cold emails, and how to get clients.
Free Resource: YouTube “SMMA outreach script 2025”.
Practice: Write 10 outreach messages per day (to cafés, gyms, barbershops).
Week 7: Systems & Pricing
Learn: How to price services ($300–$1000/month packages).
Tools: Trello/Notion for client management.
Practice: Create 3 service packages (social media management, ads, full package).
Phase 3: Real Execution (Weeks 8–12)
🔑 Goal: Land first client + build a small case study.
Week 8: Free Trial Client
Offer 1 business (friend, family, local shop) a 2-week free trial of social media management.
Create content, schedule posts, maybe run $20 in ads for them.
Week 9: Document Results
Track: Follower growth, engagement, leads, sales.
Make a PDF case study (before/after screenshots).
Week 10: Aggressive Outreach
Send your case study to 50 businesses this week.
Offer: “First month at $200 → If I bring results, we continue at $500.”
Week 11: Close Your First Paying Client
Use a simple service contract (free templates online).
Collect payment (PayPal, Wise, Revolut, bank transfer).
Week 12: Refine & Scale
Deliver results, ask for testimonial.
Outreach continues → aim for 2nd client.
📌 Tools You’ll Need (all free/cheap)
Canva → design posts.
Meta Business Suite → manage accounts.
Notion/Trello → track clients.
ChatGPT → copywriting & ad ideas.
CapCut/DaVinci Resolve → video editing.
