Introduction
Choosing between a marketing agency and a freelancer for your business may seem difficult. This blog highlights the differences, measuring the pros and cons of a marketing company with a freelancer.
“How do I reach my customers?” That is undoubtedly one of the frequently asked questions in business. It’s valid because reaching and engaging with customers is challenging and time-consuming in the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. Whether you are a small startup or a well-established name in business, your marketing needs must be immediately met. Making your business’s vision and mission known to the public, and having them align their interests with your products or services needs planning, creativity, and, above all, time.
To do this, you need a brilliant marketing team. The two standard options businesses must have are hiring a marketing agency or working with a freelancer. Each has its own set of pros and cons, and it ultimately all comes down to a decision well-made. In this blog, we will understand the benefits of marketing agencies and freelancers to help you make an informed decision.
Power of Expertise
One of the prime things that marketing agencies bring to the table is their collective expertise. They are a team of professionals skilled in diverse areas. When an agency works on a marketing pitch, they have strategists, content creators, designers, social media experts, and SEO specialists working together. This multidisciplinary display of talents means you get the best of everything in one go.
Marketing agencies are also well-versed in industry trends, best practices, and emerging trends. They can adapt far more quickly to the changing dynamics of marketing. Additionally, their exposure is multidisciplinary, meaning they work with various clients across industries and understand the multi-faceted needs of clients. As a result, they can provide valuable insights, perspectives, and expertise that few freelancers can.
On the other hand, freelancers bring in niche expertise. If you already have a marketing strategy and want to choose someone who can work per your vision, hiring a freelancer is a better option. Relying on freelancers becomes easier when you know what you want from them. Freelancers are better options when you are looking for specialization, along with a proven track record, and a risk-taking mindset. However, hiring a freelancer may not be in your best interest if you do not have a clear marketing goal.
Cost Considerations
Agencies usually factor in overhead costs such as salaries (of employees), office space, equipment, etc., while pitching for their services. Since they bring a team of experts, their costs are often beyond the reach of small businesses and startups with limited resources.
This is where freelancers seem to score the brownie point. Since they have less overhead costs, they can offer competitive pricing. Their cost-effective pricing means that small businesses can get their services only for specific, targeted, and short-term projects. Such an arrangement works as a win-win solution for all parties. However, freelancers cannot provide a gamut of services that work at their disadvantage. Though they offer niche services at a discounted rate, hiring just a single freelancer might not meet your marketing needs. However, the cost escalates as soon as you engage more than one freelancer, which remains an area of concern.
Agility and Responsiveness
Marketing agencies are structured organizations with stricter processes in place. This means their turnaround time is extended. They value quality above everything else and have an internal rigorous quality control team. Marketing agencies are equipped to work on complex projects but have equally adaptive processes for smaller business plans.
Regarding agility and responsiveness, the common knowledge is that freelancers offer these far more easily. They can be onboarded on projects quickly, and their turnaround time is much shorter. However, their quality of work may not always be up to the mark. At the cost of quick turnarounds, they are likely to compromise on quality.
Does Your Company Need a Digital Agency?
This is an important question: do you need a digital agency? The answer to this lies in your need and budget. If your marketing needs are vast and long-term, outsourcing the task to a professional agency should be the obvious choice. A digital agency is better equipped to handle the diversified marketing needs of your company.
Digital marketing agencies have the structure, policies, expertise, and resources that make it easier to promise quality. If you are considering hiring a freelancer, you must understand that at the very outset, you must be capable of being in complete control. You must know what your digital marketing strategy will be, how you will use social media platforms, guest blogging, search engine optimization, etc. This isn’t an easy task and may soon become challenging. You must also keep in mind that if the hired freelancer cannot dispense their services professionally, your alternative would be to hire someone else. All of this will distract you from meeting your targets.
Why Hiring a Marketing Agency is A Better Choice Than Hiring a Freelancer
Hiring a digital marketing company means you will get assured investment returns. Since a contract binds the partnership, they must complete the assignment within the set date. This framework ensures honesty and transparency, which isn’t something you will easily find while working with a freelancer.
Lastly, communication with a professional agency is guaranteed to be easy. Agencies have dedicated teams who are always available to answer any question. They also maintain routine progress monitoring reports that give insight into the project’s development.
Cyrusson Inc. is a boutique digital marketing agency that helps businesses improve their marketing strategy. We offer all the benefits that you look for in a marketing agency. Whether you are a solo-preneur or a national corporation, we will help you reach your customers more quickly. We have been in the business for over two decades and know a lot about the changing dynamics of Internet marketing. We will help you scale up your marketing strategies, obtain new customers, and get found easily online. Call us today at 415-228-9969 to book a free consultation or to request a proposal.