Marketing agency, freelancer or in-house: which is right for you?

Sooner or later most growing businesses hit the same question: who is going to do the marketing? There are three sensible answers, and each one suits a different stage. We are an agency, so we have a horse in this race, but here is as fair a comparison as we can give.

Hiring in-house

What you get: Someone who lives and breathes your business, sits with your team and can react the same day.

What to watch: One person rarely covers strategy, design, writing, ads, email and web. You also take on salary, holiday, training and software costs.

Best for: Businesses with enough steady work to fill a full-time role and a manager who can guide it.

Hiring a freelancer

What you get: A specialist in one or two areas, usually at a lower cost than an agency, with a direct relationship.

What to watch: Capacity and cover. If they are busy, ill or on holiday, your marketing waits. You may also end up managing several freelancers at once.

Best for: A clear, single job: a logo, a website refresh or a few months of social media.

Hiring an agency

What you get: A team with different skills under one roof and a process that keeps work moving. Strategy, design, content and reporting from one place.

What to watch: It usually costs more than a single freelancer, and you need a clear point of contact so you are not passed around.

Best for: Businesses that need several things done well at once, such as social media, a website and ads working together.

How to choose

List what you actually need: One skill or several? Ongoing or one-off?

Be honest about your time: Every option needs some of your attention. In-house needs the most management, an agency usually the least.

Start small: A one-off project is a low-risk way to test a freelancer or an agency before committing to a monthly arrangement.

Ask for prices up front: Anyone confident in their work should be able to tell you what it costs.

How we work

We publish our prices. Single services start with social media management from £399 per month, and our packages combine services into one monthly fee from £895 per month, so you get a team without building one.

Not sure which route fits? Say hello and we will tell you honestly, even if the answer is not us. You can also see who we are.

Written by the Funnal team. Illustration: Funnal.