When to Hire a Marketing Consultant
The pivotal moment for all businesses. Your company is finally getting established, you’re seeing increased attention and interest in your brand, products, or services, and perhaps an increase in competition. You want to continue growing and establishing your business online, but aren’t sure where to start. Some of the big questions are:
- Do I need an internal marketing person to do this, or team?
- Am I at a point where I should hire an agency or firm?
- Should I bring on a freelance consultant?
All of these questions are important to any business owner at different phases of the companies maturity. Let’s break down these phases.
Do I need an internal marketing person or team?
This phase can be at any point during the lifecycle of a company, from a start up to an enterprise. Having an internal marketing team means you’ve recognized that the cost to bring in an internal resource balances out the value that they bring to your organization, or they’re able to drive significant revenue to your company. The most important decision here is that you’ve recognized the need for an internal team member and you know exactly what they need to be doing to help your organization be more successful.
Pro: This team member is solely focused on your company and can bring a lot of new business success.
Con: Cost. Salaries can vary for marketing team members, but in order to have quality ROI you’re likely going to need to spend a little more.
Am I at a point where I should hire an agency or firm?
An ad agency is typically a firm comprised of several individuals who are experts at all different facets of the marketing world. They are able to bring a lot of strategy to your business to make you ultimately more successful. Choosing an agency as your marketing resource is typically better reserved for established companies that have grown to a point and need extra strategy to move into that next level. Startups who have a clear vision with good financial backing would also be a good candidate for an agency.
Pro: With an agency you get more bang for your buck a $60k annual retainer can give you multiple team members to support your business vs. 1 in house team member with a $60k salary.
Con: Due to the volume of clients that agencies typically work with, you may not feel like you are receiving the attention that you deserve.
Should I bring on a freelance consultant?
A Marketing Consultant is likely the most cost efficient path to go down. Often times a consultant will have a network of individuals that they work with who they trust that will support on any client they work with. Generally a lower monthly fee than an agency or an internal marketing manager, a consultant has been in the space for some time and can steer you in the right direction. Perhaps you are a startup, or you have been doing this for sometime and just don’t know where to start with a website or how to advertise properly. Arsenal Digital Marketing is a small team of consultants that will help put you on the right path.
Pro: Cost efficiency
Con: May need to rely on additional resources to accomplish your goals, but will still maintain a low overhead cost.
