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People love to write end-of-year articles about what is going to start trending once the new year begins. In 2019, it's been predicted that space is going to be the next frontier for marketing, that data will inform creativity and that more people will be arrested for ad fraud around the world. But a recent survey about the trend of taking marketing services in-house has the data to back up the prediction.
A survey put out by The Creative Group found that 60 percent of marketing and advertising teams plan to expand their teams in the first two quarters of 2019. And in addition to hiring full-time employees, 56 percent are planning on bringing on more freelancers as well.
In the last few months, I've signed several new clients who were tired of wasting time and money with an agency. The main complaints? They were paying a lot of money for too much strategy and not enough execution.
If you're in the same boat, but not sure if bringing in a freelancer is the right move, consider some of the benefits:
Becoming Embedded In Your Business
A consultant works closely with your in-house team, on a daily basis if needed. They come to learn about more than just the project at hand, they develop a deep understanding of your company goals, values, culture and products.
The right freelancer can become a huge asset to your team and really start to feel like one of you. When it comes to content this is especially helpful. Having a consultant in-house or directly reporting to your team means that there can be more authenticity in the finished products and less time is spent trying to understand the brand voice.
Less Talking, More Doing
Many agencies spend a lot of time reporting to their clients about how they are spending their time. Seems redundant, doesn't it? A good consultant won't have to report back to you about how productive they've been, because you'll have more regular interactions with them on a weekly or daily basis.
What agencies may take 3 months to do, a consultant might be able to do in just 1. When you find the right consultant, they can hit the ground running as soon as you begin working together, and hit those deliverables at a faster clip.
Deep Expertise
A good consultant is brought in because they are experts in their field, and, quite often, in the same industry as your business. For example, if you need a content consultant who specializes in marketing to a senior demographic, that is much more niche than many agencies can provide. In fact, many agencies will bring in freelance copywriters who are experts in the fields that their clients need--with a hefty price mark up.
Working directly with someone who has a deep understanding of not only your business, but also the wider industry that it operates in, is a great advantage. An agency might spend 2 months simply doing a deep dive into the target demographic, whereas an expert consultant is already familiar with the demo and can bypass that whole process.
Ready To Get To Work
If you're ready to ditch your pricey agency and get to work with a consultant who knows her stuff, you've come to the right place. Contact me today for a free consultation to get started.