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By Serena Robinson
As you develop your 2021 marketing strategy and adapt your team to fit the changing needs of your business, you may consider outsourcing. Here are the top three considerations when choosing to engage with an ad agency or freelance talent.
Flexibility & Fire Drills.
Freelancers and ad agencies are both driven by deadlines. How ridged they hold to those deadlines can differ. As goals, strategy, and deliverables shift, it is important to understand how your freelancer or agency responds. Do they have the ability and bandwidth to change course if your business needs change?
For instance, if you are asking a freelancer or ad agency to manage your social media, and there’s a situation in your industry that warrants attention, how quick can they react? Are they available on short notice or after-hours to create and execute a response?
Brand Enthusiast.
We want our agency partners and freelancers to love our brand. We want them to live it, to breathe it. The little things matter. Are they subscribing to your industry newsletters? Using the brand’s products or services? Recommending the brand to friends? Engaging on social media from their accounts?
Some agencies do this well. They celebrate their clients on their website and social media. If you don’t see this with an agency’s current clients, take note
Ask your agency partner if you’ll have a dedicated team for your business, and how much interaction you’ll have with that team. Does the scheduling and investment you make allow the agency team to be part of planning meetings for your business, or status calls?
Often, you’ll see a freelancer dive into a client’s brand as an extension of your team. They understand that taking part in your planning meetings is mutually beneficial. This creates a solid partnership and aids the freelancer in providing the best quality work.
Value.
While a freelancer could be less expensive at first glance, to get an apples-to-apples comparison, consider you or your team’s time investment.
1. Is the ad agency, freelancer, or your team providing project management?
2. How often are you holding status meetings or downloading new projects?
3. What is the time invested in reporting and ROI from your agency, freelancer, or your team?
Thinking about your 2021 goals, be sure to consider flexibility, brand enthusiasm, and value when you determine if an ad agency or freelancer is the best solution for your team.
