Life is tough for marketers right now. You’ve got marketing goals to hit and your in-house team is stretched thin. The budget is tight, deadlines loom, and everyone is craving a bit more capacity and a bit more flexibility.
Sound about right?
Then it's time we talk about how you could solve all of these challenges in one fell swoop: hiring a freelance marketer.
Let's dive in!
Benefits of Hiring Freelance Marketers
Ah, the benefits. Trust us, there are plenty!
We've sat in your seat and have lived the exact same issues you're facing today. It was freelancers that came to our rescue when we needed extra skills and capacity in our own marketing teams.
1. Flexibility and Adaptability
Freelancers can be your marketing ninjas—ready to jump in when you need them and step back when you don't. They can scale with you when things go bonkers, or when you want to test an idea quickly but can also disappear during quiet or lean periods, offering the flexibility that you generally don't get in a rigid corporate structure with a full time hires.
2. Skill Diversity
One freelancer might be a wizard at SEO while another excels at social media. Need graphic design or compelling copy? There’s a freelancer for that. It's like having a Swiss Army knife for your business. Always exactly the right skills you need, right when you need them.
3. Cost-Efficiency
You pay for the service you need and nothing more. You aren't paying for office space, no HR paperwork, no long-term commitments. Your finance team will love you!
When to Consider Hiring a Marketing Freelancer
So you fancy some of that good stuff, but how do you know if a freelancer is the right choice for you right now? After all, you could hire someone right? Well, as long as you don't have a hiring freeze and are ok to wait 3-6 months to have those skills in your business....
What about an agency?
We've explored the freelancer vs. agency debate and agencies can be great for diversity of skills but they maybe can't move quite as quickly as a freelancer. Oh and how's your budget looking?
So a freelancer could be the perfect answer if you have:
Short-term Projects and Campaigns - If you've got a campaign that needs a quick turnaround then a freelancer is your go-to.
Specialized Skills - When you need a unique skill set that your in-house team lacks, don't waste months training or recruiting—just bring in a freelance expert.
Budget Constraints - If you’re tight on budget but still need quality work, freelancers offer exactly that without the bloated cost of account directors or expensive city centre offices.
How to Choose Freelance Marketers
Choosing a freelancer is a bit like dating. You need to find "the one"—the marketer that fits just right with your business, your ethos and your needs. There is no tinder for freelancers (gap in the market?) but we've built a carefully curated community of experts that we can call on to help you find exactly the skills you need, when you need it.
CV's, Portfolio's and Past Work
Depending on what skills you need, we'll get you all the information you need to make a quick and correct decision - just like if you were onboarding a new team member to your marketing team.
Whether it's a creative portfolio or a CV you'll be able to see exactly what our freelance superstars have done previously and could do for you.
When you're happy and would like to chat to one of our freelancers, we'll set up an interview.
Interviews and Chemistry Checks
This is your chance to chat to your potential freelancer, quiz them about their experience and discuss your specific challenges and what you want to achieve. It's also a great way to check they'll fit with you and the rest of your team.
Remember, an interview isn't just for you to assess them; they're also assessing how they can help you and also whether they want to work with you. It’s a two-way street.
If you're both happy and it's a match, then we'll get contracts raised and your freelancer could be in your business the next day!
Remember, with us there are no long contracts or retainers - you still get the opportunity to change your mind or even cancel if things don't work out!
Managing Freelance Marketers Effectively
Bringing a freelancer into your business is pretty much exactly the same as adding a new team member to your marketing function. They're going to need to know a bit about your business and get access to any of your systems in order to do their job. But they don't need to go through full orientation or become embedded with all of your colleagues and stakeholders.
They just want to get in and start delivering.
Clear Objectives: It should go without saying, but you need to be hyper clear about what you want your freelancer to do. Goals, timelines, deliverables—the whole nine yards.
We'll get this defined and agreed up front when we contract but of course what you need can absolutely change over time. When that happens it's of course critical that your freelancer is told.
Regular Check-ins: Freelancers aren't mind readers. Keep them in the loop with regular updates and check-ins exactly as you would with your regular marketing team. Your freelancer will act as an extension of your marketing team so you can just add them to your team meetings, set up one to one's and take them on the same journey as your entire marketing team.
Feedback Loop: Communication is key to every successful relationship. Keep an open channel for feedback from both sides to make sure that everyone is happy and you're getting what you need from your freelancer.
Both you and your freelancer will have an escalation point at IMG, usually one of the co-founders, who will be able to help ensure everything runs smoothly and if necessary make changes to help fine-tune the process and relationship.
Conclusion: Using Freelance Marketers for Business Success
Hiring a freelance marketer isn't just a quick fix; it's a long-term strategy for business agility and growth. You’re not just cutting costs; you’re adding value. With the right freelance marketer or marketers, you get specialized skills, flexibility, and a commitment to your project that can sometimes even surpass an in-house team.
In short, if you haven't considered hiring a freelance marketer, you're missing out on an arsenal of talent that can propel your business forward.
Remember, it's not about filling a seat; it's about completing a puzzle. Each freelance marketer is a unique piece that can fit into your grand business picture, helping you to create something extraordinary.
If you're ready to get started then start hiring your freelance marketer today.