Growing your business to reach your goals and targets is key to most self-employed individuals. But, there will likely come a time when you'll go seeking outside assistance to further grow your organisation. When you decide it's time to hone in your digital marketing strategy or content plan you'll want to be well versed on the pros and cons of hiring an agency vs a freelancer.

For most business owners, especially those still in the early stages of business, finances can play a significant role in the decision-making process - but remember that cheaper isn't always better. I'll be the first to admit that our services are relatively inexpensive compared to many of the agencies out there and I excel at what I do. I am a firm believer in fair pricing. But with that said, being able to spot where you're being ripped off can be difficult. I've worked for agencies who change small business owners extortionate amounts of money for very little (and often poor quality) work, but because they are a well-established agency, customers are none the wiser until a few months down the road. Here are some simple tips to ensure you're getting value for money:

• Ensure you get a clear proposal and contract and be sure to read the small print for any extra fees! I've heard of some agencies and freelancers charging extra to clients if they want to speak via the phone instead of email.

• Ask the right questions upon enquiry. Ask about on average how much time is spent on a campaign similar to yours, how much communication should you expect with and from the agency or freelancer and if you're concerned you can ask for a timesheet each month as most freelancers and agencies will track time spent on each client.

• Don't be confused by the jargon. A good freelancer or agency employee will be able to judge your level of understanding and speak about your ad campaigns in a way you'll understand. Don't let the jargon trick you into thinking someone is good at their job.

What is the difference between an agency and a freelancer?

If you choose to hire a freelancer, you are hiring an individual who works for themselves on a self-employed basis. If you hire an agency, on the other hand, you're hiring a manager who will have a team of individuals that will be at your disposal.

Freelancers more often than not specialise in just a few critical areas of their industry. For example, you'll usually find a marketing graphic designer won't also have strong PPC knowledge. However, agencies often cover a more extensive range of services. Both can play to a businesses advantage.

The Pros and Cons of an Agency VS Freelancer

Pricing - this will vary significantly between the two. The cheapest agencies are on par with the most affordable freelancers, and the most expensive freelancers are on par with the most expensive agencies.

Availability - again, this can vary, but I've generally found that freelancers can offer more availability than agencies when it comes to hopping on conference calls or email responses. This may be because freelancers set their hours and so can sometimes be available outside of the standard 9-5. For example, I know many of my clients are busy during standard office hours and so offer calls through to 7:30 pm. The advantage of an agency here is there may be someone else to fill in if your account manager is on holiday or off sick, but they may not be familiar with your account/campaign which can cause issues.

Flexibility for work - freelancers are typically more reactive if something requires tweaking; at the end of the day it is their own businesses reputation at steak if tasks aren't completed quickly and to a high standard.

Client satisfaction - this is a negative often associated with large agencies. Generally speaking, the larger the agency, the worse the client satisfaction becomes. From personal experience, the vast majority of people that come to me do so after having terrible experiences with agencies. This is usually due to lack of performance, accountability and cost.

Services - I touched on this earlier in this article, but it's worth noting again. Often agencies can offer a broader range of services as they will employ, for example, a web developer and an SEO expert as well as a social media marketer. Freelancers often only offer one or two services. It's down to you to have a chat with anyone you think could be a contender and make your own assumptions about who will do the better job for your businesses needs.

Conclusion

As with all business decisions, there is no universal right or wrong answer when it comes to hiring an agency or a freelancer. You must evaluate all of your options and choose the best route for your business and its needs.