Marketing professionals help small, medium, large and solopreneur businesses bring their products and services to the public. Marketing services can encompass advertising, flyer distribution, branding, custom promotional products, direct mailings, product ambassadorship, social media marketing, website services, email marketing and more. Isha Edwards of Measures in Atlanta, Georgia, says the marketing services most requested by her clients are marketing strategy consulting, social media marketing, content creation and content editing, digital marketing, PR and publicity, and brand strategy.
Many marketing professionals specialize in one or more areas such as strategy consulting, creative services, analytic services or operational services. Marketing professionals can help build a companys brand awareness, hone in on target markets, sharpen the focus on its mission and values and, most important, increase sales and reach. A variety of factors affect the cost of hiring a marketing professional.
Most marketing pros charge by the hour for short-term projects and consulting services. Business owners can work with a marketing agency or a freelance marketing consultant for these types of smaller projects and short strategic sessions. Hourly rates vary, often based on the agency or consultants experience, training and geographic location. For example, freelance marketing consultant L. Torti of Carlsbad, California, charges $153 per hour.
Social media marketing can encompass a wide range of services from visual branding and marketing strategy to creating content and buying ad space on social media platforms. Having a presence on social media is a key component in business these days. Social media marketing services are well within the scope of many full-service marketing firms out there, although some agencies and freelance consultants specialize solely in social media marketing. The average cost for social media marketing services is $547 per project, while hourly rates can range anywhere from under $75 to over $200 per hour, depending on the company or the consultant.
Marketing costs vary widely based on the scope of work, product type, industry, target audience and customer assets, says Edwards with Measures. Her marketing firm creates packages and tailors prices to meet client budgets. They offer no set package prices because each scenario is unique. However, the starting price for all services with Measures is $195. Here are some examples of marketing project costs from Measures and the services provided.
Client 1: Nonprofit organization
Client 2: Entertainment artist
So what happens when you hire a marketing firm? Edwards with Measures breaks down the process at her organization. First, they determine the scope of work relative to the rate quoted. Next, Measures assesses the business capacity, assets and resources available for the project. Next, a timeline is established. Measures then uses Business Essentials Checklist, BrandNu Business Profiler, Business C.A.S.E. Strategy and the 4 P's of Marketing to recommend changes to product, sales cycle, customer conversion and marketing strategy. The marketing firm then implements or completes work as outlined and provides an analysis or debrief to the client. Measures then repeats as necessary.