Why hire a freelancer over full-time employee?

As a freelancer, my work is what I make it. Clients reach out when they want a blog post, a few punchy subject lines for their next email blast, ideas for social media posts or even a fully integrated marketing strategy. I’m here for them the same way a full-time employee is there for their employer.

The difference is freelancers are only enlisted when there is a pressing need.

No strings attached

Hiring a freelancer absolves you from the financial strings tied to a full-time employee— no need to worry about extra costs like health insurance, paid time off, sick leave, on-boarding costs or any other in-house hiring expenditures. 

Successful companies, particularly start-ups and small businesses, must work smarter to minimize expenses until revenue is great enough to add more bells and whistles. Shelling out for a robust marketing team at the get-go is not a feasible option for everyone. Freelancers are a happy medium.

While hourly rates may appear higher on paper, freelancers rarely work 40 hours for the same company. About 55 percent of freelancers work less than 20 billable hours per week, so the total cost to hire one is substantially lower once the number of hours paid is factored into the equation.

Greater flexibility

To some, the flexibility of a freelancer appears as a detractor. In my opinion, it’s just the opposite. Freelancers determine their own working hours, so the rigidity of the 9-5 business day will not prevent a project’s completion in a freelancer’s hands. 

Every aspect of a freelancer-client relationship is fluid. Opt for a fixed price, hourly rate or price per word. If your original request is too expensive, then negotiate to find a reasonable alternative such as lowering the word count to reduce the number of hours needed. Conversely, if you realize the freelancer’s price is lower than your budget, request additional services with the extra wiggle room.

Choose continuity

Something to note: my marketing cronies are inevitably groaning on the sidelines at this post. “Third-party freelancers and external agencies don’t know the business like us full-timers! Brand pillars will be mismanaged, the style guide will be ignored and it will be disjointed chaos.”

Yes, these are risks if the business does not properly communicate expectations with freelancers. If you are leaning toward hiring one, I implore you to consider a long-term partnership. Why?

A great company knows consistency is key. 

A freelancer will do one-off jobs, but it’s always worth keeping the lines of communication open so you know someone is waiting in the wings when the need arises.

If you find a talented and diligent designer, digital strategist or content marketer, hire them for the long haul. They will learn the brand voice and style the same way a salaried employee would. As time goes on, the freelancer and business will grasp each other’s expectations and preferences and a mutually beneficial partnership is born.

For more information regarding my content marketing services, please contact julianne@contentbyjulianne.com.