How and Why Retainers are Better than Trying to Organize Freelancers

Freelancers and creative agencies are both capable of generating quality content for your brand’s marketing campaigns. However, there are many differences between the two that companies should be mindful of before making their decision.

Freelancers typically work on an individual basis instead of being tied to a larger agency. Many freelancers have professional experience in their line of work, but they are often skilled in one or two particular creative areas. They might be available for single projects or ongoing work.

Creative agencies typically employ multiple staff members who have a diverse range of skills. These employees might work together to complete a project or campaign if it requires multiple assets, such as copywriting, graphic design and data monitoring. Many creative agencies work on retainer, meaning they sign a contract to provide ongoing deliverables for your company.

There are pros and cons to hiring both freelancers and creative agencies on retainer. However, for companies that require ongoing assistance with their creative campaigns, hiring an agency is more likely to deliver the results you want. Here’s why.

• Breadth of skills: Most freelancers are not experienced in every facet of creative content that a brand might need assistance with. If your company needs multiple types of creative content, you might need to hire and organize multiple freelancers at once to manage your needs. On the other hand, creative agencies are more likely to employ people with a diverse set of skills, allowing them to provide a broader range of creative services. Before you hire them, ask about what kinds of assets they can offer and determine whether they cover all of your needs. 

• Single point of contact: Juggling multiple freelancers at one time for different aspects of a campaign can become overwhelming quickly. Every freelancer will need to be contacted individually, and they might be on separate timelines. When working with an agency, you’ll likely have a single point of contact—your project manager—who will handle the project compilation for you and deliver your assets without the hassle.

• Experience and reliability: Many freelancers are extremely professional, but they might not always have proof of their experience or reliability. This can create some risk—especially if they’re responsible for something that has a tight deadline. Agencies tend to have a more established reputation that makes companies feel safer putting important content in their partner’s hands.

• Upfront pricing: Freelancers’ rates are often based on individual projects, but they might charge some smaller fees for revisions or project changes that you aren’t aware of upfront. When you hire an agency on retainer, all your costs are outlined in the contract you and the agency signs—no hidden fees to be found. 

• Scalability: If your company’s campaigns are going great, and you think it’s time to scale up your content needs, you might be stuck if you plan on working with freelancers. Being one person, they may not have the bandwidth to scale up on content like a creative agency might.

To determine whether a freelancer or creative agency is right for your brand, think carefully about your content needs and what you want out of a creative partner. If you require a scalable, reliable agency on retainer, Spin Creative is here to deliver. Say hello to learn more! 

About Us

Spin Creative is a video production company and creative agency helping marketers create winning video and creative strategies that engage, inspire and activate targeted audiences. Spin is headquartered in Seattle with offices in San Francisco and London, serving brands around the globe.