The cost of a hiring a freelance communications or marketing consultant
You’re interested in hiring a freelance communications or marketing consultant but you’ve got no idea what they charge.
No one seems to put up rate cards so you automatically assume it must be astronomical. You think that maybe you don’t need help with your marketing after all. You’ll just get your office manager, Julie, to add it to her list.
Or, maybe you’ve spoken to a few freelance consultants and got wildly different prices which has confused you even more.
Either of these sound familiar?
The problem is there’s really no fixed price for this kind of service.
It’s very much dependent on:
Scope and extent of the project (how much in-depth research is required? Do you need an entire strategy? How much time is needed? Is it a one off or regular gig?)
Location (we’ve got to keep the lights on/roof over our head and the cost of that differs across the country)
Level of experience (pay peanuts, you get monkeys). And whilst I’m sure your office manager’s heart is in the right place, she’s not an expert and her lack of experience could do more damage than good.
Specialisms (ie industry specific, technical, analytical, creative, crisis comms)
Reasons to hire a freelancer
When quoting for a project, freelancers take all the above into consideration. At first glance our fees may look like quite an investment. But consider what you save by hiring a freelancer:
No overhead costs for you
You’re not responsible for paying holiday or sick pay.
You’re not responsible for their training and development or other benefits offered to your contracted staff.
Many freelance consultants provide their own equipment.
We often work remotely, so often you don’t even need to give us desk space/provide electricity/wifi and, you know, tea and coffee!
Pay for what you need
Hiring a full-time or even a part-time employee typically means that you must offer them a set amount of hours. Freelancers offer flexibility.
By hiring an expert consultant in a particular field, you can operate your business at the highest possible level, only paying for exactly what you need, when you need it.
Hire the best of the best
If you want specific expertise but you don’t need them to be present in the office, your pool of talent to pick from is suddenly much wider. Your business has access to national or global reach when choosing talent.
What does the average communications consultant make?
Freelance communications consultants charge either a day rate or a project fee. We factor in the lack of holiday pay and sick pay into our equations. And as we’re running our own business, we also take into account that it’s unlikely we’ll be working every single day in the month (invoicing, new business, pitching and proposal writing are all part of the fun of freelance life).
In the PRCA 2019 consensus the average PR/Communications freelancer income is reported as £49,069.
A freelancers day rate can range from anything between £250-£800 a day, sometimes more depending on the industry and level of expertise. Agencies will usually charge upwards of £350 to £950 per day depending on type of agency and seniority of staff on your account.
There’s really no way to estimate an average project fee as that depends on what you (the client) are asking for. What’s worth remembering though is a project fee is fixed, so you know exactly what you’re paying for and what you can expect in return.
How much does Ellie Jane Comms charge?
I base my rates on the factors discussed above, the complexity of the project and whether you need anything more long term. I’m more likely to reduce my day rate if there’s the prospect of a certain number of days per week/month. It will also depend on the business I'm pitching too. I do lower my rate if there's a project I'm massively keen on but that can't afford me. I also reduce my rate for charities. I've recently reviewed my day rate to £450 per day. Bespoke communications plans/projects start from £1,850, but really depend on the extent/scope and the elements discussed above.
Can you afford NOT to hire an expert marketing consultant?
You need skills, expertise, energy and time dedicated to the growth of your brand and business. A freelance marketing or communications consultant is an investment, but one that has measurable returns.
And by investing in a marketing expert, you can let Julie get on with her priorities and what she does best.
Want to discuss how I can help your business? Get in touch today: ellie@elliejanecomms.co.uk