Where to find cheap online marketing help

With a little research, you may be surprised at the prices you’ll find to help your online marketing needs. I’m assuming (and yes, I know what this means) that many business owners think thousands of dollars are involved with any professional marketing help. This is true when you’re only contacting larger companies. But don’t forget the freelancers who have full time positions related to their areas of expertise. Freelancers and small agencies can probably reduce the sticker shock.

Freelancers

Networking (cough, cough – LinkedIn anyone?) can help point you in the right directions. Some freelancers are full-time but many have a full-time job. Hiring a freelancer that has a full-time job as a specialist in a field may be the best type of freelancer. These professionals will have more exposure to what is the most up to date technique and technology to complete your request. But this freelancer may not be as professional as a full-time freelancer.

Small Agencies

Many small agencies specialize in specific fields but that doesn’t mean they are cheap enough that a small business can afford them. An excellence example is Stein Communications in Atlanta, GA. They are a small agency (8 people as of December 2009) but specialize in marketing techniques for educational institutions. A small agency doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the correct choice for a small to mid-sized business. Just because you found a small agency doesn’t mean the sticker shock will dissolve.

Other Tactics

• Email a local agency, tell them exactly what you need and the maximum amount of money you can spend. If they can’t help you then ask if they can suggest another agency or a freelancer.
• If you don’t want to specify how much you want to spend then ask the agency how they can cut the total down. A willing agency should be willing to offer services a la carte and tell you what service is the most pertinent change. This allows you, the business owner, to pay for as little as possible and know what you’re first changes should be.
• Post a flyer in a local college or high school for the lowest price.

Feel free to submit your opinions or more tactics as a comment below.

Last comment: You get what you pay for.