Which One Do You Actually Need — and When?
If you’re thinking about investing in marketing support, you’ve probably asked yourself:
“Should I hire a consultant or an agency?”
“Aren’t they basically the same thing?”
“Do I need someone who executes or someone who advises?”
The confusion is real — and costly.
Many businesses hire agencies when they need strategy. Others bring on a consultant, but expect execution. That mismatch can lead to wasted money, poor performance, and frustration on both sides.
In this post, I’ll break down the real differences between a marketing consultant and a marketing agency, the pros and cons of each, and how to choose the right fit for your goals, budget, and stage of growth.
1. What Is a Marketing Consultant?
A marketing consultant is a strategic advisor. They help businesses:
- Assess what’s working (and what’s not)
- Define goals and KPIs
- Build a marketing plan
- Prioritise actions
- Oversee implementation (often by your internal team or agency)
They don’t usually “do the doing” — they make sure the doing gets done right.
Think of a marketing consultant as:
- Your fractional CMO
- Your strategy partner
- The experienced expert who helps you see what you’re too close to spot
2. What Is a Marketing Agency?
A marketing agency is a team that handles execution. They:
- Build and manage paid ad campaigns
- Write and publish content
- Design landing pages
- Send email campaigns
- Handle reporting and performance analysis
They typically work on a retainer, with a team handling each area — media buyers, writers, designers, developers.
Agencies are ideal when:
- You have budget for delegation
- You need consistent content or ads
- You want to scale and don’t have internal staff
But agencies rarely drive strategic thinking unless you’re on a very high-tier package.
3. Consultant vs Agency: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Consultant | Agency |
| Focus | Strategy, planning, oversight | Execution, implementation |
| Who you work with | 1 expert | A team or account manager |
| Best for | Diagnosing issues, prioritising spend, improving ROI | Doing the hands-on work at scale |
| Cost | Project/retainer | Monthly retainer (usually higher) |
| Involvement | High-level guidance | Tactical delivery |
| Time to results | Medium (focused insight) | Fast (with resources), but needs direction |
4. When You Need a Consultant
You’re a great fit for a consultant when:
- You’re spending on marketing but not sure what’s working
- You’ve hired freelancers or agencies but results are flat
- You need a plan — not just activity
- You want an expert without a full-time hire
- You’re preparing to scale but want clarity first
Common consultant services:
- Funnel audits
- PPC or SEO audits
- Strategy roadmaps
- Offer and positioning reviews
- Campaign planning
- Vendor/agency oversight
A consultant helps you think better, spend smarter, and move faster — without becoming dependent on a big team.
5. When You Need an Agency
You’re a great fit for an agency when:
- You have a clear plan and just need someone to run it
- You want to outsource social, email, PPC, or SEO execution
- You need volume (content, posts, creatives)
- You have budget and don’t want to manage in-house staff
Agencies are ideal after your strategy is locked in.
But here’s where businesses go wrong:
They hire an agency to figure out the strategy — when that’s not their strength. Most agencies are doers, not planners.
6. Why Some Businesses Hire Both
Yes — you can hire a consultant and an agency together.
In fact, some of the most successful brands do just that:
- Consultant handles strategy, goals, oversight, and reporting
- Agency handles daily execution (ads, posts, emails, builds)
The consultant becomes the bridge between your leadership team and the agency. They hold them accountable, interpret the data, and ensure all execution aligns with real business goals.
This model works well when:
- You’re scaling but want strategic quality control
- You don’t have a senior marketer in-house
- You’ve been burned by agencies before and want guidance
7. Which One Costs More?
It depends — but here’s the breakdown:
Consultants:
- Often charge by the hour, project, or via retainer
- Rates vary: £750–£3,500/month depending on scope
- Cost-effective if you have in-house execution or a lean team
- High ROI if you’re wasting money and need focus fast
Agencies:
- Monthly retainers: £1,000 to £10,000+
- Extra costs for media spend, design, dev, etc.
- Can be very efficient — or very bloated
- Risk: You don’t always know who’s doing the work behind the scenes
💡 Pro tip: Start with a consultant. Build your plan. Then hire the right agency to execute it.
8. Warning Signs You Hired the Wrong One
Here’s how to know if you’ve got a mismatch:
Hired an agency but needed a consultant:
- “They keep running ads, but I don’t know if it’s working.”
- “We’re busy, but we’re not growing.”
- “We’re getting reports, not insights.”
Hired a consultant but expected an agency:
- “I thought they’d post for me on Instagram every week.”
- “They gave me a strategy, but I don’t have time to implement it.”
- “I wanted someone to just handle it.”
Final Thoughts: Get Clear on the Job Before You Hire the Person
Before you hire anyone — ask yourself:
- Do I need help figuring out what to do or just someone to do the work?
- Am I lacking strategy or capacity?
- Do I want a partner or a vendor?
If you want clarity, accountability, and smart marketing that drives real results — you want a consultant.
If you have the plan and need muscle to get it done — you want an agency.
Get this part right, and you’ll save thousands — and months of wasted time.
Need Strategic Clarity Before You Hire Anyone?
I offer a free 20-minute strategy call to help you understand your current funnel, identify what’s working, and map out where your marketing is leaking leads.
It’s not a pitch — just honest, expert advice.