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Who should run your marketing?

An honest look at your options, from agencies to a full-time hire.

Start with a 15-min callSee the comparison

Too big for DIY, too small for a hire

You run an established service business. Referrals got you here. Now you want to get hired for more of the work you actually want, and spend smarter on marketing. Every option for getting there has a catch.

18%

of small businesses feel very confident their marketing works, down from 27% a year earlier.

Constant Contact, Small Business Now, 2025

42%

have less than an hour a day to spend on marketing.

Constant Contact, Small Business Now, 2025

65%

say referrals are their best source of new customers.

WordStream, Small Business Marketing Trends, 2024

Your options, side by side

Costs are published ranges and listed starting prices as of 2026. Your quotes will vary. Sources are at the bottom of the page.

Olson & Co.

Best for
Established service businesses that need to decide what to change, then get it done
What you get
Strategy, clear offers and messaging, sales and marketing materials, and a vetted specialist team to run them
Who you talk to
Dan, every time
Typical cost
Ongoing from $3,000/month. The $500 roadmap is credited if you continue
The catch
One senior person, so capacity is limited. Execution runs through partners, not an in-house team. U.S. only

Channel agency

Best for
Businesses that already know their message and need one channel run, like SEO or paid ads
What you get
Execution in the channels they sell, with reporting
Who you talk to
An account manager, who may change over time
Typical cost
Roughly $3,000 to $25,000+/month. Under $5,000 often buys mostly junior work
The catch
Some clients report account manager turnover. Advice stays inside their channel

Fractional CMO

Best for
Companies around $1M to $20M with a team that needs senior direction
What you get
Strategy and oversight. Hands-on execution is often priced separately
Who you talk to
The fractional leader, for a set number of hours
Typical cost
From about $4,000/month. Many quote $5,000 to $15,000/month
The catch
Limited hours, and some stay out of day-to-day execution

Freelancers and DIY

Best for
Owners whose referrals still fill the calendar
What you get
Individual tasks, one skill at a time
Who you talk to
Each freelancer, and you coordinate them
Typical cost
Low cash cost, high owner time
The catch
Nobody owns the plan, and marketing slips when client work gets busy

Full-time hire

Best for
Businesses with enough marketing work to keep one person busy full time
What you get
One person's skills, plus your time managing them
Who you talk to
Your employee
Typical cost
Median marketing manager base pay is $166,790/year, before benefits
The catch
A fixed cost, and one person rarely covers every skill

Why owners pick Olson & Co.

I've been an agency account manager and a company's first in-house marketing hire, so I know how both sides of the table work.

  • An outside view of what's in the way

    I bring an outside perspective and strategic judgment to find what's holding you back and decide what needs to change. I've done this 55+ times, across just about every industry.

  • Decisions you can put to work

    Those decisions become clear offers, messaging, and practical sales and marketing materials that make your value easier for the right clients to understand.

  • One person accountable for all of it

    I'm your single point of contact. When a job needs a specialist, I bring in one I've already vetted and keep the work coordinated.

  • A low-risk way to start

    Start with a free 15-minute call. The $500 roadmap is credited if you continue, and the plan is yours either way.

When someone else is the better call

The right choice depends on where your business is. Here's when I'd point you elsewhere.

  • Pick a channel agency if you know your message and need SEO or paid ads run at volume.

  • Pick a fractional CMO if you're past $1M and already have a team that needs direction.

  • Keep doing it yourself if referrals still bring in all the work you want.

  • Hire full time if there's enough marketing work to keep one person busy every week, and you have time to manage them.

What owners say after working with Dan

“Dan gave me marketing that's truly 'me' and brings in my dream clients.”
Amanda Kimmer

Amanda Kimmer

Owner, Meraki Beauty · Lash & brow artist

“Every conversation with Dan gives me real clarity and wind in my sails.”
Cody Sumner

Cody Sumner

Owner, Axiom Media Group · Creative agency

“Dan clarified our message and completely transformed our brand perception.”
Brandon Hayes

Brandon Hayes

Owner, Kalos Consulting · Recruitment agency

Questions owners ask before choosing

Ongoing engagements start at $3,000 a month. The exact investment depends on what your roadmap calls for, and it covers the strategy, the team to execute it, and someone managing the whole thing. Standalone projects, like a messaging strategy or a website, are scoped on their own.

Talk it through in 15 minutes

Tell me where your business is and where you want it to go. Free, with no commitment.

Start with a 15-min call

Sources

Olson & Co. prices, process and quotes come from olsonand.co. Market figures were gathered in November 2026.