A blended model should be agencies’ answer to the full time vs freelance debate
To find a sweet spot, agencies need to take advantage of the stability and consistency of full time staff and support them with the best freelance talent, argues INVNT’s Stephen Horsley.
What’s that age old saying? Ah yes, the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s certainly true for full timers and freelancers. Permanent employees have job security, paid leave, and they set and uphold an agency’s standards of work, which is ultimately very rewarding. Freelancers, on the other hand, are their own boss, privy to flexible work hours (although some agencies also have flexible conditions), and able to pick and choose projects and agencies.
The perks of both routes are clear when it comes to the individual, but what about the company? Why don’t agencies just employ freelancers in response to client demand? While more and more industry professionals – from creatives to strategists, producers and everyone in between – are heading down the freelance path, an eager, experienced and passionate tribe of permanent staff are key to the success of any campaign, and in turn, agency. In my view, the most successful agencies adopt a blended resource model.
I think this is a step better than many agency models, but don’t assume a freelance only model is lacking any kind of reliability or consistency.
The way agencies typically hire freelancers is by the day or the hour which means you have to lock in people for short runs only and the consistency is not there. They come and go in an overload or specialty situation only. The people they hire are serial agency freelancers and tend to work this way, locked out for ages.
Agencies are not geared up to do this any other way. Even the hybrid model above is really how most agencies, even the big ones actually work in reality and it isn’t that new (sorry to say). Good point to make though, but not new.
I’m not meaning to make this all about me but I’m yet to find anyone that has a model the same as Suits&Sneakers, so will explain here for others to be inspired to help make this industry more sustainable and more profitable at the same time serving clients better and offering better value.
In the Suits&Sneakers model there are assigned team members to specific clients even though they are freelance and they are as solid and as committed to a client as any agency for the long term. You will never hire a freelancer for a day or an hour at a time here. We work by the scope and deliverable. To some clients they would never know if the people sit in an office or in their own home office or on the beach.
Dedicated teams give you the experience of a big agency but the buying power of freelancers at wholesale. It is like buying a Porsche wholesale. Faster communication lines too and work gets done faster.
Happy to share details of how this translates into awesome, fast, service and also the best people for less. Agencies and clients welcome to chat. Happy to help wider the industry.
Sorry, I know we don’t sell in social media – that’s not the real point. There is a different model out there and I don’t really agree that the above is any different at all to how the industry has worked for eons. I’m happy to help anyone in the industry keep us all relevant for the future. Helping, not selling here, despite naming a name.