What is the difference between marketing interim and freelance marketer?
When looking for temporary marketing support, you often come across two options: the marketing interim professional and the freelance marketer. While both professionals provide temporary support, they differ substantially in method and employability. The interim manager is typically brought in for strategic change projects or temporary replacement at the management level, while a freelancer is often used for specific projects or specialized tasks. The choice depends on your specific business situation and goals.
A marketing interim professional typically works as an independent contractor, but temporarily functions as a full member of the management team. They are responsible for strategic decisions, leading teams and implementing change. Their involvement is intensive but temporary, with a clear starting and ending point.
The freelance marketer, on the other hand, works more remotely and project-based. They provide specialized services such as content creation, SEO optimization or campaign execution. Freelancers usually have multiple clients at the same time and often work from their own workplace with a flexible time schedule.
Differences also exist in terms of contract form. Interimmers usually work on the basis of set project goals with result-oriented remuneration. Freelancers more often bill on an hourly basis or per delivered product. Integration within the company also differs; where the interim professional participates in management meetings and business processes, the freelancer stays more at a distance and is mainly assessed on concrete deliverables.
When do you choose a marketing interim professional?
A marketing interim professional is the appropriate choice in several scenarios. First, when your organization is temporarily without a marketing manager, such as due to maternity leave, illness or during a recruitment process for a permanent position. The interim manager can then provide continuity in managing the team.
An interim marketer is also valuable in change processes. Think of digital transformations, brand repositioning or setting up new marketing processes. In these cases, the interim professional brings not only knowledge but also change management skills needed to lead teams through such a transition.
When it comes to strategic repositioning, a marketing interim can also help. With a fresh, external perspective, this professional can critically evaluate your marketing approach and help determine new directions. Because they are temporarily on board, they can often take a more honest and objective look at existing structures.
Finally, interim managers are suitable for crisis management. When your brand has suffered reputational damage or your marketing department is underperforming, an experienced interim manager can quickly put things in order. They bring calm, structure and direction to turbulent situations.
What are the benefits of working with a freelance marketer?
Freelance marketers offer unique benefits to organizations. Flexibility is key: you can scale up and down their services as needed. This makes them ideal for project-based work or when you temporarily need extra capacity without making long-term commitments.
Another key advantage is their specialized knowledge. Freelancers have often specialized in specific fields such as SEO, content marketing, social media or marketing automation. They bring this in-depth expertise directly, without you having to train anyone to do so.
In terms of cost efficiency, freelancers can also be advantageous. You only pay for the actual services provided, with no additional costs such as employer fees, insurance or training budget. Moreover, freelancers usually work with their own equipment and software.
The fee structure usually differs from that of interim professionals. Whereas interim professionals often work on a daily or project basis with relatively higher rates because of their strategic input, freelancers more often charge hourly rates or fixed project rates. This often makes budgeting more manageable.
Finally, freelancers offer the opportunity for long-term partnerships, but on a flexible basis. You can build a relationship where the freelancer gets to know your business better and better, but you are not locked into fixed contract hours or a minimum purchase period.
Key insights about marketing hiring
Making the right choice between an interim marketing manager and a freelance marketer is all about properly assessing your needs. Do you need a temporary replacement at the management level or for strategic challenges? Then an interim professional is the best fit. Is there a particular need for execution of specific marketing activities or specialized knowledge? Then a freelancer is often the better option.
Pay close attention to the contractual aspects of hiring. Recent legislation makes it more important than ever to make clear agreements about the assignment, the desired result, payment and the degree of independence of the professional. Make sure you have a clear assignment description with a clear start and end point, to prevent the collaboration from being seen as employment.
Also consider integration into your organization. An interim manager often needs to work intensively with internal teams, while a freelancer can operate more remotely. Strive for a balance between involvement and independence that suits the nature of the assignment.
For a successful collaboration, it is essential to have clear expectations on both sides. Discuss not only what needs to be done, but also how the professional will proceed and what freedom he or she will have to complete the assignment.
At WerfSelect, we are happy to help you find the right marketing professional for your specific situation. We have extensive experience with both interim managers and freelance marketers and can advise you on which option best suits your challenge. In addition, we make sure that the collaboration complies with legal requirements so that you can benefit from the flexibility and expertise offered by external marketing professionals without worries. Read more about this in our white paper.
