Your Marketing Manager Doesn't Have to Be on Your Payroll

Why independent marketing managers are some of the most valuable people in modern business

Some of the most effective marketing managers we've worked with aren't employed by the businesses whose marketing they manage.

They don't necessarily have a permanent desk at the client's office. They might only visit once or twice a week. And they often manage three or four different businesses simultaneously.

Yet they can become some of the most important people involved in those businesses.

They're independent marketing managers, freelance marketing consultants, outsourced marketing managers or, as some call themselves, nomad marketers.

At Net Age, we have a particularly interesting perspective on this arrangement.

We estimate that roughly 60% to 65% of our clients work with us through or alongside independent marketing managers and marketing consultants.

That means a significant proportion of our work involves collaborating with professionals who manage their clients' broader marketing responsibilities while bringing in specialists like us for particular disciplines.

We've developed long-standing relationships with many of these professionals. We've watched their businesses grow, seen them take on new clients and worked alongside them as they've helped businesses develop their brands.

And one thing has become increasingly clear: a great independent marketing manager can be one of the most valuable investments a business makes.

They’re Not Just Another Marketing Supplier

An independent marketing manager often becomes an extension of the business itself.

They attend management meetings, develop relationships with employees, understand the products and get involved in discussions about where the business is heading.

They may conduct marketing audits, competitor reviews, SWOT analyses and brand assessments.

They might help develop the company's marketing strategy, coordinate social media, oversee creative work and ensure that various marketing activities support the same objectives.

They're often the person who knows what the business owner wants to achieve and understands which specialists are needed to make it happen.

And critically, they're the person who follows up to ensure that everything actually gets done.

They aren't simply delivering a service. They're providing marketing leadership.

Their Independence Can Be an Advantage

An experienced, full-time marketing manager can represent a substantial financial commitment.

For larger businesses, employing one makes perfect sense.

But many smaller and growing businesses don't necessarily need a full-time marketing manager.

They need someone experienced enough to understand their marketing challenges, develop a strategy, coordinate the necessary work and hold everyone accountable.

An independent marketing manager can provide that expertise without requiring a permanent appointment.

The arrangement can also give businesses flexibility.

They can increase or decrease their marketing management requirements as their circumstances change, while investing separately in specialist execution.

And because independent marketing managers work across several businesses, they bring something else to the table: perspective.

They see what works in different industries. They encounter different challenges, management styles and customer behaviours.

That experience can be extraordinarily valuable.

They Don’t Have to Know Everything

One of the things we particularly appreciate about working with independent marketing managers is that they understand the difference between managing marketing and executing specialised marketing services.

Some are exceptional creative thinkers. Others are excellent strategists, brand builders or communicators. Some specialise in social media and customer engagement.

They don't all need to be Google Ads specialists, technical SEO experts, developers or data analysts.

That's not their job.

Their job is to understand what the business needs and identify the right resources to achieve it.

At Net Age, for example, we specialise in digital marketing and technology.

We don't provide every marketing service a business might need. We aren't a traditional advertising agency handling print, events, packaging and every other aspect of brand communication.

But independent marketing managers often coordinate all those disciplines.

They bring us into projects when our particular expertise is required.

And then they work with us to ensure that our contribution supports the broader marketing strategy.

It's a relationship that works because everyone understands their role.

The Importance of Long-Term Relationships

There's another aspect of independent marketing management that deserves recognition: relationships.

We've worked alongside some independent marketing managers throughout much of their professional journey.

Over time, they've become familiar with our capabilities, our approach to solving problems and the types of projects we're best suited to handle.

We've developed the same understanding of them.

We know their expectations, how they manage their clients and the standards they expect from their suppliers.

That familiarity makes collaboration more effective.

It reduces unnecessary explanations, improves communication and allows everyone to concentrate on delivering results.

For the client, the benefit is substantial.

Their marketing manager isn't constantly starting relationships with unfamiliar suppliers.

They're drawing on an established network of specialists whose capabilities they already understand.

An experienced independent marketing manager doesn't just bring their own expertise to the table. They bring the collective expertise of the professional relationships they've built.

That's something businesses should value.

They Are the People Who Connect Everything

A business's marketing rarely happens in isolation.

The website affects advertising performance. Advertising influences the quality of sales enquiries. Brand positioning influences customer expectations.

Social media, traditional marketing, email communication and digital advertising all contribute to the overall customer experience.

Someone needs to connect those activities.

And that's often where the independent marketing manager becomes indispensable.

They understand the business well enough to challenge the specialists.

They understand the specialists well enough to explain their recommendations to the business.

And they're close enough to the decision-makers to keep everyone working towards the same objectives.

It's not always glamorous work.

Sometimes it means sitting through meetings, chasing deadlines, questioning reports or resolving misunderstandings between suppliers.

But those activities are frequently what separate a collection of marketing services from a coordinated marketing strategy.

Perhaps the Traditional Marketing Department Is Changing

For many years, businesses approached marketing by employing people to perform different functions.

A marketing manager, a designer, a copywriter and perhaps someone responsible for advertising.

Today, businesses have more options.

They can have an independent marketing manager providing strategic oversight, supported by specialist agencies and freelancers who execute different aspects of the work.

The team doesn't necessarily need to share an office. It doesn't even need to share an employer.

It needs to share objectives, communicate effectively and understand who's responsible for what.

For many businesses, that can be an exceptionally effective arrangement. (We explored a related idea in Your Marketing Manager Is Not Your Entire Marketing Department.)

A Little Recognition for the Independent Marketing Managers

Working alongside so many independent marketing managers has given us an appreciation for the role they play.

We've seen them build brands, help businesses grow, coordinate complicated campaigns and manage multiple suppliers.

We've seen them develop extraordinary relationships with their clients.

We've also seen them challenge us when something wasn't good enough, push us for better results and hold us accountable for our responsibilities.

And that's exactly what a good marketing manager should do.

They represent their clients' interests. They're the people making sure that the strategy translates into action.

They don't always get the recognition they deserve, particularly when their work happens behind the scenes.

But for many businesses, they're invaluable.

So, to the independent marketing managers, freelance consultants and nomad marketers moving between clients, juggling meetings, solving problems and coordinating specialists: what you do matters.

You don't need to be in an office every day to make a lasting difference.

You don't need to do everything yourself to be responsible for making things happen.

And you certainly don't need to be on a company's payroll to become one of its most valuable marketing resources.

Sometimes the best marketing manager a business can have is the one who works for themselves.