Changed my mind about hiring a full-time social media person vs using a local agency

I run a small cafe in Old Strathcona and for the last year, I was set on hiring someone in-house to handle our Instagram and Facebook. I budgeted about $45k for salary. Then I talked to a couple owners at a network meetup last month who said they got way better results for less cash by using a small Edmonton agency that knows the local scene. I switched gears and signed a 6-month contract with one for half that cost. Our engagement is up 30% and they got us featured in a few local blogs already. Anyone else make a switch like this with their marketing?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantmartinez25d ago

That "knows the local scene" part is huge. An agency's connections to bloggers and other businesses is something a single hire just can't build fast.

gibson.sarah20d ago

Actually, that 30% engagement jump is the whole point. More people seeing and talking about your cafe means more new faces walking in. A blog feature is basically free ads to a local crowd that trusts that blog. An in-house person would spend months trying to get that.

david56225d ago

Look, maybe I'm just cheap, but I have to ask if all that extra engagement actually puts more people in the seats. A 30% bump in likes is nice, but does it mean 30% more coffee sold? I get what @grantmartinez is saying about connections, but for a cafe, isn't it mostly about showing your food and having regulars post about you? Paying half your budget is still a big chunk of cash for some likes and a blog feature.