Have you ever wondered what a ‘freelancer’ is? Or even an ‘agency’? And also trying to decide if going with one or the other is the best fit for yourself? I’ll cover these questions in this blog for you, as everyone wants the best for their business or any type of organisation in which you’re requiring services (such as a website!). A freelancer is a sole individual who conducts and runs their business, mainly with a specific skillset and expertise, this has a wide variety of brilliant positives and advantages; an agency is a company comprised of multiple employees usually ranging from 10 to 100s of people, agencies have fewer advantages than freelancers.
Us freelancers have a specific skillset and expertise for your needs. In my case, I specialise in website design, hosting and maintaining websites and designing and implementing logos and banners. This suggests you can be assured to trust my work (looking at my portfolio is a first step for reassurance!). Being the only individual for TCQC, I ensure time management is key with website projects, and that all focus goes into your project, as opposed to an agency, you get a more personal relationship with a freelancer like myself, rather than speaking with someone about a project and someone else you’ll probably never speak to will build your website; and most importantly: they’ll charge you a considerable amount more than a freelancer.
So, I’m not shy to share a con about us freelancers, just to split the bias-ness: The main drawback is the unpredictability of what life throws, as being the sole individual of my business and its projects, we’re all human at the end of the day, and I can’t stress enough how my work is my livelihood 24/7 hours a day, but if an unexpected, hard-hitting life change comes our way for example (either my end or yours!) then the mind is pre-occupied and time may be needed personally for a day or two. I have to be honest been through this, however as long as the communication is there, both parties will deal with the matter respectively (which I’ve also been grateful for in the past!). Your company/orgnisation is crucial, so even if there are times I were to not be in the right state of mind, sometimes my way is keeping busy, with full and utter focus. So to sum up, we’re not all robots (unless you’re Die Hard’s John McClane) and communication is key!
Agencies comprise of multiple employees managed by a general manager (well, usually). They have much more overheads to cover costs as well as salaries to pay (to name a few) despite having a host of skillsets between them all. In my opinion, they don’t really differ too much from us freelancers, as some agencies have skill sets set for each department under one umbrella (their agency), with myself having my own ‘department’ being my whole business!
There are more drawbacks in my opinion when it comes to agencies, mainly with lack of personal relationships (one-on-one) and high costs.
It’s everyone’s personal preference whether to go with a freelancer or through an agency, it all depends on what’s important to you how to have services dealt in a certain way. With myself (me, me, me, give it a rest man) you’ll have 100% focus and exclusivity throughout your project and from the end of the website build onwards once the site is in my hosting & maintaining hands. Remember, I’m responsible for everything an employee isn’t: running the business, fulfilling deadlines, marketing, administration, bookkeeping and more… so you would never see me less motivated and passionate in a long time… otherwise I’d be at an agency! (which is not my ambition).
Those of you that have chosen TCQC already, I love you and there’s been no complaints! (not including the word ‘yet’ in that); and those those that have been undecided, I hope you now have a clear understanding … to choose me!
