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Dear Marketing Director: Your Department Deserves Better Than a One-Person Show

Writer: Lazaro LlanesLazaro Llanes

If you're reading this, chances are you're juggling more marketing responsibilities than any one person should reasonably handle.


Your morning started with a strategy meeting, followed by emergency social media crisis management, then a few hours of content creation, wrapped up with some late-night analytics reporting. Tomorrow, you'll need to tackle website updates, email campaigns, and somehow find time to plan next quarter's initiatives.


Welcome to the reality of being a modern marketing director – where "other duties as assigned" has become your department's unofficial motto.


Stressed man at a desk, surrounded by hands offering reports and devices. Background is a bright office. Overwhelmed, busy atmosphere.

Strategic Partnership vs. Entry-Level Hire


Traditional wisdom might suggest hiring an entry-level marketing coordinator to take some tasks off your plate. Let's examine why that might not be your best investment:



The True Cost of a Single Entry-Level Hire

Let's look at what one entry-level marketing coordinator actually costs:

- Base Salary: $45,000-55,000

- Benefits (30% of salary): $13,500-16,500

- Software licenses and tools: $3,600-6,000 annually

- Training and development: $2,000-4,000 annually

- Recruitment costs: $5,000-8,000 one-time

- Your time spent managing and training: ~5 hours per week (that's 260 hours annually of your valuable time)


Total first-year investment: $69,100-89,500.

Plus 260 hours of your time spent on management and training instead of strategy.



And what do you get for that investment? Someone who:

- Needs extensive training and oversight

- Has limited experience across marketing disciplines

- Can only handle one task at a time

- Takes sick days and vacation time

- Might leave after gaining experience

- Still requires you to handle specialized tasks they can't do



The Mixed Handed Benefit

Now, compare that to our full-service marketing packages starting at $2,500 monthly ($30,000 annually). For less than half the cost of one entry-level hire, you get:

- An entire team of marketing specialists

- No training time required

- No management overhead

- No benefit costs or HR hassles

- Coverage across all marketing disciplines

- Consistent execution even when someone is out

- Enterprise-level tools and technologies included

- Proven experience and established processes


Our full-service marketing packages typically range from $2,500 to $5,000 monthly, depending on your needs and scope. That's $30,000 to $60,000 annually – potentially less than half the cost of an in-house hire (not to mention an entire team), with none of the management overhead.



Why This Model Works Better for Marketing Directors


1. Strategic Focus

   You maintain complete strategic control while delegating execution to experts in each discipline. This allows you to focus on high-level direction and results rather than day-to-day implementation.


2. Scalable Resources

   Need to double down on content one month and shift to paid advertising the next? Our flexible model adapts to your needs without the rigid skill constraints of full-time employees.


3. Risk Mitigation

   Instead of betting on individual hires, you get a proven team with redundancies built in. No single point of failure means your marketing execution continues smoothly regardless of circumstances.


4. Access to Expertise

   Each specialist on our team works across multiple industries and accounts, bringing fresh perspectives and proven strategies to your business. You benefit from cross-pollination of ideas and best practices.


People work at computers in an office with colorful mural walls. Desks with monitors show different screens. Calm, focused atmosphere.

Making the Transition


We understand that shifting from in-house execution to an agency partnership is a significant change. That's why we've developed a smooth onboarding process:


1. Initial Strategy Consultation

   We start by understanding your current challenges, goals, and existing processes.


2. Custom Package Development

   We create a tailored service package that addresses your specific needs while staying within budget.


3. Integration Planning

   We establish communication protocols, reporting structures, and workflow processes that align with your preferences.


4. Phased Implementation

   We can start with specific projects or services and scale up as you become comfortable with the partnership.



Your Next Step


As a marketing director, your value lies in your strategic vision and leadership – not in your ability to be everywhere at once. The team at Mixed Handed can be the execution arm that turns your strategies into reality, all while saving your organization money and improving marketing outcomes.


Ready to focus on strategy while we handle the execution? Let's talk about how we can support your marketing goals with our full-service capabilities. Because you deserve to be a marketing director, not a marketing department.


Mixed Handed is a full-service marketing and branding agency based in Eugene, OR, serving clients nationwide. We specialize in providing highly-tailored marketing solutions that drive measurable results for businesses looking to scale. Contact us today to explore how we can amplify your marketing impact.





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