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Guides

Straight answers on getting marketing done: what the work is, what it should cost, and how the real options compare — grounded in current pricing.

Marketing Agency Alternatives for Small Businesses (2026)

Six real alternatives to a marketing agency in 2026 - fractional CMO, freelancers, DIY AI tools, content subscriptions, SMB platforms, and AI departments. With prices.

How Much Should Marketing Cost a Small Business? (2026 Pricing Guide)

A 2026 breakdown of what small business marketing really costs, from DIY tools to agencies, plus the 5-10% of revenue rule and where a flat department fits.

What Does a Marketing Department Actually Do? The 7 Roles, Explained

A plain-English guide to the 7 core marketing roles: content, SEO, social, email, revenue, analytics, and creative, and what good looks like for each.

AI Marketing Team vs. Agency vs. Freelancer vs. Fractional CMO

The four ways to staff marketing in 2026 - AI marketing team (~$2,900), agency ($3,500-5,000), freelancer ($5-15k via MarketerHire), fractional CMO ($5-20k) - compared honestly.

How to Choose a Done-for-You Marketing Service (a Checklist)

A 10-point checklist for vetting done-for-you marketing in 2026: scope, who does the work, pricing transparency, contracts, content ownership, approvals, reporting, and the exit test.

What Does a Marketing Department Cost per Month — and What You Get at Each Tier

Marketing department cost per month in 2026, tier by tier: $29-890 DIY tools, $195-3,000 content subscriptions, ~$2,900 automated department, $3,500-5,000 agency, $5,000-20,000 fractional CMO.

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