Hire a Marketing Strategist that Moves the Needle

Poor marketing costs more than a strategist.

Hiring a marketing strategist can change the trajectory of your business — helping you reach the right people, with the right message, at the right time.

Most founders hire tacticians (social media managers, ad buyers) and wonder why results are inconsistent. But strategy is what directs the tactics. Without it, you’re burning budget without a plan.

If you want marketing that actually moves the needle, you need a strategist before anything else. This guide shows you how to find, vet, and hire one that drives ROI.

A strategist can change the trajectory of your business.

What Is a Marketing Strategist

A marketing strategist is the person who builds the roadmap for your marketing — identifying who your customers are, where they live online, and what messaging will cut through.

They don’t just run campaigns. They define your positioning, choose the right channels, and build systems that scale.

Here’s what a marketing strategist might do:

• Define your ideal customer profiles and buying journeys

  
  

• Choose the right channels (ads, email, content, SEO)

  
  

• Craft messaging frameworks that speak to real pain points

  
  

• Align marketing goals with business outcomes

  
  

• Build campaign calendars and conversion-focused funnels

In Australia, many strategists work freelance or via agencies. Look for professionals with cross-channel experience, proven ROI, and who understand the local market.

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Why Hiring a Marketing Strategist Matters for Founders

You Stop Guessing

Clear positioning, channels, and budgets mean you're no longer relying on gut instinct.

You Scale Faster

Systems replace spray-and-pray marketing. You move with intention, not reaction.

You Spend Smarter

Strategy ensures every dollar has direction and outcomes are measurable.

You Lead Better

You know what’s working, what isn’t, and where to double down.

Real-World Examples

A founder of a Melbourne tech startup had no marketing plan, just boosted social posts. After engaging a strategist from Noize, they redefined their value prop, set up a three-tier funnel, and grew MRR by 70% in 4 months.

A retail business spent $10K/month on ads without strategy. After 6 months and no ROI, they paused everything. Had they started with a strategist, they could have avoided the loss — and built long-term traction instead.

A marketing strategist is the person who builds the roadmap for your marketing.

What You Need Before You Start

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Clear business goals (growth, brand, leads, etc.)

• Target revenue or customer acquisition KPIs

• Existing brand and product clarity

• Marketing budget (even if small, it needs allocation)

• Willingness to test and refine

Mentor Tip: 

Strategy without execution is theory. But execution without strategy is chaos.

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How to Hire a Marketing Strategist in Australia:

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Define What You Actually Need

• Audit your current marketing (or lack of it)

• List your biggest roadblocks: visibility, lead gen, conversion

• Clarify what success looks like in 3–6 months

This sets the scope for who you need — not just what they do.

Step 2: Choose the Right Type of Strategist

• Freelancer (flexible, affordable, hands-on)

• Consultant (big-picture plans, coaching)

• Agency (done-for-you services and team support)

Match the strategist’s model to your business stage and resources.

Step 3: Interview and Vet Strategists

• Ask about proven results (not just pretty work)

• Review case studies and real outcomes

• Ensure they understand your industry

Good strategists ask you smart questions. Great ones challenge your assumptions.

Step 4: Align on Strategy Deliverables

• Will they deliver a plan? Funnel map? Channel strategy?

• Will they support execution or just advise?

• Are KPIs and milestones clear?

You walk away knowing exactly what to expect — and how to measure success.

Step 5: Onboard and Integrate

• Share your business goals, offer, and previous marketing

• Give access to tools (GA, Meta, CRM, etc.)

• Set weekly or biweekly check-ins

Integration beats delegation. You’re both part of the process.

You can keep muscling growth alone—or install the strategist, the system, and the scorecard that increases your profit.

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

There are two ways to build your strategy: do it yourself, or bring in experts to shortcut the process. Here's how each path looks:

Doing It Yourself (High Time, Low Spend)

• Time Investment: 6–10 hours to plan + ongoing execution

• Tools: Free platforms like Notion, Trello, Google Docs

• Optional Add-ons: Scheduling, automation, or email tools ($15–$50/month)

Ideal if you’re early-stage, tight on cash, and willing to learn through iteration. Just know: you're trading money for time — and you’ll likely hit a few avoidable walls.

Hiring a Marketing Strategist (Low Time, High Clarity)

Option	Cost Range
Freelancer	$1,500 – $5,000/month
Consultant	$250 – $500/hour
Agency	$3,000 – $15,000+/month

Benefits of Hiring (What Noize Helps With)

• You get a proven strategy tailored to your offer and market

• You avoid costly trial and error

• You move faster with focused execution and guidance

• You get expert messaging, funnel, and channel planning — not guesswork

• You reclaim time to focus on what only you can do: building, selling, leading

Budget Tip: Start with a 4–6 week scoped project like an audit, roadmap, or campaign plan. It’s a smart, low-risk way to access expert insight before committing long-term. Noize offers tailored packages built just for startups.

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Common Mistakes Business Owners Make

Hiring tacticians before building a strategy

Tactics without direction = wasted budget.

Expecting fast results with no inputs

Strategy takes testing, iteration, and buy-in.

Choosing the cheapest option

You’ll pay twice: once to fix bad work.

Micromanaging the strategist

You’re hiring expertise — let them lead.

Not aligning strategy to business goals

Marketing should drive revenue. Not just awareness.

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What to Do Right Now

✅ Hiring & Growth Plays You Can Run Today —Check out the KEY PLAYERS in the StartUpDeck.com  — to identify ideal traits for experts like a Market Strategist. If you want quick wins while you hire, and pull proven plays that create leads now, Founders use these cards to cut time-to-test by 50% and unlock profitable experiments in 2–4 weeks.

✅ Done-For-You with Noize: Strategist-in-Seat Sprint (90 Days)

Skip the guesswork. We provide our vetted strategist aligned to revenue targets, set the KPIs, and stand up a 90-day growth plan. The goal: net new pipeline this quarter and ROAS lift within 6–12 weeks—so the engagement starts paying for itself while we’re still onboarding. Don’t slip another quarter. Make the hire that moves the number. [Noize.com.au]

COMING SOON...

✅ Grab the ProDesk “Strategist Hiring Vault” (Free)

If you had the right strategist in-seat, you’d see more qualified leads, cleaner ROAS, and fewer founder-fire drills—fast. This vault gives you everything to hire with confidence this quarter, not “someday.” [ProDesk.com]

Why act now?

• This quarter: secure your strategist, launch tests, and add net-new pipeline.

• 6 months: lock repeatable ROAS and reduce founder time in the weeds.

• 12 months: compound learnings into predictable growth you can forecast (and raise on).

You can keep muscling growth alone—or install the strategist, the system, and the scorecard that make your marketing pay for itself. Your call.

A strategist will design the system, the roadmap and the scorecard that make your marketing pay for itself.

FAQs

Do I need a marketing strategist if I already have a social media person?

Yes. They’re not the same. The strategist sets the direction — your team then executes it.

How do I know if someone is legit?

Look for past results, niche experience, and a clear strategic process.

Can I afford a strategist as a startup?

Yes. Many offer one-off strategy intensives or roadmap sprints for small budgets.

What’s the difference between a strategist and a marketing manager?

A strategist builds the plan. A manager implements it.

Should I hire internally or externally?

External is great early. Internal comes later when marketing is a core function.