If you're a small business owner trying to get your marketing sorted, you've probably weighed up the same options: doing it yourself, hiring a freelancer, bringing in an agency, or using a managed service like GrowthBox. Each one works for somebody. This page gives you a straight comparison across cost, time commitment, expertise, and consistency, so you can make the right call for your business.

Most small business owners are not bad at marketing. They are time-poor, pulled in too many directions, and working without a clear plan. The result is the same almost every time: marketing that is inconsistent, unmeasured, and expensive in the most frustrating way possible - it costs time, not just money. GrowthBox has run the diagnostic with 300+ small businesses. The same problems appear almost every time. Here they are: 1. No written marketing plan 76% of small businesses have no formal...

When Ian Miller first got in touch, marketing at Train Trax hadn't fallen apart. It just kept slipping, and peak retail season was closing in fast. Train Trax is a specialist retailer serving model railway enthusiasts across the UK, with deep product knowledge, loyal customers, and a constant flow of interesting stock, particularly from Japan. Like a lot of founder-led businesses, the day-to-day never lets up. Stock to manage. Customers to serve. Orders to process. Suppliers to chase....