Hiring in-house talent once symbolized agency growth. A bigger team, a bigger office, a bigger presence. But in today’s digital-first, margin-conscious world, that model is being reexamined. More than ever, agency leaders are doing the math—and discovering that virtual assistants (VAs) aren’t just cost-effective—they’re a smarter way to scale.
This chapter breaks down the true cost of in-house employees versus virtual assistants for digital agencies—and reveals the hidden ROI of building lean, execution-ready teams.
What You Think You Pay vs. What You Actually Pay
Hiring a full-time marketer or admin may start with a base salary. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s break it down:
Typical Full-Time Marketing Coordinator (US-Based)
- Base Salary: $55,000
- Payroll Taxes & Benefits (20–30%): $13,000–$18,000
- Software & Equipment: $3,000
- Office Space (if applicable): $6,000
- Recruiting Costs: $4,000
- Training & Onboarding Time (Management Hours): $2,500
Total Estimated Annual Cost: $83,500–$88,500
And that assumes one hire stays the full year—which many don’t.
Typical Strat Rep Marketing Virtual Assistant
- Monthly Rate (20–40 hrs/week): $1,200–$2,000
- Includes: Payroll, Benefits, 13th Month, Compliance, Support
- No Recruiting Fees, No Taxes, No Office Overhead
- Pre-vetted, marketing-trained talent; minimal onboarding
Total Estimated Annual Cost: $15,000–$24,000
That’s a cost reduction of over 60%, with no compromise on output quality—and often, a gain in speed.
The Hidden Costs Agencies Often Overlook
The budget line items are only part of the picture. Here’s what else traditional hiring costs you:
1. Time to Hire
- Average time to hire a full-time employee: 36–45 days
- With Strat Rep: 5–7 days from request to hire
Lost revenue during the delay—missed campaigns, slower output, delayed client onboarding—adds up.
2. Team Burnout
When you don’t have the right support in place, your team stretches to fill the gaps. That leads to:
- Strategy leads bogged down in admin work
- Creatives doing project coordination instead of execution
- Missed deadlines and client dissatisfaction
Burnout doesn’t show up in your P&L—but it hits your retention, morale, and long-term scalability.
3. Turnover & Retraining
The average cost to replace a marketing employee is 30–50% of their salary. Between exit interviews, recruiting, training, and lost productivity, every churn resets your growth momentum.
Strat Rep’s VAs are hired for long-term partnerships. Agencies manage them directly, we support the rest—ensuring stability and continuity.
What You Actually Get With a Strat Rep VA
Let’s move beyond cost and look at value. Here’s what agencies gain:
Specialized Talent
Strat Rep’s VAs are trained in:
- SEO & keyword research
- Social media planning & scheduling
- Paid ads coordination (Google, Meta)
- CRM workflows & reporting
- Admin & inbox management
You don’t hire generalists—you hire execution-ready professionals trained in digital agency systems.
AI-Enhanced Output
Each Strat Rep VA is AI-aware, meaning they leverage tools like ChatGPT, Search Atlas, and automation platforms to:
- Create better content faster
- Research and report with speed
- Eliminate low-value, repetitive tasks
The result? Your in-house team gets to lead. Your VAs handle the rest.
Full HR & Compliance Support
With in-house staff, your agency takes on legal risk, tax complexity, and benefits administration. With Strat Rep:
- We manage payroll, contracts, 13th-month pay, and local compliance.
- You manage the VA’s work—we handle everything else behind the scenes.
No HR overhead. No compliance headaches.
Financial Comparison Snapshot
| Category | In-House Employee | Strat Rep VA |
| Annual Cost | $83K–$88K | $15K–$24K |
| Time to Hire | 36–45 days | 5–7 days |
| Payroll/Tax/Compliance | Your responsibility | Strat Rep handles it |
| Onboarding Time | 2–4 weeks | 2–5 days |
| Marketing Training | Required | Pre-trained |
| Flexibility (Part-Time/Project) | Rare | Built-in |
Who Should Make the Switch?
If your agency…
- Has more tasks than team bandwidth
- Needs execution help, not just strategy
- Wants to scale without hiring overhead
- Has tried freelancers and been disappointed by quality or commitment
…then switching to a VA isn’t just a savings play—it’s a strategic move.
The ROI of a Marketing VA
Let’s reframe the question from “How much does it cost?” to “What does it enable?”
With one Strat Rep VA, agencies report:
- 2x–3x increase in content or campaign output
- 50% less time spent on project coordination
- 40% faster client delivery timelines
- Higher team satisfaction—because leaders aren’t bogged down by execution
Final Word: Smart Agencies Don’t Just Cut Costs—They Build Capacity
Marketing virtual assistants aren’t a shortcut. They’re a modern staffing solution for execution-focused agencies. And with Strat Rep, they come trained, vetted, and ready to plug into your workflow.
If you’re building a lean, high-output agency—this is how you staff it.
Explore Strat Rep’s VA Solutions