Agency vs consultant vs build
Rent it, plan it, or own it.
Three honest ways to fix sales. Each is right for a different problem. Here is what you pay for, what you own at the end, and when each one makes sense.
- First meetings
- Fastest
- Who does the work
- The agency's team
- What you get
- A pipeline run from outside your company
- What you own at the end
- Little. The team, the sending setup and often the data stay with the agency.
- Right when
- You need meetings next month and have no one to build a function yet.
- First meetings
- Not their job
- Who does the work
- Your team
- What you get
- A strategy document and recommendations
- What you own at the end
- The document. Doing the work is up to you.
- Right when
- You have a strong team that only needs direction.
- First meetings
- Once setup is done
- Who does the work
- Me, then your team
- What you get
- People hired, process written, CRM and outbound set up, then handed over
- What you own at the end
- Everything: the team, the playbook, the tools and the data.
- Right when
- You want sales to work without depending on an outside firm.
What you own
What is left when they leave.
The real difference shows up the day the engagement ends.
| What you end up owning | Lead gen agency | Strategy consultant | RevenueShoot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salespeople hired into your company | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Process written down and owned by you | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CRM and sending tools in your name | ~ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Contact data and learnings stay with you | ✕ | ~ | ✓ |
| Keeps working after they leave | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
✓Yes ~Partly ✕No
Which one fits you
Three questions. An honest answer.
Sometimes the right answer is an agency. If that is you, the tool will say so.
When an agency is the better choice
If you need meetings right away, have nobody to own a sales function yet, and are happy to rent pipeline, a good agency will serve you better than a build. Come back when you want to own it.
1. Do you need meetings within the next 30 days?
2. Is there someone internal who could own sales after a handover?
3. Do you already have a team that just needs direction?
Questions
Agency, consultant or build: FAQs.
Is a lead generation agency or a sales consultant better?
It depends on what you need to own at the end. An agency is better when you need meetings quickly and are happy to rent them. A consultant is better when you need a plan and have a team to carry it out. A build is better when you want the team, process and tools inside your company.
How long does it take to build an in-house sales function?
It depends on what already exists. A build runs in a fixed order: Extract, Engine, Team, then a written handover. The diagnostic gives you a dated plan before it starts. How it works.
Can I use an agency and build in-house at the same time?
Yes. Some companies keep an agency running for short term meetings while the in-house function is built, then wind the agency down once the internal team is producing.
What does a fractional sales leader do that an agency does not?
An agency runs outreach on your behalf. A fractional sales leader builds and manages the function inside your company: hiring, process, CRM and the weekly review, and then hands it to your team.