If you are a coach or small business owner looking at marketing automation help, the options blur together fast. Agencies, freelance consultants, GoHighLevel experts and DIY tutorials all promise the same thing. We explain what the work actually is, what each option typically costs, what to ask before you hire, and when you honestly do not need anyone yet.
A freelance marketing automation consultant commonly charges a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for a one-off build. An agency usually charges a monthly fee, often $1,000 to $5,000 or more, to build and run it. A platform specialist is cheapest for one tool. DIY costs only software, often $30 to $300 a month, plus your time.
Who this is for: Coaches, consultants and small business owners deciding whether to hire an agency, a freelancer or do marketing automation themselves.
For a coach or small business, marketing automation is rarely fancy. It is a set of small jobs that happen without you touching them, so a new lead never sits waiting. If you want the full picture first, our guide to what marketing automation is covers the basics.
In practice, the work usually means:
Whoever you hire, this is the list to hold them to.
There are four honest routes. They differ mostly in who keeps watching the system after it is built. The prices below are commonly quoted ranges at the time of writing, and they vary a lot by country and scope.
| Option | What they do | Typical cost | Speed | Ongoing support | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | Plans, builds, writes and runs the system, often alongside ads or content | Often $1,000 to $5,000+ a month, sometimes with a setup fee | 2 to 6 weeks to launch | Yes, usually part of the retainer | Businesses with steady leads and no time to manage tools |
| Freelance consultant | Maps your process and builds the automations, sometimes across several tools | A few hundred to a few thousand dollars per build, or a day rate | 1 to 4 weeks | Sometimes, often billed hourly | A clear, one-off project with a defined scope |
| Platform specialist (e.g. a GoHighLevel or Kit expert) | Sets up one tool deeply: pipelines, workflows, templates | Often a few hundred to around $2,000 per setup | Days to 2 weeks | Limited, or a small monthly add-on | You have already chosen the tool and need it done properly |
| DIY | You learn the tool and build it yourself | Software only, often $30 to $300 a month | Weeks, depending on your time | You and the tool's help docs | Early stage, simple funnels, tight budgets |
If you are comparing tools before choosing who sets them up, our list of the best marketing automation tools will help.
A one-off build gives you a working system on launch day. The problem is that automations quietly break. A form gets edited and stops sending leads to the CRM. A calendar connection expires. An email goes to spam for weeks before anyone notices.
None of this is anyone's fault. Tools update, your offer changes, and links move. A system nobody watches tends to drift, and you usually find out when a lead says they never heard back.
So the real question is who checks it. If you are happy to look at your lead list each week and test the main form now and then, a one-off build from a consultant can be enough. If you would rather not think about it, you need someone running it: watching the numbers, testing the flows, and improving the follow-up over time.
A good middle ground is a build plus a light monthly check. Ask any freelancer whether they offer that. For what a solid follow-up setup looks like, see our guide to an automated lead follow-up system.
A short conversation saves a lot of regret. These are the questions we would ask anyone, including us.
Clear answers to these matter more than a polished proposal. Vague answers on account ownership are the biggest warning sign.
Plenty of businesses do not need anyone yet. If you get a handful of enquiries a month, sell one offer and book calls through a single link, a free or cheap tool with one welcome email and a booking link may be all you need. Spending thousands to automate five leads a month rarely pays back.
The same goes if you have no steady source of leads. Automation speeds up follow-up; it does not create demand. Fix the traffic or the offer first. One exception is phone-heavy businesses, where a simple missed call text back can be worth setting up early.
A done-for-you studio like Unbury fits when leads are coming in but slipping through: slow replies, no-shows, nobody following up with people who went quiet. We find where the leaks are, build the fix across your forms, CRM, emails and booking, and then run it week to week so it keeps working. We price it on a call once we have seen your setup.
If you are not sure which camp you are in, start with a free marketing audit. We will tell you honestly if a simple DIY setup is enough.
Agencies commonly charge a monthly retainer, often somewhere between $1,000 and $5,000 or more, sometimes with a separate setup fee. The price depends on how many tools, funnels and emails are involved and whether they also write the content. Always ask what is included each month.
A consultant is usually one person who builds a defined project and hands it over. An agency is a team that tends to build and then keep running the system on a monthly basis. Consultants are often cheaper for one-off work, while agencies suit businesses that want ongoing support.
It can be, if you have already decided GoHighLevel is the right tool and want it set up properly. A specialist will usually be faster than learning it yourself. Check that the account stays in your name and that you get written notes on every workflow they build.
Yes, especially early on. Most tools have templates for welcome emails, booking reminders and simple follow-up. It costs only the software and your time, and it is a good way to learn what you actually need before paying someone.
Send us your setup and we will tell you honestly where it is leaking customers and what to fix first. Free, no pitch.