Why this matters
You’re ready to take marketing seriously, but you’re not ready to build a 5-person team. Most growing Alberta businesses hit this exact wall. You need content, strategy, design, ads, and reporting, but hiring in every role is expensive and time-consuming.
That doesn’t mean you can’t build something great. It just means you have to be smart about how you structure it.
Build a marketing function, not a full department
Start by identifying your biggest gaps. Do you need better visibility? A more polished digital presence? Consistent content output? Once you know your priorities, focus on the three foundational pieces that drive results:
- Strategic direction (someone who can align your marketing with business goals)
- Consistent execution (so work actually gets done and out the door)
- Creative production (so you’re not always repurposing the same graphics from 2021)
Trying to find one person who can do all of this is unrealistic. Instead, invest in a strong internal marketing coordinator, someone who understands the brand and knows how to work across teams—and surround them with external partners who can bring creative horsepower.
Where to start and what to outsource
Let your internal team handle what they know best—your people, your voice, and your operations. Then bring in outside help to fill in the gaps like:
- Branding and design
- Web and SEO
- Paid media and campaign execution
- Content development (blogs, video, graphics)
These external contributors bring new ideas, high-quality creative, and the kind of bandwidth most internal teams just don’t have. And you still stay in control.
This setup works best when there’s a solid internal lead and a responsive, collaborative partner on the outside. Someone who doesn’t just take orders but thinks alongside you.
What it looks like when it works
Instead of chasing every new trend or trying to do everything in-house, your marketing becomes clear and focused. Your coordinator becomes the driver. Your external team becomes the engine.
You get campaigns launched faster. Content that actually tells your story. A brand that feels like it’s finally caught up with where your business is at.
At Grey Street Media, we work with Alberta businesses that want to grow but can’t justify a full in-house team. You get a dedicated marketing manager plus access to our full in-house creative team right here in West Edmonton.
No overwhelm. No wasted time. Just the support you actually need.
Ready to scale your marketing without blowing up payroll? Let’s talk.
