A Freelancer’s Perspective: What Makes an Agency Collab Actually Work

Hi, I’m Alison Brown. Founder, Freelancer & Social Media Manager.

I’m based in Ocean Grove, Vic but I collaborate with brands and agencies all over Australia.

Want better results when working with a freelancer? Here’s what makes agency–freelancer collaborations actually work (from someone who’s been on both sides).

I’ve worked with more than 40 agencies over the past decade — from boutique creative studios to big-name digital teams juggling 47 clients and one shared Google Drive.

Some collaborations? Seamless. Strategic. Fun, even. Others? A little more… chaotic. (Usually the ones where I get added to a Slack channel called “New Freelancer Internal V2” and shared four Drive links I can’t open.)

But here's the thing: when it works, it really works. And when you’re an agency juggling 1,000 things and trying to keep clients smiling, a good freelance partnership can be a total game-changer.

So if you’re outsourcing social media, paid ads or content strategy, here’s how to get the best out of your freelancer (ahem, hi) — from someone who’s been on the inside, the outside, and sometimes somewhere in between.

1. Clarity > Chaos

The smoothest collabs start with clarity. That means you should let me know up front:

• Who the client is and what they’re trying to achieve

• Whether I am client-facing or not

• What you need from me (and what’s staying in-house)

• Timelines, tools, brand guidelines and tone of voice decks

• Access to your branded templates, platforms and any shared folders

• Handover of passwords and permissions (& if you’re not using 2-factor authentication... we’ll be having some words:) )

• A quick onboarding call to get aligned and meet the team

• A heads-up on what’s worked in the past (and what definitely hasn’t), so we don’t double down on dead ends

It sounds simple, but setting this up early means I can hit the ground running, and spend more time on actual work, not back-and-forth emails.

And this goes both ways - a little more on what I bring to the table further on.

2. Treat me like a partner, not a plug-in

I’m not just here to churn out captions or crop landscape videos into awkward social sizes (although yes, I can do that too). I’ve got 10+ years of experience in strategy, paid ads, copywriting and content planning, and I bring that to every project. This is your opportunity to use my brain not just my outputs. I’ve seen under the hood of a lot of agencies and brands, and it’s given me a strong sense of what great process looks like, and what the best in the biz are doing.

The best results happen when I’m brought in early and treated like part of the team. Invite me to the kick-off call. Let me input on campaign ideas. Loop me in when you’re briefing the videographer, so we can shoot social-first from the start. (Trust me, chopping up a 60-second landscape TV ad into a Facebook Reel is nobody’s dream scenario…)

This saves time, budget, and post-production headaches. Pinky promise.

3. One point of contact, please :)

Multiple people reviewing work is fine. But when feedback starts flying in across email, Slack, and four separate Looms? That’s where things go fuzzy.

The dream? One clear point of contact who consolidates feedback and keeps things moving. It makes approvals easier, helps me deliver faster, and gives you more value for your budget.

Also: I want to spend my time on creative work, not chasing logins or decoding vague client comments. Help me help you.

4. Clear, kind, specific feedback

I love feedback. Seriously. The best kind? Clear, constructive and kind. If there’s something that’s non-negotiable? Tell me. If it just doesn’t vibe? Let’s talk about it.

I’m here to make the work better. And fast, thoughtful feedback = faster turnaround and better results.

5. Trust me to run with it

If you’ve brought me in because your team’s at capacity, or you just need someone to take the social side off your plate, I’m here for it. But to do that properly? I need a little trust. I promise if I have said yes to your project or brief, it’s because it genuinely excites me and I believe I can add value to it.

The best partnerships I’ve had are when they hand me the wheel, the internal processes are clear and I keep them updated along the way. The results are always better. (Also - way more fun.)

6. Let me handle the reporting

One thing I’ve learned: reporting works best when the person who ran the campaign is the one reviewing it. That means I can spot wins, losses, patterns, tests worth expanding, and creative that deserves a round two.

I'd love to use your internal templates (so you can share straight to the client!), but when I do the reporting, I can pull meaningful insights that lead to smarter next steps. And that's good for everyone.

What I bring to the table

A great freelancing relationship goes both ways. Here’s how I make life easier on your end, too:

• I’m transparent about when I’m online and working
  You’ll know what days I’m available, and how to reach me.

• I flag hours, scope and timelines early
  We’ll agree on deliverables from the start. If anything’s looking like it might go over, I’ll check in.

• I keep you updated on how time is being spent
  Especially important on hourly work. I track my time every day so I know where every minute is spent.

• I ask questions if something’s unclear
  I don’t sit quietly and guess. In fact, I’d call my self an over-communicator and I’ll ask you a billion questions if I need to. I’ll flag anything fuzzy before it becomes a bottleneck.

• I collaborate well with others
  Whether it’s your creative team, another freelancer, or an intern, I’ll fit into the workflow you’ve got, without stepping on toes. I single-handedly worked as a marketing team when everyone around me was made redundant and this gave me HUGE insight into how the whole ship works together.

The Freelance/Agency Dream Team Does Exist

I’ve worked in agencies. I’ve worked in-house at big brands. I’ve worked for small businesses. I get what it’s like behind the scenes: the deadlines, the client curveballs, the rush jobs, the never-updated client WIP (you know the one) and the awkward feedback loops. And now, as a freelancer, I’ve seen what makes it work from every angle.

When agencies bring me in early, trust my input, and treat me like part of the team? We create campaigns that are clear, clever and seriously impactful.

So if you’re an agency looking for someone who’ll hit the brief, think strategically, and make your life easier? Hi! Let’s chat.