Done-With-You Marketing vs Done-For-You Marketing
(How to Know Which One You Actually Need)
When someone enquires about marketing support, I look at three things:
Your budget
Your concerns
Your time constraints
That’s it.
Those three things tell me almost everything I need to know about which type of support will actually work for you.
But here’s the issue:
Most small business owners don’t realise they’re choosing between two fundamentally different approaches.
They think they’re deciding whether to hire help or not.
What they’re really deciding is this:
Do I need someone to do my marketing,
or do I need to learn how to make marketing decisions?
That distinction matters more than most people realise.
What You’re Really Buying
Let’s clear this up properly.
Done-For-You Marketing (DFY)
This means I handle the execution.
You tell me what you need.
I plan it, create it, implement it, manage it. Think of it as hands-off marketing support.
You get marketing outcomes without needing to learn the mechanics.
Done-With-You Marketing (DWY)
This means I give you a clear content roadmap, detailed instructions, and the reasoning behind every decision.
You implement it.
But you also learn how and why it works.
The difference isn’t just about who does the work.
It’s about what you’re left with when the engagement ends.
DFY = marketing that works while I’m managing it
DWY = marketing that works and the ability to maintain, adapt, and make decisions yourself
That’s the part most people miss.
Most People Misdiagnose Their Problem
Nearly everyone assumes they need help with execution.
→ They’re overwhelmed.
→ They’re busy.
→ They’re behind on content.
So outsourcing feels like the obvious answer.
Sometimes… that is the right call.
But often?
The real problem isn’t capacity.
It’s clarity.
I’ve worked with business owners who had:
The time
The budget
The motivation
…but felt completely paralysed because they didn’t know:
What to do
Why to do it
Or how to decide what mattered most
They’d been given advice that assumed resources they didn’t have.
They’d tried “best practices” that weren’t built for small businesses.
The issue wasn’t execution.
It was strategic understanding.
How to Tell What You Actually Need
Done-For-You makes sense if:
You know exactly what needs to happen, you just don’t have time
Your business can comfortably afford ongoing support
You want consistent output without having to think about it
Your model supports fully delegating marketing
Done-With-You is better if:
You’re not sure which activities will actually move the needle
You’ve tried things that didn’t work and don’t know why
You want to make informed decisions (not guess)
You need to understand the reasoning, not just follow instructions
Buying the wrong model is what leads to frustration.
Not because the service was bad —
but because it solved a problem you didn’t actually have.
When Done-For-You Is the Smartest Choice
There is nothing wrong with outsourcing execution.
In fact, sometimes it’s the most strategic decision you can make.
If your business generates consistent revenue and your time is genuinely better spent elsewhere, DFY can be brilliant.
You’re not avoiding responsibility.
You’re choosing focus.
DFY works best when:
The cost doesn’t strain your cash flow
Your strategy is already clear
You’re in a growth phase
You need professional output without the learning curve
The key phrase here is without strain.
Delegation only works when it’s strategic — not when it’s a band-aid.
Why Done-With-You Often Builds More Long-Term Value
Most small business owners I work with aren’t ready to fully delegate yet.
They’re still figuring out:
What actually works for their business
How to prioritise with limited resources
How to adjust when things change
This is where Done-With-You shines.
When someone tells me they don’t feel confident implementing a strategy, it’s usually because they’ve been handed:
A list of tasks
A few templates
Very little explanation
It’s like being given a jigsaw with no picture on the box.
Proper DWY fixes that.
Not just by telling you what to do —
but by explaining why each decision exists.
What Real Done-With-You Should Transfer
Good DWY isn’t “let’s do it together”.
It’s capability transfer.
That means you walk away with:
Decision-making frameworks
Strategic reasoning you can reuse
Clear implementation order
The ability to troubleshoot when things don’t go to plan
Poor DWY gives you tasks.
Good DWY gives you confidence and independence.
Here’s the test:
When the engagement ends, do you feel more capable?
Or do you immediately need to hire someone again just to know what to do next?
If it’s the second one, that wasn’t DWY.
That was task delegation with better branding.
The Resource Reality Check (This Part Matters)
Everyone looks at budget.
But two other resources are just as important:
Time
Mental bandwidth
You can afford DFY but lack the capacity to manage it properly.
You can have time for DWY but need cash flow to stabilise first.
Ask yourself honestly:
Budget
Can I sustain ongoing costs comfortably?
If I had to pause, would everything stop?
Would a one-off investment build skills I can maintain?
Time
Do I truly have no time — or no clarity?
If I had clear instructions, could I implement them?
Is this a temporary busy phase or a permanent issue?
Cognitive capacity
Am I already maxed out?
Do I have space to learn right now?
Would understanding marketing reduce stress long-term?
Your answers tell you which model you can actually sustain.
Sustainability Isn’t About the Model
People assume:
DFY = unsustainable
DWY = sustainable
That’s not true.
DFY is sustainable when the cost makes sense and frees you up.
DWY is sustainable when you’re willing to invest upfront in learning.
Neither is better.
The mistake is choosing based on what you think you should do —
instead of what fits your business right now.
How to Choose Well (No Matter the Model)
If you’re considering Done-For-You, ask:
What happens if we pause or end?
Do I own the assets?
How will I know what’s working?
What decisions are you making without me?
If you’re considering Done-With-You, ask:
What will I be able to do independently after this?
How is knowledge actually transferred?
How detailed are the instructions?
Will I understand the why, not just the tasks?
Good providers aim to support your business, not create dependency.
The Bottom Line
If you need marketing handled so you can focus elsewhere — and your business supports it — Done-For-You is a smart, strategic choice.
If you need to understand how to make marketing decisions for your situation — and you’ve got the capacity to learn — Done-With-You builds something that compounds over time.
The wrong choice isn’t DFY or DWY.
The wrong choice is buying a solution to a problem you don’t actually have…
then wondering why it didn’t work.
As a small business marketing coach and strategist, I offer a range of flexible solutions. No matter what your budget or marketing experience is, I’m here to help you grow and scale on YOUR terms.
Please get in touch with me today for a free website audit.
