In-House or Outsourced Marketing – Finding the Right Approach for Your Business
In-house vs outsourcing marketing is a familiar dilemma that businesses face as they grow. It’s all about where core resources should be allocated. Businesses reach a point where they must consider whether investing time and resources in training an in-house marketing team is the optimal choice or if outsourcing marketing activities is the better alternative.
Outsource Your Marketing (OYM) works with businesses of all sizes to resolve the dilemma of in-house vs outsourcing marketing. Recognising that an outsourced marketing strategy may not be suitable for every business, we provide comprehensive guidance to companies in evaluating and determining the most effective solution based on their unique business requirements and growth trajectory.
What Do We Mean By In-House Marketing?
The term In-house marketing covers a range of resource levels, which can be visualised as a sliding scale. At one end, there is a team without any specialised marketing expertise, who are learning and adapting to marketing tasks as they arise, while also managing other roles within the business.
On the other end of the scale, there is a full marketing team consisting of strategists and specialists in various areas such as social media, SEO, print marketing, and PPC. The majority of businesses fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, striking a balance between limited marketing resources and a team with patchy skills.
And What Do We Mean By Outsourcing?
An outsourcing marketing agency provides a wide range of marketing services that are carried out by skilled specialists. At Outsource Your Marketing we focus on tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of each client. This client-centric approach ensures that we create a personalised response specifically designed for your requirements.
For instance, some clients may require assistance creating content for social media management, while others may seek our expertise in developing their marketing strategy and providing a dedicated team to implement it. By offering customised solutions, we aim to address the diverse marketing needs of our clients effectively.
How Do Businesses Choose Between the Two?
We suggest to businesses that they look at the pros of in-house marketing, and those of outsourcing in order to weigh up what they need at this specific moment.
Pros of Outsourcing Marketing
- Agency marketers thrive in high-pressure situations and use their agility and expertise to deliver results. They possess a wealth of experience across various industries, enabling them to bring an objective perspective to the table.
- To stay competitive, agencies must constantly stay at the forefront of industry advancements in processes, technologies, and tactics, ensuring they are always at the cutting edge of marketing practices.
- Agencies are driven by performance and are held accountable for delivering results. If the client is dissatisfied with the relationship, they have the freedom to seek alternative solutions and evaluate the return on investment as a basis for the partnership.
Pros of In-House Marketing
- Building a marketing team that’s hand-picked and aligned with your company’s strategic plan can yield significant benefits and drive successful outcomes that may be challenging for an agency to replicate.
- In-house teams provide a level of immersion and deep understanding of your brand that is often rare in agency settings, offering marketers the opportunity to be fully involved in all aspects of your business.
- With your own in-house marketing team, you have the flexibility to swiftly execute projects when needed, with your staff readily available. This agility often comes at a premium when working with an agency, a cost that many brands prefer to avoid.
If a business is still caught in the in-house vs outsourcing marketing dilemma, having considered the pros, we suggest that they consider look at the cons of each approach, in order to help them to make a decision.
Cons of Outsourcing Marketing
- Choosing the wrong agency can result in a product or service that falls short of your expectations, requiring expensive revisions or fixes.
- In certain cases, employees may feel threatened, unheard, or confused when working with an agency, potentially leading to decreased productivity and dissatisfaction.
- Many agencies assign their employees to multiple projects simultaneously. While this brings a wealth of diverse perspectives to your business, you may find it challenging not being the sole focus of their attention on a day-to-day basis.
Cons of In-House Marketing
- Having an in-house team of experts also entails certain risks. One of these risks is the high cost associated with assembling and retaining the right team for your business.
- Many agencies offer a range of services, from web development to social media marketing, whereas achieving full digital marketing coverage in one team can be challenging.
- Furthermore, while complete integration with your brand can be advantageous, it can also limit your perspective. It can be challenging to gain a broader perspective and identify what is truly effective and how to propel your brand forward.
Making the Right Decision
The right decision is the one that enables you to prioritise your core strengths: effectively selling your products or services, skilfully closing leads, and efficiently growing and operating a profitable business. Whichever way you go, you should feel that the decision allows you to devote maximum energy and resources to these crucial aspects, in order to increasing your potential for success and achieve sustainable growth.
How Can We Help?
Whether you’re in the middle of an in-house vs outsourcing marketing dilemma, or you require assistance to bridge a marketing gap, we are here to lend a helping hand. We take time to understand your specific needs and discuss how we can provide the support you require.
Our team is genuinely passionate about making effective marketing accessible to businesses of all sizes. We recognise that marketing plays a vital role in business growth, but often limited budgets hinder the establishment and maintenance of an in-house team. Our motivation stems from the satisfaction of empowering businesses to fly. Our clients value the services we provide, with many considering us an integral part of their business or team.
