Outsourcing all or part of your marketing efforts is a big decision. An in-house marketing team may seem like the safest approach. You can hire employees based on their prior experiences, skillset, and cultural fit. Some marketers may come from other divisions of your company so they are already familiar with the brand objectives and mission. However, outsourcing your marketing needs may be the most beneficial for your company if scale is top of mind.
Marketing is a fast-paced, ever-evolving field. New platforms, technological changes, and shifting consumer behaviors mean that what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Agencies are narrowed in and have a full understanding of how to approach marketing tactics and dilemmas with ease. For a growing company, relying on outside help may mean the difference between launching a successful campaign and one that doesn’t garner much traction.
If you’re on the fence about outsourcing your marketing needs, read on. Here are three reasons why working with outside help may make sense for your growing business.
1. Specialized Expertise
One of the main reasons to outsource your marketing efforts is to gain access to specialized expertise. Top marketing agencies offer a skillset that you cannot obtain from hiring a trained marketer or two. They’re in the business of knowing your industry incredibly well and have likely worked with some of your top competitors or similar brands. They’re on the pulse of the latest marketing trends as well as consumer behaviors and social media platforms.
By hiring an agency, you’re able to leverage this expertise without the need to hire someone full-time. Agencies can jump right in, which will help scale your business more quickly and efficiently. While you and your team can concentrate on the larger picture, you can assign the agency tasks with a distinct need. With the rise in AI, for instance, agencies can work with brands to find ways to utilize this technology to the team and customer’s advantage.
Marketing agencies will also bring a fresh perspective to a project. If you and your team have been racking your brains about how to solve something, it’s worth bringing in outside help. With their past experiences, agencies are more likely to have solutions ready, which saves everyone time and money.
2. Cost-Effective
Speaking of money, the cost of hiring and onboarding a single employee is high. Considering your HR team members’ time and resources, the average cost per hire is around $4,700. As a growing business, you’d likely need to hire several experienced marketers, not just one individual. That’s why working with an outside marketing agency can be a more cost-effective strategy in the short and long term.
As discussed, agencies come to a project with an experienced skillset. You don’t need to worry if they know how to use certain marketing platforms or look over their shoulder as they conduct market research. Instead, you can give them full reign to tackle a project or assist with overcoming a hurdle you’re facing. Then, let them come to you with ideas and explanations on what would be the best avenue to take and why. You’ll feel confident in their decisions knowing that they have the background and expertise needed to solve your business challenges.
There are typically a few common payment structures for agencies. One option is to hire an agency and keep them on retainer, which means you’ll use them for ongoing marketing needs. Another option is a project-based model, which can be beneficial if you need assistance with one specific project, such as website design or campaign launch.
3. Flexibility
By working with a marketing agency, you’re also remaining flexible. As your business grows, it can be hard to predict what you’ll need six months from now let alone two years from now. Agencies are adaptable, meaning they can work on any project and find solutions based on where your business currently is and where it is heading.
During periods of growth, agencies can ramp up their work to meet the needs. For instance, when launching a new branded marketing campaign, the agency will likely be in close contact with you and your team. They’ll be focused on ensuring that all of the campaign deliverables are perfect and targeted to your specific audience. On the other hand, once a project has reached its completion, then the agency may be able to back off and scale down its efforts.
As your business needs evolve, so too can the needs of your agency. If you have an agency on retainer, they already know your workflow and processes and can lean in whenever you need the extra help. The key is to be upfront with the agency upon hiring them. Let them know that your business is rapidly growing and that your immediate needs will likely change over time. The more you let them in on your business objectives and goals, the better they can serve you.
In Conclusion
Today’s marketplace is competitive. To stay ahead of the trends and be on the cutting edge of “what’s next,” it can be worthwhile to work with an experienced marketing agency. Outsourcing this work can lead to continued growth and more strategic decision-making.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
