It can be difficult to know whether you’re better off managing your marketing in-house or outsourcing the task to an agency. So many factors impact the end decision, from budget to creative control, from convenience to maintaining brand integrity. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you value as a company, and where you want your focus to be.
We’re breaking down the pros and cons of in-house vs outsourced marketing in the hopes of helping you to make an easier decision.
IN-HOUSE: THE PROS
With an in-house marketing department, you’ve got the marketing team under the same roof as the rest of the company, which means that you essentially have unlimited access to the department. They can be on hand to quickly solve any issues that may arise, and they can produce work faster than an agency might be able to simply because the line of communication between them and the rest of the company is always open.
On top of this, an in-house team knows their company’s brand, mission, culture, and practices better than anyone. They have an intimate understanding of what their company stands for, and this can be communicated in the creative campaigns and assets that they produce.
IN-HOUSE: THE CONS
It becomes a bit of a stumbling block when you don’t have the right people onboard already when you’re wanting to establish an in-house department, and the hiring process can be incredibly time consuming and is ultimately a gamble.
You might end up finding the perfect candidate but their salary expectations are out of your budget, or you might not find any suitable candidates at all. Plus, there’s an adjustment period when it comes to any new hire and if you’re in need of quick results, setting up an in-house team might not be conducive to achieving these.
Even if you’re lucky enough to have a dream team ready to go within your company already, moving them from their current position in order to form a marketing department may cause issues elsewhere in the company, so it’s a tricky balancing act.
OUTSOURCED: THE PROS
There’s a reason that marketing agencies are so popular, and simply put, it’s because they’re among the best at what they do. They tend to have a whole host of employees all of whom are highly skilled in a sector different to the next person, so they are authorities on a wide range of topic areas. This means that when you hire an agency, you’re hiring experts that thrive under pressure and can handle almost anything that you throw at them.
Plus, you have greater flexibility when working with an agency compared with an in-house team. You can work with them on one project or multiple projects, and you can reach out as and when you need them. This makes your marketing spend more cost-effective, as you’re only spending when you actually need work done.
OUTSOURCED: THE CONS
However, when you work with an agency, you’re one of many clients to them, which means that your company isn’t always going to be their primary focus. This can result in deadlines being missed or pushed back, which can in turn adversely affect your marketing calendar for the year. Campaigns can often be incredibly time sensitive, so running the risk of an agency not being able to deliver may not feel entirely comfortable.
There’s also the chance that you hire an agency that you just don’t gel with, or that misunderstands your company’s mission and vision. When this happens the marketing assets suffer, costing you time and money, and causing unnecessary stress.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to managing your marketing in-house compared with outsourcing; what works for one company won’t necessarily work for another. When making your own decision, consider your business model, what you’re trying to achieve, and what your company can afford, financially or otherwise. The right decision will be the one that allows you to get on with what you do best – running your company.
If you’re looking to discuss outsourcing your company’s marketing needs, we’d love to hear from you! We have worked and working with some impressive companies when it comes to their marketing visions, one being Thursday, who are clearly smashing their marketing and online presence!
Follow this link to start a conversation today.
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