Many companies handle marketing internally, which has advantages like control and, in some cases, cost. Whether it’s an internal team delegating tasks to admin and other team members, or the business owner doing it themselves, there are many scenarios. But when is it more efficient to do your own marketing, and when should you outsource the work?
Take a good, honest look at your business. If any of the following sounds like you, it might be time to outsource your marketing.
You’re Not Meeting Your Revenue Goals
Growth is not attributed to marketing alone, but it can help! And when you use a marketing agency, you’ll know exactly how much it’s helping. Marketing agencies focus on providing leads and other trackable results known as ROI. So you’ll see the impact of your marketing spend. If you’re not clear on how much revenue your current marketing efforts are bringing in, then you might benefit from an outside agency.
Your Internal Team Is Spread Thin
Maybe you already have a stellar internal marketing team, but they’re already overcommitted and showing signs of distress. Perhaps someone’s on vacation, or you’ve lost a team member. The existing team doesn’t have to suffer — this might be a good time to outsource some of your marketing efforts. Many specialists work on a project basis and will customize to your needs. Specialists can handle small pieces of a project or the whole campaign, and services can be ongoing or temporary.
You Have a Big Launch Coming Up
A product launch, new location opening, or aggressive growth period is a great time to invest in some extra creativity. Significant marketing initiatives can have big results, but they add a lot of work. With the support of a professional agency, you can execute a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing strategy while still concentrating on your pride and joy. A launch is a busy time for your company, and it pays to have a team to help you with all the extra tasks.
Your Marketing Strategy Is Inconsistent
Every small business owner is putting in extra work in order to cut costs. As a do-it-yourself small business owner, you might be guilty of creating your marketing plan based on a few marketing blogs or a chat with your friend, who is “a marketing guy”. Maybe you defined clear goals for the year, but haven’t followed through. It’s nothing to be ashamed of business owners don’t have time to follow all the trends, do objective market research, or gather results from similar campaigns. When you outsource your marketing, you’ll get a consistent strategy with mapped-out key dates and deadlines. Not to mention, a team of experts with a fresh perspective on your business.
You’re Task, Not Strategy-Oriented
Task-oriented leaders are great — they’re clear, easy-to-follow, and they get things done. Task-oriented leaders also have a tendency to work in their business, not on it. Working in your business is doing the everyday tasks that need to be done, but don’t necessarily contribute to the growth and new sales. Working on your business is working on the strategy required to make it grow. Marketing professionals are trained to be strategic, creative, and customer-oriented. They use proven strategies to fuel growth. You can upload a million photos on Facebook, but at the end of the day, without a clear and comprehensive strategy behind it, you’re not gaining much.