To Outsource or Not to Outsource
November, 25th, 2019
By Mandy Lutman
So, you’ve reached a point where everyone in your company is overloaded with work, but you absolutely can’t miss another deadline and want to make sure your campaigns reach maximum impact. Or perhaps you’ve maxed out all your marketing ideas and need a fresh pair of eyes? Or maybe you’re going over your budget and thinking you could really use some help from an external agency, but you aren’t yet sure whether that’s the right choice for you. Either way, we’re here to make sure you get all the necessary information about outsourcing your work to an agency or working in-house before making a final decision. Ready? Let’s go!
Outsourcing to an agency
The first step of outsourcing to an agency is finding exactly what an agency can do for you as a client. An agency that’s specialised in your industry can offer access to a wide range of talented employees that have years of experience in what they do. In return, this instantly minimises the time you have to spend on recruiting and training your own staff. Alongside, working with an agency will bring on board fresh ideas and strategies, often tested with previous successfully-run campaigns.
On the other hand, outsourcing to an agency requires an adjustment to new communication tools to make sure all projects are approved in a timely manner and nothing falls through the cracks. In many cases, it’s also necessary to have several external meetings to ensure the correct guidelines and vision are provided. And while an agency typically doesn’t work on-site, it is recommended that the company meets them face-to-face to establish a stronger relationship and trust. Not only will this increase your own happiness, but communicating with your agency will encourage a better understanding of your desired results. Remember – communication is key!
Pros
● Access to industry specialists
● Deadline efficiency
● Cost-effective
● Producing objective and innovative ideas
● Spend less time on internal recruitment
Cons
● Initial time spent on onboarding
● Adjustment to new communication tools
● More external meetings
● Not on-site
Hiring in-house
Most companies have an in-house team. Whether you’re a big or a small business, being surrounded by people who work towards a common company goal is extremely motivating. While hiring in-house takes a lot of time and money, finding the right talent is beneficial for the long-term growth of the company. Although companies may have to deal with employee retention strategies, insourcing talent creates a stronger brand and expertise within the company. The staff is always on-site, which contributes to the overall company culture and allows for quicker internal meetings regarding strategies and budget management. Furthermore, in-house talent is often working hand-in-hand with an agency and is their primary source of communication.
However, it is important to consider the time and money spent on staff training – and depending on their ability to adapt, this could sometimes take longer than anticipated. Finding the right staff could sometimes take months, meaning the company often misses crucial deadlines in order to prioritise the recruitment process. And as we all know, nobody has time for that! Salaried employees can often be costly to the business as companies have to take into consideration production holdups due to staff leave, holidays, or any other unexpected events. All of it can hurt the business when it’s time to focus on growth.
Pros
● Brand and company expertise
● Always on-site
● Contributing to the overall company culture
● Executing strategies and overseeing/setting budgets
Cons
● Spending more time and money on staff and training
● Limited access to incremental digital marketing skills and tools
● Limited channel support due to lower level of marketing investment vs. agency’s combined spend
● Production hold-ups due to staff leave
● Can be costly for the business
By now, you should get a clearer idea of how outsourcing your work to an agency can benefit your business and whether it’s an overall good decision for your current needs. In order to help you make the right steps, we’ve created a helpful ‘Should I hire a marketing agency’ checklist.
Still in doubt? Let’s chat and see how you can overcome your current business struggles.
