Is outsourcing marketing the right move for your business? It's a common question, and numerous factors come into play when making this decision.
Outsourcing offers the potential to scale campaigns, tap into expertise and free up valuable time. Here are six indicators that now is the right time to outsource your marketing.
Six Indicators That Now Is the Time to Outsource Marketing
- You are overwhelmed by your current workload and unable to keep up.
- You don't have the internal resources to strategize, plan and execute marketing.
- You're dissatisfied with the outcomes of your existing marketing strategy or unable to see ROI.
- You're challenged with staying abreast of emerging digital trends and strategies.
- The website is outdated and difficult to use, and you don't know where to start to fix it.
- The sales team is frustrated because they don't have the tools and sales resources they need to prospect and nurture leads efficiently.
The right agency can provide cost-effective strategy, implementation, marketing coaching and documented results.
How Can Outsourcing Marketing Help My Business?
Outsourcing to fulfill your marketing and sales needs is safer and less risky than bringing on a new employee. It’s much easier to outsource than to hire a completely new person, and it ensures you’re still reaching your potential customers. Outsourcing marketing provides:
- Time-saving benefits
- Access to industry experts for strategic input
- Utilization of advanced marketing tools and analytics software
- Enhanced marketing ROI
- Expedited launch of campaigns
- Ability to scale marketing initiatives efficiently
- Fresh perspectives on marketing strategies
Any marketing activity can be done by an outside agency, although some agencies may specialize in certain areas. Agencies can also help with new initiatives and ongoing campaigns related to:
- Customer retention
- Automated lead generation
- Product launches
- Brand awareness
- And more
When it comes to sales, an outside agency doesn’t replace a skilled salesperson at your company. Where they can step in is to help support the salesperson’s efforts, ensuring they work more efficiently and effectively, especially when their usual sales process has changed.
How Much Does Outsourcing My Marketing Cost?
There is no magic number for outsourcing costs because they depend on your goals and needs.
Sometimes, your needs would be one-time fixes that must be done, like a website redesign. Other times, they may be coaching to help your internal team handle tactics more efficiently on their own.
For example, we've often seen clients with an employee who doesn’t come from a marketing background and is now handling a lot of marketing activities. An outside marketing agency could help coach the employee in performing the new tasks and ensure his or her time, energy and efforts are being spent wisely.
Again, keep those goals in mind. If your goals are branding, that's one thing. And if your goals involve lead generation, that's a little more complex. More involved projects equal a higher price tag, but they could also reap a bigger potential ROI.
Paying for a sales and marketing agency’s help isn’t like buying a widget; consider it an investment that will help grow your business and produce ROI over time.
How Can I Find the Right Agency To Partner With?
As you search for a marketing agency to partner with, look for an agency with a broad range of digital marketing services, one who will take the time to understand your goals and who will work with you on a custom plan - not a cookie-cutter strategy.
Below are five questions to ask as you evaluate sales and marketing agencies:
- Did they just try to sell me something, or did they really take the time to understand our needs?
- Do they understand our business and industry and grasp the concept of what we do?
- Are they nimble and agile, able to change and flow with us as our needs change? Can they show me examples of similar clients who’ve had success?
- Are they transparent about costs and the work they’ll be performing? Do they make an effort to present a realistic cost that’s in line with our budget? Ensure you fully understand their statement of work (SOW). Ask for ROI calculations.
- Did we feel a “connection” when we met? Can I tell they really cared about helping us? (Sometimes, a gut feeling can tell you a lot.)
In the end, every agency is different. Take the time to think about which works best for you and how they’ll help your business succeed.
Next Steps: Finding an Agency
As you begin to research marketing agencies, it’s helpful to know where your current marketing program stands and how an agency can help fill in the gaps. Reach out to us for a free consultation so we can begin uncovering your gaps and opportunities.
This blog was originally published in 2021. It has been updated for content and relevance.
