It’s an age-old question for businesses globally. Do we tackle this task internally, or shall we outsource it to an agency? Do we have the right resources to manage various marketing processes, or shall we bring in an external company to manage it. 

The fact is that there is no right or wrong answer in general, and most companies will need to take a look at their unique position, and decide whether they can fulfill certain processes and workflows themselves, or whether it needs to be outsourced to the experts to do. 

Whether you are a small, start-up brand, or a leading name in your field, there are various considerations for you to take when it comes to doing the marketing yourself or hiring an agency. We thought we would take a look at just what you need to weigh up, and how you can decide whether an agency is the right route for you. 

Consider Your Skillset 

The first thing that you will need to consider is the fact that when opting for an in-house marketing team, there are numerous roles that will need to be fulfilled. Consider a modern marketing team, and what it is currently composed of:

  • A marketing manager; 
  • Content writer;
  • SEO and Analytics expert; 
  • Social Media manager; 
  • Paid Ads specialist;
  • Graphic designer; 
  • Developer.

In order to have fully functional campaigns, an attractive and SEO- heightened website, and high-converting content being generated, it is vital for all of these roles to exist and be fully functional in your business. 

In many cases, the marketing budget of an SME, or start-up may be somewhat limited, and many companies scramble to find a one-size-fits-all marketing specialist to fulfill all roles. 

The problem that pops up repeatedly with this approach is the fact that each role is highly specialised, and is defined to various roles due to the amount of time and work in order for it to be effective and successful. 

Granted, various team members may have dual roles in certain companies. The content creator can also run the social media management, and paid ads and SEO can be effectively managed as one, but the fact is, that once you have expertise management of each field, and specific focus on each element, those can be expertly managed and successfully run. 

Agencies offer these turnkey services as a one-stop-shop. An agency is made up of a team of experts in their specific fields and who have crafted their skillset to a high standard. They not only have the in-depth know-how of their specific roles, they also remain on top of current trends and are constantly researching new methods for higher success rates. 

 

 

Calculate The Costs

With this in mind, your next point of action will be to work out the costs of having an in-house marketing team, and compare it with what it costs to outsource it. 

Let’s take a look at the average salary points of the various team members. 

These are currently the average salaries of each team member in South Africa. 

As we did mention, there are numerous cases where you can find someone to manage dual roles, or even take on more than one role in the department. However, the risk that comes here is that you will be paying significantly more for a more qualified candidate, or, their skill sets might be highly diluted. 

Remember the old phrase, “jack of all trades, master of none”. Not only will they not be highly skilled in one particular element, managing every aspect of the marketing department will become overwhelming. Businesses globally report frequent human errors are made in smaller marketing teams due to the amount of work being placed on one role. 

In comparison, an agency will be able to provide you with each specific skillset and access to experts in their field, at a fraction of the cost. 

In fact, due to the fact that each team-member has only one role to perform in the agency, they are not only highly qualified and skilled, they are continuing to evolve their skills to remain relevant in the industry. 

 

Unpack The Accessibility To The Market

The last thing to consider is the accessibility to the market from the team. 

Smaller companies with smaller teams usually find it challenging to enter a market from scratch. Building a team requires time to hire a team and to acquire marketing experiences in the target market.

They will need to build up their reach, connections as well as databases to start effectively broadening the brand reach. They will also need to start from scratch when making connections for PR purposes and link-building exercises. 

The agency’s expertise allows faster access to the market and target consumers. With already established knowledge and expertise, the agency is able to swiftly enter the market and start successful campaigns with their already-established connections. This is especially true in the case of an industry-specific agency. 

For example, an aviation marketing agency will already have established knowledge, databases and other vital connections for swifter marketing success. 

So, this means faster access to the market due to the availability of local market and knowledge, tactics and consumer habits. 

Last Thoughts 

In order to know whether you are making the right decision, it could be worthwhile doing a due diligence exercise. Map out your short and long-term goals and take time considering your budget. Open up engagement and discussions with an agency to clarify what your expectations would be, and to establish what they have to offer you in return. 

Our team of experts are on-hand at all times to walk you through what an agency can achieve for you, so if you are wanting to extend your reach at a fraction of the cost of doing it yourself, speak to us today!