With the ever-evolving landscape of marketing strategies, the decision between hiring a marketing agency or a marketing person is a crucial one for businesses looking to attract leads, engage customers, and design their brand. In this blog post, we explore the benefits of each option and help you determine which path is the right fit for your website and business.
Why You Should Hire a Marketing Agency
Owner/Managers Are Not Superheroes
Marketing can be overwhelming for owner/managers who already have multiple responsibilities. Hiring a marketing agency allows them to focus on running their business without the added burden of managing marketing strategies.
Specialist Knowledge
One of the key benefits of hiring a marketing agency is gaining access to specialized knowledge and expertise. Agencies, like Articulate Marketing, have teams with expertise in various marketing disciplines such as graphic design, SEO, and social media. This depth of knowledge can elevate your marketing strategies and help your business stand out.
Savings on Salaries, Time, and Training
By hiring a marketing agency, businesses can save on the expenses associated with hiring in-house marketing staff, such as salaries, training, and benefits. This allows businesses to access a team of experts without the long-term financial commitments of hiring full-time employees.
When Should Businesses Call a Marketing Agency?
When Nothing Is Getting Done
With the world of work being busy, important tasks may fall by the wayside. If crucial marketing initiatives are consistently left unfinished, it’s a sign to seek help. Marketing agencies, specialized in their field, can efficiently tackle and complete tasks, ensuring progress.
When Sales and Growth Are Stagnating
When a business experiences stagnating sales and growth, it’s time for a change. Understanding the root cause, whether ineffective marketing, poor customer service, or mismanagement, is crucial. An agency can provide the necessary external perspective and expertise to revitalize and kick-start growth.
Understanding when your sales and growth are stalling can be the key to unlocking new opportunities. By partnering with a marketing agency, you can identify and address the underlying issues hindering your business’s expansion, ultimately propelling you towards increased success and customer acquisition.
When Your Ambitions Exceed Your Capability
To achieve lofty business ambitions that surpass your current capabilities, seeking assistance is crucial. Understanding the gaps in resources or knowledge that may hold you back is crucial for progress. A marketing agency can bridge these gaps, providing the expertise and support needed to turn ambitious goals into achievable results.
Capitalize on your business ambitions by recognizing when external support is necessary to reach new heights. By engaging with a marketing agency, you can leverage their specialized skills and experience to propel your business forward, unlocking potential avenues for growth and success.
The Pitfalls of In-House Marketing
Part-Time Marketing
With part-time marketing, it’s tempting to assign the role as an add-on to another job. However, this approach can lead to insufficient focus and attention on marketing activities, hindering the potential for strong business growth. Marketing is a full-time job that requires dedicated expertise and effort.
The Only Marketer in the Village
In-house marketing often involves having just one marketer within the organization. While this is a step up from part-time marketing, it can create a sense of isolation and low status for the individual. Successful marketing initiatives require a balanced team approach, combining sales and marketing efforts for optimal results.
Buying the Tools but Not Using Them
With buying marketing tools but not utilizing them effectively, many businesses invest in powerful marketing automation tools but fail to leverage their full potential. It’s necessary to not only acquire these tools but also to implement them strategically to drive successful marketing campaigns.
Delegating to Interns
Marketers may delegate tasks to interns, but relying solely on individuals with limited experience can be detrimental to marketing efforts. While interns bring enthusiasm, they may lack the necessary skills and expertise to drive impactful marketing strategies. Marketing requires seasoned professionals to deliver effective results.
Everyone Can Write, but Not Everyone Is a Writer
In-house marketing may involve assigning writing tasks to colleagues who may not have the expertise to craft compelling marketing copy. Writing effective marketing content goes beyond basic writing skills and requires a deep understanding of audience engagement, SEO, and brand messaging. Investing in skilled marketing copywriters can elevate your brand’s content strategy.
How Big Companies Manage Marketing
Average Marketing Budget Allocation
To effectively manage marketing, companies spend an average of 10.2% of their annual revenue on marketing, as per Gartner’s research. Ensuring proper allocation of budget is crucial for success.
Working with Agencies Instead of In-House Teams
Marketing managers at large companies often choose to work with a roster of agencies to implement their marketing strategy rather than building large in-house teams. This approach allows for specialized expertise and efficient implementation.
To effectively manage marketing, companies spend an average of 10.2% of their annual revenue on marketing, as per Gartner’s research. Ensuring proper allocation of budget is crucial for success.
Investing in Marketing for Growth
Companies that grow quickly invest significantly in marketing. By prioritizing marketing efforts, businesses can drive growth and achieve their ambitious goals through strategic investments.
The Benefits of Hiring a Marketing Agency
Access to Expert Knowledge
Agency: By hiring a marketing agency, you gain access to a team of experts in various marketing disciplines. These experts bring a wealth of collective knowledge and experience, ensuring that your marketing strategies are implemented effectively and efficiently.
Cost-Effective Solution
On: Hiring a marketing agency can also be a cost-effective solution for your business. While the average salary for an experienced marketing manager can range from £60,000 to £120,000 per year, the cost of retaining a marketing agency may be equivalent to the salary of an in-house team, without incurring hidden costs such as training and development expenses.
The Drawbacks of Hiring a Marketing Person
Limited Expertise
Expertise is crucial in the field of marketing. When hiring a marketing person, you may encounter limitations in terms of their knowledge and experience. A single individual may not have the diverse skills and specialized expertise that a marketing agency can offer, impacting the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.
Higher Costs in the Long Run
Hiring a marketing person may seem cost-effective at the outset, but in the long run, it can lead to higher expenses. The financial commitment goes beyond just the salary, including training, benefits, and potential turnover costs. This can significantly add up over time and may not provide the same level of ROI as working with a marketing agency.
This dependence on a single individual can have its drawbacks. In the event of turnover or a lack of availability, your marketing efforts may suffer, leading to inconsistency in your strategies and potential setbacks in reaching your target audience.
Dependence on a Single Individual
The reliance on one marketing person can create a risky situation for your business. If this individual leaves or is unavailable, your marketing activities may come to a halt. This vulnerability can impact your ability to maintain a steady flow of leads and engage with customers effectively.
1. Marketing agency provides specialized expertise for your business growth.
2. Agencies offer savings on salaries, time, and training for marketing.
3. In-house marketing may lead to part-time efforts and lack of focus.
4. Big companies often work with agencies efficiently for marketing success.
5. Agencies help when sales stagnate or business goals exceed resources.
6. Trust an agency for brand reputation, social media management, and more.
Summing up
To wrap up, when deciding between hiring a marketing agency or a marketing person for your business, it’s important to consider factors such as expertise, savings on salaries and time, and specialist knowledge. Working with a marketing agency can provide access to a team of experts who specialize in different marketing disciplines, ultimately helping you to differentiate your business, attract new customers, and nurture existing ones effectively. For more insights on this topic, check out Should I hire a marketing manager or work with a marketing agency?
