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Many companies debate whether or not to work with a marketing agency.
This article explains some of the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and will help you decide whether the decision is right for your business.
Working with a reputable agency can be a great business decision, especially if you don’t have the time and resources to manage your marketing in-house. However, it can also have some downsides.
1) High quality comes at a cost
The amount that you will be spending is dependant on the expertise and size of the marketing agency.
If you want good quality work, expect to be paying between £6,000 to £20,000 per month for a top agency.
2) Initial learning curve
When you start to work with an agency, the beginning will be slow. They may need extra time or guidance to learn about your company, its values and internal business processes.
The project could have a delayed start if the agency does not have much experience or knowledge about your field, or if you operate in a niche industry.
3) Issues with communication
Trying to have an open line of communication with the agency can pose a problem. With an in-house marketing team, you have the convenience of being able to walk in and have the conversation directly to discuss any problems.
With an agency, there is an inherent barrier if they are not working on-site, as you may have to schedule a phone call or Skype video call.
4) You may not be a priority
The typical marketing agency works with 15+ clients simultaneously and, therefore, cannot solely focus on the work they are doing for you.
Another of the agency’s clients could be paying more than you, resulting in them being prioritised. This shouldn’t be the case with a reputable marketing agency, but it may well be true for those who are new to the business or don’t have a proven track record managing big and small clients.
5) Detachment from your business
Since it is not their money they are spending, marketing agencies are more likely to experiment and push the boundaries of a project. While risk-taking can pay off big time if it’s done right, it could also tarnish your brand if done incorrectly.
It’s also worth noting that it’s not always possible for an agency to understand and be able to reproduce your vision exactly as you imagined it.
Many companies outsource their marketing work successfully, resulting in more qualified leads, higher sales and long-term relationships with clients or customers.
Here are some of the key advantages of working with a marketing agency:
1) Inspiration and a fresh perspective
In-house marketing teams are only working for one brand, which can be limiting. They may fall into the trap of producing the same kind of content over and over again, leading to stunted creativity.
The advantage of bringing a marketing agency into the mix is that they can provide you with fresh ideas and perspective.
2) Years of experience and varied expertise
Full-service marketing agencies tend to have a team with a wide variety of expertise and marketing backgrounds. These agencies are constantly updating their knowledge and keeping ahead of the trends.
This means that these agencies can help you fill in any skill gaps or perform tasks that one person alone may not know how to do. Depending on the size of the agency you work with, they may even have whole departments with expertise in differing fields of marketing.
Those who work for an agency already have a good relationship and can work well with each other; they already understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses and workflows, so they tend to be able to perform tasks efficiently.
3) Relatively low cost
Hiring a marketing agency is often cheaper than recruiting full-time staff. The cost of hiring a key marketing member in-house can sometimes equal the cost of an entire outsourced team.
Besides having to pay a high salary for a whole in-house team of marketers, there is also the hidden cost of having to advertise for a candidate, interview and train them. Outsourcing to a marketing agency is much more cost-effective.
4) Saves precious time
Saving money is important for any business, but saving time is another priority. By hiring an agency to do the marketing for you, there is no long-term commitment like there is when you hire a new team member.
This means you can scale up in your own time and focus your attention on growing your business, forming valuable corporate relationships and expanding on your vision.
5) Good work ethic
Marketing agencies have a reputation to uphold. Therefore, an established agency is likely to produce consistently high-standard work. They will also be looking to retain you as a customer and will typically do everything in their power to provide you with a quality service.
After all, a happy customer is one that is likely to give them a good review and may also refer them to other potential customers.
Now you know the advantages and disadvantages of working with a marketing agency, here are two important questions you should ask before choosing to work with one.
1) How many clients can they handle at once?
The answer to this question will provide you with great insight into where the agency’s priorities lie and how far they spread their resources.
It also gives you an indication of how much time the agency will allocate to your business. This provides insight into the quality of work they could be producing for you.
2) Who are their previous clients?
Look at some of the agency’s past work or the companies they have previously worked for. This will give you an understanding of whether they are familiar with your industry or not.
This is especially important if you are in a relatively unknown field or where in-depth knowledge and expertise is required.
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