When to Outsource Your Marketing
7 key indicators that tell you it’s time to hand over your marketing efforts to a team of experts.
Despite the expectation, most business owners are not marketing experts! Many people have a hard time asking for help, and marketing is no exception. Here are some indicators to look to when determining if it’s time for outsourced marketing:
Posting to social media without a strategy or sense of what is working.
Do you think of marketing as a series of tasks that you can check off a list? If so, you’re like most people––and it’s okay! But the truth is that marketing involves strategy. If you’re not going about it with care and intention, you’re missing out on the opportunity.
When marketing efforts are ad-hoc and lack detailed reporting on engagement and impressions, there’s no way to reliably track results or measure whether your marketing is making the differences you want to see.
Solution: Work with a qualified marketing agency or consultant to bring focus, strategic targeting, and regular sync-ups that serve to align the marketing for your brand.
2. Having all the blog ideas in the world, but no time to write them!
You know what marketing professionals love to hear? Your inspiration, your goals, your vision––your ideas! Copywriters, designers, and strategists are well equipped to translate your creativity into an actionable marketing campaign that reflects your unique brand voice.
3. Failing to communicate with your audience consistently.
The algorithms used by most social media platforms continue to be heavily based on consistency––which means that the most reliable users are rewarded for their continuous efforts. Do you ever forget to post on time? Real marketing can’t happen “late”, particularly when it comes to product launches, new programs, and other updates.
Marketing professionals work weeks and months ahead to ensure timely, reliable execution––you’ll never miss a beat.
4. You need to nurture your network.
Becoming proactive with your marketing strategy opens up many more opportunities to connect with others and expand your network. Marketing agencies devote time and attention to “nurture marketing”, which is key to building lasting relationships with clients.
5. Existing marketing staff is lacking strategy, vision, or skills to execute.
Maybe you already have an in-house marketing team. That’s great! But do they have the bandwidth, skills, and strategy to execute an informed campaign?
Overloading an existing team member with a dozen tasks that might not be their strong suit is not ideal, and it’s not always economical to hire an in house marketing team to create a full-service marketing department from scratch.
Working with an outsourced team grants you access to an array of creative talent representing expertise across the board. And no goodbyes are necessary––an effective outsourced team would be able to offer coaching or execution assistance to existing staff who simply need to grow new skills.
6. You, dear owner/leader/manager/CEO, are trying to run the marketing and the business.
They’re both full-time jobs! It’s unreasonable to expect yourself to put full effort into both marketing and business operations––especially if you’re growing. Working with experts will free you up to run the business more efficiently.
7. Feeling lost in digital marketing––unsure of where to start.
Marketing teams stay on top of ever-shifting trends and industry standards. They’ve got the latest insights. It’s literally their business to remain up-to-date and fresh!
It’s not a question of can you learn how to market your business effectively––that is, with informed strategy, insight, and consistency. Of course you can! Most business owners have some level of marketing experience under their belts. But at a certain point of growth, many don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration resources to draw from any further. Do you?