Are Outsourced Marketing Services a Good Fit for You?
Are outsourced marketing services a good fit for your agency? Learn the ins and outs of working with a marketing agency.
Outsourced marketing is a model under which a business, company, or organization outsources its marketing efforts to a digital marketing agency, consultancy, freelancers, or third-party service.
Under this model, the company or organization can still meet its marketing goals without exhausting in-house costs, time, labor, office space, and resources.
These entities can also outsource a specific area of their marketing activities, such as website design or market research. Alternatively, they can completely pass the marketing baton to the outsourced service provider that will handle all marketing and media execution for them.
Outsourced marketing partnerships commonly form when a company or organization assesses its marketing needs and determines which elements it could outsource. Then, they research, inquire, interview, and select an outsource partner. This process can be arduous because it is imperative to find the right partner that will be easy to collaborate with and diligent in meeting client needs and strategic goals.
Once the ideal marketing partner is selected, how they begin managing the clients' marketing efforts will depend; they may only handle a particular aspect of marketing, such as content creation or website development. Alternatively, the service provider may manage the client's marketing operations.
Some outsourced marketing services are more indirect and solely give clients marketing information, such as SEO, keyword research, or target audience insights, to help them make more informed campaign decisions.
It depends on company preference, budget, and needs. The way the client and service provider work together may differ. Some larger organizations simultaneously have an in-house team that works closely with the outsourcing partner. At the same time, smaller companies may take a step back and rely on the outsourcing partner to handle all the marketing.
The final dimension of outsourced marketing partnerships is that they can differ in payment method. The client may have to pay for a retainer and longer-term contract, or the service provider may charge hourly or on commission. Performance-based marketing commonly finds its way into outsourced marketing.
Service providers are available for almost any marketing task, including research, strategy, training, technology, integration, media creation, and marketing analytics.
See below for specific services within each category:
Research, Strategy, and Training
Marketing Research
Target Market Identification
Strategy and Branding
Sales Pipeline, Funnel, and Process Refinement
Marketing Plan Development
Team and Staff Training
Technology and Integration
Lead Generation Management
CRM Integration
Website Development
Search Engine Optimization
Process Automation
Media Creation and Execution
Content Creation
Graphic and Media Creation
Programmatic Advertising
Social Media Management
Marketing Analytics
Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Data Analysis
Campaign Reporting
Data Visualization
Keyword Performance Optimization
Less In-House Costs
Funding an in-house marketing team is expensive. With outsourced marketing, companies don't have to run these costs. Instead, they pay an individual service provider and have access to an entire marketing team to manage their marketing activities.
This model is also cost-effective because it adjusts for seasonality. For example, a company may only need to run ads and marketing campaigns for a particular portion of the year. Instead of paying an entire marketing team an annual salary, they can outsource their marketing only when needed. The client and vendor can terminate the contract when all necessary work is complete.
Managers Can Lean Into Their Strengths
Many managers have to perform their daily responsibilities and serve as quasi-marketing gurus. It is a tall order, and marketing is too complex to do on the side.
Outsourced marketing resolves this by letting company managers pass the marketing baton to the service provider, who will provide all the expertise for any marketing activities the company needs. This process allows managers to get back to focusing on what they are good at and what is essential for the company's overall success.
Client-service provider relationships still require frequent communication and collaboration. However, it is much less of a time commitment compared to running an in-house team.
Access Cutting-Edge Marketing Strategy and Better Results
Marketing is a dynamic field with new strategies and methods emerging every day, and it is tough to keep up with the latest trends. Outsourced marketing teams are composed of diverse positions with different expertise.
These individuals are constantly tracking and exploring the newest marketing methods and trends, allowing them to provide the client with an integrated media and marketing package full of techniques and strategies that boost results. Because these service providers are industry experts, this will ultimately speed up performance and cut costs while ensuring the client stays contemporary and competitive.
Smaller businesses, companies, and organizations utilize outsourced marketing services.
The method is less costly than hiring an in-house team. Hiring an agency (that has proven expertise) to run campaigns is much more attractive than taking a chance on an in-house employee, who may require training and does not guarantee the same results.
Outsourcing marketing efforts is ideal for companies and organizations that run a limited number of campaigns or need a little help tweaking their marketing process.
These services, however, extend beyond smaller companies and organizations. Many large companies outsource marketing elements to some extent, whether for call centers, content creation, market research, or data analysis. If it makes more sense and costs less to be completed by a third party, the company will probably outsource it.
Teams, agencies, and companies should consider outsourcing their digital marketing services if they meet the following criteria.
There is a critical marketing element they or their team severely lacks expertise in
They can't find or hire any competitive marketing talent
They only need to run marketing for a specific portion of the year
There is no capacity to train an in-house team
They want to implement new, cutting-edge strategies and technology
Their marketing team is very out of touch with new marketing methods
There are specific processes and projects they want to focus on but are too stuck on running marketing campaigns
Take a good look at how your marketing strategy will affect the company. Defining your milestones and implementing a plan for measuring and communicating progress is a good start.
It must make sense for your business, customers, and team. All costs should produce a return on investment, through incrementally positive results, for your clients - leading to business growth. The team needs to go through training and feel like they have the capacity for these tasks, not that this is just one more thing added to their plate.
Should we have an in-house team or outsource these tasks? It's really up to your overall business strategy, but it's best to start with something attainable within your fiscal year and reassess from there. The nice thing is that none of these decisions are permanent, and your team can adapt as time goes on.
Carefully consider the following characteristics when assessing outsourced marketing service providers:
Extent of Service
Some outsource marketing service providers may seem like a full-service solution when they only provide access to complex media software or minimal advisory support.
Geography
Where the outsource marketing team resides crucial to know! What happens if the client notices an error, but the outsourced team is x hours ahead or behind and already clocked out? Will there be a time zone difference?
Extent of Collaboration
Clients need to walk away from the initial interview knowing the amount of effort their team will continue to put into their marketing efforts, compared to the work of the outsourcing team. Some outsourced partnerships still require collaboration between both sides.
Past Client Success Stories and Case Studies
Clients want a service provider that has been vetted and is a proven expert. They should ask the service provider within the first interview about past success stories, case studies, and years of experience.
Timeline and Payment Model
Although it lowers in-house costs, outsourced marketing isn't cheap. It should be clear from the get-go how long the partnership will take place, the deliverables that will deem payment, and how/when the partner gets paid.
Tech and Strategy Used
Does this partner use the most up-to-date platforms? Are they familiar with the media and methods the client has used up to this point?
Innovations and Data
Clients want a partner that uses data-driven decision-making and stresses the importance of exploring and implementing new tech and marketing methods.
Outsourcing marketing tasks can be a great way to lower costs, access a team of marketing experts, and eliminate the need for an in-house team.
Although it can be daunting, the outsourced marketing model is becoming more flexible and available for entities big and small. As we look into the future of marketing, outsourcing services continue to grow.
Want to take advantage of an outsourced marketing partner? See how Pathlabs can become an extension of your team.