Hiring A Full Service Marketing Agency

January 28, 2020

Making the decision to hire a full service marketing agency is a crucial step in the right direction for any growing business. But how do you know when you’re ready to hire a full-service marketing agency? We’re going to break it down for you.

To Outsource, or Not to Outsource. That is the Question.

If you’re ping-ponging back and forth between outsourcing your marketing or hiring an internal team, know that a big reason why companies decide to outsource is to tap into the tools and talent that prove your marketing ROI to your fellow non-marketing executives.

If you’re a CMO, you’re most likely surrounded by leaders who are strictly about the numbers. For a CEO, COO, and other leaders who are mainly internally focused, it can be difficult to realize the external value of marketing and brand perception. So, what do you do to prove that value? Talk numbers.

Proving Marketing ROI

Imagine going into a meeting with something more compelling to say than simply, “We generated a lot of buzz.”

A digital marketing agency has the marketing analytics brainpower you need to do just that. The best part is that the software is already up and running. Purchasing this type of technology for internal use is well-intended, but it can end up costing you more in training your staff and accounting for a period of learning. If you outsource your marketing, an agency will have a team of experts dedicated solely to analytics and reporting.

You already know that measuring campaign results is critical, but what you do with those results is where an agency can provide tremendous value. Understanding where you should tap the breaks and where you should rev the engine is valuable information. That knowledge provides strategic brand direction so you can save time and money that may have been spent on something that’s not going to contribute to your company’s bottom line.

Filling Niche Roles

If you went to your hiring manager, could you justify hiring a copywriter? How about a Facebook advertising manager?

These types of positions are niche roles that often aren’t approved for an internal marketing team. Even if they are, it’s often impossible to hire all the niche talent you need. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t valuable roles, however. A copywriter, for example, is the one who brings a brand to life through a defined brand voice, and they’re essential in creating valuable brand content. Filling this talent gap is another reason why you should outsource your marketing.

Shift from Tactics to Strategy

If your marketing team is producing amazing work, but you’re not sure if it’s working, this is a sign that you need to outsource your marketing. An agency can partner with your team to provide the strategic layer that you need. There’s nothing more reassuring to a CMO than knowing your budget is being spent on things that will produce results. By focusing on your strategy, you will become more intentional in your marketing efforts. Sometimes all it takes is some structure and guidance to get that amazing work seen by the right people.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a great example of this. Your team might be producing the most engaging blog posts, but if they’re not optimized, they’re not being seen by the bulk of your target audience. SEO strategy is a resource that you can outsource to a marketing agency. Sure, you could hire a digital marketing manager, but having the technology and expertise already in place and ready to work is a big advantage of outsourcing your marketing.

What should you outsource?

As a CMO, you can choose to outsource everything from creative to website development. Depending on your marketing goals and the talent gap you need to fill, these are some of the areas you can outsource.

Branding

Research
Strategy
Consumer Definition
Identity Development

Website

User Experience
Website Design
Mobile Applications

Social Media

Facebook Advertising
Content Calendars
Scheduling Posts
Content Creation

Digital

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Analytics
Systems Integration

Full-Service Marketing Agency versus a Freelancer

Now that you’re up to speed on whether or not you should outsource your marketing, you’ll be faced with the decision of hiring a full-service marketing agency versus a freelancer.

While searching for the right people, you should ask yourself: How much help do I need? What is my budget? Who has a proven track record and will give me the best results? In this case, we’re going to review the differences between working with a creative agency and hiring a freelancer.

The Job

Who here loves to brainstorm, execute and analyze marketing campaigns all by themselves while trying to run a business…anyone? Although this may be ideal for beginners, it sure isn’t a feasible long-term strategy.

However, for small jobs, like redoing a logo or designing a flyer, contracting an independent graphic design freelancer will do the trick. Leave it to the marketing agencies to handle large-scale projects like TV and radio spots, website redesigns, and full-scale campaigns.

The Team

Agencies employ everyone from graphic designers to content creators to project managers. If you’re already overwhelmed at the thought of managing five different freelancers to get the job done, an agency might be the right move (and for more reasons than you think).

Creative agencies are full of experienced people who are good at what they do. When a group of creative individuals put their minds together, there’s no telling what great ideas they’ll come up with.

The Budget

Depending on the project, freelancers are generally more budget-friendly. But, that’s not always the case. In some instances, it could actually cost you more, especially when multiple revisions are necessary.

By hiring a marketing agency, you know exactly what you’re going to pay each month. That way you won’t ever be surprised by added fees tacked onto an already high bill.

The Experience

Working with freelancers and creative agencies have multiple similarities. Both are timely, efficient with their projects, and produce outstanding work. Freelancers are extremely flexible and can work weekends, whereas agencies tend to stick to a Monday-Friday work week. Some agencies, like us, actually hire freelancers to help out when there’s an influx of work. After all, they are extremely helpful when you’re in a pinch!

You may want to hire a freelancer when: