Outsourcing marketing is no longer just a cost-saving tactic. It’s actually a growth strategy!
Outsourcing allows small business owners to access specialised skills, reduce overheads, and drive growth allowing them to remain agile and focused on their core strengths.
So, what are the options and how do you decide between them? Well, it depends on the business goals, budget and requirements.
FREELANCERS = COST SAVING
Since freelancers are self-employed professionals working individually and typically offering their services on a project or contract basis, they prove cost-effective, especially for short-term specialised tasks.
They are ideal for project-based work like graphic design, copy writing or web development.
Generally, it takes approximately 3 months (on average) to come up with a strategy & plan, write copy, design, develop, review, test & launch a website. This estimate assumes the business provides timely feedback & content approvals. More complex sites (i.e. eCommerce, custom integration, etc) can take anywhere between 3-6 months, or longer.
IN-HOUSE EMPLOYEES = CONTROL
Hiring in-house, whether full or part time employee/s, provide great control over workflows and output, and allows consistent collaboration and communication.
Unfortunately, hiring in-house employees also mean high ongoing costs (salaries, super, training, etc). Plus, the hiring and onboarding process can be time consuming.
An in-house marketing team looking after brand, communication, content, advertising and digital presence typically have a Head of Marketing (salary between $100k – 160k ++), Digital Marketing Strategist (salary between $70k to $100k), Copywriter (salary $60k – $90k), graphic designer ($65k – $90k), Social Media Manager ($65k – $90k), Marketing Coordinator (salary $55k – $70k).
Other costs to take into consideration are software, tools, training, and employer on-costs like super, leave and insurance which is typically an extra 20% – 25%
AGENCIES = CAPABILITY
Having the right marketing agency equates to high quality execution and strategic guidance.
Agencies offer access to a team of professionals with specialised knowledge – strategists, writers, designers, SEO experts, ad managers, and analysts – without hiring each role individually. This means your brand benefits from the collective expertise and current industry best practice.
It is also more cost-effective compared to building an in-house team and delivers a fresh and unbiased perspective – new ideas, creativity, and strategy.
Using agencies also offer access to premium tools. Many agencies already subscribe to advanced marketing tools for SEO, automation, analytics, and design – which can be expensive and complex for individual businesses to manage.
A good agency is performance driven. They track metrics, report on KPIs and continue to refine efforts to meet goals. This transparency fosters accountability and ROI focus.
Hiring a marketing agency allows SME’s to punch above their weight. Having a marketing agency means leveraging expert talent, strategic thinking and execution power without the. Burden of full-time salaries.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
My recommendations depending on your marketing needs:
- For one-off tasks like designing a logo, writing blogs or email marketing, use a freelancer.
- For ongoing growth marketing campaigns, use a marketing agency.
- For long term execution and brand control, use a small inhouse team + agency support.
I believe the hybrid model is most effective for SME’s. This could mean having a lean internal team (i.e. 1 x Marketing Manager) and using a marketing agency to support with other marketing requirements. This allows SME’s to balance out cost, control and capability.