In-house vs outsourced marketing – which is a better fit for you?

Some key considerations to keep in mind. [View this email in your browser]( Hi {NAME}, Ever contemplated between beefing up your in-house marketing team or outsourcing it to an agency? A common dilemma for many CMOs, we shed some light below on the key factors to consider before you make a decision. You may also read the full article [here](. 1. Time Having an in-house team gives you the flexibility to call for meetings and check in on the progress at any time. However, finding the right candidates may be a challenge as the onboarding and training process can be time-consuming. On the other hand, don’t expect 100% dedication from an agency to your organisation’s needs, as you will be one of the several clients they have to split their time with. 2. Fresh perspectives In-house teams may be prone to suffering from tunnel-vision, and difficulty in thinking out of the box may cause most marketing campaigns to end up singing the same tune. On the flip side, agencies are seasoned experts who are able to bring their marketing prowess to the table given their exposure to various industries and brands. Having worked with several clients, they are also more likely to replicate past successes to achieve your marketing KPIs. 3. Cost On top of base salaries, companies hiring in-house teams will need to consider ongoing costs such as recruitment, training, benefits, and compensation. The cost of hiring a team of full-timers will probably exceed that of engaging an agency, where you get a team of experienced experts at a fraction of the cost. With the agency route, it is also important to consider the challenges which come with deciding which firm to engage, based on your requirements and budget. 4. Access to the latest technology In-house teams typically take a longer time to catch up with the latest marketing trends compared to agencies, as a significant amount of time and resources have to be devoted to upskilling the team. On the other hand, agencies are constantly kept on their toes and updated with the latest marketing practices in order to acquire and retain clients. 5. Understanding of company One of the biggest plus of having an in-house marketing team is the alignment with the company’s product offerings and culture. The depth of an employee’s understanding of the organisation, competitors, as well as internal processes gives in-house teams an edge over outsourced manpower. While agencies may possess better technical skills, they are unlikely to have sufficient contextual knowledge of the particular business your organization is involved in - giving rise to higher potential for friction. Enter the third option: Co-sourcing Fortunately for CMOs, co-sourcing - a blend of both in-house and outsourced marketing - is entirely possible. This is when a company hires their own marketers and an agency, and both entities work together to maximise performance and flexibility. This hybrid approach is usually the most cost-effective option especially for companies with limited resources. The primary advantage is that you retain control over the marketing assets and there is a greater capacity to adapt to the business’s ever-evolving marketing needs. However, more coordination is required to manage 2 separate teams at the same time. With these key considerations to mull over, we hope you are able to make a more informed decision between choosing in-house, agency, or using a hybrid strategy to co-source your marketing strategies. Like what you just read? To receive more of such content and the latest scoops across tech, marketing, sales and more, sign up for our [Studios’]( bi-weekly newsletter by clicking on the button below. [I want in!]( Copyright © 2019 Studios, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.