In times of uncertainty, budget shortfalls, and general lack of confidence, what is it that typically falls to the cutting room floor first? Oddly, it’s often the very mechanism that gets folks off the couch and into whatever it is you are selling.
When times get tough, and business is required to do more with fewer resources, the marketing department will be the first to get the hook.
As a design and marketing company, we obviously think this is insane. But we are entrepreneurs and business owners too, so there is a certain amount of empathy here as well. The good news is that there are more ways to polish the penny.
Take it outside
Outsourced marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to ramp up your marketing efforts while also keeping the lights on when some temporary cutbacks are deemed necessary.
Typically, businesses opt to outsource marketing because they don’t have the time, resources, or expertise to stay engaged in marketing their business. Also, these days, outsourcing is the most viable option when having to look hard at expenses, bottom lines, and the prospect of unfortunate lay-offs.
Outsourced marketing enables one to ramp up their efforts, with often a larger and more diverse team, while only paying for services as they need them.
Jack of all trades, master of none
Companies often think that having a small marketing staff, or god help them, a single marketing staffer will solve all of their marketing needs. However, it is inevitably discovered that one individual, even if skilled in a specific area, must be a jack of all trades to cover all of the necessary bases to execute even the bare minimum of marketing tasks.
Writing, designing, web development, project management, and high-level strategizing are just the tip of the iceberg for what is necessary for today’s nebulous marketing environment. Not to mention that each of these skills need to be done with great expertise. SEO and social media alone drive a considerable amount of brand awareness and require dedicated, skilled, and experienced personnel.
As a result, many companies are electing to outsource marketing to an agency rather than build a multi-faceted internal marketing department.
Don’t leave the marketing to the marketing department
The way business will be conducted in the post-pandemic world is getting a very hard look. The sensibility of work-from-home scenarios, the cost of office space, time lost at the water cooler, and commuting are all shining lights on better ways of doing business.
New efficiencies and antiquated systems will create higher profits and lower expenses as we all begin to realize there are better ways to work. This will certainly be true of the marketing department. Long touted as the spiritual leaders of the work from home movement, in-house marketers and designers now working from home will require a much higher level of trust to maintain strong work ethics. With more freedom and time should come higher expectations and greater accountability. Unfortunately, this is often not the result.
Too many reasons not to consider
Far and away the biggest enticement to outsourced marketing is lower cost. For less than the cost of one experienced marketing staff member, an entire team of diverse and specialized individuals would be at your beck and call.
The collective expertise gained by an outside team can confidently fill any gaps or weaknesses an in-house staff may have. Better yet, it can do so with the comprehensive expertise necessary to execute any marketing strategy.
Additionally, outsourced in-house marketing is perfectly scalable and comes with no additional overhead or human resource concerns. Not taxes, not insurance, vacations, or turnover. With a dedicated purpose, a fresh and objective view of sales and marketing strategies can routinely reinvent itself such that it is always functioning on all cylinders.
All too often marketing efforts are often put on the back burner when business owners or inadequate marketing staffs try to wear too many hats. Outsource these efforts to professionals so you can focus on running your business and carry less overhead.
Time to step out
Outsourcing can be an eye-opening experience with the result often being “why didn’t we do this sooner”! It all begins with a conversation.
Outcomes from those conversations typically fall into 3 areas – more food for thought, an expertly crafted analysis, or a powerful engagement. Reach out and let’s chat!
