Did you know that 56% of small businesses outsource some aspect of their marketing? That’s according to a survey by Clutch, a B2B research firm. You’re not alone if you’re wondering why so many small businesses are turning to outsourcing marketing.
In today’s competitive market, outsourcing marketing can help small businesses expand. But what exactly is outsourcing marketing, and what tasks can it include? Outsourcing marketing is when a small business owner hires a third-party company to perform some or all of its marketing tasks from their behalf.
This can help the small business owners lighten its load, maintain productivity, and access expertise in various fields. Outsourcing marketing can involve different tasks, such as social media, email campaigns, ads, sales, SEO, content marketing, etc.
The business can decide what to outsource and what to keep in-house and still have control over its creative process. This blog post will show you the benefits and challenges of outsourcing marketing for small businesses. We’ll also assist you in selecting and working with a marketing agency that fits your niche, style, and vision in house marketing department.
You’ll understand how outsourcing marketing may change your business and what to look for in a marketing partner at the end of this post. Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!
5 Reasons Why Outsourcing Marketing is the Key for Small Businesses
For many reasons, outsourcing marketing for small businesses can be a smart and effective strategy. Here are some of the main benefits and challenges of outsourcing marketing for small businesses:
Financial Benefits of Hiring Experts than In-House Teams
First, Hiring professionals instead of establishing an in-house team saves time and money. Small businesses can save time and save money just by outsourcing marketing. Hiring experts outside your company can reduce overhead costs, such as salaries, benefits, training, equipment, etc.
You won’t have to worry about setting up an office for a marketing department, managing its employees, or keeping them on staff. According to a survey by Clutch, a B2B research firm, 56% of small businesses outsource some aspect of their marketing.
According to the survey results, the average hourly pricing for outsourcing marketing services is between $25 and $49. A full-time marketer earns far more than this each hour. Outsourcing marketing allows you focus on your core expertise and business goals, saving time.
You can delegate marketing tasks to the experts and trust them to deliver high quality results and work on time and within budget. However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some drawbacks and risks.
For example, you may face quality control issues if the agency does not meet your standards or expectations. You may also encounter communication issues if the agency does not understand your brand, vision, or target audience.
You may also face cultural differences if the agency is in a different country or region. These challenges can affect your relationship with the agency and your marketing results.
Maximizing Productivity: Let the Experts Handle Your Strategy and Execution
Second benefit of outsourcing marketing for small businesses is that it can help you focus on your core competencies and let the agency handle the marketing strategy and execution. Outsourcing marketing can free up time and energy to concentrate on your primary business activities and goals.
The agency can also help you develop and execute a marketing strategy that meets your goals. Outsourcing marketing can also help you grow and scale faster by giving you access to more resources and capabilities than in-house. You can use the agency’s network, tools, and best practices to reach new audiences, markets, or channels.
You can also benefit from their insights, feedback, and recommendations to improve your marketing performance and results. For example, David Taylor Digital, a top digital marketing agency, that specializes in outsourcing marketing for small businesses, helped one of their clients increase their website traffic by 300% and their leads by 400% in six months.
However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some challenges and pitfalls. For example, you may lose some control over your marketing strategy and execution if you rely too much on the agency. You may lose creativity or alignment with your brand and vision if the agency does not share your values or style.
You may also face some difficulties in measuring your outsourced digital marketing agencies’ activities’ return on investment (ROI) if you do not have clear goals or metrics.
Grow your business using Agency Expertise’s
A third benefit of outsourcing marketing for small businesses is that it can help you access diverse expertise, new technologies, and best practices from the agency. Outsourcing marketing gives you access to talents, resources, and information you may not have.
You can tap into the agency’s talent pool and hire specialists for different marketing tasks. These tasks include social media, email campaigns, ads, sales, SEO, content marketing, etc. You can also use the agency’s technologies and platforms to create and manage marketing campaigns more efficiently and effectively.
You can also learn from the agency’s best practices and methodologies to optimize your marketing processes and outcomes. Outsourcing marketing can also help you stay updated with the latest trends and innovations in the marketing industry.
Research and analysis from the agency can help you understand your market, competitors, customers, and opportunities. You can also adopt new strategies and techniques to enhance your competitive edge and customer satisfaction.
For example, Blogging, a content writing agency offering outsourcing marketing strategies for small businesses, helped one of their clients rank on Google’s first page for several keywords using SEO best practices.
However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some difficulties and drawbacks.
For example, you may need help finding the right agency that matches your niche, style, and vision. To minimize miscommunication and disappointment, you may need to manage your expectations and communicate with the agency. You may also face some challenges in measuring your outsourced marketing activities’ return on investment (ROI) if you need clear goals or metrics.
Expand Your Brand’s Reach with the Agency’s Networks and Resources
A fourth benefit of outsourcing marketing for small businesses is that it can help you increase your reach and brand exposure by leveraging the agency’s network and resources. Outsourcing marketing can help you reach new audiences, markets, or channels you may not have access to otherwise.
You can use the agency’s network of contacts, partners, influencers, or media outlets to spread your message and generate more leads or sales. Use the agency’s tools, platforms, and data to develop and distribute content more efficiently. You can also benefit from the agency’s reputation and credibility to boost your brand awareness and trust among your potential customers.
For example, Clutch, a B2B research firm that offers outsourcing digital marketing services for small businesses, helped one of their clients increase their website traffic by 300% and their leads by 400% in six months by using their network of industry experts.
However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some challenges and risks. For example, you may lose some of your unique voice, identity, or differentiation if the agency needs to capture or convey your brand essence well. You may also need some help with quality control or consistency if the agency does not follow your brand guidelines or standards. You may also risk losing some of your loyal customers or fans if they feel alienated or betrayed by your outsourced marketing activities.
The Smart Way to Tackle Large or Complex Marketing Projects
A fifth benefit of outsourcing marketing for small businesses is that it can help you have backup and support for large or complex marketing projects. Outsourcing marketing can help you handle peak seasons, special events, or unexpected situations requiring more marketing resources or expertise.
You can rely on the agency to provide extra staff, skills, or solutions to cope with changing demands or opportunities. You can also use the agency as a sounding board or a consultant to get advice or feedback on your marketing ideas or challenges.
You can also benefit from the agency’s experience and knowledge to avoid mistakes or failures in your marketing projects. For example, Outsource Accelerator, an outsourcing marketplace and advisory for small businesses, helped one of their clients launch a successful crowdfunding campaign by providing them with a team of experts in their marketing professional web design, video production, social media marketing, PR, etc.
However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some problems or limitations. For example, you may face availability, reliability, or compatibility issues if the agency is too busy or far away to meet your deadlines or expectations.
You may also encounter conflicts or disagreements if the agency does not share your vision or values for your marketing projects. If the agency exploits your data security, you may suffer legal or ethical issues.
Read More : HACKS FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SMALL BUSINESS
Read More: REASONS: WHY NEW WEBSITES SUCKED WITH TRAFFIC AND DISAPPEAR
How to outsource marketing for small business?
Small businesses can expand and fulfill marketing goals by outsourcing. However, it also requires planning and preparation to ensure you get the best results from your outsourcing partner. Here are some steps you can follow to outsource marketing for small businesses successfully:
Define your marketing goals, budget, and expectations
The first step to outsourcing marketing is to define your marketing goals business strategies, budget, and expectations. It’s vital to know your marketing goals and how you’ll measure success.
You must also decide your budget for outsourcing marketing and your ROI goals. You must also clearly and realistically communicate your expectations and preferences with the agency or freelancer you hire.
It would help if you established a scope of work, a timeline, a communication plan, and a feedback process. You must also set some ground rules and boundaries to avoid misunderstandings or conflicts.
Compare portfolios, reviews, and testimonials of marketing agencies and freelancers
The second step to outsourcing marketing is researching and comparing different marketing agencies or freelancers based on their portfolios, reviews, and testimonials. You must find a reliable and reputable outsourcing partner matching your niche, style, and vision.
You must check their portfolio, reviews, and testimonials to assess their quality, credibility, and results. It would be best to look for examples of their previous work relevant to your industry, audience, or goals. It would be best to ask for references, samples, or proposals to better understand their work and approach.
Choose an outsourcing partner that matches your needs and goals
The third step to outsourcing marketing is to choose an outsourcing partner that matches your needs and goals. You must narrow your options and select the best agency or freelancer for your project.
It would be best to consider factors such as their expertise, experience, availability, price, personality, and culture fit your marketing company. You must negotiate the contract’s terms and scope of work. You must also build trust and rapport with your outsourcing partner and set up a smooth onboarding process.
Regularly communicate and give feedback to your outsourcing partner.
The fourth step to outsourcing marketing is communicating clearly and regularly with your outsourcing partner and providing feedback and input. You need to establish effective communication channels and methods with your outsourcing partner.
You must monitor their progress and performance and provide constructive feedback and input. You also need to handle any issues or conflicts during the collaboration. You must be respectful, responsive, and supportive of your outsourcing partner.
Measure and adapt your outsourced marketing results.
The fifth step to outsourcing marketing is to measure and evaluate the results of your outsourced marketing activities and adjust accordingly. You must define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for your outsourced marketing services and activities.
You need to analyze the data and insights from your outsourcing partner. You must also compare the results with your goals, budget, and expectations. You need to celebrate the successes and learn from the failures of your outsourced marketing activities. You also need to provide feedback and recognition to your outsourcing partner.
How long does it take to see results from outsourced marketing?
Your answer depends on the kind of marketing activities you outsource, the quality and experience of your outsourcing partner, the targets and metrics you set, and the market and industry you operate in.
However, a general rule of thumb is that it can take around four to five months to see substantial results from outsourced marketing. Marketing takes time to create client trust, awareness, and loyalty. Your outsourcing partner needs time to understand your brand, vision, and audience and build and implement a marketing plan that meets your needs.
This doesn’t mean you won’t see effects before four to five months. You may see early improvement in website traffic, social media engagement, open email rates, or lead generation within the first few weeks or months of outsourcing marketing.
These are indicators that your outsourcing partner is doing a good job, and that your marketing strategy is working. However, you should not expect a significant increase in your sales, revenue, or ROI until after four to five months of outsourcing marketing.
This is because it takes time for your customers to move through the buyer’s journey from awareness to consideration to decision. It also takes time for your outsourcing partner to optimize and refine your marketing campaigns based on data and feedback.
Therefore, you should be patient and realistic when outsourcing digital marketing activities and measure your results over a longer period. You should also communicate regularly with your outsourcing partner and provide feedback and input to ensure your marketing activities align with your expectations and objectives.
Outsourcing marketing can help you reach your goals and develop your business, but it takes planning, preparation, and patience. I hope this answer helps you understand how long it takes to see results from outsourced marketing.
Read More : ESSENTIAL TOOLS FOR GROWING YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS
What are some alternatives to outsourcing marketing for small business?
build an in-house marketing team: Hire and train full-time or part-time professionals to build an in-house marketing team. This can give you more control, creativity, and alignment with your brand and vision. Finding and keeping top talent is expensive, time-consuming, and difficult.
Adopting an extended team model: involves hiring external professionals or groups of professionals who act as extensions of your in-house team and take equal responsibility for completing the project on time. This can give you access to diverse expertise, new technologies, and best practices. However, this requires effective communication, trust, and rapport with the external team.
Hiring a student: involves hiring a student studying marketing or a related field to work on your marketing tasks. This can be a low-cost, flexible option that provides a fresh perspective of ideas and perspectives. However, this can also involve quality control issues, supervision needs, and limited availability or experience.
Hiring family: involves hiring a family member with some marketing skills or interest to work on your marketing tasks. This can be a convenient and comfortable option that can also strengthen your family bond in house employees. However, this can also involve conflicts of interest, lack of professionalism, or emotional complications.
Using the barter system: involves exchanging services or goods with another other business owner that offers marketing services or goods. This can be a cost-effective and mutually beneficial option for building relationships and networks. However, this can also involve legal issues, value discrepancies, or quality variations.
Hiring people with disabilities: This involves hiring people who have physical or mental disabilities but also have marketing skills or potential to work on your marketing tasks. This can be a socially responsible and rewarding option providing unique insights and perspectives. However, this can also involve accessibility issues, accommodation needs, or sensitivity concerns.
Hiring a freelancer: This involves hiring an individual who works independently and offers marketing services on a project-by-project basis. This can be a fast and flexible option that can also provide specialized skills and solutions. However, this can also involve reliability issues, communication gaps, or compatibility problems.
Hiring remote employees: This involves hiring employees who work remotely from different locations and offer marketing services on a full-time or part-time basis. This can be a scalable and efficient option providing access to a global talent pool and diverse markets. However, this can also involve management issues, collaboration challenges, or cultural differences.
These are some of the alternatives to outsourcing marketing that you can consider for your small business marketing side. Before choosing, consider each option’s pros and cons.
Read More : SMALL BUSINESS WEBSITES MADE EASY: A STEP-BY-STEP CHECKLIST
Conclusion
For many reasons, outsourcing marketing for small businesses can be a smart and effective strategy. It can help you save time and money, focus on your core competencies, access diverse expertise, increase your reach and exposure, and have backup and support for your marketing projects.
However, outsourcing marketing also comes with some challenges and risks. You may face quality control issues, communication issues, cultural differences, loss of control, creativity, or alignment, finding the right agency, managing expectations, measuring ROI, losing your unique voice, identity, or differentiation, availability, reliability, or compatibility issues, or legal or ethical issues.
Therefore, you must be careful and strategic when outsourcing marketing for your small business. You need to define your marketing goals, budget, and expectations. Research and compare different marketing agencies or freelancers based on their portfolios, reviews, and testimonials.
Choose an outsourcing partner that matches your needs and goals, communicate clearly and regularly with your outsourcing partner and provide feedback and input, and measure and evaluate the results of your outsourced marketing activities and adjust accordingly.
By following these steps, you can successfully outsource marketing for small businesses and enjoy the benefits of working with a professional and reliable marketing partner. If you’re interested in outsourcing marketing for your small business, we can help you.
