In-house Marketing vs. Agency: The Pros and Cons

As your business grows, so will your reliance on effective marketing. Your target audience can’t use your products or services if they aren’t aware of them, making marketing a crucial function for any business. However, many business owners face a dilemma when deciding whether to hire in-house marketing professionals or engage a marketing agency. Here are three key considerations to help you make your decision.

1. What Marketing Skills Does Your Business Need?

Assess your marketing requirements to make the right choice. Do you have enough ongoing work to keep full-time staff busy, or do you need marketing support on a project-by-project basis?

In-house:
Finding one person proficient in all aspects of marketing is rare. Even if you do, the workload may be too much for one individual to handle. Be realistic about the marketing skills you need and whether you have the budget and workload to hire enough people to meet your marketing objectives. The hiring process can be lengthy, involving multiple rounds of interviews followed by training. However, once you complete this process, you’ll have marketing professionals dedicated solely to your brand.

Agency:
Working with an agency offers access to a diverse skill set. However, this doesn't always mean that those skills are more developed; it just means you have a broader pool of talent to draw from for your marketing needs. Choosing an agency with a solid track record is essential, but even then, you'll need to educate them about your brand and objectives. Additionally, remember that agencies juggle multiple clients, so your business might not always be their top priority.

2. How Adaptable Does Your Marketing Need to Be?

With constantly changing marketing and consumer trends, you must determine how adaptable and proactive your marketing efforts need to be.

In-house:
In-house staff are readily available for quick communication and can pivot to address time-sensitive or high-priority tasks. However, an internal team may experience capacity issues if overloaded with urgent tasks at once.

Agency:
Agencies prioritize results due to their commitments to various clients. This may mean they can’t always respond as quickly as you need, potentially delaying time-sensitive tasks.

3. How Important Is Work Culture to Your Business?

Be honest about your company culture when hiring. Is everyone looking out for themselves, or is there a sense of common purpose? Are your leaders inspiring, or is the focus solely on productivity? Is your staff turnover high, or do people feel like part of a work family?

In-house:
If your company has a strong culture, hiring an in-house marketing team may be the better option. You can find individuals whose values and passions align with your business. You’ll be able to nurture them into brand ambassadors dedicated to your company’s success.

Agency:
If company culture isn’t a primary focus, a marketing agency may be a better fit. Agency staff don’t need to be as committed to your company’s values; their main responsibility is to meet deliverables on time.

The Bottom Line

Your business needs marketing to reach potential customers. Deciding on the right marketing structure isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Consider your expectations and the associated costs, and the best option for your business will become clearer.

‍