There comes a point where most growing businesses will look to invest in their marketing output – the question is, where to invest: an external agency or in-house employee? Both have their benefits, yes, but identifying which is right for you requires a thorough assessment of the company’s requirements, resources, and objectives.
To help you decide, we’ve weighed up the two options side by side.
Marketing agency
Expertise
When hiring a PR agency, you are not dependent on a single individual, but rather a whole team of specialists with diverse skills, experience, and seniority levels. Consequently, your business can benefit from the talent and knowledge of several professionals, each bringing their own expertise to the table – be that SEO, copyrighting, social media, or digital marketing.
Creativity
Agencies benefit from harnessing the creativity of a group of individuals, resulting in richer ideas and solutions. The ability to bounce thoughts off one another and share opinions supports the development of unique, inspired campaigns.
As a business, you reap the rewards of years of experience working on different accounts and across multiple sectors. Agency staff gain inspiration from previous accounts and campaigns to provide fruitful ideas for your company.
Network
For the reasons mentioned above (vast, varied experiences under one roof), agencies tend to be well connected with key contacts in the media and creative industries. This is incredibly useful for gaining coverage, accessing quality suppliers, and even collaborating with other businesses.
Represent has introduced clients to one another with successful results, such as generating 47 pieces of coverage in tier 1 media titles for Gordon Castle Gin.
In-house staff
Proximity
The physical presence of an in-house employee ensures that, should an issue arise, it can be addressed there and then. Rather than having to explain the situation to an external agency, businesses can rely on the employee’s knowledge and proximity to the issue at hand.
Priority
Without the need to consider other clients, a hired member of staff can dedicate 100% of their time to your business. As a result, they tend to be more immersed in the company values and mission and are more aware of the daily goings on.
This unique insight adds to the company culture, and can lead to more comprehensive communications.
Cost
Due to the reasons mentioned above (expertise, knowledge, efficiency, and contacts), agencies can be more expensive than hiring a single member of staff for your business.
For businesses on a budget, hiring in-house is often an attractive option, however, this doesn’t take into account additional costs such as training, computer programmes and company benefits.
When making the decision between in-house or agency, consider which option will bring the most value to your business by enabling you to reach your goals efficiently.
Intrigued to find out what an award-winning agency can do for you? Take a look at some of our previous work here.