Outsourcing marketing: in-house marketer, freelancer, agency or marketing partner?
Which marketing expertise, capacity and leadership should we organize in-house – and what would be better handled externally?
Outsourcing marketing: in-house marketer, freelancer, agency or marketing partner?
SEO, content, campaigns, events, social media, positioning, AI: marketing encompasses an ever-growing number of disciplines. For many B2B companies, it is impossible to have all that expertise in-house.
Outsourcing marketing is then an obvious option. But to whom? A freelancer, marketing agency or strategic marketing partner? Or would you be better off hiring your own marketer?
TL;DR: The best solution depends on what is missing. If you mainly need additional capacity, an in-house marketer or freelancer can work very well. If you need specialist execution, an agency may be the right fit. If what you mainly lack is direction and leadership, a strategic marketing partner or Fractional CMO is likely to be a better option.
1. An in-house marketer
An in-house marketer knows the organization, its products and colleagues well and is continuously available. This makes hiring your own marketer attractive when there is structurally enough marketing work to justify the role.
But one person can rarely do everything. Expecting a marketer to master strategy, SEO, content, design, advertising, events, automation and AI is simply not realistic.
An in-house marketer therefore often works best in combination with external specialists.
2. A freelancer
A freelancer is a good option when you need specific expertise or temporary capacity. Think of a content specialist, designer, SEO expert or advertising specialist.
The advantage is flexibility and specialist expertise. The downside becomes apparent when several freelancers are involved: who sets the direction and ensures everything remains aligned?
3. A marketing agency
An agency can combine multiple disciplines and take on a large part of the execution. This is attractive when it is clear what you need.
The risk arises when strategy is replaced by activity: more campaigns, more content and more clicks do not automatically mean better marketing. Marketing without commercial focus is simply a cost.
4. A strategic marketing partner
A strategic marketing partner does not start with the question, “What shall we create?”, but with questions such as:
· Which commercial objectives do we want to achieve?
· Who is our ideal customer?
· How do we want to position ourselves?
· Which marketing activities demonstrably contribute to those goals?
· What do we do in-house and what do we outsource?
This can then lead to a combination of in-house people, freelancers and specialist agencies.
The marketing partner does not necessarily execute everything themselves, but ensures that all activities are managed from the same strategy.
What is the best fit for your organization?
Do you mainly need extra hands? Then consider an in-house marketer or freelancer.
Do you need specialist execution capabilities? Then a marketing agency can be an excellent fit.
But if a lot is already happening and what is mainly missing is direction, coherence and accountability, you probably do not need another person to execute tasks. You need marketing leadership.
At Marketing is Mensenwerk, this can for example be provided through Engine, where we actively help with execution, or through Co-Pilot, where a Fractional CMO takes ongoing responsibility for marketing strategy and leadership.
So the question is not simply: should we outsource our marketing?
The better question is: which marketing expertise, capacity and leadership should we organize in-house – and what would be better handled externally?
Frequently asked questions
Can you outsource marketing completely?
Many marketing activities can be organized externally. However, it must be clear who is responsible for strategy, priorities and alignment with the company’s objectives.
Is a marketing agency cheaper than an in-house marketer?
That depends on the capacity and expertise required. An agency gives you access to multiple specialisms, while an in-house marketer provides greater continuity and knowledge of the organization.
What is the difference between a marketing agency and a marketing partner?
An agency is often engaged for specific activities or disciplines. A strategic marketing partner takes a broader view of objectives, positioning, priorities and the overall management of the marketing approach.
