In House vs. Outsourcing: Advantages of having a virtual, digital team
In-House vs. Outsourcing
Business owners have been struggling with the decision to outsource marketing for years. When you are running a business, with a little more than your bottom line on your mind, it may feel more comfortable to hire an in-house marketer to handle everything versus outsourcing to an agency or a random freelancer. You may perceive big agencies are expensive and not the most flexible or accessible, or freelancers aren’t credible, reliable or care enough about your business. However, there is a new model of talent, which can help make the decision to outsource a little easier.
The Evolving Agency - A virtual, digital team
As technology evolves and there’s more data at our fingertips, traditional agencies stand the risk of becoming complacent and not evolving to include strategy, analytics, and data at their core. Recent trends show more and more talent leaving traditional agencies to be a part of a new type of agency - a virtual, digital team. These teams are in a new territory between agencies and freelancing, where they have a dedicated core group of experts with agency experience, and a network of trusted resources to tap into to best serve their clients.
So why should you consider working with a digital, virtual team over hiring in-house or using a traditional agency? Here are 5 benefits to consider:
Agility - Quick & Flexible
When you have a virtual, digital team, you can focus on more than one project at a time and quickly shift gears as needed. A digital partner has the resources and expertise to move quickly and easily and remain flexible as priorities change and opportunities arise.
An expert & partner - Mutual Respect & Expertise
You know your business, we know ours. With a more nimble digital team, you get experts who act as your strategic partner, where there is mutual respect for each other’s expertise. It’s not about being right or wrong or being the smartest person in the room, it’s about surrounding yourself and your business with individuals who are passionate about their craft as you are, and can work together towards a common goal.
Save Money - Increase Productivity
You can hire a strategist, project manager, AdWords certified expert, content marketing & SEO expert, etc. and pay salaries and benefits for those roles, or you can pay an often much smaller retainer fee to have access to all of these specialties to supplement your core business. When you have a virtual, digital partner, you can tap into more skills with less overhead and increase productivity.
A Fresh Perspective - A New Point of View
When you are so close to a business and project for so long, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Bringing in a digital partner offers a fresh perspective. They often have had similar clients, have tested different strategies, and can offer a new perspective and approach that can be just what your business needs to grow its bottom line.
Motivated & Results-Oriented - Driven By Passion
When you hire the right virtual, digital team, they won’t become complacent with collecting their paycheck and benefits and counting down until the weekend, they are there 24/7 monitoring, tracking, optimizing and looking for results. They are motivated by results and will go the extra mile to succeed and often times create a compensation structure for themselves that rewards results.
There’s a delicate balance between marketing costs and revenues. Hiring a virtual, digital team can help fill essential marketing roles with top talent without eating too much into your bottom line.