This is the third part in my series on the benefits of outsourcing marketing tasks. So far, I’ve cited:
Costs
Black Arts (expertise required)
The third reason I will cite is agility. You need to measure your marketing as it contributes to the success of the organization. And, you need to make changes quickly to any initiatives that are not contributing.
If I hire an individual to fill a certain role, there’s a level of permanence to that. They’re part of the team. There’s a certain sense of obligation to that individual, especially if you hired them away from another company. And, even if you did decide that you no longer need them, there’s the issue of severance. Outside the US, severance pay laws can put a much greater strain on the budget!
On the other hand, if you hire a vendor to fill a need, you can make changes to your strategy much more quickly. Most of my vendor contracts are inherently short-term. If I like the way the vendor performed, I keep using them. If I was less than satisfied, or I need a different skill set, I can easily work with someone new.
Don’t get me wrong. I like the vendors I work with. Many of them have become good friends over the years. I rely on their knowledge of the profession and their guidance. However, it’s still a business relationship. If we “grow in different directions” making a change is just part of doing business. Parting ways is a lot less stressful on both sides of the table since the vendor is not an employee.
Using vendors to provide marketing services is a big part of keeping my marketing agile and responding quickly to the growing needs of my organization. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on when you should hire a vendor and when you should add to your own staff.
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