Agency vs in house employees
Choosing between a marketing agency or an in-house employee depends on various factors and the specific needs of your business. All businesses are different, work differently and have different goals and cultures.
As an agency, we have a pretty accurate idea of why our clients have been hiring us, but for the sake of the argument and to make sure our approach is fair we will go over both ends of the spectrum.
A. In which cases should your organization hire in-house?
To make it simple, it mostly depends on how much time you have and the kind of help you are looking for.
- Cost
In-house employees can be more cost effective in the long run, the time period before you reach cost-effectiveness will depend on how skilled and adaptive these employees are. You are always taking a risk as the employer, that an employee may never be more cost effective than an agency, but if the management structure and the training are good, you can make an industry leader out of anyone in just a few years. - Strategy and Alignment
This point is interesting, and can be mitigated by the kind of mission or goal you are trying to accomplish. Some clients feel they may lose control over certain aspects of their strategy if they work with an agency. Honestly agencies don’t care much about taking over anything they are not tasked and paid to take over, we do not see this as a major issue but we understand some clients might. We encourage companies to own the project strategy unless we know it will not work in which we provide you guidance and advice to improve or pivot. - Availability and flexibility
We tend to be quite responsive at Huddle Fifty, but if you want to have your employees available at all times regardless of circumstances, maybe the in-house solution is better adapted to your needs. We have personally never experienced any friction with our clients due to lack of time or availability. We are on our clients’ slack channels if they desire and we guarantee to reply and to be available for anything within 24 hours max. As valid as this point may be, we believe it depends on the agency.
B. In which cases should your organization hire an agency?
- Cost-Effectiveness:
Cost was our first point in the previous part of this article. If you need to perform right away and you don’t have the proper structure in house to do so, hiring a marketing agency is usually more cost-effective than hiring and maintaining an in-house marketing team. With an agency, you typically pay for the specific services you require, avoiding the costs associated with full-time salaries, benefits, training, and overhead expenses. It is also a lot easier to break an agency contract than it is to get rid of a bad employee, especially nowadays. - Expertise and Specialization:
Marketing agencies often have a team of professionals with expertise in different marketing areas. Huddle Fifty specializes in advertising, social media, UX optimization, email nurturing, analytics, reporting and graphic design. If you require a wide range of marketing skills and specialized knowledge, a marketing agency can provide you with a comprehensive solution perfectly tailored to your needs. - Flexibility and Scalability:
Marketing agencies offer flexibility and scalability, allowing you to adjust the level of services based on your business needs. Whether you need a short-term campaign, ongoing support, or a burst of activity during peak seasons, agencies can quickly allocate resources to meet your requirements. - Industry Knowledge and Insights:
Agencies like Huddle Fifty often work with clients across different industries, gaining valuable insights and experience. They can bring a fresh perspective, innovative ideas, and industry-specific knowledge to your marketing strategy, helping you stay ahead of the competition. This is a crucial aspect of this comparison, every partner at Huddle Fifty has from 15 to 20 years of experience in digital marketing across several industries. The cost of such insights would be exorbitant in-house. - Access to Advanced Tools and Technologies:
Marketing agencies usually have access to advanced marketing tools and technologies that may be expensive for a small in-house team to acquire. By leveraging these tools, agencies can enhance campaign performance, analytics, automation, and other aspects of marketing. We offer access to the best programmatic tools on the market at a fraction of the rate small to medium businesses could get. - Time-Saving:
Outsourcing your marketing efforts to an agency allows you to focus on other core areas of your business. Agencies handle the day-to-day marketing tasks, strategic planning, and campaign management, saving you time and effort. - Insightful & Valuable Knowledge Transfer
It goes without saying that agencies have a great deal of knowledge, this can be used to help execute on a campaign to bring success to the overall business – but it also provides a level of education to junior employees to be able to learn more advanced skill sets or processes that only comes from experience.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that every business is unique, and the decision to hire a marketing agency or an in-house employee should be based on your specific circumstances, budget, goals, and available resources. Some businesses may benefit more from having an in-house team that aligns closely with their brand and culture, while others may find the expertise and flexibility of a marketing agency more advantageous. In any case, it would not hurt to schedule a call if you have any questions, we would love to be a part of your team.