Why flexible marketing could transform your business

Flexible working has woven its way into most businesses and their operations in one way or another, over the last few years. But there’s another side to flexibility. Flexible resource.

As a business designed to provide flexible marketing resource, we thought it might be timely to explain what it means, and how it could be beneficial to your company. Given many companies will be feeling the pinch right now, there are efficiencies to be made in your resource mix.

Your organisation likely falls into one of these categories:

1. Your marketing function is in-house.
2. Your marketing function is outsourced.
3. Your marketing function is a mix of resourcing – internal and external.
4. You don’t have a marketing function (shocked face emoji!).

So, which option is most advantageous?

At The Buzz, we’re familiar with a large number of businesses in and around the world of real estate – including British Land, Landsec, Broadgate Estates, Colliers and Knight Frank – each with varying approaches to resource. And from what we’ve seen, we can confidently say that the benefits of adopting a flexible marketing resource can, for some companies, outweigh the benefits of recruiting and employing an in-house marketing team.

Here are some of the reasons why:

Agility and speed of output

We recently met a client-side marketer and asked her about her team. She said:” There are too many people, internal meetings and processes – nothing actually ever gets done!”. This is especially true with brand content and social media workstreams, where employing a full-time community manager, graphic designer, creative director, and content strategist can be wasteful and unnecessary. In contrast, with a clear scope of work, a marketing agency can work alongside your business to provide in-depth strategic content framework, annual content planner, creative content, research and measurement on a flexible basis.

Recruiting and onboarding a marketing team member can be time consuming, often taking between three and six months. With flexible marketing resource, we can start immediately and cover the resource gaps. Our team is your team, and we’re ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Expertise and experience

Outsourcing your marketing gives you the marketing skillset you need, when you need it. You gain access to a team of vetted professionals specialising in various marketing facets. These experts bring valuable knowledge, skills and experience, ensuring your marketing efforts work hard. Whether it’s a strategist, designer or project manager, you get to work with talent as and when you need them.

Cost savings

It’s no secret, and most CFOs will agree, that outsourced marketing functions are incredibly cost-effective compared to hiring an in-house team. With outsourcing, you eliminate expenses such as recruitment fees, salaries, benefits, training, insurance, onboarding and equipment required for an internal marketing department. Instead, you can negotiate a fixed or flexible fee with the agency, allowing you to allocate your budget more efficiently.

Competencies

Spend more time doing what you’re good at! Outsourcing often gives leaders the time and space to be strategic rather than operational. Marketing is a specialised area that requires time, effort, and resources. Outsourcing allows your business to focus on its core competencies and strategic objectives whilst leaving the marketing responsibilities to the experts. This enables your team to concentrate on critical areas like product development, acquisition, and overall business growth.

Scalability and flexibility

Outsourcing marketing provides scalability and flexibility in your operations. Whether you need to expand or reduce marketing efforts, the outsourcing agency can easily adjust its resources to meet your requirements. This agility allows your business to respond quickly to market changes, seize new opportunities or streamline marketing efforts during slower periods.

Access to advanced tools and templates

Marketing agencies often have access to advanced marketing tools, software, and templates that may be expensive for individual businesses to acquire. By outsourcing, you can leverage these tools and technologies without significant upfront investment. This can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your marketing campaigns.

Creative ideas

External marketing agencies bring a fresh perspective to your business. They can provide valuable insights, creative ideas, and innovative strategies that may have yet to be considered internally. In addition, their external viewpoint helps challenge assumptions and brings diversity to the marketing approach, which can lead to breakthrough ideas and improved results.

Measurable results and accountability

Is there a particular ‘metric that matters’ that your company is obsessed with? Perhaps. However, you will get sheer objectivity when measuring performance with an outsourced marketing function. Looking from the outside in means an agency can sanity-check what you are measuring and benchmark your milestones against the competition. Professional marketing agencies set clear goals, establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide regular reports on campaign performance. This transparency allows you to assess the effectiveness of your marketing initiatives and make data-driven decisions.

You don’t need to pick a side

The key word to remember here is flexibility; you don’t need to choose a side. You might need short-term support to bolster your existing team or require a particular skillset for a brief period. You can meet this need with flexible resource. Whether a one-off project, like designing a new website or coming up with a new brand identity or ad campaign, agency resource can help. And with no long-term commitment, you pay for the project and the resource as you need it.

Give us a buzz

While outsourcing marketing offers many benefits, choosing the right agency that aligns with your business goals, values, and culture is essential. Whether you’re looking to outsource your marketing function, have a time-sensitive project to deliver or require a particular skill set or marketing specialism, we provide an agile approach adapted to your needs. Contact us if you would like to know more about our people and services.