In-house marketing essential: says third party comms agency
Why would I recommend in-house marketing?
Yes – I love my job with an agency. No – I’m not trying to get fired. But after almost two decades, I know my strengths and weaknesses. I can snap out a one-liner, draft a compelling ad or plan a quarter’s social media strategy. But I’ll never know your company as well as you do. I can’t match your passion for its growth and industry-leading presence. Nor can I galvanize company staff into going above/beyond.
Some things are better left in-house, in the hands of a professional within your business or enterprise:
- Internal Communications: connecting with and leading staff in living and promoting your brand needs top-down ownership from within your four walls
- Sponsorships & Donations: establishing contracts and cash or product donations needs a personal company touch
- Final Content: while a third-party copywriter might get your content 95% of the way there, the final polish and fact-checking needs your company’s fine eyes
- Issues Management: provided you have an issues strategy in place, flipping the switch on it and getting all hands on deck is best managed internally
There are also a number of critical marketing elements that are best managed by in-house company leaders for reasons of timing, efficiency, cost and practicality:
- Graphic Supports: small and simple graphic elements (website banner) provided you have an established visual look and supporting brand guidelines
- Advertising Placements: coordinating campaigns and sending artwork helps you to build mutually-beneficial, long-term relationships with media
- Social Media: timely responses need to come from knowledgeable sources within your company. Nothing drags down social media more than comments or simple questions going unanswered for days. And thoughtful, spontaneous posts are more genuine when handled in-house
- Website Management: quick edits and urgent additions can be made internally – user-friendly content management systems and some training is all that’s needed
What you can and should leave to the experts – a third-party agency – are those elements that require strategic direction, goals-based planning, and skilled content and graphic design:
- Brand Development: creating a distinctive, compelling brand, and planning a strategic launch
- Strategies: advertising, digital marketing, issues management, social media and communications direction that are critical to ensure focused, measurable, goals-based execution.
- Art Direction/Graphic Design: delivering a visually-arresting piece that meets strategic goals
- Website: developing an online presence that is a strategic extension of your brand
- Multimedia & Illustration: translating complex data into compelling, memorable messages
- Copywriting: crafting content that is compelling, simple and leaves a powerful impression
- Stakeholder engagement: developing and facilitating objective research and outreach
While an agency can help lead and support your company in the planning, development and execution of successful communications, there are many critical elements that require an in-house marketing perspective, guidance and a steady hand on the reins.
