Key Takeaways
- An outsourced marketer is an external marketing agency or individual freelancer who handles marketing tasks for businesses, providing benefits like specialized knowledge and experience, cost and time savings, and access to cutting-edge marketing tools.
- Before outsourcing your marketing, it’s important to think about factors like your budget and goals, as well as the marketer’s experience, cultural fit, and communication skills.
- To hire outsourced marketers successfully, make sure to define your requirements, conduct thorough research and reference checks, and clarify expectations.
A strong marketing strategy can be the difference between massive business success and never getting off the ground. However, hiring a full-time in-house marketing team can be expensive and may not always be feasible for small or medium-sized businesses.
This is where outsourcing comes into play. Hiring outsourced marketers allows you to increase productivity without adding overhead costs.
But with so many options available, it might seem daunting to hire outsourced marketers for the first time. How do you know if it’s the right decision for your business?
In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about hiring outsourced marketers and how it can benefit your business. Whether you’re looking to hire an outsourced marketing manager, SEO specialist, or email marketer, we’ve got you covered with tips for making the best decision for your business.
What Is an Outsourced Marketer?
An outsourced marketer is a professional who provides marketing services to a business on a contract basis. They are not employed by the company but work remotely or on-site to handle aspects of marketing like social media management, SEO optimization, content creation, and email marketing.
These skilled experts can bring a deep knowledge of effective marketing strategies and digital marketing tools to your business, taking your marketing initiatives to the next level while allowing your internal team to focus on core business activities.
Common Marketing Roles To Outsource
Many marketing roles lend themselves well to outsourcing. Here are a few examples of the most common ones businesses outsource:
Outsourced marketing manager
This role is responsible for executing the overall marketing strategy. Outsourced marketing managers can oversee a wide range of marketing activities, including strategy development, content creation, campaign management, and coordinating with marketing vendors and agencies.
Outsourced SEO specialist
Outsourced SEO specialists help your content rank in search engines, increasing traffic to your website. They can enhance your site to increase conversion rates, growing your online presence and bringing you more paying customers.
Outsourced email marketer
An outsourced email marketer can build more successful email marketing campaigns and grow your mailing list, improving click-through rates and boosting your ROI. These marketing professionals know how to segment audiences and design campaigns for the maximum impact.
Outsourced brand strategist
Given the ever-increasing importance of employer branding, the efforts of a specialist in this area can be invaluable. Outsourced brand strategists craft your company’s overall image and ensure your messaging resonates with customers.
Outsourced data analyst
A data analyst scrutinizes raw data on user behavior and campaign performance to look for trends and identify possible improvements to your marketing strategy. The insights these experts provide can be critical for guiding your approach to connecting with potential customers.
5 Reasons You Should Hire Outsourced Marketers
Outsourcing your marketing functions can bring a broad array of advantages. Here are some of the top reasons to do so:
1. Cost effectiveness
Hiring outsourced marketers can be a cost-effective solution for businesses, especially those on a budget. Instead of spending money on hiring and training in-house employees, you can pay for the specific services you need and nothing more.
Additionally, by hiring marketing professionals in regions with lower living costs than the US, such as Latin America, you can benefit from skilled talent while saving significantly on salary costs.
2. Expertise and experience
Outsourcing your marketing activities enables you to work with seasoned marketers who have a wide breadth of expertise and relevant experience. This gives your business access to a wider range of skills than those within your own team.
3. Time savings
By outsourcing your marketing tasks, you can save time that would otherwise be spent on recruiting, training, and managing in-house marketers. This allows you to focus on other aspects of your business that require your attention, such as product innovation.
4. Scalability
With outsourced marketers, you have the flexibility to scale up or down based on your business needs. As your business grows, you can easily increase the scope of work with your outsourcing partner without worrying about hiring and training new employees.
5. Access to the latest marketing tools and technology
Outsourcing companies invest in the latest tools and technology to stay ahead in the industry. By outsourcing your marketing activities, you gain access to these resources without having to purchase them separately.
Things To Consider Before Hiring Outsourced Marketers
Although hiring outsourced marketing experts offers many benefits, there are a few things you should consider before you start to make sure you team up with marketers who suit your business and drive your marketing success:
Your budget
Before hiring outsourced marketers, it is important to determine what you can afford. This will help narrow down your options and ensure that you are not overspending on marketing services.
Solution: Research different outsourcing agencies or freelancers to find the best fit for your budget. Consider negotiating prices or opting for a retainer package instead of hourly rates.
Expertise
When hiring outsourced marketers, it is crucial to ensure that they have the necessary expertise and industry experience. This will allow them to understand your target audience and create effective marketing strategies tailored to your business.
Solution: Ask for portfolios or case studies of their previous work to get an idea of their qualifications. You can also request references or reach out to past clients for feedback.
Communication skills
Effective communication is key when working with outsourced marketers, as they will be representing your brand and communicating with your audience on your behalf. It is important to find individuals or agencies who are responsive and have clear communication channels in place.
Solution: Set expectations regarding communication from the beginning and ensure that you are both on the same page. Establish regular check-in meetings or calls to discuss progress and address any concerns.
Your goals and objectives
Before hiring outsourced marketers, it is important to have a clear understanding of your marketing goals and objectives. This will help you communicate your expectations to the outsourced team and ensure that they are aligned with your business goals.
Solution: Take time to define your marketing goals and discuss them with potential outsourced marketers. Ask for their input on how they can help you achieve these goals, and make sure there is mutual agreement before moving forward.
Cultural fit
You should also consider how well outsourced marketers will fit in with your company culture. They will be working closely with your team and representing your brand, so finding individuals who align with your company values and culture is crucial.
Solution: During the interview process, ask potential outsourced marketers about their work styles and how they adapt to different company cultures. You can also request a trial period or a smaller project before committing to a long-term contract.
How Do You Hire Outsourced Marketers?
There are two main ways to hire outsourced marketers: partnering with a marketing agency or hiring freelance marketers.
Partner with an agency
Partnering with a marketing agency can be a great option for businesses looking to outsource their marketing efforts.
These agencies often have an entire team of marketing experts in different areas of marketing, allowing you to get a variety of services all from one source. This means you don’t have to worry about finding individual freelancers to handle each specialized task.
Additionally, agencies usually have established processes and systems in place, making it easier for them to handle your marketing needs efficiently. They also tend to have access to various tools and resources that might not be available or affordable for smaller businesses.
However, partnering with an agency may come at a higher cost than hiring freelance marketers. It’s important to do your research and carefully consider the services offered and their pricing before making a decision.
Hire freelance marketers
Hiring freelance marketers is another popular option for businesses looking to outsource their marketing activities. It involves finding and hiring individual freelancers who specialize in specific areas of marketing, such as SEO, email marketing, or social media management.
You can find freelance marketing talent through online job boards, hiring platforms, social media, and networking events.
One of the main advantages of hiring freelance marketers is that you have more control over who you work with and can choose individuals based on their expertise and rates. This allows for more flexibility in terms of project-based work or ongoing contracts.
However, working with multiple freelancers may require more coordination and communication from your end. This means you’ll have to establish clear expectations and deadlines to ensure a smooth workflow.
Tips for Hiring Outsourced Marketers the Right Way
Once you’ve decided to outsource your marketing, you’ll need to know how to hire marketers effectively. Here are some tips to follow to choose the right marketing partner and ensure your outsourced marketing efforts get off to a good start:
Define your needs
Before you start the hiring process, define your needs and goals. What specific areas of marketing do you need help with? Are you looking for someone to manage your entire marketing strategy or just a specific aspect like SEO or email marketing?
Having a clear understanding of what you’re looking for will make it easier to find the right outsourced marketer.
Do your research
When it comes to hiring outsourced marketers, you need to do your research. Look for reputable agencies or freelancers with a proven track record of success. Read client testimonials and reviews from other businesses that have used their services. It’s also a good idea to check out their portfolio and see if their style aligns with your brand.
Ask the right questions
Once you have identified your needs and gathered proper intel, you must ask the right questions during the hiring process.
Inquire about the potential service provider’s experience in and knowledge of your specific industry, its previous clients and results it has achieved, and its communication and reporting processes. You want to make sure that the outsourced marketer you hire is a good fit for your business and can deliver results.
Check references
When considering potential outsourced marketers, ask for references from past clients they have worked with and reach out for feedback. This will give you a better understanding of their expertise and the results they have delivered in the past.
Set clear expectations
Communication is key when working with outsourced marketers. It’s important to set clear expectations and establish a solid line of communication from the beginning. Make sure you have regular check-ins and provide timely feedback to ensure that your marketing efforts are aligned with your company goals.
Final Thoughts
Hiring outsourced marketers can be a cost-effective and efficient way to boost your business’s current marketing efforts, allowing you to access top talent without the expensive overhead costs of hiring a full-time in-house team.
By following our tips and considering the benefits of outsourcing, you can make an informed decision that will benefit your business in the long run.
At Near, we understand the importance of having a strong marketing strategy for your business. That’s why we offer hassle-free recruitment services for businesses looking to hire outsourced marketing managers and other marketing professionals.
To see the kind of high-quality talent we can connect you with, fill out our form to receive a list of pre-vetted candidates you can hire in less than 21 days.