Outsourcing is the perfect solution for small to mid-level businesses who wish to keep overhead cost low.
Sounds self serving, I know, but let me state my case why outsourcing marketing and communications services makes a lot of sense for professional services firms. Now, I'm not necessarily talking about proposal responses. Often, it makes more sense to have a traditional marketing coordinator as a full time employee (FTE) to help support the business development cycle. However, some smaller companies or start-ups simply don't have the need for a FTE. A relatively small retainer is the way to go. Find a marketing and/or communications professional and place them on a monthly retainer. Retainer services can range from $1,000 - $25,000 (depending on the range of services you require and the agency you engage). My advice? Having worked with multiple professional services firms ranging in size from 10 - 550 people, here are the top reasons why a person or agency on retainer is the way to go, particularly in this economy.
How to win with agency support
1. For specific tasks, a small niche agency or person is perfect. If your monthly requirements are very task-driven, then outsourcing may be perfect for you. If you can find a small agency or an individual and agree on a minimal monthly retainer, you can capitalize on having an “on call” professional for a very reasonable price point. 2. If you want to build a brand, an agency can help. Brand building takes a coordinated, consistent effort. Often this may go overlooked with a short staffed marketing department. Retaining an agency to focus on your brand may be just the thing you need to help you build awareness…helping you take that first important step prior to a “win”! 3. Want to be a thought leader? Hire a writer. It’s a common sentiment that thought leadership is at the heart of content marketing, and at the heart of professional services marketing. In a world of thousands of (insert the discipline here) firms, how does yours stand out? Through consistent content marketing and thought pieces. Without a specific point of view, there’s nothing noteworthy or convincing about your offerings – and that can mean real trouble for those looking to build their portfolio. 4. Need a plan? Consider an expert. Sometimes a smaller firm that has a marketing coordinator, business developer, or proposal writer on the team. However, they may be too junior or too busy to help offer and lead a strategic marketing plan for the company. Without a proper plan, those “one-off tasks and tactics” (see #1) will most likely go nowhere in helping your clients navigate through the sales journey. 5. No benefits? No compensation package? No problem! Nothing can feel as frightening then onboarding a full time employee for a small organization where every headcount, well, COUNTS. Outsourcing is an excellent way to “try out” a role and see how it fits in the organization or become more familiar with defining exactly what your needs are for this specific classification or title. It’s a low-commitment and a way to interact with a high-level professional for a much lower cost than typical hiring scenarios. One thing I tell my clients is – I have twenty years in the professional consulting industry providing marketing, communications, proposal writing, strategy, and planning. My offerings a specific and proven and allow a smaller company to afford a tenured professional at a much lower cost. Providing proven experience to a company just starting out, or a small to middle-market company allows me to offer all the experience and expertise of a Fortune 500 Company in an affordable package. And, that’s a service I can feel good about providing.