Not long ago, hiring a marketing generalist seemed like the key to driving growth. They could create content, post it on social and the website, email to your database and run events. But today, that idea feels like a fairy tale.
Digital marketing has democratized access; companies of all sizes can now launch websites, run campaigns and build social media audiences. These lower barriers to entry, however, have increased competition in an already noisy landscape—and the increasing use of AI in marketing is exacerbating the situation.
To stand out, you need marketing specialists with deep expertise in specific channels and tactics (e.g., SEO, PPC, content, social media). And you must understand how these pieces work together to hit KPIs and drive results.
The Generalist Marketer: Advantages And Limitations
Companies, particularly with limited budgets, often decide to hire a more junior or mid-level generalist who understands a little about a lot. The most talented of these professionals are often flexible and able to take on multiple roles, which can seem cost effective. If they can leverage AI on top of that, it’s easy to see generalists as a one-person solution.
But while these professionals can execute a range of tactics, they often lack the depth to truly optimize each one. They may start an SEO effort or launch Google Ads, but keeping up with constant changes would require specialization. Without it, mediocrity appears across the board and feeds the misconception that “marketing doesn’t work.”
How To Bring On The Marketing Expertise Needed
To succeed, organizations need the right marketing strategy, an intentional mix of tactics and best-in-class execution. But acquiring the talent to accomplish this is a financial commitment—whether it’s built in-house or outsourced. It’s a delicate balance to get what you need without breaking the bank.
An In-House Marketing Team Ensures Alignment
For some companies, assembling a full-time, internal team may be the ideal scenario. Because leadership, execution and key specialist roles work in sync, expertise is spread across the team and strategies can better align with business goals. With an in-house team that’s singularly focused on your business, communication can be more streamlined, and employees will have better access to SMEs. This can also be the best option if you have more than enough work to keep every team member operating at full capacity.
However, building an in-house team isn’t always feasible. Between hiring a CMO, coordinator, demand gen lead, content writer and other key positions, payroll alone can exceed a million dollars annually. If you don’t need a full-time employee in certain roles, like CMO or social media specialist, it’d be an irresponsible investment to hire them on anyway. Having underutilized talent can be a hidden cost, especially if individuals don’t have a broad-enough skill set to take on tasks outside their role.
Outsourced Marketing Provides Expertise Without The Overhead
Outsourcing marketing needs—whether to a fractional leader, specialized agency, freelancer or integrated team—gives companies access to high-level strategy, specialized skills and tactical execution without the financial burden of full-time salaries. Because this approach offers flexibility to scale up or down based on current needs, helping to ensure each area gets expert attention at the right time. Outsourcing can also be a more responsible expenditure because every dollar spent can yield meaningful outcomes.
When you outsource marketing efforts, you gain exposure to a wider array of strategies. Because external specialists work across different companies and even industries, they see real-time trends within a larger dataset. This often means they’re more current on best practices and better equipped to offer refined strategies built from a broader knowledge base. By contrast, an in-house marketer has a sample size of one: your company. Their view is inherently narrower.
However, if outsourced talent isn’t properly integrated, they can become siloed and reactive. Depending on the kind of third party you engage with, there may be time delays on turnaround to deal with. You also can’t guarantee that you’d be a priority, the way you would be with an in-house team.
The Hybrid Approach: Combining Internal And External Strengths
Many companies find that the best marketing team is a hybrid one. For example, they may have an in-house coordinator managing day-to-day operations and serving as a point of contact, while outsourced specialists deliver deep expertise. It’s important to evaluate staffing in relation to level of activity and skill set of your existing team. Do you have someone who’s great at email, social, basic writing and event logistics, but can’t write longer-form content or provide in-depth analytics and reporting? With outsourcing, you can find a specialized expert to fill in those skills gaps while avoiding the cost burden of another full-time employee.
When weighing your options for a talent model, consider the following:
• Company Goals: What are the overall quantitative (e.g., revenue) and qualitative (e.g., brand awareness) business objectives?
• Current Strategies: Where are you focusing your efforts—on digital, events, content, channels? You can build out your resources accordingly.
• Gaps And Limitations: Where are you struggling due to a lack of skills or strategic direction?
• Existing Resources: Who’s already on the team? Build around what you have.
• Budget: What can you spend? Consider campaign and tech expenses on top of talent costs. You could potentially get a senior, skilled outsourced team for the cost of one or two full-time employees.
Not sure whether an in-house, outsourced, or hybrid team is right for you?
Schedule a Marketing Strategy Call with Magnetude Consulting
If you aren’t already working with a strategic marketing leader during this process, consider bringing one on board (even as a fractional resource).
Whether you choose to have an in-house, outsourced or hybrid team, one thing is clear. If you want to compete and grow as a business, generalists won’t cut it. You need expert-level marketers to succeed.
Originally posted on Forbes