As an MSP owner, you may find yourself wondering when it’s time to outsource your marketing efforts. While referrals are a great source of leads, they may not be enough to sustain your business in the long run. As your business grows, you may need to explore new avenues to generate leads and bring in new customers. This is where marketing comes in.

Marketing can be daunting, especially if you have no experience in the field. In this article, we’ll discuss when MSPs should consider outsourcing their marketing efforts and the pros and cons.

When to Outsource Your Marketing

If you struggle to keep up with the demands of marketing, it may be time to outsource. Here are some signs that it’s time to outsource your marketing efforts:

• Lack of time: Marketing can be a time-consuming process. If you constantly juggle marketing tasks with other responsibilities, it may be time to bring in a dedicated marketing team.

• Lack of expertise: Marketing requires specialized skills and knowledge. If you don’t have the expertise to create effective marketing campaigns, outsourcing may be a good option.

• Lack of resources: Marketing can be expensive, especially if you need to invest in software, tools, and personnel. Outsourcing can help you save money and resources.

• Need for scalability: As your business grows, your marketing needs may become more complex. Outsourcing can help you scale your marketing efforts without adding more personnel to your team.

Pros of Outsourcing Your Marketing

• More experience and brainpower: A specialized MSP marketing agency has a wealth of experience in the industry, which can help you save time and money.

• Saves valuable time: Outsourcing your marketing efforts can free up your time to focus on more important tasks.

• Guaranteed positive results: Most marketing agencies guarantee results, so you only pay when you see positive results.

• More efficient expense: Outsourcing your marketing efforts can be significantly more cost-efficient than hiring an internal marketer. 

Cons of Outsourcing Your Marketing

• Less brand control: Outsourcing your marketing efforts means handing over the first impression of your brand to someone else, which can be challenging.

• Lengthy commitments: Marketing agencies often require 6-12 month commitments, which can be a significant issue if results fail to come to fruition. Given how long marketing can take to start producing results, you may not have a full picture on how well things are working during your first review.

• Infrequent communication: Communication with an outsourced vendor can be challenging, as they have other customers to attend to. However, some marketing agencies, like MKC, offer dedicated project managers and account managers for a reasonable price so you can stay updated.

• Market homogenization: As specialized marketing vendors get larger, the industry’s marketing strategies become homogenized. If all your competitors are using the same vendor for marketing you are, how will you stand out?

Outsourcing your marketing efforts can be a great option if you need more time, expertise, or resources to create effective marketing campaigns in-house. While outsourcing has some downsides, the benefits can outweigh the costs if you choose the right marketing agency.

At MKC Agency, we specialize in MSP marketing and can help you scale your marketing efforts with ethical marketing practices. Download our outsourced marketing whitepaper today to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.