Let’s start this off with some (blatantly obvious) full disclosure: we’re a leading agile inbound marketing agency, and so the question “should you outsource your inbound marketing” may seem a little self-serving. Or maybe a lot.
But here’s the thing: there are situations where it doesn’t make strategic sense for businesses to outsource their inbound marketing; whether to us or anyone else. And in such situations, be assured that we’re transparent about this. Why? Well, it’s good karma and good ethics.
What’s more, it’s also good strategy, because it has helped us build a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Indeed, in a field where anyone can claim to be an “inbound marketing expert” — including many folks who have no idea what they’re doing — there’s a reason why we’ve been around for several years and continue to grow. We play the long game.
So, in light of the above — and in the hopes that you’ll give us the benefit of the doubt in terms of credibility — here are 3 basic, honest and objective reasons why you may want to outsource your inbound marketing:
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You need a game plan.
One of the biggest reasons that most inbound marketing investments fail to deliver maximum ROI — or sometimes, any ROI — is because various activities aren’t supported by a customized game plan. This is a strategic map that covers both on-site, off-site and possibly off-line tactics and methods that integrate to drive targeted campaigns.
If you’re struggling to put a game plan together — and there’s no shame in this, because it’s not something that most non-experts know how to do — then outsourcing your inbound marketing is not just smart, but it’s necessary. Otherwise, instead of intelligently moving forward, you’ll be forced to chart your course as you go, which almost never works (and even when it rarely does, success can’t be repeated because nobody knows how or why it happened in the first place!).
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You don’t have the resources.
This one is simple. If you don’t have the in-house resources — and we’re talking both knowledge capital and technology — then outsourcing at least a piece of your inbound marketing puzzle is cost-effective and strategically smart.
This is especially the case given that most businesses that take a DIY approach to inbound marketing severely underestimate the overall workload, the velocity of work, and the critical path (i.e. certain tasks have to get done before other tasks can begin). It doesn’t take long before the excitement surrounding inbound marketing is replaced by anxiety, and then eventually by indifference. That’s a massive self-inflicted wound, and a “gift that keeps on giving” to the competition.
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You’re not getting acceptable results from your inbound marketing investment.
You may be running your various inbound marketing campaigns in-house, and haven’t experienced a major crisis (i.e. your marketing manager hasn’t locked himself in the boardroom and refused to come out until you get some extra help or increase the budget). But are you getting maximum results from your investment? Don’t be so sure.
According to BrightTALK, 80% of businesses don’t think that their lead generation efforts are more than “somewhat effective.” And according to HubSpot 43% of businesses struggle to capture ROI in the first place; let alone measure and optimize it.
Working with an external partner is more than just a way to free up resources (and help your beleaguered marketing manager sleep at night). You also get bottom-line accountability. Instead of guessing and hoping that things are tracking in the right direction, you get clear reports populated with reliable data and actionable intelligence.
Learn More
To learn more about whether outsourcing some or all of your inbound marketing might be in your business’s best interest, contact the Leap Clixx team today. We’ll analyze what you’re currently doing and where you want to go. If we can be part of your solution, we’ll tell you why and how. And if we think you’re doing fine and just need to tweak a few things here and there, we’ll share that advice, too.
For more information on inbound marketing best practices, download our FREE eBook:
Topics: Inbound Marketing
