Not a service, let’s get that clear right away. Outsourced marketing is seriously misunderstood, we’ve come to realise. And we’re here to clear it up.

Put simply, outsourced marketing means bringing an external marketing team into your business to take responsibility for some or all of your marketing function. So instead of hiring a whole team of specialists in-house, you get access to experienced marketers, strategic leadership, and specialist skills when you need them.

And crucially, it shouldn’t feel like you’re handing your marketing over to a supplier. The right outsourced marketing partner becomes an extension of your team. They work towards your goals and take ownership of the marketing that helps you grow.

And by the way, it should definitely help your brand grow and help you reach your goals.

What does outsourced marketing involve?

Almost anything your marketing function needs!

That could include developing your marketing strategy, creating content, managing SEO, running paid advertising, looking after social media, delivering email campaigns and reporting on what’s working (and what isn’t).

At Ketchup, we fully become your marketers. Find out more about our approach.

You might outsource your entire marketing function, or bring in external expertise to fill specific gaps alongside an existing team.

The important bit: outsourcing isn’t about doing more marketing for the sake of it. That’s really key. It’s about having the right expertise and strategic direction to focus on the marketing that actually matters to your business.

Done right, each activity should work towards a common goal for your brand.

Why do businesses outsource marketing?

Why do businesses outsource their marketing? Well, there are lots of reasons, but a few stand out.

Specialist expertise. You can access experienced marketers and specialists without needing to hire several people with different skill sets.
Lower overheads. Building a full in-house team can be expensive. Outsourcing gives you more marketing capability without the same cost and complexity.
Agility. Your needs will change as your business grows. An outsourced team can adapt, bringing in the right skills and support as priorities shift.
More capacity. Instead of your existing team constantly trying to squeeze marketing onto an already-full to-do list, you have great people dedicated to making it happen.

Is outsourced marketing right for every business?

No, and it’s worth saying it. Here’s when it makes sense.

Outsourced marketing is useful for growing businesses that need experienced marketing support but aren’t ready for, or don’t need, the cost and complexity of building a full in-house team.

That being said, there are times when a company has an internal marketing team, but the needle is not moving. So it actually works very well alongside an existing marketing team by providing extra capacity, strategic direction, and specialist skills that you don’t have internally.

At the end of the day, it’s less about the size of your business, and more about what your business needs.