Does outsourcing marketing make sense for supply chain companies?
By Kelly Mello Woodsum
Partner, SVP, Marketing Consulting
Small to medium-sized supply chain providers are facing so many competitive challenges. With crowded fields of competitors, it is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate your business. How do you stand out in a crowded market? What makes you the better choice? How do you do that with limited resources?
While it may seem logical to handle all business functions internally, marketing is one area where outsourcing can offer significant and specialized benefits beyond what you and your employees might be able to do. Working with a marketing consultant with expertise in the supply chain world can be a game-changer for SMBs. Here’s why . . .
1. Access to specialized expertise
Marketing has become increasingly complex, involving expertise in content creation, SEO, social media, email marketing, analytics, and more. SMBs often don’t have the budget to hire a full, in-house team with all these capabilities. Outsourcing will bring access to an expert who understands multiple facets of marketing and can craft effective, multi-channel strategies. And consultants that specialize in supply chain bring invaluable industry knowledge and best practices that enhance competitiveness and boost the impact of marketing investments.
2. Cost efficiency
Hiring an in-house marketing team can be costly. From salaries and benefits to training and technology, expenses quickly add up. Bringing in a marketing professional provides a more cost-effective solution. Most consultants offer flexible pricing options, which enable SMBs to pay only for the work they need. This flexibility helps keep marketing costs predictable and scalable, making it easier to align the investment with business cash flow.
3. Focus on core business activities
SMBs often rely on key team members to juggle multiple functions like marketing, which can lead to bottlenecks and burnout and more importantly, can be a distraction to those other functions. By outsourcing marketing, business leaders can focus on core activities like product development, customer service, and sales. This focus enables the team to prioritize what they do best, while the marketing consultant manages the strategy, execution, and analysis of marketing efforts.
4. Access to cutting-edge tools and technologies
Effective marketing requires a suite of digital tools for automation, data analytics, customer relationship management and more. These tools can be costly to acquire and require specialized knowledge to use effectively. Marketing consultants often have access to these platforms and know how to use them to their full potential, saving the business both time and money. Additionally, consultants provide insights using advanced analytics to track the performance of each campaign, enabling data-driven decision-making and measurable ROI.
5. Faster execution and greater agility
A marketing consultant can often get campaigns up and running faster than an internal team, especially in smaller businesses where resources may be stretched thin. Consultants bring focused expertise and can hit the ground running with new strategies, campaigns, and ideas without the ramp-up time that an in-house team might need. Furthermore, pivoting quickly if a campaign isn’t performing as expected is crucial to adjusting strategies to ensure the best possible results.
6. Fresh perspective and objectivity
This might be saving the best for last. A fresh set of eyes can make a big difference, especially for SMBs that have been doing things the same way for years. A marketing consultant brings an external perspective that often leads to new ideas and innovative approaches. Consultants can objectively analyze what’s working and what isn’t, providing insights and recommendations that might not be apparent to an internal team.
For SMB companies, outsourcing marketing to a consultant can be a more effective way to achieve growth, and to do so without the commitment of managing a full in-house team. From cost savings to specialized expertise and faster execution, the benefits of consulting are clear. By partnering with a trusted marketing consultant with specialized supply chain industry knowledge, SMBs can leverage industry insights, maximize their marketing budget, and focus on what truly matters: delivering value to their customers and growing their business.
Contact RCK Consulting to learn more about our marketing ramp up strategy for SMBs.
