Since I began publishing this website, I was never a big fan of outsourcing marketing. I preferred the model of recruiting a social media ambassador from within your company (hiring someone to assist if needed), and then building a social media team that involved every department.
Yet a reader recently told me, “If I don’t outsource this, I’ll never begin the marketing I need to be doing. My staff doesn’t have the time or expertise to do it themselves.”
Not every organization has the resources, time, knowledge, or willingness to do everything internally. There are some tasks that might be profitable to outsource. If you decide to delegate some work outside, what role should the agency or consultant play?
Setting things up
Agencies tend to do the same projects over and over again, and this can speed the setup process for you. Yes, there should be customization for each client, but they don’t have to completely reinvent the wheel each time around.
Building systems
Marketing systems can be a valuable asset for your business. Step-by-step procedures make you less dependent on your current intern and help provide consistency for your audience. The right systems can also save time for everyone, which is why many outsourcing decisions are made in the first place.
Make the creation of repeatable systems a key part of any job you outsource.
Training staff
The end goal of bringing in outside help should ultimately be your self sufficiency. Especially for social media. Having people within your organization manage social communications is usually best, because being close to the operations typically enables better customer service.
If your team does not have enough expertise for an important digital initiative, bringing someone in to show them how new media marketing works can be a good investment.
Another perspective
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of running a business that having an outside perspective can be valuable. This is where consultants can make significant contributions: by advising executives on strategic business decisions.
So tell me…what role do you think outsourcing should play in hotel marketing?
