There are plenty of reasons why outsourcing a position in your business can be worthwhile; however, outsourcing a relatively senior position such as a marketing director can be daunting. After all, a senior position will also be in a position of power. Therefore, it means that you are handing over some of the strategic direction and decisions related to your business.   

One part of your business that can benefit from being outsourced is marketing. Not sure that you agree? Well, let me show you some of the reasons why I think that it is worthwhile outsourcing to a fractional marketing director over hiring an employee to work within your business.   

What is outsourced marketing?  

Outsourced marketing (which can sometimes be called fractional marketing) is when you give the creative power of your marketing efforts to someone who you and your business do not directly employ.   

Rather than being in control of a certain team in your business (usually one that is not just focusing on marketing alone). It is handed over to an outside company or person, who then apply their expertise to help you market your business.   

What are the benefits of outsourcing?  

There are plenty of benefits to outsourcing your marketing. The first is that it helps you to have a specialist at hand. No matter the part of marketing that you need help in. When you have your marketing managed in-house, you need your team to apply all the different parts of marketing. Essentially becoming a “jack of all trades”. But when you outsource, you can handpick the skills you need.  

You can hire a specialist in SEO once a month and then ensure that you have a PPC expert there for a few hours a month. It is down to you to find the help you need for the time that you need it.   

Another reason to outsource is that it can be more cost-effective than hiring a team. Sure, there will still be a cost that needs to be paid. But, think of it like this. You will only pay the fractional director for the time you need them. Compared to hiring a team that you need to pay every single hour that they are employed, whether they are working on your marketing or not.   

One final reason to outsource is that it gives you an outside look at your business. You can get great ideas internally. But more often than not, they can be impacted by internal bias and office politics. It is a much better idea to have someone entirely unrelated to the business look at how you are doing and then show you what you can change to ensure that you reach where you want to be in the future.   

Does a marketing director need to be seen as leadership?  

One concern many business owners have when it comes to hiring a fractional director is that they will have some leadership responsibilities. The answer is no; they don’t have to.   

They will be involved in how your business is run daily, and they will ensure that their expertise is shared. But, they are not there to make critical decisions that relate to your business and to manage people.   

Instead, they can offer advice and guidance that you can then decide whether or not you use. The main thing to remember is that no matter what they say or advise, the end decision is down to you.   

What signs are there that the time has come to hire a fractional marketing director?  

There are several signs that the time has come to hire a fractional marketing director. The main one is that you have a current CMO who is out of the office; perhaps they have left or will be away long-term.   

Rather than hiring a replacement, you can outsource this work to someone outside of the business. Which means you can welcome your existing CMO back should they return.  

Another reason is that you feel that the ideas and approaches you currently have are not working for you as you hoped that they would and you are finding it harder and harder to achieve the results you are looking for.   

You may also want to hire a fractional CMO if you have found that your business is ready to be expanded, but you simply don’t know where best to start.   

The steps to implement a fractional marketing director

If you have decided that a fractional marketing director is the right thing for you, then you will want to know more about how you can implement them into your wider team. 

Here are some of the main steps to plan for and keep in mind:  

Step one – Decide what you need.

Think about what you are looking for and what you expect from your outsourced marketing director.   

Step two – Source the potential options.

Once you know what you want, you can start looking at what is available to you. Find out more about what they offer and how much they will cost. Also, find out whether they have any reviews or client testimonials they can share with you.   

Step three – Meet with the marketing director.

You must meet with your potential outsourced CMO to see how you feel you would work together. You need to prepare your questions before the meeting and ensure that you feel comfortable in being able to explain your goals and the situation that you are currently in.   

Step four – Have a shortlist.

Hopefully, you will have more than one CMO that you can consider hiring. This means that it is essential to create a shortlist of the options that you have. Write down the different pros and cons of all the options and compare them against one another. That way, you can quickly identify who will be the best fit for you and your business.  

Step five – Ask them to submit a proposal.

Once you have your shortlist, you can ask for potential options to submit a proposal. This should outline the services that they can offer and how much they will cost you.   

Step six – Make your decision.

Now is the tricky bit, deciding who will be the best option for you. Compare the proposals and see what you are getting for your money from each. Whilst price isn’t the be-all and end-all of your decision-making process; it will form an essential part.   

Once you have decided who is the right one to choose, the only thing left is for you and your outsourced marketing director to get to work. It will take time for you to work together and see results from your efforts, but I can promise you that it will be worth it in the long run. 

Some of my services: 

Outsourced Marketing Management

Marketing Consultancy Services

Need help?

If you would like help with your marketing then bringing on a marketing consultant with a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference. I work with B2B businesses and professional service firms in London, Kent, UK and Europe as well as specialising as a Legal Marketing Consultant. Please get in touch or book a free 30-minute consultation.