Outsourcing B2B Marketing: When & How to Do It

Shiyam Sunder
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May 3, 2024

Contents

If your current marketing effort isn’t yielding your desired results despite being handled by experts in your marketing team. Maybe it’s time to get more experts but this time at a cheaper cost.

Many companies turn to outsourcing B2B marketing to streamline expenses associated with in-house hiring while maintaining an efficient lead pipeline.

For example, Teamed witnessed a remarkable 230% increase in Lead to Opportunity conversion rates by allowing us to handle their marketing campaigns. Similarly, Peoplebox experienced a notable 17% increase in organic traffic and an 8-fold increase in form fills during its first quarter using our SEO experts.

While outsourcing appears promising, it's important to acknowledge that it's not a universal solution. Determining the right timing for your company and following up the process effectively are essential. We'll guide you through assessing your company's readiness and implementing strategies tailored to your needs.

When to Outsource B2B Marketing and its Benefits

If you’re unsure of the right time to outsource B2B marketing, you should watch out for these signs and how outsourcing can help;

1. Consider outsourcing when your in-house team are struggling to keep up with the company’s growth

When your B2B business is experiencing a growth spurt, your in-house marketing team can easily become overwhelmed. They are fazed with increased demand for marketing efforts, have tighter deadlines and sometimes pressured to exceed previous marketing metrics. This overwhelming feeling could affect their productivity which would eventually slow down the growth of your company.

The solution to this change is outsourcing your marketing to any of the top B2B marketing agencies. Many of these agencies have enough marketing experts who are dedicated to helping your business grow. With them, you have a bigger marketing team without worrying about the overhead cost of permanent hires.

2. Consider outsourcing when you lack in-house expertise for a specific marketing channel

Marketing is so broad that you could barely see a marketer with expertise in more than one marketing channel. You are either into email marketing, B2B growth marketing, social media marketing, SEO, or B2B enterprise marketing. An attempt to be all things is like a trap to getting subpar results. If your in-house marketing team is lacking some of these experts, you’re not alone. According to SEMrush’s How Business Hire Agencies report, the main reason companies outsource is because of lack of in-house expertise. 

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If you’ve found yourself here, then consider outsourcing to a B2B marketing agency. These agencies offer a wide range of marketing skills and experience enough to fill the gap in your marketing team. TripleDart, for example, boasts a team of B2B designers, marketing strategists, SEO experts, content marketers, and data analysts. Collaborating with them can bridge the gap in your marketing efforts.

3. Consider outsourcing when you want to save cost

Contrary to the belief that agency charges are exorbitant, outsourcing can actually lead to significant savings. This is because you're only paying an agency for the specific work they do. 

Unlike with in-house employees, you're not responsible for additional expenses such as holiday leave, sick leave, training, pensions, and other overhead costs. 

Aside from that, agencies understand that 'time is money' and strive to deliver results efficiently. They possess the expertise and resources to expedite your marketing efforts, helping you achieve results faster.

Outsourcing B2B marketing also saves the cost of investing in expensive marketing tools. For instance, we recently encountered increased pricing plans from Ahrefs, but such concerns are handled by us, not you.

4. Consider outsourcing when you want to scale faster

The best part of marketing is your ability to multiply results as soon as you get it right. If you're getting  x2 results with your in-house team, you could get x10 results by partnering with an agency. Simply communicate your current strategies, and witness how an agency can take it up from there.

With scaling, you don’t just grow, you also hit your ambitious goals quickly. You’re able to generate more leads, maintain your brand visibility, outshine your competitors and then attract and retain more clients.

At TripleDart, we've mastered these principles. Major brands like Teamed, Peoplebox, Astra, and Privado have all experienced growth just by partnering with us. Interested in reading their stories? Check here.

5. Consider outsourcing when you want to focus on your core business strength

Your company is likely to have unique areas of expertise like refining product development, prioritizing customer service and streamlining operations. However, attempting to juggle these functions alongside a demanding field like marketing can dilute your team's focus and hinder overall performance.

This where outsourcing the whole or part of your B2B marketing can come in. You are able to entrust specialized marketing tasks to external experts. By doing this, you’re not only freeing up your team's bandwidth but also ensuring that each function receives the attention and expertise it deserves.

If your core strengths isn’t lacking attention and your marketing needs are met, you’re definitely setting your business up for success.

6. Consider outsourcing when you want new marketing perspectives and skills

If you’re relying solely on an internal team, there are chances falling into repetitive routines and outdated strategies. This can be bad for marketing since it’s an ever evolving industry. We literally wake up to new updates, new Google and social media algorithms, shifts in consumer behavior and more that is shaping the industry. Being stuck to old marketing strategies only means doing what’s not working anymore thus leading to diminishing returns.

Outsourcing your marketing to an external marketing team who are invested in marketing, keeping up with latest trends, and having a unique point of view will bring numerous advantages to your business. Their innovative approach ensures that each aspect of marketing is handled by specialists in the field.

7. Consider outsourcing if you’re lacking the right tools and technologies

Marketing agencies heavily invest in cutting-edge tools and technology, ranging from B2B lead generation tools to sophisticated marketing automation platforms. They not only acquire these tools but also possess the expertise to leverage them effectively. Even the seemingly free tools demand skillful handling. Interestingly, agencies can’t do without these tools.

You can leverage this reality to your advantage by entrusting your marketing needs to these agencies. By doing so, your company can redirect the funds saved towards enhancing other critical areas of operation.

How much does outsourcing B2B SaaS marketing cost?

Based on extensive research conducted among leading digital marketing agencies, the typical cost of outsourcing B2B SaaS marketing falls within a range of $100 to $200 per hour. However, it's important to recognize that several factors contribute to this range. Here are some of them;

1. Scope of Services

The number of services required can impact the overall cost. These services include offerings like content creation, SEO, PPC advertising, email marketing, and pipeline marketing. While some businesses only require a subset of these services, others may benefit from a comprehensive package. This simply implies that the more extensive the scope, the higher the associated cost.

2. Complexity of the Project

Every business operates within a distinct market environment with different levels of competition and complexity. Industries with high competition typically demand more sophisticated strategies, leading to higher costs. Conversely, businesses operating in less competitive sectors may find their marketing expenses comparatively lower.

3. Project Duration

The duration of the engagement also determines pricing structures. Whether opting for a one-time project, a long-term partnership, or a short-term campaign, pricing may vary accordingly. Meanwhile, long-term contracts sometimes offer incentives such as discounted rates and additional benefits.

4. Performance Metrics and KPIs

In some arrangements, the compensation of the marketing agency may be tied to specific performance metrics. This performance-based model ensures alignment of interests between the client and the agency, with costs reflecting the outcomes achieved. Metrics such as leads generated, revenue generated, or other predefined benchmarks directly influence the cost structure.

How to outsource B2B marketing?

Deciding to outsource B2B marketing is not enough. The process still requires careful planning and execution. So here’s a roadmap to guide you;

1. Define Your Goals and Needs

Before deciding to put funds aside for outsourcing you need to be clear about your goals and expectations. What gap are you trying to fill? Is it B2B lead generation? brand awareness? content creation? 

Clarifying your goals will help you identify an outsource partner that has the skill set and experience required to fulfill those objectives. For instance you should only outsource B2B lead generation to agencies with proven track record lead gen. The ensuing benefit is seamless communication because both parties understand each other's objectives.

2. Conduct an Internal Audit

Aside being clear with your goal, take a look at your current marketing capabilities. What resources and expertise do you have in-house?  What are the existing marketing efforts, and what's working (or not working)? 

These questions must be answered to identify your strengths and weaknesses thus making it easier to know which aspects of marketing to outsource. 

3. Find the right agency

Once you've pinpointed the specific roles you want to outsource and defined your marketing goals, the next step is finding an agency that truly aligns with your needs. However, it's important to recognize that simply finding an agency isn't sufficient, as many online agencies make claims they can't back up. 

To distinguish genuine agencies that deliver tangible results, thoroughly examine their portfolio, scrutinize reviews from previous clients, and read their case studies. Once you’ve found the perfect partner for your business, you can always reach out to them through the discovery button on their websites. 

Meanwhile, you can take the time to explore our website to assess whether we meet your specific requirements and expectations. We serve B2B SaaS startups and scale up. We can help you with pipeline marketing, performance SEO, content and thought leadership, marketing and sales ops, branding and web design, and data analytics.

4. Negotiate the Contract and Onboarding

Choosing your partner marks the beginning of your journey thus the need to solidify the details of the contract. You should clearly define deliverables, timelines, communication protocols, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for measuring success. The onboarding process too should involve close collaboration to ensure a smooth transition. By attending to these aspects, you’re paving the way for a mutually beneficial partnership.

When to Insource B2B marketing?

We’ve seen when and how to outsource B2B marketing. Now, let’s consider the question: when is insourcing the preferable option? While outsourcing has its merits, does insourcing offer a superior solution?

No one is better than the other. Each excels in specific roles. If you read this article to this point, you must have known the advantages outsourcing brings to the table, particularly in accessing specialized skill sets and cost saving. 

Insourcing on the other hand can help when there's a need for industry knowledge. Obviously because no one knows the industry better than the people in it. This comes in handy when your target audience is very specific or technical. Another moment when insourced marketing should be preferred over outsourced marketing your marketing needs is very frequent and the budget is tight.

What you can do is try to find a balance, identify tasks where your in-house team shines and outsource those where external expertise is advantageous.

Start your Outsourcing Journey with TripleDart Digital Marketing 

As a leading global B2B SaaS Marketing Agency, we specialize in helping businesses reach new heights of growth. Our track record speaks for itself: we've supported countless startups from inception to success, earning praise from over 100 satisfied businesses. Let us replicate this success for you.

Count on us to attract leads, nurture relationships, and convert them into loyal customers with our proven marketing strategies. Whether you're a budding startup or a scaling enterprise, we're equipped to guide you. Simply share where you are in your journey, and we'll take it from there.

Ready to get started? Book a Discovery Call Here.

Shiyam Sunder
Shiyam Sunder
Co- Founder | Tripledart - Growth Startups

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