In the fast-paced world of marketing, businesses are constantly navigating the pressure of staying competitive while maximizing their budget. The question many are asking: should you hire an in-house team or partner with an agency? Sure, hiring internally might seem like the simpler route, but a marketing agency offers game-changing perks that go beyond just the basics. From saving on overhead costs to gaining specialized expertise, an agency can bring flexibility and creativity to your business. In this post, we’ll break down why working with a Canadian marketing agency like Unalike Marketing is not only a smart choice, but the choice.
Breaking Down the Costs: Agency vs. Internal Hiring
One of the most significant factors in deciding between hiring internally or working with an agency is the cost. Let’s break down the actual math behind each option to better understand how hiring a marketing agency can offer savings.
Internal Hire Costs:
Hiring a full-time employee for a marketing role includes various expenses beyond just the salary. These include:
Base Salary: The salary for an experienced marketing professional can range widely, but let’s assume an average of $75,000 to $100,000 per year.
Benefits: On top of the salary, businesses typically spend an additional 20-30% of the salary on benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, etc.). For an employee with a $90,000 salary, that’s an extra $18,000 to $27,000 annually.
Training and Onboarding: For new hires, companies often incur costs associated with training, which can range from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the complexity of the role.
Software & Tools: Marketing professionals typically need various tools to do their job (CRM software, social media management tools, analytics tools, etc.), which can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per year.
Total Cost of Internal Hire:
Salary: $90,000
Benefits: $18,000 (20%)
Software & Tools: $1,500 (average)
Training & Onboarding: $2,000 (one-time)
Total Estimated Cost (Year 1): $111,500
Marketing Agency Costs:
When working with a marketing agency, the cost structure is typically project or retainer-based. Agencies often offer packages based on the scope of work required, and you can choose the level of service based on your budget.
Agency Fees: For comprehensive marketing services (content creation, SEO, digital advertising, etc.), an agency might charge anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000+ per month depending on the complexity and level of service required.
No Benefits or Overhead: With agencies, you don’t have to worry about office space, benefits, or payroll taxes. Just straightforward billing.
Total Cost of Marketing Agency Services (Monthly):
$3,000 to $10,000+
Yearly (Assuming $5,000/month): $60,000
Cost Comparison (Year 1):
Internal Hire: $111,500 (first year with training & onboarding costs)
Agency: $60,000 (annual retainer at $5,000/month)
Savings by Hiring a Marketing Agency
$51,500 in the first year alone!
This is a conservative estimate and doesn't account for the additional costs that can arise when an internal hire underperforms, requires ongoing management, or leaves the company, which would add further costs for recruitment and lost productivity.
Benefits of Hiring a Marketing Agency Versus Internal Marketing Team
An internal marketing team brings a sense of continuity, knowledge of your brand, and the ability to work closely alongside other departments. They’re part of your company’s DNA, bringing consistency and a personal touch to your campaigns. However, partnering with a marketing agency offers a range of benefits that can complement your internal efforts. From accessing specialized skills to saving on overhead, an agency can bring fresh perspectives and scalable solutions that an in-house team might struggle to deliver on their own. Let’s take a look at the benefits of this approach.
Real Cost-Effectiveness of Hiring a Marketing Agency
Let’s face it, running a business isn’t cheap. Hiring an in-house team may seem cost-effective at first, but let’s take a moment to talk about those hidden expenses. There’s the salary, benefits, training, office space, equipment, software—the list goes on. The costs can quickly add up. Partnering with a marketing agency means you get access to top-tier talent without all the financial baggage. Agencies like Unalike Marketing operate on a contract basis, so you can scale up or down depending on your needs. Want to go all-in for a campaign? We’re ready. Need just a little marketing TLC? We’ve got you covered.
Access to a Wide Range of Specialized Skills
Hiring an internal team can mean juggling a lot of generalists, all wearing many hats. But what happens when you need a true expert in social media, SEO, or digital advertising? That’s where the magic of an agency comes in. Agencies like Unalike Marketing are home to specialists in every niche of marketing, whether it's crafting viral content for TikTok, mastering search engine algorithms, or strategizing digital ads that bring in the big bucks. Rather than hiring multiple internal employees to manage different aspects of your marketing, a single agency can provide comprehensive support tailored to your needs.
Flexibility and Scalability
When you hire internally, you're limited by the number of team members and their bandwidth. You may find yourself with an overloaded team during peak seasons, which could lead to burnout and subpar results. Alternatively, during slower months, your internal marketing team might struggle to justify their salaries or find ways to stay productive.
Want to ramp up for a new season of promotions? We’ll bring in the muscle. Slowing down? We can scale back without the guilt or the hassle of layoffs. With an agency, we can allocate additional resources to your campaigns during peak periods and scale back when the demand decreases.
Fresh Perspective and Innovation
Internal teams can fall into the trap of “same old, same old”—after all, they’re deep into the weeds of your brand day in and day out. An outside agency, though? They bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the table. At Unalike Marketing, we work across a variety of industries, so we’re constantly bringing innovative strategies and fresh approaches that you might not have considered. Latest trends, technologies, and best practices to inject new ideas into your campaigns, keeping them creative and engaging. A little innovation goes a long way, and we’re here to make sure your marketing stays as cutting-edge as your business.
Faster Time to Market
Hiring internally means wading through a long hiring process, onboarding, training, and waiting for your team to align with your business goals. By the time your team is ready to hit the ground running, your competition may already have a head start. With an agency, you skip all that. Whether you're looking to launch a new campaign, refresh your branding, or optimize your digital presence, we can deliver results. We’re already staffed, trained, and ready to jump into your projects, giving you a faster time to market and the ability to stay ahead of the curve.
Reduced Risk and Accountability
Hiring employees comes with a level of risk. What happens if that perfect marketing hire doesn’t turn out to be so perfect? What if they leave? The disruption can derail your marketing momentum, and suddenly you’re back at square one. With an agency like Unalike Marketing, you’re protected from these risks. We’ve got a full team of experts to keep things moving, and if one team member becomes unavailable, we’ve got a deep bench to ensure continuity. Our performance is our promise, and we’re accountable for delivering results. So go ahead, focus on your business—we’ve got the marketing covered.
Can Marketing Agency Fees Be Considered a Capital Expenditure
In many cases, marketing agency fees are considered operating expenses—you know, the ongoing costs that are necessary to keep your business running. This includes things like strategy development, content creation, and digital advertising. These fees are tied to your day-to-day business operations, not a long-term asset.
However, if your marketing efforts lead to the creation of intellectual property (like a custom-built marketing platform or unique branding), you might be able to capitalize certain marketing costs. For specific guidance, it’s always a good idea to chat with your accountant to see if some of those fees might qualify as capital expenditures.
Roles You Could Hire for and How Unalike Marketing Can Help
While hiring internally might make sense for certain roles, it’s important to recognize that there are many areas where outsourcing to a marketing agency is more efficient in terms of timing and cost. Let’s take a look at the various roles you might consider hiring for and how Unalike Marketing can fill those gaps.
Fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
The rise of the Fractional CFO role in recent years has led many businesses to rethink their approach to leadership positions. A fractional CFO provides expert financial oversight without the need for a full-time hire, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses that require high-level financial management but don’t yet have the resources to bring on a full-time executive.
Similarly, businesses are recognizing the growing need for a Fractional CMO. As marketing has become more complex with the rise of digital platforms, social media, and evolving customer expectations, a Fractional CMO offers expert guidance without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire. A Fractional CMO provides strategic direction for your marketing efforts, leads your team, and ensures your business’s marketing strategies are aligned with overarching business goals.
While a Fractional CFO focuses on managing your finances, a Fractional CMO focuses on ensuring your marketing efforts are delivering maximum value. By hiring a Fractional CMO, businesses gain access to top-tier leadership, without the overhead costs of a full-time position, making it easier to craft and execute marketing strategies that drive long-term success. This can include management of your current marketing team.
Unalike Marketing’s experienced marketing team, specifically their Owner and Lead Strategist, Kyle Senger, will act as your Fractional CMO, working with you to create strategic marketing plans that lead to growth. We bring years of leadership experience and expertise to guide your business’s marketing efforts, ensuring your marketing strategies are not only effective but scalable.
Content Creation Specialist
Content is king in today’s digital landscape, but creating high-quality content is no easy feat. A dedicated content creator can be expensive, and finding someone with the right skill set may take time.
Unalike Marketing can provide content creation services that align with your brand voice and audience. From blog posts to social media updates, video scripts, and email newsletters, our team can help you develop engaging and persuasive content that drives results.
SEO Expert
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for driving organic traffic to your website, but it requires a specialized skill set to ensure your website ranks well in search engine results.
Rather than hiring an in-house SEO expert, you can rely on Unalike Marketing’s SEO specialists to optimize your website and content for search engines. We use proven strategies and tools to increase your visibility, attract more visitors, and convert them into customers.
Digital Advertising Manager
Managing digital ad campaigns across platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram can be time-consuming and complex. It requires a deep understanding of targeting, bidding strategies, and ad creatives.
Unalike Marketing has a dedicated team of digital advertising experts who can craft highly targeted ads to reach your ideal audience. We optimize your campaigns for maximum ROI, ensuring that every ad dollar you spend is working hard to generate leads and sales.
Social Media Manager
Social media management is essential for building brand awareness and engaging with your audience. But it takes more than just posting photos or writing captions; you need a strategic approach to create a cohesive brand presence across multiple platforms.
At Unalike Marketing, we offer social media management services tailored to your business. We can help you develop a content calendar, create viral-worthy posts, and manage interactions with your followers to foster a strong community around your brand.
Marketing Strategist
If you’re not sure where to begin with your marketing efforts, a marketing strategist can help define your goals, identify your target audience, and develop an action plan.
Unalike Marketing offers strategic marketing services, where we can help you craft a comprehensive marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals. Our team can guide you through every step of the process, from research and planning to execution and analysis.
Conclusion: Why Unalike Marketing is Your Perfect Marketing Partner
Choosing to hire a marketing agency over an internal team can provide your business with numerous advantages. By accessing specialized skills, scaling your efforts as needed, and benefiting from fresh perspectives, you’ll have the resources to drive growth without the complexities of hiring and managing an internal team. Maybe the greatest benefit? Geography doesn't play a part in your agency. Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg or Calgary, find yourself the best marketing expertise.
When you consider the direct cost savings, flexibility, and ability to scale, it’s clear that marketing agencies offer an efficient and effective alternative to hiring a full-time marketing team. Ready to reduce overhead costs and take your marketing to the next level? Unalike Marketing, based in Saskatchewan is here to help you achieve your goals with customized, high-impact marketing strategies tailored to your business needs.
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