<div class="gn-article"><div class="gn-hero gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-hero__image"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/68a737fd8691ceb1f63441bc_we.png" alt=""></div> <div class="gn-hero__head"> <span class="gn-kicker"><span class="dot"></span>Growth</span> <h1 class="gn-title">Round-up: In-house, Agency, or Freelance – Getting the best from your marketing budget</h1> <div class="gn-meta"> <strong>The GO Network</strong> <span class="pip"></span> <span>18 April 2024</span> <span class="pip"></span> <span>9 min read</span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gn-body"> <p class="gn-lede gn-reveal">The challenge many marketers are facing this year is not so much in 'getting it right' when it comes to their strategy, but rather in <strong>squeezing the most value they can out of the resource</strong> and investment they're using.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">In a recent panel discussion led by <strong>The GO Network</strong>, in-house marketers from industry-leading businesses came together to share the typical barriers marketing decision makers can face when optimising their resource, along with actionable advice for getting the best from your investments.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">In this round-up of the session, we've compiled the key learnings from our brand leaders, how to evaluate the <strong>options available for in-house, freelance, and agency support</strong> on key areas of your strategy, and best practise advice on <strong>getting the very best from your external marketing resource</strong> and budget.</p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Our brand leaders:</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-court/" target="_blank"><strong>Mathew Court</strong></a>, Senior SEO Manager at <a href="https://www.autotrader.co.uk/" target="_blank"><strong>Auto Trader UK</strong></a><br> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leegrunnell/" target="_blank"><strong>Lee Grunnell</strong></a>, Chief Marketing Officer at <a href="https://www.womblebonddickinson.com/uk" target="_blank"><strong>Womble Bond Dickinson</strong></a><br> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrhodes1/" target="_blank"><strong>Ben Rhodes</strong></a>, Brand Director of <a href="https://www.thephoenixgroup.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Phoenix Group</strong></a><br> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-bleakley-6a144063/" target="_blank"><strong>Liz Bleakley</strong></a>, Head of PR &amp; Comms at <a href="https://stpierregroupe.com/" target="_blank"><strong>St Pierre Groupe</strong></a> </p> <p class="gn-reveal"><a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/events" target="_blank"><strong><em>View our upcoming events calendar</em></strong></a></p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal"><span class="num">01</span>When to review your agency and in-house marketing ecosystem</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">By evaluating your resource and identifying clear objectives, businesses can focus their marketing efforts on activities that are most likely to drive growth and <strong>achieve desired outcomes</strong>, with minimum loss on investment.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">From limited budgets to an ever-evolving digital landscape and increased market competition, <strong>how do you know it's time to review your marketing resource?</strong></p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Assessing your Strategy Timelines</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"There are two main triggers that have made me evaluate my resources, first is around our business planning cycle, <strong>thinking three to five years ahead on</strong> <strong>what you're looking to achieve with your strategy</strong>, then identifying whether you have the right resources and capabilities to meet that expectation."<cite>Ben Rhodes · Brand Director, Phoenix Group</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Reviewing your Cost vs. Performance Outcomes</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"The other is after a <strong>cost efficiency audit</strong> on your processes, supply base, invoice etc. to recognise where and how you can make your money stretch a lot further and operate in much more efficient way."<cite>Ben Rhodes · Brand Director, Phoenix Group</cite></blockquote> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"If you notice that you're not delivering the performance that you should be, assess <strong>why</strong> that might be. Is it because the structure isn't quite set up correctly? <strong>Is it because you don't have the right skills in the team?</strong> Is it because you're focusing on the wrong areas? You can then begin to <strong>reorientate your strategy and resources</strong> after identifying the possible cause of underperforming."<cite>Lee Grunnell · Chief Marketing Officer, Womble Bond Dickinson</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Change in Leadership</h3> <aside class="gn-quote gn-reveal"><q>A change in leadership or key stakeholders tends to have a significant impact on the resources and investment put behind your marketing strategy.</q><cite>Liz Bleakley · Head of PR &amp; Comms, St Pierre Groupe</cite></aside> <p class="gn-reveal">Where you might have someone come in who's passionate about marketing and understands the power of it, on the flip side, you might have a change in leadership where that enthusiasm isn't there, <strong>making the job for your in-house team but also your agency partners a little bit harder</strong>.</p> <p class="gn-reveal"><a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/news/7-ways-to-get-genuine-stakeholder-buy-in-for-your-marketing-strategy" target="_blank"><strong><em>7 Ways to Get Genuine Stakeholder Buy-in for your Marketing Strategy</em></strong></a></p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Keeping up with the Competition</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"There's an ever-changing landscape of what is right to do and what is considered bad practice in the world of marketing, especially in the organic space. So, having an agency partner who is entrusted to share that knowledge and <strong>flag any emerging trends they might find</strong> is always a good approach to framing your resources. Furthermore, our competitive landscape is changing daily, so <strong>knowing the emerging competitors who are in your space</strong> and what they're delivering can ultimately help shape your strategy."<cite>Mathew Court · Senior SEO Manager, Auto Trader UK</cite></blockquote> <p class="gn-reveal"><a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/resources/the-go-network-pulse-check-2024" target="_blank"><strong><em>Our 2024 Industry Pulse Check on Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities to Shape your Strategy</em></strong></a></p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal"><span class="num">02</span>Key Considerations when Building a Marketing Function</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">So, you understand a change is needed when it comes to your marketing resource, but the process of making changes to your existing ecosystem can be time-consuming. How do you make sure you're making the right decisions for your business?</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">In-house Control vs. External Support</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"In today's digital world, there are so many different channels and platforms to utilise, making it difficult to outsource everything. You must look to <strong>find that balance between in-house control and external support</strong>, especially as you go through different economic cycles. So, looking at that total cost of ownership of bringing people in-house, training them, <strong>and their longevity value against seeking an agency partner</strong> in certain areas and the various benefits you'll get from working with them."<cite>Ben Rhodes · Brand Director, Phoenix Group</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Reflecting your Purchase Funnel</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"The guiding principle to building a marketing function should be based on how the market buys your product or service, <strong>what does your external research say about the purchase funnel</strong>, and then reflecting your team structure to be aligned to that. Once you have established what that purchase funnel looks like, you can start to think about; the right strategy for these different markets, <strong>the right tactics and delivery channels to utilise</strong>, and which of those you want to keep in-house or outsource."<cite>Lee Grunnell · Chief Marketing Officer, Womble Bond Dickinson</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Finding the Right Agency Support</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">Once you're aware that changes need to be made to your existing marketing ecosystem, how do you ensure that any time spent on sourcing new external partners is going to drive positive results?</p> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"The main consideration for us is finding a marketing agency that can <strong>deliver on the set goals we have in mind</strong>. Once we get to that equilibrium of where we want to be, it's about ensuring the agency team is fully embedded into <strong>our culture</strong>, <strong>our values</strong>, <strong>and works as an extension of our team</strong>, as opposed to another resource that we pay monthly for."<cite>Mathew Court · Senior SEO Manager, Auto Trader UK</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">A Detailed Marketing Brief</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">When it comes to 'going live' with a new marketing requirement, <strong>Liz</strong> highlights the importance of constructing a detailed brief when going to market for external support.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">"There are a few questions you should answer before starting that process:</p> <aside class="gn-callout gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-callout__label">What this means for you</div> <h4>Questions to answer before going to market for external support.</h4> <ul> <li><strong>What is the goal of appointing an agency?</strong></li> <li><strong>What does success look like for you?</strong></li> <li><strong>What results are going to bring key stakeholders onboard?</strong></li> <li><strong>Do you need prior support in identifying the results you want to achieve?</strong></li> <li><strong>What expertise are missing from your in-house team?</strong></li> <li><strong>How important is team values to you when seeking external support?</strong></li> </ul> </aside> <p class="gn-reveal">If you don't put that time into the brief and avoid answering those key questions, the agency appointed could be set up to fail.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Download: <a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/resources/how-to-guide-to-writing-a-digital-marketing-brief" target="_blank"><strong><em>The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Digital Marketing Brief</em></strong></a></p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal"><span class="num">03</span>Measuring performance with agency partners</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Once you've made the decision to work with a new external agency partner, avoiding complacency is crucial to getting the most from your investment. Measuring the success of these partners against your set objectives on a regular basis allows you to consistently ensure performance expectations are being met.</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Setting the right KPIs</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"To oversimplify, we have a quarterly KPI dashboard that <strong>measures those key performance metrics against revenue and profit</strong>, so generally if those performance metrics are increasing in due course revenue is likely to follow. Those KPIs then inform a <strong>wider set of KPIs for each of our agency reps</strong>."<cite>Lee Grunnell · Chief Marketing Officer, Womble Bond Dickinson</cite></blockquote> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"If you're setting KPIs or looking to measure the impact of your agency partners, build those in collaboration, <strong>they will know what's achievable</strong>, <strong>and you will know what you need</strong>. Furthermore, collaborate on tracking, smaller, less established businesses may not have the sophisticated dashboard set up to keep on top of those KPIs, <strong>which is an area your agency partner should support on</strong>."<cite>Liz Bleakley · Head of PR &amp; Comms, St Pierre Groupe</cite></blockquote> <p class="gn-reveal">Download: <a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/resources/the-marketing-agency-evaluation-checklist" target="_blank"><strong><em>The Marketing Agency Evaluation Checklist</em></strong></a></p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">Performance Reviews and Open Communication</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"We have a monthly review with our team to see if we've achieved the targets set at the beginning of the year. Sometimes you may deliver, and other times you may come short, but the important thing is your tracking and <strong>making remedial actions based on that data</strong>."<cite>Ben Rhodes · Brand Director, Phoenix Group</cite></blockquote> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"From the integration side, we like to have <strong>open communication channels with our agency partners</strong> to keep updated on our marketing activity and performance. There are various communication tools to help with that such as <strong>Slack</strong>, where you can message and respond almost instantaneously, as well as <strong>tag the relevant people involved in that certain area or project</strong>, as opposed to just using email, where key information can get lost."<cite>Mathew Court · Senior SEO Manager, Auto Trader UK</cite></blockquote> <p class="gn-reveal"><a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/resources/playback-leadership-panel---maximising-your-marketing-budget-with-in-house-and-external-support" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH THE FULL WORKSHOP TO LEARN MORE</strong></a></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><em>Make sure you're getting the most from your external marketing investments and resources. GO! offer cost-free agency recommendations, pitch management, and more,</em> <a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/get-in-touch" target="_blank"><strong><em>get in touch</em></strong></a> <em>to get started.</em></p> </div></div> <aside class="gn-related gn-reveal" data-auto="related-reading"> <div class="gn-related__label">Related reading</div> <ul class="gn-related__list"> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/leadership-panel---maximising-your-marketing-budget-with-in-house-and-external-support" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Expression</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Leadership Panel - Maximising your Marketing Budget with In-house and External Support</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Senior brand leaders share how to frame resources, build the right team structure, and future-proof marketing growth for maximum budget impa</span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/mutual-success-getting-the-best-from-your-agency-relationships" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Expression</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Mutual Success: Getting the best from your Agency Relationships</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Senior marketing leaders share frameworks for agency selection, performance benchmarking, and building partnerships that deliver at every st</span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/mutual-success-getting-the-best-from-your-marketing-agency-relationships" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Expression</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Mutual Success - Getting the Best from your Marketing Agency Relationships</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Senior marketing leaders share how to outsource smarter, run tighter appointments, and benchmark agency performance for stronger, mutual res</span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/round-up-6-ways-to-drive-differentiation-through-your-marketing-strategy" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Expression</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Round-up: 6 ways to drive differentiation through your marketing strategy</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Six agency leaders share how to identify your USPs, build brand recognition, and turn points of difference into a standout marketing strateg</span> </a> </li> </ul> </aside>