Full-Time Employee(s)
Full-time employees handle the bulk of your company’s marketing efforts. So, companies that do their marketing in-house normally don’t need to supplement with freelancers or marketing agencies.
Pros of In-House Marketing
Perhaps one of the major benefits you can get from doing your marketing with your employees is their familiarity with services and products. Your internal staff is more knowledgeable about your target audience and where prospects and customers are in the buyer’s journey.
Marketing with your employees also ensures quicker communication and improved collaboration. This then allows you to make decisions and respond to new trends more swiftly. It also reduces long lead times because you can easily inform stakeholders.
Cons of In-House Marketing
In-house marketing has some drawbacks that you need to know before making that plunge. For starters, your marketing efforts will heavily depend on the quality of talent you have hired. Additionally, the type and size of campaigns that you launch rely on the resources you have at your disposal.
You should also keep in mind that marketing tools are too expensive for in-house teams with limited resources. Additionally, you’ll need to vet possible tools to discover which ones are best for your company, which can be time-consuming.
Marketing Freelancers
Freelancers are employed on a contract basis to supply clients with specific marketing services on a project-by-project basis. Some independent marketers may also work full- or part-time for other companies.
Pros of Freelancers
Freelancers have their fair share of benefits to your organization. For instance, they are your best alternative if you have a limited budget. Freelancers also save you money because you do not have to offer them any benefits. With no long-term commitments, you pay for the marketing and creative services you require.
Additionally, freelancers are much easier to scale up and down. They require less emotional engagement on your part as an employer compared to full-time employees.
Cons of Freelance Marketers
While they can benefit some, freelancers also have their faults. It may be tough to schedule phone calls and coordinate meetings if your freelancer lives in a different time zone. The flexible work hours associated with freelancing may not always be available throughout the typical workday.
Some freelancers often lack the necessary expertise to handle numerous marketing functions, thus prompting the hiring of additional workers, which can be difficult to manage.