Developing a Marketing Service Outsourcing Strategy: Case Studies & Success Stories

When it comes to marketing strategy development, it typically begins with a comprehensive analysis of your business and market, taking into consideration economic, political, and technological factors, as well as the identification of strategic issues. While traditional marketing plans often span several years, shorter-term plans are gaining popularity due to the dynamic nature of the merchandising environment. This allows companies to remain adaptable to sudden changes while staying focused on their goals.

Crafting the right marketing strategy for your business is a time-consuming process that requires careful consideration. The suitability of a strategy depends on the specific market context. What may be a successful marketing approach for a new business might not be appropriate for a well-established firm operating in a mature market. Developing an effective strategy calls for the expertise of professionals who possess an in-depth understanding of your business and industry.

However, hiring full-time professionals can be a significant investment, especially for smaller businesses or those venturing into new markets. Even companies with internal marketing departments may find it beneficial to outsource certain strategic marketing functions, allowing them to concentrate on more critical tasks.

Marketing strategy, while crucial, is often a non-core task that many organizations, particularly SMBs, are outsourcing to marketing service providers. For businesses lacking the necessary resources or an established brand seeking expansion into new territories, building an in-house marketing team and hiring top marketing strategists can be both expensive and impractical. Engaging with a third-party provider saves costs associated with hiring full-time staff, as well as the time required for recruitment and training. It provides businesses with access to specialized expertise and tailored strategies without the burden of maintaining an entire internal marketing department.

Marketing Strategists

In today’s business landscape, entrepreneurs recognize the importance of effective marketing to drive growth while being mindful of their marketing budget. CEOs are increasingly relying on their marketing teams to enhance customer engagement, retention, and satisfaction. Marketers face the challenge of capturing the attention of their target audience across various channels, while also delivering a seamless, personalized buying experience.

This is true for businesses of all sizes, but organizations lacking in-house marketing talent are particularly prone to growth-limiting obstacles. Many companies are ill-prepared for the time and resource investment required to excel in marketing. Consequently, there is often a performance gap in terms of strategy, skills, and technology. Surveys indicate that over 90 percent of companies lack digital skills, with only a mere 4 percent aligning their training efforts with digital strategies.

To bridge this gap, third-party providers are stepping in to offer outsourced marketing services. These providers operate on a global scale, allowing clients to tap into their expertise, technology, and talent, regardless of their geographical location. With the assistance of marketing service providers, businesses gain access to a dedicated Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or an entire team of marketing experts at a fraction of the cost compared to in-house recruitment.

Accessing Marketing Talent and Technology

Traditional and digital marketers appear to clog the job market, but top marketing talent that fits your business is in limited supply. According to the National Association of Business Economics (NABE), 47% of American companies are short on skilled workers. This has made outsourcing a viable option for companies looking to bridge the skills gap and secure top marketing talent that aligns with their business needs and objectives.

Skilled marketing strategists possess a unique blend of creativity and analytical prowess, leveraging their deep understanding of marketing metrics to make data-driven decisions. They thrive in the face of complex market dynamics, evolving customer behaviors, diverse engagement channels, and competing business priorities. Moreover, they possess financial acumen, constantly focusing on maximizing return on investment (ROI) for each marketing initiative.

However, in reality, many marketers struggle to deliver ROI-driven marketing activities, particularly when it comes to measuring the effectiveness of digital campaigns in driving conversions. The multifaceted responsibilities shouldered by CMOs or marketing strategists often distract them from core marketing activities. Outsourcing marketing strategy alleviates this burden by entrusting the responsibility to external experts who operate within well-defined management guidelines. By doing so, businesses can offload cost and risk burdens while still achieving exceptional outcomes.

Outsourcing marketing strategy provides immediate access not only to a skilled individual but an entire team of marketing experts. Alongside a dedicated strategist, businesses gain the expertise of content specialists, designers, web developers, and data analysts who are equipped with the latest tools and technologies. Adopting an outsourced marketing model that seamlessly combines talent, technology, and strategy proves advantageous whether you are a burgeoning startup or an established industry player with years of experience.

Offshore Marketing Strategists

Outsourcing your marketing strategy to an offshore service provider presents a compelling option for organizations seeking maximum cost savings. Offshore marketing strategists possess comparable qualifications to their local counterparts, yet the overall cost of hiring them is significantly lower. This cost-effectiveness is coupled with the flexibility to engage permanent or contract staff, enabling businesses to easily scale their resources up or down as needed. Furthermore, partnering with an offshore provider offers the advantage of gaining a fresh perspective from an objective standpoint. Service providers are unencumbered by internal bureaucracy, allowing them to challenge assumptions and theories with a critical eye.

To ensure the success of your marketing campaign, it is crucial to collaborate closely with an experienced offshore marketing service provider who has a proven track record in delivering ROI-driven marketing strategies. Look for a provider that offers a wide range of cross-sector expertise and possesses a deep understanding of various marketing disciplines. This includes proficiency in market research and business intelligence, data and big data analysis, comprehensive campaign planning, execution, and measurement, as well as effective budget planning and management. By selecting a reputable offshore partner, you can leverage their specialized skills to drive impactful marketing outcomes while optimizing your cost efficiency.

Outsourced Marketing Case Studies and Success Stories

#1. U.S. Healthcare Firm 

A leading healthcare company based in the United States realized the benefits of marketing outsourcing when it partnered with an experienced third party to manage its web presence. As one of the biggest providers of Medicare in the U.S, the company offers healthcare insurance and other health and wellness services using an integrated approach to well-being.

In only five years, the company acquired seven additional brands, which led to a weaker core brand and reduced memberships and renewals. The company wanted to revamp its online presence completely, strengthen the brand, and deliver a personalized customer experience through the integration of its multiple online channels. The firm chose an established marketing outsourcing service provider to redesign and consolidate its web operations and improve customer satisfaction through a more personalized engagement approach. 

The service provider leveraged its expertise in digital transformation and user experience management to increase customer satisfaction and reorganize the company’s digital assets. The result of the partnership was a unified, customer-centric online experience with an emphasis on personalized content. The healthcare company now has a single online portal for all its products and services, with an improved selling ability and increased customer satisfaction.

#2. Italian Food Products Business

An Italian food products manufacturer, operating 16 production plants and employing over 7,000 people, wanted its marketing function to be more dynamic and aligned with the needs and lifestyle of its younger customer base. The company wanted to engage this segment through online marketing and social media as well as improve brand visibility to encourage customer loyalty.

The company worked with a third party marketing services outsourcing provider to create and manage digital content for its multiple mini websites. The interactive minisites promoted food products in a fun way that engaged their target demographic. More content and targeted promotion meant higher traffic, which the project team handled by organizing the site by role and area of interest. The content of the website changes in real time based on visitor selections. 

By working with an experienced marketing provider, the food products manufacturer improved brand health monitoring by 100 percent, improved the company’s social media presence by 100 percent, increased sales with electronic coupons and increased the speed of communication between the company and its customers. One of the company’s project managers said that outsourcing marketing services to a third party helped the business make better use of internal resources and reinvent business-wide customer engagement through the use of innovative technology.

#3. Canadian Shipping Company

A shipping company based in Quebec used marketing services outsourcing to boost growth and return on investment. The company wanted to generate brand awareness and present their value proposition to their target market. They worked with a third party provider specializing in B2B marketing for an effective and measurable solution.

After an in-depth analysis of the company and industry, including interviews with customers, the outsourced marketing team created a marketing strategy that improved the company’s competitive advantage. The team also developed a tactical plan to generate the biggest ROI. By working with a third party, the company increased its new customer acquisition rate by more than 80 percent. It also increased website traffic by over 50 percent and improved SEO ranking for target keywords.

#4. Toronto Law Firm

A Toronto-based law firm specializing in employment law worked with a marketing services outsourcing provider to implement an effective marketing strategy that would increase awareness and generate leads. The marketing service provider updated the company’s brand identity to ensure a consistent presence. They created a new website, logo, marketing collaterals and a referral program to drive lead generation. With the new collaterals, the company gained a fresh, professional identity and a framework for lead generation activities.

To learn more about outsourcing, you can read our Top 8 Qualities of an Outsourcing Company in the Philippines article. We invite you to follow us on social media and to visit our website to learn more about our services.

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About Us: Sourcefit is a widely recognized US-managed business process outsourcing company based in Manila, Philippines. We proudly serve over 100 clients with a workforce of more than 1,300 employees. Our global centers can serve multiple markets, and our staff is highly proficient in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Whether you need a few or many employees, we can help you achieve your business goals and build high-quality offshore teams.

Latest Awards

Sourcefit’s commitment to excellence has been recognized through numerous industry awards and certifications.

We recently received the Fortress Cyber Security Award from the Business Intelligence Group. Sourcefit was also honored with the prestigious recognition of Best Outsourcing Solutions Provider in the Philippines during the 2023 Business Excellence Awards.

Other awards include: FT ranking of 500 high-growth Asia-Pacific, The Marketing Excellence Awards, Inquirer Growth Champion,  HR Asia Awards, among others.

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