Most marketers see the value in email marketing, but if you\u2019ve never done it before, you may have some trouble figuring out how to get started, or who should do the work.<\/p>\n
With the right software, email marketing isn’t necessarily difficult for most organizations. Some businesses invest in a specialized email software provider to help execute digital marketing campaigns. Every business has different needs, begging the question \u2018should you outsource or do your own email marketing<\/strong>?\u2019 <\/p>\n There is no one right answer. Sometimes it makes sense<\/a> to do it entirely in-house while others find value in outsourcing their email marketing efforts. Many times businesses find a balance using a combination.<\/p>\n To make the best decision to either outsource or do your own email marketing for your company, consider the following:<\/p>\n What do you want to accomplish? Who are the people you\u2019re trying to attract?<\/p>\n Before launching an email marketing campaign, it\u2019s important to have a strong understanding of your short and long-term goals, regarding both your email marketing plan and your big-picture targets. Is email marketing something you plan to use once in a while, or consistently? Once you set your goals, you an determine if you have the ability and resources to accomplish these goals in-house, or if outside software and services are needed.<\/p>\n Does your team have enough time to focus on an email marketing campaign?<\/p>\n Email marketing can be a powerful tool, but its success depends on the amount of time and effort you put into it. Many marketing teams \u2013 big and small \u2013 juggle a lot of projects and might not have the bandwidth to focus on email.<\/p>\n Outsourcing can allow your team to focus on their core marketing tasks, which is a an opportunity more companies are beginning to take advantage of. According to the Direct Marketing Association\u2019s (DMA) National Email Benchmarking Report<\/a>, email service providers (ESPs) reported that they manage 32 percent of the email campaigns for their clients.<\/p>\n In addition to specialized software, there are ESPs that also provide customers with strategy and design services. Those providers can be a perfect choice for the small- to mid-market companies lacking the manpower of a robust marketing department.<\/p>\n If you have a small marketing team (or no marketing team at all) it can be difficult to develop, implement and manage a successful email marketing campaign on your own.<\/p>\n Companies with larger marketing teams may feel more comfortable managing email marketing, but they may still need additional resources or expert guidance. For example, your marketers may have the creative messaging down, but have a limited knowledge of important email tools.<\/p>\n No matter the size of your company, outsourcing to an email marketing proficient email marketing agency<\/a> can give you scalability. You can ramp-up your email marketing<\/a> to start and when you need to. Then cut back when you need to, without having to add or cut staff.<\/p>\n According to the recent national email client report, 79 percent of marketers manage their email marketing campaigns in-house. However, the majority of professionals who manage these in-house campaigns rate their competence level in email marketing as intermediate.<\/p>\n So, how competent is your team in email marketing? If your team has only a basic understanding of email marketing tools and strategies, you will want to research out-sourcing options that can assist and develop your team.<\/p>\n Here is a list of skills your team will need to succeed:<\/p>\n<\/span>What are your goals?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nWhat metrics and data do you want to be able to track?<\/p>\n<\/span>Be realistic about your time<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Size does matter<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Your team\u2019s email marketing expertise<\/span><\/h2>\n