Electrical Company Marketing vs. Doing Marketing In-House
Electrical companies have two common options when building a marketing operation: handle marketing internally or hire an outside marketing company.
There isn't one answer that works for every business.
The right choice depends on your team, budget, goals, expertise, and the amount of time you can dedicate to marketing.
What Does In-House Marketing Mean?
In-house marketing means your company handles marketing internally.
This could involve:
An owner
Office manager
Marketing employee
Sales employee
Internal marketing department
The team manages some or all of the company's marketing activities.
What Does Outsourced Marketing Mean?
Outsourced marketing means hiring an outside agency or marketing company to handle some or all of your marketing.
Services might include:
SEO
Google Ads
Website design
Content
Local SEO
Conversion optimization
Reporting
Advantages of In-House Marketing
One major benefit of internal marketing is control.
Your team is already familiar with:
Your customers
Your services
Your employees
Your service area
Your company culture
Communication can also be straightforward because the marketing team is part of the company.
Disadvantages of In-House Marketing
Marketing requires specialized knowledge.
A company may need expertise in:
SEO
Google Ads
Analytics
Website development
Copywriting
Local SEO
Conversion optimization
Hiring one person may not provide expertise across all these areas.
Advantages of Outsourcing
A marketing company can provide access to specialists without requiring you to build an entire internal department.
This can be useful for companies that want to move quickly or don't have marketing expertise internally.
Disadvantages of Outsourcing
An outside company may not understand your business as deeply as an internal employee.
Communication can also become more difficult if the agency handles many clients or doesn't provide clear reporting.
Consider the Total Cost
Don't compare an agency's monthly fee directly with an employee's salary.
Consider the total cost of an internal marketing operation, including:
Salary
Benefits
Software
Training
Advertising
Contractors
Website costs
SEO tools
Analytics tools
Then compare that with the total cost of outsourcing.
Consider Your Marketing Goals
If your goal is to build a comprehensive marketing operation, outsourcing some specialized functions may make sense.
If you already have marketing expertise internally, adding an outside specialist may not be necessary.
Consider Your Existing Team
Ask:
Does anyone understand SEO?
Who manages Google Ads?
Who manages the website?
Who creates content?
Who tracks leads?
Who analyzes results?
If the answer to most of these questions is nobody, outsourcing may be worth considering.
Consider a Hybrid Approach
You don't necessarily have to choose one or the other.
A hybrid approach can combine internal knowledge with outside expertise.
For example:
Internal Team: Customer knowledge, sales, brand, content ideas
Marketing Partner: SEO, paid search, technical work, analytics
This can give the business both industry knowledge and specialized marketing expertise.
Think About Lead Tracking
Regardless of who handles marketing, make sure the company tracks results.
You should be able to determine:
Where leads come from
Which leads become customers
How much marketing costs
Which channels generate revenue
See How to Measure Electrical Marketing ROI.
Consider the Speed of Implementation
An experienced marketing company may already have systems, tools, and processes in place.
An internal employee may need time to build those systems from scratch.
On the other hand, an internal team can eventually develop deep knowledge of the business.
Don't Choose Based Only on Price
The cheapest option isn't necessarily the best option.
Instead, compare:
Expertise
Cost
Control
Communication
Speed
Results
Scalability
Reevaluate Over Time
Your decision doesn't have to be permanent.
As your electrical company grows, your marketing needs may change.
You might begin with outsourced marketing and eventually hire internally.
Or you might build an internal team while continuing to use specialists for SEO or paid advertising.
Final Thoughts
The choice between in-house and outsourced marketing depends on your company's resources and goals.
In-house marketing can provide control and deep company knowledge.
Outsourcing can provide specialized expertise and established systems.
For many companies, a hybrid approach can provide the best balance.
For a broader overview, see Electrical Company Marketing.