Many entrepreneurs at some point consider the same question. Should they hire their own marketer, continue with the "I'll do it myself when I can" model or outsource marketing to a partner?

Over the past ten years, I have seen all of these models in practice. Companies where the responsibility for marketing lies with the entrepreneur themselves. Companies that have hired their first marketer, who ends up alone in the middle of everything. And companies that have made the bold decision: outsourcing marketing to an external team.

In this article, I will honestly explain what outsourcing marketing means, when it is a sensible solution, and how we at VSCY build an outsourced marketing model that genuinely supports sales – not just social media visibility.

What does outsourcing marketing actually mean?

Outsourcing marketing is not just "buying a few campaigns from an agency". It is essentially a decision that:

• the company does not build its own large in-house marketing team

• marketing planning and execution are transferred to a skilled partner

• the responsibility for results and a clear action plan is jointly held by the partner and the company

Outsourcing can mean, for example:

• an outsourced marketing team (strategy + content + social media + advertising)

• an outsourced marketing manager / CMO

• an outsourced video team and social media production

• a combination of these, where the partner effectively acts as the company's "own" marketing department

At its best, outsourcing marketing feels like you have your own marketing team, but without the pressure of hiring, onboarding, and management.

When is outsourcing marketing a sensible solution?

My experience is that outsourcing marketing works especially well in certain situations.

1. When sales are growing, but marketing can't keep up

The company is growing, sales are strong, but:

• social media is sporadic

• the website does not support sales

• advertising is done on a "gut feeling"

• no one is really leading the marketing

In this situation, an outsourced marketing team can take the reins and build a clear plan.

2. When one marketer is not enough

Many hire one marketer as their first step. Then they realize that one person cannot simultaneously:

• design strategy

• create social content

• manage advertising

• shoot and edit videos

• conduct analytics

An outsourced team brings multiple roles simultaneously – without you having to hire four people.

3. When you want truly measurable results

If the goals are:

• leads

• appointments

• online store sales

• requests for proposals

…marketing needs to be much more than brand visibility. An outsourced partner can bring structure and metrics right from the start.

Outsourced marketing vs. in-house team

Both have their advantages, and I do not claim that outsourcing is the only right solution. However, here is an honest comparison.

In-house marketing team

• full control over day-to-day operations

• the team learns the industry deeply
  − salary and overhead costs
  − recruitment, onboarding, management
  − risk of relying on one person (sickness, turnover)

Outsourced marketing team

• you get multiple experts at once (strategist, content creator, videographer, advertising specialist)

• clear monthly pricing, no payroll management

• you know what you get and when
  − the partner must be chosen carefully
  − collaboration requires open communication from both sides

I often see hybrid models that work excellently: the company, for example, has one internal marketing contact person, and VSCY acts as an outsourced team around them.

What does an outsourced marketing team look like in practice?

On a practical level, an outsourced marketing team usually means this at VSCY:

• you have one accountable person who oversees the whole (strategy, planning, reporting)

• behind the team is expertise in video production, social media, copywriting, and advertising

• shooting days and content are produced all at once for several months

• social media posts, advertising, and content follow the same plan

So we do not "post some nice stuff on social media". We build:

• a content calendar

• the advertising structure

• purchase paths (landing pages, forms, online store)

• reporting, showing you what marketing is actually doing for revenue

Outsourcing marketing to VSCY – how we operate?

A typical collaboration starts like this:

1. Assessing the current situation

We go through:

• which channels you are currently on

• what has been done, what has worked, what has not

• how sales operate and how marketing supports it at the moment

Based on this, we decide whether outsourcing marketing makes sense right now. Sometimes the answer is also "not yet".

2. Clarifying objectives

We define goals for the next 3-12 months:

• leads (quantity and quality)

• appointments

• online store sales

• follower counts in specific target groups

The goals guide everything that follows.

3. Strategy and framework

We build:

• channel selections (e.g. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Ads)

• content concepts (what recurring series we will create)

• advertising structure (cold – warm – hot audience)

• video production plan (shooting days, themes)

4. Production and execution

From this point, you have effectively your own outsourced marketing team:

• we shoot and produce content

• we publish according to the agreed calendar

• we build and optimize social media advertising

• we ensure that marketing progresses according to the plan

5. Reporting and development

You will regularly receive:

• a clear summary of what has been done

• concrete numbers (leads, bookings, sales, reach)

• development suggestions for the next month

Outsourced marketing is not a "buy and forget" service, but a continuous joint development process.

What mistakes should be avoided in marketing outsourcing?

I have also seen poor experiences with outsourcing. Usually, it boils down to one of these issues:

• the partner only sells individual campaigns and does not take responsibility for the whole

• goals are not defined properly, so no one knows if the collaboration has been successful

• the client is expected to produce too much content, even though the reason for outsourcing was the lack of time

• reporting is unclear or full of vanity metrics

This is why I always emphasize from the beginning:

1. Openness – let's talk honestly about goals and resources

2. Role – what we handle, what you handle

3. Measuring – we agree on how success will be measured

Who is marketing outsourcing best suited for?

Marketing outsourcing is particularly well-suited for companies that:

• want to grow but do not want to build a large in-house team

• need practical execution, not just PowerPoint strategies

• value transparent, measurable collaboration

• want a partner who understands the entire marketing funnel:
  awareness → interest → trust → lead → sale → customer development

If you recognize your own company in this, the outsourced marketing model could be just the solution that frees up your time to do what you originally started the company for.