For small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) manufacturers, outsourcing marketing can seem like a beacon of hope in a sea of challenges. The allure of handing over marketing responsibilities to a third party, without fully comprehending what’s involved, can create a false sense of security—a feeling that “at least something is happening.” However, it’s crucial for SME manufacturers to be aware of the dangers of outsourcing marketing without truly understanding the strategies and activities being implemented. In this blog post, we’ll explore the risks associated with the “anaesthetic effect” and why SME manufacturers should strive for a more informed approach.

1. Lack of Strategy Alignment:

One of the primary risks of blindly outsourcing marketing is the potential misalignment between the marketing strategy and the business goals of the SME manufacturer. When manufacturers lack a clear understanding of the marketing tactics being employed, they may be unaware of whether those activities are truly driving the desired outcomes. Without a strategic framework in place, marketing efforts can become disjointed and fail to support the long-term objectives of the business. This misalignment can lead to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and a lack of ROI on marketing investments.

2. Ineffective Targeting and Messaging:

Understanding the target audience and crafting compelling messaging are critical components of successful marketing. When SME manufacturers relinquish control of these aspects without a clear understanding of the marketing strategy, they run the risk of ineffective targeting and messaging. The outsourced marketing team may not have a deep understanding of the manufacturer’s industry, product offerings, or customer base. Consequently, the messaging may lack resonance with the target audience, resulting in missed opportunities to engage and convert prospects into customers.

3. Insufficient Measurement and Reporting:

Outsourcing marketing without understanding the metrics being tracked and reported can be a recipe for disappointment. SME manufacturers may find themselves in a situation where they receive periodic reports or updates from the marketing agency or consultant, but without a thorough comprehension of the key performance indicators (KPIs) or how they tie into the overall business objectives. This lack of transparency can make it challenging to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing efforts or identify areas for improvement. As a result, manufacturers may continue investing in marketing activities without a clear understanding of their impact.

4. Limited Learning and Adaptability:

Successful marketing is an iterative process that requires constant learning, testing, and adaptation. When SME manufacturers outsource marketing without understanding the underlying strategies, they miss out on valuable opportunities for learning and growth. Without direct involvement in the decision-making process or access to detailed insights, manufacturers may fail to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed marketing decisions in the future. This lack of adaptability can hinder the manufacturer’s ability to pivot, evolve, and respond to changing market dynamics effectively.

5. Dependency and Loss of Control:

Outsourcing marketing without understanding the strategies can lead to a sense of dependency on the outsourced agency or consultant. The manufacturer may become reliant on the expertise of the external party, often losing control over critical aspects of their marketing efforts. This lack of control can be problematic if the relationship with the outsourced partner deteriorates or if the manufacturer wishes to make changes or adjustments to the marketing strategy. The resulting dependence can hinder agility, innovation, and the ability to seize new opportunities in a timely manner.

Conclusion:

While it may be tempting for SME manufacturers to outsource their marketing efforts without fully understanding what’s being done, the risks associated with the “anaesthetic effect” are significant. Lack of strategy alignment, ineffective targeting and messaging, insufficient measurement and reporting, limited learning, and loss of control are all potential dangers of blindly outsourcing marketing. To maximise the success of their marketing efforts, SME manufacturers should strive for a more informed approach.

Weighing the Risks: Outsourcing Your Marketing to the Guy Who Does Your Website

Introduction:

In an increasingly digital world, manufacturers recognise the importance of establishing a strong online presence to reach their target audience effectively. As a result, many turn to web developers or agencies responsible for their website to handle their marketing efforts as well. While this might seem like a convenient solution, it’s essential for manufacturers to understand the risks associated with outsourcing their marketing to the same individual or entity responsible for their website. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the potential pitfalls and offer insights to help manufacturers make informed decisions.

1. Limited Marketing Expertise:

Web developers or agencies primarily focus on creating and maintaining websites. While they may have a basic understanding of marketing principles, their expertise often lies in coding, design, and technical aspects. Marketing encompasses a broader scope of activities, including market research, strategy development, content creation, social media management, and advertising. Relying solely on a web developer for marketing tasks may result in subpar strategies and ineffective campaigns, as they may lack the comprehensive knowledge required for successful marketing efforts.

2. Lack of Diversified Skill Set:

Marketing is a multi-faceted discipline that demands a diverse skill set to effectively reach and engage target audiences. While a web developer may excel in website development and design, they may not possess the necessary skills in areas such as search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, social media advertising, or analytics. By entrusting all marketing responsibilities to the same individual or entity responsible for the website, manufacturers risk missing out on valuable opportunities to leverage these specialised skills and achieve optimal marketing outcomes.

3. Conflicting Priorities:

When a web developer or agency takes on both website management and marketing tasks, conflicting priorities may arise. Website development and maintenance require ongoing attention, and marketing initiatives may be relegated to the back burner. This can result in delayed or inconsistent marketing efforts, compromising the overall effectiveness of campaigns. Manufacturers must consider whether a web developer, who already has a heavy workload managing the website, can devote sufficient time and energy to marketing activities to deliver the desired results.

4. Limited Creativity and Innovation:

Outsourcing marketing to the same individual or entity responsible for the website may limit the range of creative and innovative ideas brought to the table. While website design requires creativity, marketing necessitates fresh and engaging content, eye-catching visuals, and innovative strategies to capture audience attention and stand out from competitors. Relying solely on a web developer for marketing may lead to repetitive or stale marketing materials that fail to inspire or resonate with the target audience.

5. Conflict of Interest:

Outsourcing marketing to the same person or entity responsible for the website may create a conflict of interest. The primary goal of a web developer or agency is to optimise the website’s functionality and performance, which may differ from the objectives of a robust marketing strategy. For instance, if a marketing campaign requires significant changes to the website layout or structure, the web developer may hesitate to make those modifications, fearing potential disruptions or technical challenges. This conflict can hinder the seamless integration of marketing efforts with the website and limit the overall effectiveness of the marketing strategy.

Conclusion:

While the convenience of outsourcing marketing to the same individual or entity responsible for your website may initially seem appealing, manufacturers must carefully evaluate the risks involved. Limited marketing expertise, a lack of diversified skill set, conflicting priorities, limited creativity, and potential conflicts of interest are all factors that can hinder the success of marketing efforts. For optimal marketing outcomes, manufacturers should consider partnering with a dedicated marketing agency or consultant who possesses the expertise, resources, and diverse skill set necessary to develop and execute effective marketing strategies tailored specifically to their business objectives.

Post COVID19 pandemic, we’re seeing some interesting changes in how buyers ‘buy’. Research by McKinsey Institute reports that 2/3 of the customer journey is now conducted online. This is partly due to the distance created between buyers and sellers in lockdown, but more so, this was an inevitable progression due to the wide range of information available online now. Buyers are able to make judgements over a firm’s professionalism, their social and environmental credentials as well as their products and services.

The trouble is, many SMEs particularly continue to regard their website as an out of date brochure, some, not updating them since first commissioning them. The reality is, they give off a perception that they are either out of business, or certainly out of date. More concerning however, is jobseekers are starting to behave this way as well, making it more important than ever to consider your image, your brand and your values which are projected to the outside world.

We came across a stat last week which needs verifying that 65% of Gen-Y job seekers value a firm’s values and mission more than a few more £ a month in their paycheque. If true, businesses are missing a trick on a few simple changes to how they promote themselves and what is found about them online rather than to increasing their wage bill un-necessarily.

Welcome to Ridge CMO. This is our launch post! Ready to take on the world! After 17 years of working with businesses of various sizes across numerous industry sectors, we have decided to launch a fractional service where businesses can tap into our expertise at a fraction of a cost of someone of our skill and experience where perhaps they can’t justify that spend or there isn’t a justified full time role there.

From re-branding multi-site property businesses, managing marketing for international exporting businesses, major construction, further education, insurance and manufacturing as well as being Business Editor of a leading B2B broadsheet publisher, we have a wealth of experience in the world of marketing. Whether its formulating the strategy, ‘doing the doing’, liaising with marketing agencies on both sides of the table and working with journalists, stakeholders and publishers, Ridge CMO has been both the client, the agent, the facilitator, the copywriter, the publisher, the designer and even the front line sales person.

In this time the resounding memories are just how hard it has been to recruit people, since the COVID19 pandemic, the average salaries for creative roles and graduates seem to have just ‘jumped’ £5k-£10k. If you look at the high churn rates and high recruitment costs, we can see why firms are turning more to external providers or taking on more responsibilities themselves as company leaders.

But as we emerge from challenging economic conditions, firms are experiencing growing pains and the time of an MD/CEO of any business is precious – often at the detriment of completing these ‘marketing activities’ that are being seen an increasing ‘faff’ or ‘intimidating boring task’ that gets pushed further and further down the do list.

Enter the agencies, where knowledge transfer is often one-directional and a lot of cost and a lot of hand holding is required. So we decided to do something about it!
Look forward to meeting you!

Ridge CMO