In the drive for growth, many businesses hit a familiar crossroad: should we build an in-house marketing team or partner with a specialist agency? At first glance, hiring in-house may seem like the natural next step. A full-time employee on site, immersed in your culture and dedicated to your brand. But the reality often proves more complex – and costly.
The truth is, modern B2B marketing requires a breadth and depth of expertise that no single person can deliver. And even a small in-house team, while capable, often struggles to match the flexibility, efficiency and commercial value an agency partner can offer.
The skills gap: One role, multiple hats
Marketing today is multifaceted. It spans strategic planning, campaign execution, content creation, media relations, SEO, digital advertising, social media management, creative direction and performance analysis. Expecting one person, even a strong generalist, to manage this full range is unrealistic.
This becomes particularly apparent in smaller businesses where the budget only stretches to one hire. While they may have marketing experience, they can’t possibly cover all disciplines. This leaves gaps, forces trade-offs, and often leads to underwhelming results. This not only impacts your marketing efforts but can directly affect how effectively you reach your target audience with messages about your product or service.
Even where the cost of an agency retainer may appear equivalent to hiring a single in-house professional, the value is significantly greater. For around the same investment, you gain access to a full team of trained specialists, rather than relying on one individual to juggle competing priorities and specialist tasks beyond their remit.
The cost of going in-house
Building a fully functioning in-house team is expensive. Beyond basic salaries, employers must factor in National Insurance contributions, pensions, recruitment fees, software licenses, training, and ongoing professional development. There’s also the significant time investment required to manage, mentor and retain a team.
Let’s break it down with real-world comparisons:
| Business Size | In-House Structure | Estimated Annual In-House Cost | Typical Agency Retainer (£/month) | Typical Agency Annual Cost | Potential Annual Saving | Key Considerations |
| Small Business | 1 x Marketing Manager | £41,600 | £3,250 | £39,000 | £2,600 | One person cannot deliver full digital, content, SEO, PR and campaign delivery. Skills and time limited. |
| Medium Business | Marketing Manager, Digital Exec, Content Writer or Graphic Designer | £155,000 | £6,000 | £72,000 | £83,000 | Still not fully covering media, SEO, design and analytics. Management and development time required. |
| Large / International Business | Marketing Director, Digital Manager, SEO, Copywriters, PR, Media Buyer, Designer, etc. | £300,000+ | £10,000 | £120,000 | £180,000+ | Costly team to manage, train and retain. Still no guarantee of the full scope of strategic expertise. |
Note: Typical agency retainers vary widely depending on services, scope, and industry. For reference, a 2023 UK agency benchmark study by The Wow Company reported average monthly retainers for B2B marketing agencies ranging between £3,000 and £10,000.
When marketing Is absorbed into other roles
Another common scenario we see – particularly in small to mid-sized businesses – is marketing being absorbed by existing staff in other functions, such as sales, admin, or operations. This can work well in the short term, especially when a business is just getting started or working on a lean structure, but over time, the cracks start to show.
The reality is that marketing isn’t front of mind for people whose primary responsibilities lie elsewhere. It becomes ad hoc, reactive and inconsistent. Campaigns stall, messaging lacks clarity, and valuable activity often goes unrecognised or under-leveraged.
The business may be doing great things – launching new products, entering new markets, winning awards – but none of it is being communicated effectively. Marketing done properly is not a cost centre, it is a growth engine. And if it’s working as it should, it will more than pay for itself.
Agencies bring scale, speed and specialism
By contrast, good marketing agencies bring together ready-made teams of experts with years of experience across multiple sectors. Clients don’t have to manage multiple hires or worry about gaps in capability. Instead, they gain access to:
- Strategic thinkers who align marketing with business goals – and are able to take a critical eye to what is required
- Skilled and experienced digital marketers, content creators, PR and industry specialists, media buyers and SEO consultants
- A cost effective extension to the team, simply working as an outsourced marketing department
- Results-focused campaigns without the burden of recruitment, management or overheads
- A dynamic team that stays ahead of trends – bringing fresh ideas rather than ‘not seeing the wood for the trees’ working internally in the business, ensuring your marketing campaigns consistently reach the right target market
Flexible support, real value
Partnering with an agency offers scalable support that grows with your business. Whether you need project or campaign-led support or a long-term strategic partner, you can tailor the level of input to match your ambitions – without taking on the cost and complexity of building a full team internally.
Importantly, many businesses still benefit from having someone internally to coordinate activity and ensure alignment across the business. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a marketing specialist – it could be a commercially minded team member, senior leader or operations lead who acts as the key contact. In larger businesses, one or two in-house marketing roles might be retained to manage internal communications and lead agency liaison – while the heavy lifting is outsourced. It’s about finding a balance that fits your structure, without compromising on quality or outcomes.
Finding the right marketing agency partner
What should you look for in a marketing agency partner? The best relationships are built on mutual understanding and shared goals. Look for a B2B marketing specialist who takes time to understand your target market and develops marketing campaigns that specifically address your audience’s needs. A strong external marketing partner doesn’t just execute, they bring fresh perspectives to your products and services, identify new opportunities, and support your sales team with qualified leads and case studies.
For SME business marketing in particular, the right PR agency partner can transform your day-to-day marketing efforts by bringing structure, expertise, and measurable outcomes. They’ll build lead generation strategies that expand your pool of potential customers while improving return on investment across all channels, including social media marketing. Ultimately, this allows you to focus on what you do best – running your business and delivering excellent products and services – while your marketing partner handles the rest.
In summary
If you’re at the point where marketing needs to do more, working with a specialist agency could offer a smarter, more efficient alternative to building in-house.
At Think B2B, we provide this kind of outsourced marketing expertise every day. As a team with deep experience in B2B sectors such as print & packaging, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing & technology and distribution, we become a true extension of your team – focused on delivering results, not just activity.
This article is intended to help businesses make informed choices about how they resource their marketing. For those ready to explore outsourced support, we’re always happy to talk.
