A common question among medical practices is whether or not they should hire a full-time marketing person or outsource. I can appreciate both sides of the debate having worked as both the marketing director of several health care organizations as well as the president of a healthcare marketing company. Let’s face it, there are many marketing companies out there and more than a few have given the industry a questionable reputation. Don’t let a few rotten eggs discount the benefits that can be gained from hiring a reputable healthcare marketing firm to manage the growth of your practice.

Here are five reasons to outsource your marketing:

1. Cost – Depending on the firm you choose, it typically costs more to hire an employee than it does to hire a marketing firm. According to Salary.com, the average salary for a Marketing Manager is $84,000 per year. The average salary for a social media marketing manager is $96,000 per year. This does not include benefits or bonuses. You will typically find that most marketing firms cost 30-50% less than this. When you hire a marketing firm you are paying them for specific services. You do not pay them for sick time or vacation and you don’t pay their insurance or 401-K.
2. Commitment – When you hire an employee, you are making a commitment to keep them around. When you hire a marketing company you can choose to do so for a set period of time. This can be on a project or retainer basis.
3. Time Saver – The process of posting, interviewing and hiring an employee is considerable. HR experts estimate that it costs a company one year’s salary just to hire someone. Finding the right person for the job can take months to achieve. This takes the person tasked with finding the new employee away from their other job responsibilities. When you hire a marketing firm, you can expect them to begin working almost immediately.
4. Fresh Perspective – When you hire someone from an outside firm you invite new ideas into your facility. This is essential with marketing, as a fresh perspective can do a lot for the growth of your business.
5. Skill Set – The work performed by most marketing companies is quite varied. Some of the tasks include strategy development and implementation, marketing R & D, public relations, graphic design, web design and management, media buying as well as Internet marketing, which can include search engine optimization, keyword research, content marketing strategy, content creation, social media management and email marketing. If you can find someone who has the ability to do all of the above within your budget, hire them quickly because they are a rare find. Most of the time, however, you will find that candidates will only have some of the skills needed. When you hire a marketing firm you hire a team of experienced marketing professionals with a variety of skill sets.

It may appear to be easier to have someone in-house handle your marketing. They are right there when you need them and there is a benefit to that. However, you can also find that the right marketing firm is also there when you need them, at a fraction of the cost. For more information about marketing your medical practice, visit www.mindstreamcreative.com.