We often get people coming to us asking whether they should retain an agency or stay in house with their projects. There are certainly benefits to keeping your resources in house; often we get questions about the value of the time and energy spent explaining business practices, projects, client relationships, and responsibilities to a new agency. But we often find that, whether it’s a small start up or larger company, in house resources move slower, have more on and, sometimes, don’t provide the quality of work agencies can. Thus, we also have people coming to us after having spent time and resources on an in house project resource, only to find themselves back at square one and way behind schedule.

So the question remains: should you delegate in house or find an agency? Yes, an employee is immediately ensconced in the bigger picture, but an agency can offer a different view on things. Here are a few great reasons to consider an agency for your next project.

Less investment

The costs associated with delegating projects to an existing employee can slow down work on all front, and hiring a new employee can get expensive. When you hire an agency, you can set strict deadlines and select meetings for onboarding, brainstorming, check-ins and reviews. You ultimately have more control over the entire project and timeline, and the agency has a vested interest to complete it on time, both to please the client and get paid.

High quality work

Agencies want clients who will approach them with relevant projects as they crop up. So you’ll find that many will go above and beyond in their performance to make sure assignments keep rolling in. Another important aspect to retaining an agency is that they’re constantly learning and improving their skills because they’re usually working on multiple projects with other clients. The training, skills, ideas and information received on these jobs will benefit your company in return when they submit quality work.

Flexibility

If there’s a change in your project or business plan, it’s much easier for an agency, which has many people at its disposal,  to find someone who will match your new needs. Many agencies have the ability to pivot quickly because they’ve cultivated a variety of skill sets by working on multiple projects. These skills make them a “one-stop” shop for businesses small and large that need helpers with multiple skills. For instance, in the Wordsmithie family we have resources who are familiar with writing for many styles and platforms, digital marketing, graphic design and more. This flexibility will definitely come in handy when you’re refining the scope of your project.

Do you think an agency is better placed to help you grow your business, or are you still thinking of using someone in house?