In-house, outsource or hybrid? How to build a Marketing function that actually works.
Your business is growing.
Sales are working.
And now the question arises: what are we doing about marketing?
It might come up in a leadership meeting. It might come from your board. Or maybe you just feel it. You’ve outgrown the hustle, and want to keep the momentum going.
Then someone asks:
“Should we hire a marketer or bring in an agency?”
Smart question, but it’s not the only one worth asking.
There are three real paths businesses typically consider when building out their marketing function. Here’s what they are, when they work and what to watch out for.
Option A: Hire in-house
Hiring a marketer in-house feels like the “serious” move. Someone dedicated. Embedded in the business. Focused on results.
The upside:
Deep knowledge of your business.
Aligned with internal goals and rhythms.
Dedicated resource who can grow with the business.
The downside:
Often hired before the marketing strategy exists.
High risk of trying to hire one person to do five jobs because that’s what your budget allows for.
Many hats to wear, bouncing between visionary and sales activation.
You (the CEO, GM or Sales Lead) still end up guiding the function.
When this works best:
When your brand is already clear, your plan is in place (and therefore know what kind of marketer you’re hiring for) and you simply need someone to run it.
Option B: Agency
Agencies can be a great way to scale quickly or access specific skill sets. They're used to execution. They bring design, media and content capabilities, all ready to go.
The upside:
Speed and plug-and-play execution.
Breadth of expertise across design, digital and media.
Scalable if your strategy is already defined.
The downside:
Agencies can bring strategy, but only once you set the direction.
You’re still responsible for the vision, priorities and brief.
They can be expensive and harder to hold accountable.
Momentum often drops when transitioning to in-house due to limited internal resources.
When this works best:
When you have a clear strategy, strong internal owner and just need horsepower to execute.
Option C: The Hybrid Model – Build Then Hire
(Enter MarketingMayd)
This is the option that’s often overlooked, and often the one that works best.
Instead of hiring a marketer before the strategy exists, or outsourcing to an agency that expects one, you build the foundations first. Then plug the right people into it.
That’s where MarketingMayd comes in.
We help you build your marketing system - brand, strategy, messaging, customer clarity, plan, process - and then we implement it.
Once it’s running smoothly, we help you hire and train the right marketer to step in and own it.
The upside:
No guesswork or “unicorn hire” pressure.
You get experienced marketers building the system and doing the work.
Marketing gets done while the function is being built.
You only hire when the structure is there to support them.
Costs the same as a single hire.
The downside:
You have to be willing to slow down to speed up.
This is about building something that lasts, not just quick wins.
It’s not a “set and forget” agency – your input and leadership still matters (we just help you do it better).
When this works best:
When you’re serious about building marketing capability and want to avoid expensive missteps.
So… which one is right for you?
Most businesses jump to “who should we hire?”
But the better question is: what does our business actually need for the hire to succeed?
If you already have a clear brand, plan and team rhythm, an internal hire or agency could be the right next step.
But if you're not there yet, don't set someone up to fail.
Sometimes it’s not about spending more. It’s about spending smarter.
Same budget. Smarter sequence. Stronger outcomes.
Marketing shouldn't be just another cost centre to defend. Build it to deliver. That’s why we offer MarketingMayd. Before you build your team, borrow ours. So you benefit from the depth, pace and polish only a team can deliver, at the same cost of a single hire.
Let’s talk. → Contact us today