Dealer Marketing: Outsource vs. Insource

[Daniel J. Mondello]

Hey Guys - Jeff and I have been bouncing ideas back and forth over the last few days trying to determine what is best for dealers: an in-house marketing department or outsourcing to outside providers, solutions, and agencies.

I am convinced giving my first hand experience that having the marketing done in-house is the most cost-effective and best way to positive ROI and marketing results. That said, the people I managed as the Director of Marketing were and are (with a few exception extremely talented) and as a result of their talent I'm sure our performance numbers with highly skewed.

What do you guys think? Should a dealer's marketing be an in-house effort? OR Outsourced to Agencies and Vendors? Or is there another option we should be exploring?

I have written some of my thoughts on this topic in an article that urges dealers to get off of the bench and into the marketing game. Should dealers rely on fishermen, or learn to fish for themselves?

 

[Chris Leslie]

It depends. If you are hiring someone so you can buy yourself some time back. You probably also know what you are hiring them fore and know how to measure it. yadda yadda yadda.

If you don't and are hiring someone because you don't want to do it. just because. Well, those are the things you should probably do as a dealer. Until your level up expertise is at a point you can hand it off and buy some time back.

 

[Chris Cachor]

I think for larger groups building an in-house team to oversee all marketing (especially digital) makes the most financial sense for the group and has the potential to be a huge differentiator in their market. For the smaller stores I think it's best to work with a vendor but have someone on staff that is pretty tech savvy. That position I think is also worth a nice chunk of change to the organization.

 

[Daniel J. Mondello]

Bump^ Come on let's get some people participating on the poll!

 

[joe.pistell]

Bump^ Come on let's get some people participating on the poll!

Getting forum lurkers to interact is like asking car shoppers to put their car in a shopping cart.

#NeedaWIFM

 

[Chris Leslie]

 

[JessicaRuth]

If you don't vote and participate then you will run into no fewer than 8 people making duck faces today.