You’re not alone! A lot of companies - large and small - deal with this on a regular basis.

Before a definitive solution can be found, a few questions need to be addressed:

1. Does your existing marketing department *want* to improve?
2. Do they have a leader who can help them navigate to change?
3. Has there been clear direction from the top of your organization to prompt this?
4. Are there clear deliverables or goals for the existing team?

At a high level, I see three paths here:

1. Hiring an Outside Marketing Agency
The first thing an outside agency will require is that the company leadership and marketing department come together to clearly define the desired expectations and outcomes.

This exercise will be good for both parties, and can rejuvenate your existing marketing department as they work with an outside firm.

A potential drawback to this approach is that the outside firm does not have the intimate knowledge of your company, understand your culture, and may not authentically deliver your “brand voice”.

2. Staying With Your Existing Marketing Department
Another option is is to double down on your existing marketing department. By investing in them, and encouraging them to step up, you can take advantage of the knowledge they already have for your company, product, services, culture, etc.

If you feel that the department has potential, get them connected with resources or training courses that strengthens their knowledge and expands their creativity.

3. Work With a Consultant
The third option is to work with a consultant who can create a hybrid of these two scenarios.

A successful consultant can infuse new knowledge into your existing marketing department. By doing this, you get the best of both of your options since your existing marketing team can bring their in-depth understanding and pair it with the excitement and prospect of working with someone who brings a fresh perspective.

Additionally, a consultant can “go to bat” for either the company leadership or the marketing department. In my experience, I’ve found that a lack of communication is often to blame for departments stagnating. A consultant often asks questions that bring these issues to the surface so they can be properly dealt with.

Good luck! Let me know how things progress.

-Shaun

P.S. If you want to get into more specifics, or need clarity on a point I made, feel free to book a call with me and we can get into more detail.