I’ll come across your website and found it more interesting in Internet Marketing and advertising company. I learn more, thanks for the information you share, i’ll come back often.

Regards,

Dux Marketing

Kudos to you Jason for saying what so many agencies and web shops are afraid to say.

Agencies and web shops need to focus on helping companies develop a clear strategic vision.

Once that is accomplished individualized plans with metrics can be devised for each channel and small internal and external teams can be efficiently utilized to deliver results that inform and reinforce the strategy.

Maybe you can share some additional insights on the difference between a strategy and a plan along with who needs to be on board to execute the plan.

In terms of existing staff being able to handle it, I of course don’t advocate creating your own in-house Frankenstein guru. But, I do believe you can take a PR professional, or an account executive (or whatever) and train them to do a piece of the digital marketing puzzle. The key is to give them just one piece (SEO, PPC, email, etc.) and have them get comfortable with that single component.

With regard to one guru doing/knowing it all – I agree with your points except the last one. In most organizations a team approach is used, indeed required. I’d be wary of any guru that says they can do it all, and for every component of their plan agencies should be asking about the execution. For the last point I agree with James. In house staff can’t always figure it out and sometimes don’t have the time or skills to do so… you need to have outside ideas and skills to complement theirs.
Interesting post.

I am now one of the gurus you describe. I agree with much of what you are saying. Having me here allowed this small agency to enter the online space but, even using my virtual team of freelancers and subcontractors, client demands are rapidly out stripping our collective ability to fake it.

I’m not sure I agree with your last point, “If your staff is bright enough to work for you, they’re bright enough to figure out part of the digital marketing arsenal.” As oxymoronic as it sounds agency people are reluctant to change. In my opinion, to be successful an agency needs to hire some key staff, with the requisite skills, to inculcate the digital perspective.