In-House vs Agency vs Contractor: How To Decide

Whether you are building out a new communications program from scratch or looking to make some adjustments to your existing one, the question usually comes up: should we hire someone in-house, rely on agency support or look for a contractor?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The answer depends on a variety of factors.

• Budget: How much are you envisioning spending on your communications program each month?
• Scope of Work & Duration: Are you looking for full-time assistance or do you need someone to supplement ongoing activities? Is the work strategic, tactical or a mixture? What does your current company roadmap look like and can it support an ongoing, full-time PR team?
• Company Structure & Culture: Are you starting a new communications program from scratch or is this a revamp of your existing PR function? What does your current team structure look like? Do you have existing contractors in other parts of the business? If so, do they work well with the rest of the team?

There are many other questions beyond what is included above that you should consider and you look into building or expanding a communications program and team. But know that it may take some time and a few tweaks or errors along the way to truly understand what is needed in your particular scenario. 

It is also important to know that hiring a big agency doesn't mean you've "made it." Sometimes you just need a short-term consultant to help you get through a few milestones and then you scale back until you have the user base and product roadmap that requires revisiting the hiring of a full-time PR professional in-house or an ongoing relationship with an agency. 

There are other times where you've attempted to manage the PR program on your own for too long, your roadmap is full of launches and potential news and you are missing out on critical opportunities. Then it is time to relinquish control and bring someone in to head your communications efforts internally or hire an agency.

Every company is unique. There is no set roadmap for when PR should enter your company's plans. Only you and your team will know when it is time. But you should know what questions to ask when it is time.