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Staff Person vs. Consultant/Agency
TO HIRE OR NOT TO HIRE....
At some point, most organizations find that the need for internal, external and marketing communications could support a full-time employee. The question then becomes whether to hire someone or meet the requirement through consultants or freelancers. A first step in that decision process ought to be a careful financial analysis: the salary, benefits and overhead costs of an employee versus the fees and expenses of the consultant. If the requirement actually justifies a full-time staffer, the employee is likely to be less costly than a comparable consultant.
Probably more significant, however, is the level of knowledge about the organization an employee will develop compared to a consultant. Day-in and day-out, this detailed knowledge of the organization and its products or services produces significant benefits: work is produced more efficiently, it is more likely to be suited to the organization's culture, and it is more likely to be produced within budget and time constraints. As a spokesperson, an employee is more likely to be perceived by stakeholders as representing the policies and embodying the values of the organization.
However, a single individual or small team will not meet all requirements, and it probably is not cost-effective to try solve all communications needs in-house. But a skilled and knowledgeable in-house communicator also is the best intermediary with outside consultants.
