About 83% of the SMEs in Malaysia have a digital marketing strategy in place. Still, only 46% of these SMEs can follow their digital transformation journey without delays. Other SMEs face delays that push them towards hiring an in-house digital marketer or outsourcing it to a digital expert.

To answer this question, we first need to understand why SMEs need digital marketers first, and then we can answer which one is the best one for them.

Why do SMEs need digital marketing?

  • Affected by the Pandemic.

Pandemic has dramatically affected the mobility of the people. Many customers are no longer coming to physical stores and outlets. Instead, most customers are using e-commerce to shop for their favorite items. SMEs are also being pushed to adopt this change.

  • We need to rebuild cash flow.

Due to lockdowns, forced closures, and fewer customers visiting stores. As a result, businesses have lost a lot of revenue. To build new sources of income, once again, going digital is the only option for SMEs.

  • Need to cut down costs.

For many businesses, it is no longer feasible to operate anymore with staff and offices. So, they have been pushed into home offices. Digital transformation provides a way to generate revenue with fewer costs as it needs less staff.

 

Why can SMEs not do digital marketing themselves?

  1. Lack of digital skills.

Digital marketing needs many different skill sets. These skills include SEO, graphic design, social media marketing, and web development. Unfortunately, it is simply infeasible for most business owners to learn all these skills themselves, which is why they must rely on other digital marketers to help them out.

  1. Need Quick Results

Many businesses think that digital results can be achieved very quickly. While it is valid to some extent, in many cases, this is not the case. Digital results take time and are not fast. Only very well-planned and executed plans work quickly.

  1. High Setup Cost

Digital marketing can be expensive. Paying developers, designers, and online marketers all add to the expense of setting up a digital business. Business requires plans that are simple to execute and can get faster results.

 

In-house Marketer vs. Outsourced Digital Expert

Different in-house marketers have varying degrees of skill set. For example, some specialize in social media marketing, others might specialize in SEO, and yet another specializes in making marketing campaigns and managing teams.

SMEs need to provide with office setup while following the Covid SOPS. SMEs also need to hire a team of different marketers with different skills or find one who can do multiple tasks. SMEs also need to provide them with monthly salaries or contracts.

On the other hand, outsourced digital experts are more flexible. They represent a team of digital marketers. They make personalized packages at different cost ranges that SMEs can purchase. These packages can be recurring, or they can be one-time only.

 

I Connect Lead Funneling Solution for SMEs

I Connect to come up with a brilliant solution to fix the problems faced by SMEs. Our leading funneling program helps kickstart businesses at minimal costs.

Main features of Our Lead Funneling Program

  1. You get a complete team of digital experts that can handle all aspects of your business
  2. High work efficiency, as our team meets deadlines and deliver work on time
  3. Marketing KPI is guaranteed

Why is our solution the best?

  1. Quick results
  2. Low costs
  3. Guaranteed outcome