There are so many elements to your sales funnel, and it can be a lot to handle amongst all the other pressing needs of your business. Many businesses prefer to outsource their lead generation to a team of specialists in order to ensure it’s done well, and save some time and resources for their in-house business operations. However, other business owners are wary of turning over an element of their business to someone outside their company.

So what is the best answer between outsourcing lead generation and keeping it in-house? Let’s go over some of the pros and cons of outsourcing.

Outsourcing Your Lead Generation: Pros

First, let’s talk about the advantages of outsourcing your lead generation. In many ways, outsourcing your lead generation can take the stress off your plate and help you run your business more efficiently. Here are a few examples:

• Easy to implement. With an outsourced lead generation team, you can get started right away. With an in-house team, you might have to train them, install software, and on-board new employees. But your outsourced lead generation team already has what they need to get started. This can save you time and headache.
• Cost savings. You won’t have to worry about setting up a lead generation department in your office, which could come with office equipment, paying for benefits of full-time employees, and covering the cost of training. Instead, you’ll pay the lead generation team retainer fees per month. You can even outsource your lead generation to an overseas team and save money due to the difference in pay rates and currency exchange.
• Specialized experts. Outsourcing your lead generation means working with a team that specializes in lead generation. It may be all they do, or it may be part of a suite of services. But they conduct lead generation every day for a variety of clients, so you know they’re equipped to handle your lead generation needs.
• Can scale with your business. You can also scale your outsourced lead generation with your business. Maybe you only take on limited services when you’re just starting out. As your business grows, you can take on more. With an outsourced team, you can take on only the services you need when you need them.

Outsourcing Your Lead Generation: Cons

Of course, like everything, there are challenges to outsourcing your lead generation. You may find that in not having your lead generation in-house, you lose some of the cohesion and control that you would otherwise have. Take these into consideration before making your decision:

• Lack of control. Your lead generation team will have their own methods and strategies. You can meet with them and tell them what direction you would like to take, but you might not be able to dictate exactly how they work. If you prefer a hands-on sort of supervision, you may not want to give another company the reins to something that could so impact your brand.
• Concerns about quality. What if the lead generation team’s work isn’t up to your company’s standards? That would reflect onto you, so this is a serious concern. It’s a good idea to interview them thoroughly and ask for examples of their work and effectiveness before you sign a contract.
• Communication struggles. Your lead generation team won’t be in your office or on your time frame. They will work within your deadlines, of course, but may work at different hours or from different timezones. This could present a challenge when it comes to communication. Many businesses outsource their lead generation to other countries, which could also create a language barrier.
• Security issues. In order to outsource your lead generation, you have to share sensitive customer data and company information with a third party source. If the team you hire doesn’t act in good faith, that data could be misused. If their data security protocols aren’t up to compliance regulation, you could be held responsible for anything that happens to your data. This could also impact your company’s reputation, making it harder for customers to trust you in the future.

Ultimately, whether or not you outsource your lead generation is your decision. There are a number of benefits to trusting an outsourced team of experts with your lead generation over an in-house team. However, there are some things you might miss about having an in-house team or concerns you might have about working with a third party. Consider both the pros and cons before making the best choice for your business.