It’s a timeless creative industry dilemma: working in-house vs. agency. Sometimes I see people debating the topic on LinkedIn or Reddit. Other times, it’s professionals laying out the pros and cons with each other over happy hour.

It’s a debate that hits close to home. I made the transition to in-house marketing after eight years in creative agencies, including Ogilvy, McCann and M&C Saatchi. We worked hard (late-night creative sessions fueled by pizzas and burgers), played hard (when your client is ABSOLUT Vodka, you can imagine the rest) and then did it all over again. I had my reasons for moving from agency to in-house marketing team. And taking a look at Reddit, countless others have done or want to do the same. 

This professional migration wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the growth of in-house agency teams. Sixteen percent of brands moved agency tasks in-house, according to a survey conducted by the World Federation of Advertisers and The Observatory International. The same survey shows that 21% are considering the same.

But the time for the agency swan song is not yet upon us. The same surveys that confirm the growth of in-house teams, also confirm that marketing brands still turn to outside agencies, like when they’re short-staffed or need a specialized skill set.

You just need to make sure that your agency offers in-house teams exactly what they need. And to help you, I spoke with two in-house experts, who previously sat agency-side:

• Cheryl Barbee, an agency veteran with 20 years experience in marketing and strategy, who spent the last 2.5 years as a senior leader at a Fortune 500 company.

• Jeremy Jones, head of creative at Intuit Mailchimp where he leads the 70+ person  creative team, Wink. He previously served as Global ECD at WPP and J. Walter Thompson.

7 tips for pitching your agency to an in-house marketing team

01. Put people first

When you speak with in-house marketing teams, don’t forget that much of the team has worked in agencies like yours. “Most folks in-house come from advertising, [so] just be genuine and interested, and keep it super simple,” says Jones. “Drop the sales and ‘dog and pony’ show decks.” You don’t need to provide extensive marketing education or context, like you would with a small business client, for instance, but you do need to stay authentic and results-focused—these professionals will see through any song and dance. (So what should you present? More on that later.)

Despite the numerous online channels for outreach and business development, don’t overlook the power of a face-to-face first impression. As Jones recommends, “Attend in-house agency conferences to meet the different in-house leaders and to learn about the problems they face.” Since your sectors overlap, it’s easy to cross paths with your target professionals and approach them directly. Ask about their challenges, and then create a plan that shows you’re able to solve their problems. “The more aware and understanding you are of in-house, the more opportunities will come,” says Jones.

To reap the fruits of your prospecting, be precise with whom you target. “The best person to pitch would likely be the VP of Marketing or a senior brand manager lead,” says Barbee. They’ll have the best long-term view of what the brand wants to achieve and if they can financially afford to collaborate with your agency in the process. Whether you choose LinkedIn or in-person industry events, there are myriad ways for you to reach your precise target decision makers. 

02. Know the latest tools, topics and skills

In-house teams are often heavily focused—wait for it—inward, like on the product, its users and sales figures. And this limits their time to stay on top of outward intel—such as trends or new technologies—which is an opportunity for your agency. In fact, my clients always looked to us, the agency, to try new media platforms or web development tools with their future needs in mind.

Barbee says that most in-house agencies lack capabilities in new media, influencer relationships and earned media activations, AI, ethnographic research, UX research and in leveraging customer data. This is where you and your agency team can shine. Stay at the forefront of the industry by staying up to date on the latest trends, tools, statistics and industry movements. This first-mover intel is a significant added value to your relationships with all your clients—current and future—not just with in-house agency teams.

Related: Have you considered creating custom GPTs for your clients?

03. Be specific with your agency’s capabilities

If there’s anything we’ve learned from Brandy Melville, one size does not fit all. And this applies to your agency’s offering too—one agency can’t cover absolutely everything. “Don't try and be everything to everyone,” says Jones. “Find your niche, lean into your expertise, have a unique POV and stick to it. Just be yourself and market yourself that way.” 

Barbee agrees. Agencies should dial-up their “innovative technology” and “specialized expertise” so that the value they add to the in-house team is clear and supplementary.

Find your brand distinction and your in-house client will always know exactly when and where your team can add value. Do you specialize in influencers for eCommerce? Or web development for franchise restaurants? If you don’t yet know what your unique service offering is, then now’s the time to identify the tech and skills you want to invest in.

Similarly, be specific in your outreach to in-agency teams. “The best pitch conversations usually revolve around an idea you have that you'd like to share, you just have to make sure it's a really good one,” says Jones. Before you send that prospecting email, consider why right now is the time for this brand to work with you. Is there an upcoming event where they can make a splash? Is there a new and better way they can maintain their website? This helps your potential in-house client visualize exactly what they could achieve with you, and drives urgency for them to meet you and hear more.

Related: Harness the latest content trends and sell content marketing services 

04. Find the in-house gaps that you can fill

As part of your pre-pitch research, identify the in-house team’s gaps. Then, it’s just a matter of filling that hole with one of your agency’s strengths. “Look to fill acknowledged gaps versus replace existing services or undermine existing initiatives,” says Barbee.

From their years of experience in-house, both Barbee and Jones suggest a few gaps that your agency can help fill:

• “We do work with outside specialists when producing our ideas, but it's usually around production,” says Jones. Consider how you can provide production services for an in-house team who doesn’t have the resources or expertise, such as building, redoing or maintaining their website.

• “In my opinion, in-house teams aren’t on the same level as external agencies when it comes to planning and uncovering insights,” says Jones. Emphasize your strategy and research services, so that you can bring unique and critical insights to fuel the client’s creative engine. And if you don’t have these capabilities yet, now’s the time to start developing them. 

• “[Our in-house team] worked closely and regularly with agencies that specialized in media, PR and digital experiences,” says Barbee. See how your agency can support this promotional phase of the marketing lifecycle, managing campaigns that amplify the in-house team’s creative assets or leveraging your industry connections for PR outreach.

Knowing exactly which gaps you can fill for each client will help you with your pitch, such as writing a compelling web design proposal that seals the deal.

05. Go for collaboration, not competition

Let’s start with what not to do. “It’s a big turnoff when out-of-house agencies position themselves as better or above the idea of in-house,” says Jones. What to do instead? “Position yourself as a partner, as an extension of the team, a release valve for overflow work.” 

Or as Barbee says: “Lead with a spirit of collaboration, not competition. Respect the in-house team by recognizing that they are your clients, not competitors. As part of the business, they have a sense of ownership and often have a strong mandate to lead that business from a creative and strategic viewpoint.” Reflecting on my personal agency experience, the sense of empathy and teamwork I had with my clients led to trustworthy professional relationships and long-lasting personal friendships I’ve maintained to this day.

This all comes down to how and when you communicate. If you’re proactive, polite, encouraging and accountable, then you’ve got the spirit of collaboration in the bag. 

Related: Collaboration tools for professional teams

06. Emphasize your team’s agility and value

In-house agencies are often reserved for large corporations which, as Barbee notes, comes with certain disadvantages, such as “a risk averse nature and matrixed decision making that can make innovation slow.” In my agency days, I recall that our clients sat floors (or even countries) apart from their main decision makers, while our agency sat within eye-sight of one another. So, where the company and in-house team are slow and structured, your agency needs to be fast and flexible. 

Plus, there’s the cost. Unlike full time employees on the internal team, agency costs are limited—every contract has a clear end date and there are no supplemental costs, like employee benefits. Make this work to your advantage. Barbee says, “The ideal pitch reveals an overlooked opportunity for the business, proposes a creative solution, then shares how you, as an external partner, can do it faster or cheaper.” 

Whether on your website, in your business proposal or both, emphasize your team’s agility and ROI. For example, your website could include case studies that highlight your work’s ROI while your business proposal includes a timeline for the project at hand.

Related: How much to charge for a website

07. Play the long game

When something is hot—like in-house teams, AI tools or oat milk—it’s no surprise that it catches on. But it’s also normal for this high-growth to course correct over time into a stable, happy medium. So while in-house teams are growing and dominating today, Barbee sees a future that still relies on outside agencies.

“In-house agencies are experiments, not an immovable fixture of the future,” says Barbee. “Just because a brand has an in-house agency, [it] doesn’t mean they’re seeing the value of that investment or will continue to invest in it long-term.”

Armed with this optimistic long-term view in your back pocket, consider Barbee’s words of encouragement: “Shoot your shot.” Don’t be dismayed if the climate feels tougher now than before, or if your recent outreach to an in-house team didn’t result in a contract. Keep prospecting, networking and promoting, because amplifying yourself now could pay off when the in-house winds change down the line.

Related: This email sequence from Brad Hussey converts contacts into clients