Hiring a marketing agency is a significant decision. Get it right, and you unlock growth. Get it wrong, and you waste money and time while your competitors pull ahead.
Here's how to evaluate agencies and make a smart choice.
Questions to ask
"What specific results have you achieved for businesses like mine?"
Generic answers like "we've helped lots of businesses grow" are worthless. You want specific examples: industry, situation, metrics, outcomes. If they can't show relevant case studies, proceed with caution.
"How will you track and report results?"
Vague reporting is a red flag. You should know exactly how they'll measure success and how often you'll see the numbers. Good agencies obsess over data because it proves their value.
"What do you need from me to succeed?"
Agencies that promise results without asking about your involvement are either lying or planning to fail. Good marketing requires collaboration: access to accounts, information about your business, timely approvals.
"What happens if it doesn't work?"
Listen for honesty. No agency can guarantee results. But good ones have a process for diagnosing problems and iterating toward solutions.
Red flags
- Guaranteed results. Anyone promising specific revenue or lead numbers is either lying or using deceptive contracts.
- Long contracts with no exit. Confident agencies don't need to lock you in for 12 months.
- No interest in your business. If they're not asking about your offer, customers, and goals, they're not planning to customise anything.
- Cheap pricing. Quality work costs money. If an agency is dramatically cheaper than others, ask yourself what corners they're cutting.
What good looks like
A good agency asks a lot of questions before they pitch anything. They show relevant experience. They explain their process clearly. They're honest about what they can and can't do. And they build relationships, not just campaigns.
We wrote this partly as a guide for you and partly as a standard we hold ourselves to. Ask us these questions.