How to Pick the Right Marketing Agency
How to Pick the Right Marketing Agency (Without Regret)
Hiring a marketing agency can help your business grow - but only if you choose the right one. You need a partner who understands your business, not just someone who runs ads or makes social posts.
Here’s what to look for, plus key questions to ask and a few quotes from a great conversation Koa Kauwe and I had on this topic:
1. They Understand Your Business 🧠
A great agency will know your industry and your customer’s journey, or at the very least they will ask you the kind of questions that get you to tell them your customer’s journey. If they are true experts, they might even be able to explain how your leads find you and what makes people convert. I would still argue that part of this comes back to the business/owner to have a baseline understanding of how their users buy their product.
“Some of the best agency owners... really understood the intent of the consumer.”
https://otter.ai/s/mWlBG_wMSwiX64GPZN1ZNA?snpt=true
Ask This:
- “Do you know how my customers find me?”
- “What does the path to conversion look like for my buyers?”
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“Can you help me track my users better?”
2. They Focus on Value, Not Just Price 💰
The cheapest option isn’t always the best. Look at the return on investment (ROI). Will their work help you make more money? If this isn’t clear from initial conversations, it is unlikely this will get spelled out as things progress. Ideally, you want to find someone or have a situation where both parties have a way to show success and both parties agree on what success means.
“What are you claiming? What is the value that I’ll get out of this?”
Ask This:
- “How will your services help us make more revenue?”
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“Can you show proof of ROI with other clients?”
3. They Specialize in Your Niche 🎯
Look for agencies that work with your type of business. Specialists know the tools, strategies, and language that work best for your audience. They are likely your best bet for proven tactics, metrics, and understanding your user’s journey without you needing to spell it out to them. While it is not a guarantee, you can cut a lot of those agencies that aren’t a good fit with just this.
“If you only focus on lawyers… your product can be really high quality.”
https://otter.ai/s/IVIX-3l3R9mvXmza4GQ8-w?snpt=true
Ask This:
- “Do you have experience in my industry?”
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“How do you customize your strategy for businesses like mine?”
4. They Use Real Tracking Tools 🔍
Really, there are 2 key parts to using the right tools to track your marketing efforts and data. Good agencies don’t guess, they use tools like Google Analytics, Call Rail, and Google Search Console. The agency you’re talking with should be able to share why these tools are the right ones for your business. Those agencies that stand out will show you where leads come from, and what turns those leads into customers. If they can’t, it’s probably not a great fit and most likely will end with both parties not being happy later on.
“The best agencies… use it as a calculator for success.”
Ask This:
- “How will you track my leads?”
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“Can I see a dashboard of what’s working?”
5. They’re Transparent and Trustworthy 🤝
You should trust your agency. They should be clear about what they’re doing and how it will help. Good agencies focus on your goals - not just their paycheck. If you are not sure, a way to test this is to simply ask for a breakdown of what is being done, and how it feeds into your current business goals.
“We don’t want your money. We want to make you money.”
https://otter.ai/s/OjiIs7xHRTOryFhxj6S5qg?snpt=true
If they don’t have the time or can’t give you an answer you understand easily, then it might be a sign that something is misaligned.
“Can this person really understand me and make a decision?”
Ask This:
- “How often will we check in?”
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“Can you explain how this helps us hit our sales goals?”
6. They Can Grow With You 📈
Your business will change. The right agency will change and grow with you. They’ll adjust strategies as you scale, pivot, or enter new markets/channels. The main thing with this is that they understand where you are today, where you need to go tomorrow, and what will get you the biggest return on your investment.
“As your business grows… your marketing should also grow.”
https://otter.ai/s/hLxUPvBDREGGV6n33VBxAQ?snpt=true
Ask This:
- “Can your strategy grow as we grow?”
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“Do you offer flexible solutions if we shift direction?”
Final Quote to Remember 💡
“The goal is that my marketing efforts directly result in dollars.”
https://otter.ai/s/2yyQtR4YQ_-XrjkB1lG-qA?snpt=true
That’s it. Simple. Your agency should help you make money, not just check off tasks. Your agency should help you understand, work through, and provide data showing where money is being generated. Lastly, your agency should be there to help you understand your data and conversion funnel. If they can’t, or they simply won’t, it might be time to start looking for another agency.
TL;DR – What to Look for in a Marketing Agency
✅ They know your business
✅ They care about ROI
✅ They specialize in your industry
✅ They track real results
✅ They build trust
✅ They grow with you
Ask smart questions, look for clear answers, but most of all, find a team that acts like a revenue-driving-partner, and not just a service provider collecting a paycheck.