Red Flags To Look For When Hiring A Marketing Agency

Do you know what to watch out for when evaluating a marketing agency? Listen to the podcast for 6 Red Flags .I come across many potential clients who know they need help, but a second-rate marketing agency has burned them in the past. I’m going to share with you some of the red flags to watch out for when hiring a marketing agency.

1. Guarantees: If someone says they can guarantee that you will make X dollars or tries to guarantee overnight results, that is a red flag. For example, if someone tells you that their strategy can make you show up number one on Google within a month, that’s a red flag. Or they promise you’ll get a certain number of leads; there’s another red flag. There is no way to know these outcomes, and you should be wary of anyone trying to promise them. Please pay attention to the marketing they do for their own company.

2. Low Fees: If the price seems too good to be true, you might not be getting the best bang for your buck. Marketing is an investment; of course, you want a return. But, not only do you need to invest, but you also have to do the work of developing the ads or other tactics that will bring in the leads. Be sure you understand where the agency is spending your money. It is essential to communicate with your agency and let them know your budget for advertising and other marketing tactics.

3. Marketing: Can you find the agency on Google? Does their marketing measure up? Do they have a solid presence on social media? Is their website top-notch? If they don’t do an excellent job with the marketing for their business, it’s a red flag that you might not trust them to manage your marketing. Ask the agency how they’ve built their business and what they do for their clients. Then, make sure they practice what they preach.

4. Data: Are they focused on data? If not, that’s another red flag. Data is a scary word for many people because it’s hard to track data. It’s hard to understand and analyze data. Data is found in various formats, from Google Analytics to Facebook metrics. You want to review all of the data available to you. If they can’t provide examples of data from their marketing or a client’s marketing, it’s another red flag. Be sure to ask further questions and expect them to offer samples, testimonials, case studies, etc. I like to share screenshots on my discovery calls that show the growth metrics of my current clients. Of course, I can’t guarantee the same results, but I can offer a potential client the metrics of another client and demonstrate how their business grew after working with me.

5. Ownership: One thing you want to know about an agency is whether they give you ownership. Your logo, your website, your domain, your hosting, your social pages all need to belong to you. Of course, you can allow the agency to manage them for you, but you maintain control over these assets at the end of the day. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many clients burned by this one. Their former agency won’t transfer ownership or want a transfer fee to turn something over. So never put yourself in a position where an agency can hold your marketing assets hostage.

6. Communication: The last red flag to watch out for is their communication. Will your project manager explain things so you can understand what they are doing? Are they receptive to your needs? To your budget constraints? Is there a time to discuss your goals and plans with them? I meet with my clients at least once a month I also find out what type of communication my clients prefer. I have one client who won’t read emails, so we hop on a call or get on zoom. Be sure to ask any agency how they will communicate with you. Ask them how long it typically takes for them to reply to your emails or calls. It shouldn’t be more than 24 hours. Note if they ask how you would like them to communicate with you. I want to know what’s going on in my clients’ lives and talk to them about their marketing, ideas, and goals. It is essential to keep the conversation going, so our efforts don’t fall flat.

If you’d like to communicate with me, let’s connect on LinkedIn. Send me a direct message on LinkedIn titled PODCAST, and I’ll send you my marketing plan ebook. Whether you are thinking about hiring an agency or doing your marketing yourself, I think you’ll find this helpful.