15 Questions to Ask a Marketing Agency Before You Sign

The short answer

Ask about results, ownership, people, reporting and exit terms. Good agencies answer fast and specifically. Bad ones get vague.

About results

1. What results have you gotten for a business like ours? Good: a named client and a number. Bad: "Every business is different."
2. Can I talk to a current client? Good: "Sure." Bad: a long pause.
3. What would you fix first? Good: something specific about your business. Bad: a package.

About the work

1. Who exactly will do the work?
2. Who is my main contact, and how fast do they reply?
3. What gets done in the first 30, 60 and 90 days?
4. Will you look at our website before running ads?

About money

1. What's the fee, and what's ad spend? They should be separate.
2. Are there setup fees? What do they buy?
3. What would make you recommend spending less?

About ownership

1. Who owns the website, domain, ad accounts and analytics? The only right answer: you.
2. If we part ways, what do we keep?

About reporting

1. Can I see a sample report?
2. How do you track leads back to the channel that brought them?

About the exit

1. How long is the contract, and how do I cancel?

Bonus: listen for jargon

If the answers need a glossary, ask again. Plain answers are a sign they understand it.

Next read: 11 red flags in a marketing agency proposal. Or see how we answer these.

FAQ

How many agencies should I talk to?

Two or three is usually enough to compare honestly.

Should I ask for a free audit?

Sure, but judge them on how specific it is, not how long.