Questions That Actually Matter When You're Hiring a Marketing Agency

Hiring a marketing agency shouldn't feel like signing up for a mystery subscription, but for a lot of business owners, it can.

Maybe you've heard the horror stories, or maybe you've lived one yourself. The agency that ghosted after onboarding, the monthly reports full of vanity metrics, the expensive contract that somehow never translated into actual growth. It happens, it sucks, and it can be really discouraging after spending hours researching agencies. 

One of the best ways to weed out the good guys from the ones you’ll want to avoid is by asking the right questions. Knowing which questions are the “right” ones can take a little trial and error to figure out, but we’ve compiled some of the most meaningful ones into a cheat sheet to help you out.

The Questions That Matter

1. How do you measure success?

   If the answer is "followers," "impressions," or "website traffic," keep digging. Those metrics can be useful, but they aren't the finish line. Your agency should understand what success looks like for your business, whether that's leads, appointments, online sales, increased brand awareness, or long-term growth. 

   
   

   When we’re onboarding a potential new client, we talk to them about their goals and dreams for their business so we can weave them into our marketing goals. Every strategy is centered around your success.

   
   

2. Who will be working on my account?

   Will you work directly with experienced strategists and creatives, or are you handed off after the sales process?

   
   

   There's nothing wrong with teams (great agencies rely on them), but you deserve to know who's creating your content, managing your campaigns and making strategic decisions. One of the best parts of working with a boutique agency is being able to build a relationship with the people you’re working with, and we’re so proud of the personal connections we build with our clients at Trouvaille Creative.

   
   

3. Can you walk me through your process?

   As much as we’d like to believe it is, marketing isn't magic. It's a process. A good agency should be able to clearly explain how they discover your brand, develop a strategy, execute campaigns, report results, and adjust along the way. If the process sounds vague, the results probably will be, too.

   
   

4. How will we communicate?

   Ask how often you'll meet, who your point of contact will be, and what happens if you have questions between scheduled check-ins. This will help you (and your potential agency) have clear expectations around when, how and why you communicate.

   
   

5. What happens if something isn't working?

   Every campaign won't be an overnight success, but how your agency responds when something isn’t succeeding can change everything. Do they acknowledge what's happening? Do they pivot based on data? Do they proactively bring new ideas?

   
   

   Marketing is part strategy, part experimentation. Your agency should be comfortable doing both.

   
   

6. What do you need from me?

   The best client relationships are partnerships. Great marketing still needs your insights, approvals and expertise. If an agency promises they'll "handle everything," be cautious. They should make your job easier, not erase you from your own brand.

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Flashy pitches are awesome, don’t get us wrong. But the best agency is always gonna be the one that answers your questions honestly, is transparent about expectations, and is still invested in your success long after the kickoff meeting. 

At Trouvaille Creative, we believe that great marketing comes from great conversations. If you’re shopping agencies, or just trying to figure out what questions to ask, we’re happy to have one with you. Get in touch and let’s get started!