Don’t Just Swipe Right: 5 Things to Look for in a Marketing Agency

Hiring a marketing agency shouldn’t feel perilous, like online dating. But, let’s be honest, finding the right match often does.

You see some slick branding. A few sexy case studies. Maybe an offer for a strategy call. Then six months later, you’re wondering how you blew $30K and still don’t have leads that convert.

Here’s the truth: most small businesses hire the wrong agency because they’re asking the wrong questions.

So let’s fix that. These are the five things you need to look for before you sign anything.

1. You Get Sold By One Person and Handed Off to Someone Else

This is the classic bait-and-switch. The person you meet on the sales call, the one who seems to totally get your business, isn’t the person you’ll be working with. Instead, you’re passed off to a junior coordinator with three other accounts and no real authority. Before you sign, ask: “Who will be working with me on my business, and what’s their background?”

2. They Talk a Big Game But Don’t Share Proof

Every agency says they “get results.” But can they show you exactly what they did for a client with your same problem? Ask for detailed case studies and examples. If they can’t explain what they did, why they did it and how it moved the needle, they probably weren’t the ones who did the heavy lifting.

3. They Speak in 5,000-Foot Buzzwords

If the case studies they share are vague: “We helped scale a B2B brand using omnichannel optimization”, push them for specifics: What was the real problem you were solving? How did you come up with the strategy to solve it? What did you try that failed? What were your KPIs? How did you know you were on the right path? If they can’t give a clear narrative, you’re likely talking to middlemen, not marketers.

4. They Only Execute—They Don’t Strategize

Execution without strategy is a waste of money. Many agencies will run your ads, write your emails or build your funnel, but they won’t help you decide why you’re doing those things in the first place. It was this problem that was the catalyst to us starting Start Some Shift. We fundamentally believe that great agencies should lead with strategy, then plug in execution where it counts.

5. They Promise the World

Beware the “yes” machine. A trustworthy agency doesn’t tell you only what you want to hear. They ask hard questions, push back when needed and aren’t afraid to say “no” if something doesn’t make sense. If someone says they can “do it all” without hesitation, ask deeper questions. Respect the pro who earns your trust by telling you the truth. If they promise a 3x ROAS in 30 days without knowing your business or funnel, shut the Zoom tab. Marketing isn’t magic. It’s testing, iteration and momentum.

A real agency tells you what’s realistic. A salesy one tells you what you want to hear.