Hiring a marketing agency goes better when you ask ten plain questions before you sign. They cover results, staffing, reporting, who owns what, and how to leave. If an agency answers all ten clearly and in writing, you can compare it fairly with the others on your list.
This guide gives the ten questions and the reason behind each one. It is written for the buyer, such as a founder, a marketing lead or an operations manager.
Start with a clear brief
The best questions need a good brief behind them. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the 4A's, an agency trade group, outline a search in steps. They start with an initial list built from a request for information (RFI), then move semi-finalists to a request for proposal (RFP), and end with a small group of finalists.
We add one tip of our own: be open with every agency about the scope, the timing and the money. Before you ask anything, write down your goal, your budget range, your start date and what a good result looks like. Share that with every agency.
Sources: ANA and 4A's, "Guidelines for Agency Search" 2011; ANA news release, October 3, 2011
Questions 1 to 3: results and proof
- What results have you produced for a client like us? Ask for the starting point, the goal, the time frame and the number that changed.
- Can we speak to two current or past clients? A reference call tells you more than a slide deck.
- How do you back up your claims? Ask what evidence sits behind any promise in your ads.
The third question is not only a courtesy. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says an advertiser needs a "reasonable basis" for its claims before an ad runs. It also says letters from satisfied customers are usually not enough to support a claim that needs objective evidence.
The FTC adds that an ad agency can be held legally responsible for misleading claims too. Agencies have a duty to check the proof on their own and may not simply rely on the advertiser's word. A good agency will welcome the question.
Sources: FTC, "Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business"
Questions 4 to 6: people and reporting
- Who will do the work, and who is my day-to-day contact? Ask for names and roles, not only job titles. Find out if the team that pitches is the team that works.
- How many clients does that team handle at once? A very full team may be slow to answer.
- What will you report, how often, and from which data? Ask to see a sample report. Agree on the few numbers that matter to your business, such as leads, sales calls booked or revenue.
A search is also a chance to judge fit. Our tip: ask to meet the people who would staff your account, not just the sales team, so you can see how they work.
Sources: ANA and 4A's, "Guidelines for Agency Search" 2011
Questions 7 to 9: ownership and exit
- Who owns the accounts, logins and data? Your ad accounts, analytics, website access and domain names should be in your name. The agency should be added as a user.
- Who owns the work product? Ask about logos, creative files, copy and reports, and when ownership passes to you.
- How do we end the contract? Ask about notice periods, minimum terms, fees for early exit and what you receive on the way out.
These points are our practical advice, not a rule from the sources below. They matter because they are hard to fix later. The ANA and 4A's guidelines include a "Contract and Terms" section, so terms are a normal part of a search. Raise them before you pick a winner, not after.
Ask for a written scope and a fee schedule too. Know what is covered by the monthly fee and what is billed on top, such as ad spend, stock images or software.
Sources: ANA and 4A's, "Guidelines for Agency Search" 2011
Question 10 and how to compare
- What do you need from us to succeed? A good agency will name the access, approvals, content and decision speed it needs from you.
This question shows how the agency thinks about the partnership. It also reminds you that results depend on your side, too.
Once you have answers, score each agency on the same short list: proof of results, the team, reporting, terms and fit. We suggest a final round of the best two or three agencies. Fewer finalists keeps the comparison manageable and keeps the cost of the search low for everyone.
Write down why you chose the winner. That note helps if the work drifts, and it gives the other agencies a fair reason for the result.
Sources: ANA and 4A's, "Guidelines for Agency Search" 2011
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business." ftc.gov (archived)
- ANA and 4A's, "Guidelines for Agency Search," September 30, 2011. ana.net
- ANA, "ANA and 4A's Publish Guidelines for an Effective Agency Search," news release, October 3, 2011. ana.net