Key Takeaway:
Discover which questions matter most when vetting a digital marketing agency to ensure a solid partnership before you sign a contract.
Hiring a digital marketing agency is a lot like dating: you’re looking for the right match. And just like in a relationship, you want to make sure it’s a good fit before you commit. You’ve had a few dates, and now you’re ready to take things to the next level. But before making it official, there are some important questions to ask. Similar to how you’d ask a potential partner about their long-term goals, values, and intentions.
In the same way, you need to vet a marketing agency to ensure it can deliver the results you’re looking for and will be a true partner in your business’s growth. Here are the top questions to ask, along with the answers you should expect, to ensure you’re getting into a long-term, successful partnership.
“63.1% of brands outsourced work to agencies in the past year. This was a 46.2% increase from the previous year.”
– Marketing Week
2025 Career & Salary Survey
1. How do you define success for my business in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
What to look for:
Clear, measurable KPIs that align with your business goals, whether it’s increasing website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales. Make sure their responses provide specifics and clearly define their responsibilities and yours. This is a partnership, and you’ll need to understand what you’ll be accountable for at the start of the relationship.
How TTG Approaches This:
We establish specific expectations for each time period and request meetings and reviews from our clients. For example, with one of our clients, after reviewing what could impact the targets and discussing their role, we set a goal of 10–20 qualified leads in the first month. By 60 days, we aimed for 15–30 leads, and by 90 days, 25–60 qualified leads. Success is measured through clear communication, responsibilities, numbers, and timelines, so you’re always aware of how your investment is performing.
2. How do you ensure that the leads generated are high-quality?
What to look for:
A process for filtering out irrelevant or low-value leads, especially in niche markets or high-ticket services. If you do not have a process, you may look to your new partner for ideas, but you or your team needs to be prepared to provide feedback. If the outside firm is not requesting feedback, that should be a red flag.
How TTG approaches this:
We begin by understanding our clients’ standards for a highly qualified lead and how they capture and track them. We then audit marketing channels and analytics currently in place and read business reviews to understand the baseline and what needs adjusting. We often request clients add additional tracking tools like call tracking (CallRail), Microsoft Clarity or shared access to sales via a CRM, POS, or Google Sheet. We also request monthly meetings to discuss what’s happening and to receive continuous feedback, which helps us refine targeting and deliver leads that are more likely to convert.
3. What tools and systems will you use to track performance?
What to look for:
Transparent tools that clearly demonstrate the impact of your marketing efforts. This is a good time to ask them to share a current client’s report during a Zoom meeting. This will let you see what you’ll be receiving, and it’s an opportunity to observe how they handle the request.
How TTG approaches this:
During our sales process, we openly show reports and explain that we cannot send them as they are unique to our clients, but we walk our potential new customer through what type of reports we provide and why they matter. This is where we, as the agency, have an opportunity to emphasize the importance of data and context.
We use tools like Google Analytics, CallRail, Gravity Forms*, Looker Studio, DashThis*, Google Search Console, and others to track leads and website interactions and identify partial trend changes. Regular strategy meetings ensure clients review the data with their account manager, giving them an opportunity to adjust campaigns quickly based on real-time insights.
4. Can I control my marketing budget and adjust priorities?
What to look for:
Flexibility to allocate your budget based on results, but with guidance and goal alignment. You don’t want a “Yes Person” here. This is a place where we push back on our clients because if you’re jumping around too much, you are not giving your marketing time to work. AI and machine learning require time to be successful.
How TTG approaches this:
Our team develops flexible plans that allow growing businesses to adjust spending as needed. You gain peace of mind knowing you always have visibility and control over your investment. Our team will inform you when your budgets are unrealistic based on expected goals and how the current changes in ad platforms might impact your objectives.
“Look for a marketing partner that gives you tangible results you can easily interpret. Monthly performance reports highlighting key metrics and regular strategy meetings are two ‘green flags.’”
– Technology Therapy® Group
5. Will I have access to review and approve what is used to market my business?
What to look for:
A collaborative approach, an effective communication process for reviewing marketing materials, and a partner who plans.
How TTG Approaches This:
It’s your business, and as your partner, we take responsibility for marketing and communicating your message. Our onboarding process involves learning about your business’s values, voice, and brand. This helps us create an internal document to refer to when designing or assigning copy. This process ensures we all stay aligned on your business. Our marketing account managers follow a schedule they develop with you and coordinate an approval process that suits each client.
6. What happens if I’m not happy with the results after a few months?
What to look for:
A flexible exit clause and commitment to improvement.
How TTG approaches this:
At TTG, we mainly work with month-to-month contracts. While we ask new clients for a six-month commitment, it is a request, not a requirement. We make this request because understanding you, your business, and your target customers takes time. Just like with an exercise routine, it also takes time to see results. However, we never want clients to feel trapped in a long-term contract. If results are not meeting expectations, we discuss what’s affecting everyone’s success and adjust strategies accordingly. We request a 30-day notice, as our team plans ahead. Our goal is to deliver measurable results, not to lock you into ineffective strategies.
Making the Right Match: Your Marketing Agency Partner
Choosing the right digital marketing agency is like finding the right romantic partner. By asking the right questions and ensuring the answers are specific, measurable, and actionable, you’ll be able to find a partner who truly understands your business and will help (not hinder) your growth.
At Technology Therapy® Group, we believe in transparency, expertise, and fostering genuine partnerships with our clients. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to scale up, our goal is to help you make smarter decisions, optimize your marketing, and achieve real, lasting results.
Got Questions? Let’s Chat!
Here at TTG, we invite you to vet us before committing to a long-term partnership. Ask us your questions during a free consult.
*DISCLOSURE: Links included in this article might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that we provide, TTG may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you!
