The trust problem
The marketing agency industry has a trust problem. Too many businesses have been burned by agencies that promise big, deliver reports full of vanity metrics, and disappear when results don't follow. It's frustrating for good business owners and it's frustrating for good freelancers and agencies alike.
What follows is the evaluation framework I'd want you to use when evaluating me — or anyone else. A good partner isn't afraid of transparency. If an agency doesn't pass these tests, keep looking.
7 things to check
1. Case studies with real results
Not testimonials — case studies. With numbers. A good partner can show specific examples of what they did, for whom, and what measurable results it generated. If all they have is "our clients love us" without data, that's a red flag.
2. Relevant specialization
An agency that does everything for everyone does nothing exceptionally. Look for partners with demonstrable expertise in your industry, your size of business, or your specific channels. A local SEO specialist who's built 20 sites for construction contractors beats a generalist with a pretty portfolio in unrelated industries.
3. Transparent process
Ask them to walk you through how a typical project works, from first conversation to delivery. A good partner has a clear, repeatable, documented process. If they're winging it — or can't articulate it — that's a sign they're winging it with your budget too.
4. Clear ownership of your assets
Your domain, your hosting, your source code, your ad accounts, your data — you need to own all of it. If an agency insists on keeping assets under their control, they're building dependency, not value. I insist my clients own everything, and you should demand the same.
5. Reporting you understand
A monthly report should answer three questions: what did we do, what did it produce, and what are we doing next? If reports are packed with jargon you don't understand, it's either because the agency can't communicate or because they're hiding bad results behind complexity.
6. Verifiable references
Ask to talk to 2-3 current or past clients. Not the ones the agency suggests — ask to pick from their client list. Good agencies are happy to do this. Bad ones find excuses.
7. Cultural fit
You're going to work closely with these people for months. Is communication easy? Are they responsive? Do they listen? Do they push back on your ideas when necessary? A good partner isn't an order-taker — they're an advisor who tells the truth.
I care about my clients' success like it's my own. I give the tools, guidance, and training to get teams to the next level — at every stage of the project.
5 red flags
- Guaranteed results — nobody can guarantee #1 on Google or a specific conversion rate. Anyone who promises this is either lying or doesn't understand marketing.
- Long-term contracts with no exit — a 12-month commitment with cancellation penalties means the agency is more afraid of you leaving than confident in delivering results.
- No access to your accounts — if you can't log into your Google Ads, analytics, or CMS at any time, that's a control mechanism, not a service.
- Vanity metrics in reports — impressions, "reach," and follower counts with no connection to leads or revenue. These metrics make everyone feel good while producing nothing.
- Pressure to decide fast — "this offer expires Friday" or "we only have one spot left" are sales tactics, not operational realities. A good partner gives you time to decide.
Questions most people forget to ask
- Who actually does the work — juniors or seniors? How many clients are they handling at once?
- What happens if it doesn't work? What's the Plan B after 90 days of no results?
- What's your exit policy? Do I keep everything that's been built?
- How do you communicate bad news? (The answer tells you a lot about integrity)
- What's your biggest recent failure, and what did you learn?
If you're evaluating agencies or freelancers and want to include me in the conversation — reach out. I'm happy to answer every one of these questions.