When You Should Avoid an Agency (and When They Should Avoid You)

You may have seen the trend going around where people share “red flags” about themselves, their spouse, or their family. 

When it’s time to look for marketing support, what red flags should you watch out for?

And almost as importantly—what might make you a red flag in their eyes?

Let’s break it down.

Marketing involves lots of moving parts, and some of those stay confidential to protect the team members and other clients. But if your marketing partner won’t share strategies, metrics, or any information about where your money is going, they probably aren’t holding up their end of the bargain.

Marketing takes time. While some things can be changed quickly, other projects take weeks, months, or even years to fully implement. If your agency promises to get you top returns fast, like an immediate boom of social media followers or the #1 position on Google search, it’s probably too good to be true. Even the best marketing agencies don’t have overnight results, because platforms with algorithms take time to adjust. Aim for results that are noteworthy, not miraculous.

If an agency doesn’t respond to your questions, or if they give incredibly vague answers, that’s a hallmark of poor customer service. Your marketing partner will need to talk with you regularly about all aspects of your marketing and business once you enter a partnership. While there are busy seasons where responses are delayed, consistently underwhelming communication sets a pattern.

Just like a job interview, the discovery process with an agency should involve questions in both directions. If you aren’t a good client fit for their skills and goals, your agency will want to know before proposing a partnership. So if they don’t ask questions about your current marketing, your goals, your budget, or other general information before preparing a proposal, they don’t want a partner. They just want someone to pay them.

If a client says they HAVE to get their marketing started right NOW or their company will crash—there are bigger issues than marketing. While marketing can act as an engine to propel your organization where you want to go...there has to be something there to propel. If you try to copy Wile E. Coyote and strap a jet to your roller skates chasing after an unattainable goal, you’ll crash, and everyone will get hurt.

You’re always going to know the most about your business above anyone out there. But to make effective changes that drive growth and move you forward, make sure you’re ready to learn from the experts you’ve brought to the table, even when it may be hard to hear. If you insist that it’s “my way or the highway” and claim to know best—marketing or otherwise—don’t hire a strategic partner.

Whether it’s an outdated website, new email branding, or social media posts for your upcoming event, there are lots of important materials your organization needs. But if a client can’t narrow down their needs to a “top five” or priority list because everything is urgent—that means nothing can be urgent, and everyone will end up frustrated.

Having (and sticking to) a marketing budget is an absolute must. Marketing should never become an all-consuming expense. However, marketing does require front-end investment to achieve long-term results. You’ll never achieve meaningful marketing growth if you’re always cutting corners and doing the bare minimum to save costs.

1. Evaluate your expectations. Many marketing issues revolve around unrealistic expectations. If you try to find an agency to meet all of them, you’ll just leave disappointed.
2. Ask for help. If you’re struggling to prioritize or set healthy standards as an organization, talk with someone who’s done it already! TwoTone and our CEO, Jenny Cross, are uniquely equipped to support your sales, marketing, organization structure, and more, from the granular details to high-level insight. Learn more about strategy and consulting from TwoTone.