If you are a non-Marketing person and you’re ready to hire a contractor or agency to take over, it can be challenging to know… well, what you should know. Finding the right agency for you can feel a lot like a job interview— and it’s important you understand the role you’re hiring the agency to do. 

It’s necessary to ask questions to understand better what you’re signing up for, you have a better client/agency relationship, and so you aren’t wasting your precious Marketing dollars. As a Marketing person (not quite my official title but you get the idea), I came up with five questions you should ask an agency or contractor before hiring them.

1. What Does Your Process Look Like? 

Every agency/contractor has a different way of doing things— which means it’s essential to know if their process will work with how you do things. Ask them to briefly explain their process, what you can expect after hiring them, and what their timelines look like for clients. If they don’t have a clear process or plan, that may be a red flag. 

2. What Results Can I Expect From Working With You?

This is a big one, and maybe the most considerable question you’ll ask. To be extremely trite, hereis where the rubber meets the road. You need to be fully confident the person (or people) you’re hiring can create results for your business. Ask them what results you can expect to see, how they measure impact, and talk over what success looks like for your business. Keep in mind this should look like a two-way conversation rather than an interrogation.

3. Can I See Your Portfolio?

Listen up: anyone can say they’re the best Marketing agency in the world online, but they better have the proof to back the claim up. Ask for their portfolio to see who they’ve worked for in the past, what the work has looked like, and what results the agency was able to create for other clients. Bonus points if they have client reviews or testimonials for you to look through.

4. What Are Your Rates?

No, it’s not rude to ask what the agency is charging. It will save you and the agency from wasting time if they don’t fit in your budget. Agencies and contractors typically have different levels of payment and commitment, so you’ll likely be able to find a level that works for you. This question would also be a great segue to ask for details about their billing process and payment terms .

 5. How Will You Create A Strategy For My Business?

Marketing isn’t a “one size fits all” business. Ask them what they plan to do to get to know your business and create a strategy specifically for you. A great follow-up question would be, “what will you do to implement these strategies?” Although it may take some time for the agency to create a robust Marketing plan for your business, they should have a general idea of what could work for you.

It isn’t wrong or impolite to ask questions before signing a Marketing contract with an agency or contractor— in fact, it will actually help you in the long run. Having a clear understanding and expectation from the beginning will greatly benefit your working relationship with whoever you choose to hire.

I would be a terrible Marketer if I didn’t take this opportunity to Market my own agency (#NoShame). These five questions are just a few of the things I cover in my own consulting calls with potential clients. I want to make sure you feel confident we’d be a good fit, help you really get to know me, and understand what I do.

If you’re in the market for a Marketing agency (see what I did there?), take a look at TAC(t). My team just might be what you’ve been looking for. As always, if you have questions, you know where to reach me.