15 Questions to Ask a Marketing Agency Before You Sign Anything

You're about to commit thousands of pounds a month to a marketing agency. The pitch meeting went well. The case studies looked impressive. The team seemed sharp. But before you sign anything, ask these questions. The answers will tell you more about the agency than any proposal deck ever could.

We compiled this list from conversations with business owners who've hired agencies that worked brilliantly and agencies that wasted their money. The difference almost always came down to what they asked (or didn't ask) before signing.

1. Can I see results from a client in my industry or a similar one?

Not a generic case study. Actual numbers from a business comparable to yours. Revenue influenced, leads generated, cost per acquisition. If they only show impressions and engagement metrics, that tells you how they define success. And it's probably not how you define it.

2. What does your reporting include and how often will I see it?

Ask to see an actual sample report from a current client (anonymised). If the report is full of vanity metrics like impressions and reach without connecting to business outcomes, the agency measures activity not results. A good report shows leads generated, cost per lead, revenue attributed to marketing and clear trend analysis.

3. What happens if results don't meet expectations after three months?

This question reveals everything about an agency's confidence in their work. Do they have a process for diagnosing underperformance? Will they proactively raise it or wait for you to notice? Do they adjust strategy or make excuses? Agencies that dodge this question are planning for a scenario where they underdeliver and want wiggle room.

4. What targets will you commit to in the first 90 days?

Not vague promises. Specific, measurable outcomes tied to your business objectives. Good agencies are comfortable setting targets because they've done this enough times to know what's realistic. Bad ones resist targets because they know they might not hit them.

5. Who will actually do the work on my account?

The most important question on this list. The person pitching you is rarely the person managing your account. Ask to meet the person who'll be doing the day to day work. Ask about their experience level, their current workload and how many other accounts they manage. If you're one of twelve accounts being managed by someone with two years' experience, your £3,000 monthly retainer isn't buying senior strategic thinking.

6. How often will we speak and what does communication look like?

Monthly reports aren't communication. They're documentation. You want to know about strategic catch-ups, ad-hoc availability when something urgent comes up and who your point of contact is when you have questions. Weekly check-ins aren't unreasonable for an active engagement. If the agency balks at regular communication, they're either stretched too thin or not planning to give your account much attention.

7. What do you need from me to do your best work?

Good agencies know exactly what they need from clients and they're upfront about it. Access to analytics, product information, customer insights, approval processes. If they say "nothing, we'll handle everything" they're either going to produce generic work or come back constantly with requests they should have anticipated.

8. What's the total monthly cost including ad spend, tools and any extras?

The retainer is rarely the full picture. Ask about ad spend management fees (typically 10-20% on top of the spend itself), any tools or software billed separately, and whether there are extra charges for things like additional content pieces, strategy sessions or reporting. Get the all-in number before you compare agencies.

9. What's the minimum contract length and what are the exit terms?

Some agencies insist on 12-month contracts with limited break clauses. Others work on rolling monthly agreements. Neither is inherently wrong but you should know exactly what you're committing to. Ask specifically: if this isn't working after three months, what does it take to end the contract? Any notice period, early termination fees or handover costs?

10. Do I own my ad accounts, content and data?

This should always be yes. If the agency runs ads through their own accounts rather than yours, you lose all historical data and audience insights if you leave. If they retain copyright on content they create, you're renting your own marketing assets. Everything produced for your business should belong to your business. Full stop.

11. What will you do for us that you don't do for every other client?

If the answer is "our process is tailored to each client" with no specifics, they're running a template strategy with your logo on it. A good agency should be able to articulate what's different about your market, your competition and your audience and how that shapes their approach. Ask for specifics.

12. What would you recommend we don't spend money on?

An agency that says yes to everything you suggest isn't thinking about your business. They're thinking about their invoice. A good agency will push back if you want to invest in a channel that doesn't suit your audience or if your budget is better allocated elsewhere. The willingness to say "that's not right for you" is one of the strongest indicators of an agency that puts your results ahead of their revenue.

13. How do you stay current with platform changes and algorithm updates?

Digital marketing changes constantly. What worked six months ago might not work today. You want an agency that's actively testing, learning and adapting rather than one that set up your campaigns in month one and hasn't fundamentally reviewed them since.

14. Can I speak with a current client?

Not a testimonial on their website. An actual conversation with someone who is currently working with them and can tell you what the experience is really like. Any agency worth hiring will happily connect you with a reference. Any agency that won't is hoping their sales pitch doesn't get fact-checked.

15. What does your own marketing look like?

Check the agency's website, social media, content and search visibility. An agency that claims to deliver results for clients but has a neglected blog, inconsistent social presence and poor search rankings is showing you exactly what level of effort they consider acceptable. Their own marketing is the only unfiltered example of their work quality.

No agency will get a perfect score on all fifteen questions. What you're looking for is transparency and specificity in the answers. Vague responses, deflection and defensiveness are worse than an honest "we're not strong in that area." The agencies that are honest about their limitations tend to be honest about everything else too.

If you want to compare how different agencies stack up on these criteria, browse our agency directory where we evaluate UK marketing agencies on capabilities, transparency and client outcomes.