Choosing a marketing agency can feel like a second job. Every website promises results, and every agency sounds confident. Here's a simple way to cut through it.
Start with the problem, not the service
Before you look at agencies, write down what you're trying to achieve. More enquiries? More online sales? A brand that looks as good as your work? The clearer the problem, the easier it is to tell which agencies can solve it.
If you're not sure which service you need, that's fine. Say so. A good agency will help you work it out rather than sell you whatever they happen to offer.
Decide what kind of agency suits you
- Independent specialist. One expert, usually focused on a single channel. Personal attention, limited capacity.
- Boutique agency. A small team. Often senior people do the work.
- Medium-sized agency. More services under one roof and more capacity.
- Large agency. Broad capability and process, often suited to bigger budgets and complex organisations.
None is better than the others. The right one depends on your size, budget and how involved you want to be.
Be honest about budget
You don't need an exact figure, but a range helps agencies tell you whether they're a realistic fit. It also stops you spending time with agencies that only take on much larger, or much smaller, clients.
Look at relevant work
Ask for examples of work for businesses like yours: similar size, similar customers, similar goals. Ask what happened after the work was delivered, not just how it looked.
Ask how they'll measure success
A good agency will agree with you on what success looks like before starting, and report on it in plain language.
Meet the people who will do the work
The people in the first meeting aren't always the people who work on your account. Ask who will.
Check the contract
Look at the minimum term, the notice period, who owns what (accounts, files, content, code) and what happens if you part ways.
Or let us do the legwork
If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. That's why unpitch exists. Tell us what you need, and we'll research suitable agencies, check their availability and introduce you to the ones you approve.