Choosing a marketing agency is more than just finding someone who can make things look good online. It’s about finding a team that understands your business, asks the right questions, and knows how to turn marketing activity into something that genuinely supports growth.
The right agency should feel like a proper extension of your team, not a supplier hiding behind jargon, vague reports, and shiny campaign ideas with no real direction.
So, before you hand over your budget, it’s worth knowing what to ask.
Here are 10 questions to ask a digital marketing agency before you decide who to work with.
1. How long have you been offering marketing services?
Knowing the level of experience you are getting from a marketing agency is important when understanding the depth of knowledge and expertise you are likely to receive from the team. If a marketing agency has a team of experienced marketing experts with a history of satisfied clients, they are likely to be a trusted pair of hands.
Here at Dialled In, our directors have more than 20 years of experience in marketing and business development. Our team is also made up of experienced marketers who hold degrees in marketing or a related field, as well as Associate and Member status with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, alongside other professional qualifications and specialisms that support our clients.
You can read more about the Dialled In team and our experience here.
2. What are your marketing agency’s values?
The marketing agency you work with will become an important partner for your business, so it is important that the agency’s values align with your own business values and goals, helping to create a seamless and cohesive working relationship.
Here at Dialled In, we have set out to build a different kind of marketing agency that brings together marketing, sales and creative vision. We work with our clients, not just as an outsourced supplier, but as a dedicated extension of their marketing and sales team. When you work with Dialled In, you get the full team, from social media experts and videographers to SEO specialists and CRM experts.
3. What services do you provide?
When first looking for a marketing agency, it might be for an upcoming project or a specific service you have in mind. However, taking the time to understand the full breadth of their marketing services could unlock even more potential.
Here at Dialled In, our marketing services include:
- SEO
- Social media management
- Paid advertising
- Email marketing
- Website development
- Marketing analytics and reporting
4. Who will I be able to contact with marketing or sales questions?
When working with an agency, it is important to know whether you will have a dedicated contact, such as a client or account manager, who will be on hand to help with any marketing questions or requests throughout the process.
A client-centric agency will offer peace of mind, ensuring you have consistent support and an ongoing champion for your business.
At Dialled In, you will have a dedicated contact who will be on hand throughout your time working with us, ensuring consistent communication and a team that understands your business. If you’re interested in learning more about our team and how we work with clients, look at our client results or contact our team to discuss your upcoming projects.
5. Do you have any evidence of successful services from other clients?
Everyone who works with a digital marketing agency wants to know that they have chosen a marketing partner that can deliver results. Asking to see client case studies can give you an idea of the quality of work you can look forward to.
Here at Dialled In, we are proud to have worked with a collection of clients across a range of B2B and service-led businesses, delivering results that help achieve their goals.
Don’t take our word for it. Hear from our clients to learn more about how we would work with you.
6. How much will I be involved in my marketing?
The answer to how involved a business wants to be in their outsourced marketing entirely depends on their individual needs. Many marketing agencies will have their own ways of working, from full involvement to a hands-off approach.
We offer a free marketing consultation to discuss your business needs, goals, and how you work best moving forward. This gives you the flexibility to establish how you want to work with our team from day one. We also offer a free marketing checklist to get you started by filling in the short form below:
7. How much does it cost to outsource marketing?
The cost of outsourcing your marketing varies widely depending on the services you are looking for and the length of time you are ready to dedicate to marketing activity. When working with Dialled In, our free marketing review will include a marketing services quote that breaks down the overall cost of your marketing per month, giving you clarity before joining us.
8. Do you provide marketing reports?
Lots of marketing agencies will offer regular, structured summaries of core marketing data. This should reflect performance against established KPIs, any campaign-specific performance data, and overall indicators of client ROI. Understanding what level of reporting you require from a marketing agency helps you choose a partner who can align with your needs.
Dialled In offers monthly marketing reports that keep you up to date and fully aware of how your marketing campaigns and projects are progressing.
To learn more, book a free marketing consultation with us to discuss how we could support you with marketing reporting.
9. How do you get feedback from your clients?
Feedback is important in any relationship, and working with a marketing agency is no different. You need to understand how an agency handles your thoughts, challenges, and ideas. Do they listen properly? Are they explaining their reasoning clearly? Do they take feedback on board without getting defensive?
At Dialled In, we see feedback as part of the process. Sometimes, a client knows their audience better than anyone, and sometimes our job is to bring the marketing perspective that helps shape those ideas into something stronger.
The best results usually come from honest conversations, clear communication and a shared understanding of what you’re trying to achieve.
10. How is success measured?
Before working with a marketing agency, you should ask how they’ll track success and what they’ll report back to you. Will they focus on vanity metrics, or will they look at the things that matter to your business, such as enquiries, website traffic, conversions, engagement, lead quality, or sales opportunities?
A good agency will be clear about what success looks like from the start. They should help you set realistic goals, track progress, and explain results in plain English.
At Dialled In, we believe marketing should pull its weight. That means knowing what you’re trying to achieve, measuring the right things, and using the results to make better decisions moving forward. If you’re ready to get your marketing Dialled In, get in touch with us today.
If you want marketing that actually grows your business, you need to build a strategy that counts. Download our free marketing review checklist to get you started today.