Is my marketing agency scamming me?
How do you know if your marketing agency is scamming you? Learn about the ten key signs you are getting scammed below:
They’re making big promises
Marketing experts know that nothing is promised when it comes to results. While marketing agencies can make estimates and help manage expectations, the reality is that things can take a while. Sometimes, a fair amount of trial and error is required, particularly in oversaturated markets.
A marketing agency making big promises about results up-front should be seen as a huge red flag. An honest marketer who believes they can impact your business positively will tell you the truth: I believe I can help you achieve real results within your budget. While I can provide you estimated results for paid opportunities, I can’t promise exact results or an exact timeline.
We get it: it’s not sexy. It’s a lot more fun to tell someone that you’re going to change their business overnight. The reality is that is typically not the case, and an agency making huge claims is likely over-promising in an effort to win your business. Marketers and marketing agencies that truly do provide great results do not need to over-promise.
You’re not really sure what they’re doing
You don’t have to know all-things-marketing to have a great overview of what work is being done. If your marketing agency is a month or more into your program, there should be clear direction provided to you. While any agency is going to try to keep you out of the weeds on projects, updates on new initiatives or details on market research should be shared.
If the marketing agency your business is utilizing seems to be almost intentionally creating confusion or limiting clarity, it should be seen as a red flag. Do not waste time with a company that is not going to be transparent.
They’re not providing you with a monthly report or hours breakdown
Not all agencies do things the same way. Therefore, not every agency will bill hourly or provide hourly breakdowns.
That being said, at a minimum, every business owner should be provided with a monthly report. The monthly report should include new or ongoing initiatives, links to relevant documents and media placements, and a projection of what is to come down the road. If you are not receiving these monthly reports, it can be difficult to track what work has been done.
They promise fast results
Going along with our first point, they make big promises, promising fast results is simply not always realistic. If you are hiring a content marketer to create content for you and they are promising a high volume of content, that may be accurate. If you are hiring a social media manager who is promising millions of views before properly digging into the account, this would be an example of what you want to avoid.
Ask yourself whether they are promising results that depend on their own work, or depend on others interacting with their work. This can help you identify companies that may be engaging in dishonest business practices.
They keep using the word “viral”
We don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but a massive red flag is when an agency promises that they can make any content piece “viral.”
Like we shared in the point above, it is not a great sign when an agency promises results that depend on others behavior. There is an exception: paid opportunities often have industry averages or benchmarks you can expect. When you are putting money behind an effort, you have a bit more control than when you are engaging in organic efforts.
Organic efforts could include things like sending emails to promote a product or service, posting on social media, writing articles, or optimizing your website. Paid opportunities could include paying to have your business mentioned in an article, running Google Ads, or running ads on social media.
They keep finding new things that are preventing your growth
Sometimes, a marketing agency can truly run into issues. It all depends on your business.
If a marketing agency continually finds things wrong or new opportunities that seemingly should have been discovered early on in a campaign, it is time to look a bit more closely.
This could potentially mean that they are attempting to find reasons to be kept on contract. While any company will want to show their value and will want to continue working with your business, this should never be at the cost of honesty and transparency in the agency-client relationship.
They aren’t asking you for information or access
Depending on the services you have hired the marketing agency for, they should be asking for access to things like:
Google My Business
Google Search Console
Google Ads
Google Analytics
Google Keywords
Any relevant assets
Any relevant high-res graphics (think logos, headshots, etc.)
Most marketing activities will require some level of website oversight and tracking. If a marketing agency isn’t digging into your business’ unique data, this should be considered as a warning sign.
You’re not confident in their abilities
It’s been six months, or longer, and you’re not seeing any results. Is it a red flag?
Some things just take time. Search Engine Optimization activities may take a while depending on the size of your website. Further, it can take Google upwards of a month to recognize changes. This delays how quickly changes are able to have an impact.
Social media is another thing that may take some time. A social account that is not actively growing immediately is not necessarily a cause for concern. It can take a while to identify what is going to connect with your audience, and start to build up community loyalty.
If it has been six months to a year of Google Ads running without any lead generation or impact to website traffic, it is likely in your best interest to seek out another agency or try a different marketing effort.
They don’t have reviews (or at least, positive ones)
If you can’t find any evidence that this company exists outside of their website, you should not continue to work with them.
A great marketing agency will have the ability to market itself as well. Without a Google My Business page, relatively active social media for proof of life, or any reviews, it is likely that at best, they do not have a long client history. Working with companies or individuals with a proven record of success is essential.
They’re not responsive
Are you unsure what your marketing agency is doing with their hours? Does it take days, or sometimes several reminder emails to get a response?
You deserve to work with a marketing agency that is responsive, transparent, and on top of things. By not being responsive, it brings into question how well they will be able to also provide a great customer experience to your audience.
True change happens in the details. The fact is, you don’t want to work with an agency that doesn’t have solid attention to detail.
Want to see a list of incredible Denver-based marketing agencies? View the full article here.
