Finding the right marketing agency can feel like an impossible task. You spend months in proposal meetings, talk to dozens of agencies all promising the same results with slightly different USPs, narrow it down to a final three, align your stakeholders, and then, 3 months into the partnership, you realise they don't understand your brand or your message at all.

The time wasted finding an agency that turns out to be the wrong fit is more than disheartening. It's costly, frustrating, and sets your marketing goals back by months.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Here's exactly what you need to do during the agency selection process to choose a marketing partner that actually delivers results.

Define Your Marketing Goals Before You Start Your Agency Search

Before you search for "marketing agencies near me" or start scrolling through agency directories, take time to define what success looks like for your business. Whether you need help with digital marketing, paid advertising, content strategy, or SEO, being clear about your KPIs and goals will help you:

• Narrow down agencies based on proven results in your area of need

• Communicate clear expectations from day one

• Filter out agencies that aren't the right fit

To structure this process effectively, consider using a marketing agency selection framework as it helps standardise how you assess potential partners and ensures alignment across internal stakeholders.

Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Contacting Agencies

When brands approach us at PinPoint Media, we ask specific questions before we even book a discovery call. Here are the questions you should answer for yourself first:

• What's your 5 year plan?

• What's your north star KPI (revenue, sales, brand awareness, lead generation)?

• Are there any brands you're inspired by?

• Who are your main competitors?

• What are your current pain points?

• What areas are you looking for expertise in (SEO, PPC, social media marketing, content marketing)?

• What are your final budgets?

• Who is your target audience?

Before reaching out, some brands also benefit from preparing a digital marketing agency RFP checklist, which outlines their goals, scope, and expectations in a clear, consistent way for every agency under consideration.

Why Your Current Agency Isn't Working

If you're switching agencies, clarity on what went wrong is crucial. Common reasons brands leave their current agency include:

• Poor culture fit: The team doesn't align with your company values or communication style

• Lack of brand understanding: The agency doesn't grasp your brand identity, voice, or positioning

• Pricing issues: You're either overpaying for basic services or getting cheap work that doesn't deliver

• Poor communication: Unclear reporting, missed deadlines, or unresponsive account managers

• No results: The agency can't demonstrate ROI or performance improvements

Being specific about what didn't work helps you eliminate agencies with similar red flags early in the selection process and it’s especially valuable when completing an agency vs. in-house comparison to evaluate where your next investment should go.

Research Potential Marketing Agencies Thoroughly

Yes, agencies can oversell their capabilities during pitches. That's why independent research is non-negotiable. Here's how to properly vet a marketing agency:

Check Agency Reviews and Case Studies

Look for reviews on the agency's website, but also check third-party platforms like Clutch, Agency Spotter and Google Business. Keep in mind some review platforms are paid, so they may not be completely unbiased.

Better yet, if you see case studies or client work you admire, reach out to those companies directly. Past clients will give you honest insights into what it's really like to work with the agency.

Evaluate Their Website and Online Presence

An agency's website tells you everything you need to know about their capabilities:

• Professionalism: If their website looks outdated or poorly designed, they don't understand digital marketing

• Specific expertise: Avoid agencies that claim to "do it all." Unless they're a large established firm, agencies that say they excel at every marketing channel likely aren't experts in any

• Relevant experience: Have they worked with brands in your industry? While industry experience isn't mandatory, it's valuable if they've delivered results for similar companies

• Team culture: Do they showcase their team? Do employees seem valued and happy? Unhappy agency teams won't work hard for clients

• Fresh content: Are their blog posts, case studies, and portfolio recent? If their website hasn't been updated in months, they probably don't have impressive recent work to share

To stay objective, some brands use an agency evaluation scorecard, a simple but powerful tool for comparing agencies on expertise, creativity, communication, and culture fit.

The Right Agency Selection Process: Intro, Discovery, and Proposal

Here's a major red flag: any agency that can send you a detailed proposal within 3 days of a 15-minute phone call. They don't understand your business, and their proposal will be generic template copy with unrealistic promises based on zero actual data.

Reputable marketing agencies follow a structured process that takes time but ensures you get a customised strategy. At PinPoint Media and other trustworthy agencies, we use a three-stage approach:

Stage 1: The Intro Call (Chemistry Check)

The intro call is your chance to share high-level goals and learn about the agency's services, past clients, and success stories. Think of this as a chemistry check.

You'll likely speak with a business development representative or head of growth, your main contact throughout the pitch process. Pay attention to the rapport. You don't need to be best friends, but you should feel like they're genuinely enthusiastic about understanding your business and sharing what makes their agency different.

If you feel an immediate disconnect, trust your gut. Communication issues in the pitch phase only get worse after you sign a contract.

Stage 2: The Discovery Call (Deep Dive)

A discovery call is where both sides ask detailed questions and dive into the data. The agency should ask about:

• Your historical marketing performance and analytics

• Specific pain points and challenges

• Short-term and long-term marketing goals

• Budget parameters and expectations

This is also when you should meet the actual team members who will work on your account, not just the sales team. At PinPoint Media, we include specialists who will do the work on discovery calls because they're the experts, and because you deserve to know who you'll be working with daily and whether they actually know what they're doing.

Ask your own questions too. If a case study impressed you, dig deeper. If they lack experience in your industry, ask why they're confident they can deliver results for you.

If an agency rushes through discovery or keeps it surface-level, they either don't care enough or they're avoiding tough questions.

Stage 3: The Pitch (Proving They Can Deliver)

By this stage, you should have a shortlist of agencies that have proven expertise, cultural alignment, and genuine interest in your business. Now it's time for them to prove they can meet your specific goals.

A strong pitch should include:

• Data-backed strategy: Real numbers and projections, not vague promises

• Solutions to your pain points: If you said your last agency didn't understand your brand, how will they ensure they do? If you complained about poor reporting, what reporting structure will they provide?

• Clear working relationship outline: What does daily communication look like? What project management tools do they use? How often will you review performance data?

The pitch should constantly reference what you've told them you need. Make sure they've actually listened and aren't just delivering a standard presentation.

Start the Partnership with Dedicated Onboarding Workshops

After you sign the contract, don't let momentum die. The first few weeks of your agency relationship are critical.

The best agencies offer onboarding workshops, either full days or half days, ideally in person, where they immerse themselves in your business. They should learn:

• Your brand guidelines and visual identity

• Your mission, vision, and core values

• Your brand voice and messaging frameworks

• Your wider marketing plan and upcoming initiatives

An agency needs to become an extension of your team, and they can't do that without knowing your brand as well as you do.

Too many brands complain that their agency launched campaigns that didn't align with their brand, promoted the wrong products, or ignored the bigger marketing strategy. This is entirely preventable if you invest time upfront to thoroughly complete brand-agency onboarding and ensure mutual understanding.

Yes, workshops take time. But they dramatically reduce the time you'll spend later giving feedback, correcting messaging, and asking for revisions. When an agency truly becomes an extension of your brand, collaboration becomes effortless.

Key Takeaways: How to Choose a Marketing Agency That Actually Works

Choosing the right marketing agency requires preparation, research, and a structured evaluation process. If you go into the agency search unprepared, you'll waste time and likely end up dissatisfied, starting the whole process over again.

Follow these steps to choose the right agency the first time:

1. Define your goals and KPIs before you start searching

2. Research agencies thoroughly, check reviews, case studies, and websites

3. Expect a proper process: intro call, discovery call, and data-backed proposal

4. Meet the actual team members who will work on your account

5. Invest in onboarding workshops to align the agency with your brand

When you do it right, you'll build a long-term partnership where you grow together and see consistent, measurable success.

As Abraham Lincoln said, "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe." The same applies to choosing a marketing agency. The time you invest upfront in finding the right partner will pay off exponentially.

Looking for a marketing agency that takes the time to truly understand your brand? At PinPoint Media, we believe in thorough discovery, transparent processes, and becoming a genuine extension of your team. Get in touch to start a conversation about your marketing goals.