Seeing Through Agency Marketing
Every agency claims to be the best. Every portfolio shows success stories. Every pitch promises transformation. Separating reality from marketing requires looking beyond the presentation.
This guide helps you evaluate agencies based on substance, not style.
What to Look For
Characteristics that indicate capability.
Relevant experience
Experience in your specific area matters. An agency great at building new DTC brands may not be equipped for enterprise B2B. An agency expert in one platform may struggle with another.
Ask for examples of work similar to what you need. General portfolio is less useful than relevant portfolio.
Technical depth
For technical projects, evaluate technical capability. Ask about architecture decisions, challenges encountered, and how problems were solved. Vague answers suggest limited depth.
Clear process
Good agencies have defined processes for how they work. They can explain how projects flow, how communication works, and how issues are handled. Ad hoc processes lead to ad hoc results.
Honest limitations
Agencies that acknowledge what they do not do well are more trustworthy than those claiming to excel at everything. No agency is best at everything.
Client retention
Long-term client relationships suggest satisfaction. Ask how long typical clients work with them. High churn is a warning sign.
Red Flags
Warning signs to watch for.
Guaranteed results
No one can guarantee specific business outcomes. Agencies that promise "we will double your conversion rate" are either naive or dishonest. Good agencies describe their approach and typical results, not guarantees.
Vague pricing
Agencies that cannot provide ballpark pricing without extensive discovery may be making it up as they go. Experienced agencies know what things typically cost.
One-size-fits-all
If the proposed solution sounds identical to their pitch deck regardless of your specific situation, they are selling packages, not solutions.
Dismissing competitors
Agencies that disparage competitors without substance are deflecting. Good agencies can explain their differentiation without attacking others.
No questions for you
If an agency pitches without asking about your business, goals, and constraints, they are not tailoring to your needs. Good agencies need to understand before proposing.
Questions to Ask
Specific questions that reveal capability.
About their experience
- What projects have you done most similar to ours?
- What challenges did you encounter and how did you solve them?
- Can we speak with clients from those projects?
About their process
- How do you structure projects?
- What does communication look like during the engagement?
- How do you handle scope changes or unexpected issues?
About their team
- Who specifically would work on our project?
- What is their background and experience?
- How stable is your team? How long have key people been there?
About outcomes
- What results have similar projects achieved?
- What factors determine whether a project succeeds?
- When do projects fail and why?
Evaluating Proposals
How to assess what you receive.
Specificity
Generic proposals suggest template-based pitching. Good proposals reference your specific situation, challenges you mentioned, and tailor the approach accordingly.
Realistic scope
Proposals that seem to do everything for suspiciously low prices often underestimate scope. When the project starts, reality hits and costs grow.
Clear deliverables
What specifically will you receive? Vague deliverables lead to disputes later. "Optimized website" means different things to different people. "Homepage redesign with X, Y, Z functionality" is clearer.
Honest timeline
Overly aggressive timelines often slip. Agencies that pad timelines and deliver early build trust. Ask what could make the timeline slip and how that risk is managed.
Reference Checks
References are valuable but require the right approach.
Ask specific questions
Generic "how was working with them?" gets generic answers. Ask:
- What specifically did they deliver?
- Were there any issues? How were they handled?
- Would you hire them again? For what kind of work?
- What could they have done better?
Look for patterns
One negative reference might be a mismatch. Multiple references citing similar issues is a pattern.
Making the Decision
Final considerations.
Relationship fit
You will work closely with this team. Communication style, responsiveness, and cultural alignment matter for day-to-day collaboration.
Value vs price
The cheapest option is rarely the best value. Consider what outcomes you need and which agency is most likely to deliver them.
Start small
If possible, start with a smaller engagement before committing to a large project. A discovery phase or small project reveals working style before major investment.
For Shopify project evaluation, see our approach to engagements.
Working with LiftKit Digital
LiftKit Digital is happy to answer any of these questions about our experience, process, and team. We would rather you choose the right partner for your needs, even if that is not us.
To start a conversation, get in touch.