I run a marketing agency in Oklahoma City, so I'm biased. But I've talked to a lot of owners who got burned by an agency before. Most of those stories could have been avoided with a few questions up front.
Here are the ten I'd want any owner to ask, including me.
1. Who will actually do the work?
Some agencies sell you on the owner and hand you to a junior account manager, or send the work overseas. Ask who runs your ads, who makes your creative and who you call when something's wrong.
2. Do I own my ad account, page and data?
You should. Your Facebook page, ad account, Google Business Profile, website and customer list should be in your name, with the agency given access. If you part ways, you keep everything. If an agency wants to own it all, walk away.
3. How is ad spend billed?
Ideally, ad spend goes straight from your card to Meta or Google, separate from the agency's fee, so you can see every dollar. If the agency bills you one lump sum that includes ad spend, ask exactly how much actually goes to ads.
4. What's the contract and how do I cancel?
Ads need some time to work, so a short starting term makes sense. A year-long lock-in with no way out doesn't. Know the term length and the cancellation notice before you sign.
5. Who makes the creative, and is it real?
Ask to see the ads they'd run. Stock photos and templates, or real footage of your business? In local markets, real video of you and your team almost always stands out more. Here's why.
6. Where do my leads go, and how fast are they answered?
An agency that gets you leads but doesn't care what happens next is only doing half the job. Ask where leads land, whether they get an instant reply and how you get notified. More on speed to lead.
7. How will you report results?
Impressions, reach and clicks are nice, but they don't pay the bills. Ask how they'll track leads and booked jobs, and how often you'll go over the numbers together, in plain English.
8. Can I see real work you've done?
Real ads they've run for real businesses, ideally in your area or industry. Not mockups and not big-brand logos with no story behind them.
9. Are you actually local?
Plenty of agencies say OKC on the website and work from somewhere else. That's not always bad, but if you want someone who can come film your crew, understands Oklahoma's seasons and knows the difference between Edmond and Moore, ask.
10. What happens if it doesn't work?
Nobody can guarantee results, and you should be wary of anyone who does. But a good agency will tell you how they'll spot problems early, what they'll change and when they'd honestly tell you it's not working.
Red flags
- Guaranteed results, guaranteed rankings or "first page of Google in 30 days."
- They want to own your accounts.
- Long contracts with steep cancellation fees.
- They can't show you real work.
- They talk about likes and reach but never about booked jobs.
- You can never get the same person on the phone twice.
How I answer them
Since I asked you to ask: I do the work myself, and I film on location around OKC. You own your accounts, and ad spend is paid directly to Meta on your card. The first term is three months, then it's month to month. Leads get an instant text and email, and we go over leads and booked jobs together. You can see real ads on the work page.
If you want to ask me these questions directly, book a free strategy call. If we're not a fit, I'll say so. You can also read more about Salty Marketing.