Yes, we are an agency, so read this with that in mind. We also inherit a lot of accounts from other agencies, and the same problems show up again and again: ad accounts the client does not own, reports full of impressions, contracts that are hard to leave.
The questions below will help you compare proposals from anyone, including us. Ask them on the first call, and pay attention to how directly they get answered.
Questions about fit
- Who exactly would work on my account, and what have they done for businesses like mine?
- Can you show two or three similar projects, and introduce me to one of those clients?
- What would you advise a business like mine not to do?
- How well do you know our market, from downtown Toronto to the rest of the GTA?
Good answers are specific and a little uncomfortable. An agency that is happy to recommend everything is usually selling everything.
Questions about ownership
Ask who owns the ad accounts, the website, the domain, the analytics and the customer data. The only good answer is you. Ask what happens if you part ways: you should keep every account and file, and logins should never be held hostage.
Questions about results and reporting
- Which numbers will you report every month? Look for cost per lead and cost per customer, not just clicks and reach.
- How do you track phone calls and offline sales?
- What happens if we miss the targets two months in a row?
- How often will we talk, and who will be on the call?
If the sample report is twenty pages of charts with no recommendation at the end, expect the same after you sign.
Questions about money and contracts
Agencies charge in a few common ways: a flat monthly fee, a percentage of ad spend, or a project price. Each can be fair. What matters is knowing exactly what is included, what costs extra, the minimum term and the notice period.
Be careful with fees tied only to ad spend, since they reward spending more rather than spending better, and with very long contracts that have no exit if results do not come.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Guaranteed first-page rankings or guaranteed lead numbers.
- Secret methods they cannot explain in plain words.
- Refusing to give you admin access to your own accounts.
- Reports that only mention impressions, reach and followers.
- A price for “everything” that seems too good to be true.
Does the agency need to be in Toronto?
Not necessarily, but local knowledge helps more than people expect. An agency that works in Canada should know CASL rules for email, AODA accessibility requirements for Ontario organizations, the French-language expectations for customers in Quebec, and how differently people search in Mississauga, Markham and Midtown.
If you want a starting point for comparing proposals, our free growth assessment gives you an independent view of where the opportunities are, whoever you end up hiring.
