How do you hire a marketing agency, from shortlist to signed contract?
Hire a marketing agency in writing: brief, shortlist, written answers, references, a paid first deliverable, then a contract your attorney has read.
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Marketing insights for operators who are done guessing.
No vanity metrics, no theatre. Just what actually moves revenue for $1M–$10M service businesses: Google Ads, SEO, content, and conversion, written by the firm that installs them as one managed system.
What should the first 30 days with a marketing agency look like?
Access, baselines, priorities, and a 30-day plan beat “we’ll optimize as we go.” Here’s what good onboarding looks like for service operators.
ReadWhat marketing agency contract red flags should you check before you sign?
Account ownership, termination, auto-renew, and scope vagueness show up before performance does. Operator checklist—then have your attorney review.
ReadWhat are the signs your marketing agency isn’t working?
Missed forecasts, vanity dashboards, and no revenue metrics are signals—not vibes. Use this operator checklist before you renew or replace anyone.
ReadRetainer vs fixed-fee marketing: what are you actually paying for?
Hours, retainers, and % of spend buy activity. Fixed-fee models buy a scoped system. Here’s how operators should compare incentives—before they sign.
ReadWhat should a marketing agency RFP scorecard include before you sign?
Score agencies on systems, measurement, and commercial model—not pitch decks. Use this operator RFP checklist in writing before you hire anyone.
ReadHow do you evaluate a marketing agency before you sign?
Agency churn peaks at agencies that sell tactics, not systems. Use this checklist before you sign—then apply if you want fixed-fee infrastructure.
ReadLocal link building for service businesses: earning the backlinks that move rankings
Links are the third-biggest local ranking factor, and the one service businesses do the least about. How to earn them without a national PR budget.
ReadNegative keywords: the highest-ROI 30 minutes in your Google Ads account
One in four Google Ads accounts has never added a single negative keyword. Here's the wasted spend that creates, and how to fix it in one sitting.
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