Marketing agencies globally write articles specifically designed to confuse you and take more of your money. They’ll list a hundred things you need to do. These articles are full of misinformation.

This is the secret every marketer, persuasion expert and copywriter KNOW but never SAY out loud.

Mission? P-leeeeeeeeeaaaaase.

This is our counter-intuitive guide:

How to choose a marketing agency…

Buckle up. There’s a lot of CRAP out there. We sifted through it to correct the wrongs. (Honestly, you don’t even have to read all this. Just click get my emails and I’ll be in touch.)

When you need outside help, here’s how you choose (without 100 faffy steps).

It’s NOT complicated, despite what all the top Google articles say.

You don’t have to overthink it… consult the Gods or meditate for hours on end.

And as long as you apply common sense… getting started doesn’t mean life or death even if you choose the wrong one.

You don’t need to ask a million questions.

A good agency will consult with you and suggest custom solutions to your needs.

That’s why we’re experts, after all.

Today, any good agency will let you judge them on results.

Forget their “expertise”, “experience” & “industry knowledge”. If they know marketing, they know how to research your market and get you results.

You don’t need to ask a lot of questions. This isn’t an interview. You’re making an investment.

You can look at their marketing. Do they put a face to the brand? Or are they hidden away in some anonymous office?

Common sense.

You’ll want an idea of budget. And you’ll need to be transparent and accurate about your numbers… otherwise, you’ll end up with a skewed relationship.

It’s better to be upfront about your budget. But a good agency can also help you figure out an appropriate cost per customer. Again… apply common sense.

A good agency will research your target audience. But you can’t expect them to do this before a deal is done. 

The best agencies do research before working on every single ad. It’s the behind the scenes work you won’t typically see.

Contrary to popular belief, target audience is NOT an aid for choosing the right marketing agency.

Think about this: if they assume they know all about your target market from the get go, who’s to say they won’t arrogantly ignore current trends and topics? Research is a constant and evolving process.

You don’t need to build a brief or RFP. A strong agency will help you form a marketing plan tailored to your goals.

You may be tempted to compare agencies, or pit one against another… NOT wise. I’m not saying don’t look around. But when you try to bargain down prices based on competition, you ignore the effort they have put into tailoring your plan based on your unique business… and what they can realistically provide on their budget.

If you have pricing concerns, it’s better to approach it honestly.

“Hey this is a bit above my budget, is there anything we can do about that?”

Rather than, “this is too expensive!”

One shifts blame and causes defensiveness, the other is solution oriented.

If “fun” is top of your priority list for working with an agency… you might not be ready for this yet. 

We suggest you choose results over “shared views”, or “outlooks on life” — we’re all different! Good marketing returns multiples on your investment first and foremost. 

There’s not a billion agencies available. Good one’s are in short supply and high demand. The good one’s starting out are even rarer… If you’re lucky enough to come across a talented small agency in the early stages… JACKPOT.

Large agencies will tell you word of mouth is the gold standard… while running huge ad campaigns that hire actors to pose as clients. 

Beware when an agency rushes you to make a decision based on social proof, instead of results.

Agency Google rankings and awards mean nothing. Honestly, the contest winners usually win through slight of hand (i.e. how many £175 tickets they could afford to attend the Christmas event). Sad but true. 

And Google search results articles like “Top agency of 2025” are B.S. too. 

Take a look at who wrote the article… you’ll soon figure out an agency wrote article, and the other contestants paid to be there!

Sick of the maze? That’s why we’re here. You do what you best. We handle the marketing. Join my email list and I’ll be in touch.