How to Tell If It’s Time to Switch Marketing Agencies: 5 Red Flags to Watch For

An effective marketing agency is integral to the success of your business, whether that’s a strong partner to your existing internal marketing department or sole leader moving your brand forward. Many of these relationships begin and companies stick with their agency partner out of familiarity or to avoid having to onboard a new agency. However, this approach can ultimately hold you back. A quick audit of your existing agency relationship can reveal whether you are investing in a partner that is aligned and contributing to company progress or if it’s time to make a change. 

Here are five red flags to keep an eye out for with your marketing agency: 

Your feedback is met with a lot of resistance

There is a time and place to trust the experts you’ve hired but that doesn’t mean your feedback should be overlooked by your marketing agency. If every creative concepts presentation or strategy planning review session is met with pushback to making any changes or concerns are ignored, major red flag. Your agency partner should make you feel educated and empowered about their campaign recommendations, not get combative if you have feedback. 

Not willing to push back

While it may seem contradictory to red flag #1, if you never receive any push back from your team on your ideas, that could also be a sign of an agency that isn’t as invested in your work as you are. Your agency partner should be helping guide your vision for your marketing strategy. It’s their job to take all of the input from your stakeholders and create one vision that builds on your already established goals. 

Rushing to launch without proper research

Everyone’s ideal timeline for receiving a deliverable is going to be ‘yesterday’. But when your agency ignores the basics of audience research, reviewing brand standards, or talking through key messages with stakeholders – this is a recipe for disaster. Being only focused on launching fast sets you up for careless mistakes and is not worth the long term risk. 

High turnover of internal staff

Every organization will go through natural changes in personnel, but if it feels like your agency is introducing you to a new Account Manager every other month, it might be time to evaluate your relationship with that agency. Consistent turnover of your agency’s internal teams speaks to the “culture” (or lack thereof) and your brand could fall victim to inconsistencies with projects continuing to change hands. 

Not admitting when they made a mistake

In a perfect world, your agency partner would never make a mistake – but we don’t live in a perfect world, do we? Transparency and trust are key elements of a successful collaboration, and if your agency can’t own up to a misstep they’re not operating authentically. When a stumble happens, they should address it directly and come to you with a plan to remedy the situation, not get defensive. 

At the end of the day, your agency partners should be just that: partners. That means collaborating on long term strategy and regular, consistent communication that makes your team feel like your marketing efforts are in good hands. They should be good stewards of your budget and make sure you get the most out of your marketing plans. You want an agency partner who wants to see your long term success. Any great agency knows that your success is their success and will want to ensure they’re working with you towards a common goal. 

Written by Abby Smith & Mollie Sheriff