Author:
Nick Petty
Maybe it started with something they said, or maybe it came out of nowhere. Either way, the feeling is unmistakable: that stomach-churning suspicion that something is just Not Right.
Yes, it’s happened, you’ve got ‘The Ick’.
But we’re not referring to your dating life or the latest series of Love Island. We’re talking about your relationship with your digital marketing agency.
For local tradespeople and small business owners, hiring a marketing team can feel like a leap into the unknown. Within days of meeting, you’ve given them the keys to your online presence and they’re moving in. Sure, it can all turn out fine, but it can get ugly.
In our article, we offer nine signs the relationship with your digital marketing agency has soured and help you answer the question: Is it just a bad week or a big red flag?
The promises are predictable.
Website traffic will quadruple. The leads will flood in. Your phone will be ringing off the hook.
The reality? Tumbleweed.
Marketing isn’t magic, but it is measurable. A good agency sets realistic goals and backs them up with data. They then deliver those goals within an agreed timeline, and if they don’t, they explain why and work to rectify the situation.
A bad agency, however? Expect conveniently forgotten promises, plenty of hand-waving and hardly a number in sight.
“It’s been two blue ticks for how long now?”
You send an email asking a straightforward question and what do you get in return? Silence. And when you try to call? More silence.
Simply put, if you’re paying a digital marketing agency a reasonable monthly fee, they should pick up the phone when you call – or at least get back to you within one working day.
If you’re not getting the responses you expect, don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s them.
What’s almost as bad as not answering your calls? Calling all the time.
Part of an agency’s role is to understand your business so they can run the marketing semi-autonomously. They shouldn’t need molly-coddling.
And if they’re only getting in touch to push the upsell? Well, then it becomes clear they care too much about themselves to care enough about you.
There’s no way of getting around it, good digital marketing doesn’t come cheap. But that doesn’t mean you should pay the monthly bill without question and trust you’re getting good value.
A good agency breaks things down in plain English. “We ran this ad; it cost this much and brought in these clicks or calls.” Or “Our SEO specialist worked 4 hours to get an extra backlink at X pounds per hour.”
If your digital marketing agency can’t tell you what you’re paying for, then chances are they’re hiding something.
Costs rise. Prices go up. It’s the way of the world.
But if your digital marketing company adds extra to your bill without an explanation, it’s probably because they’re trying to earn a quick buck.
Worse is when the price rise comes with a threat. “If you don’t sign this new contract, we’ll sabotage your website.”
Price rises should always be justified and you should never feel pressured into signing a new contract. Remember, you are the client, and plenty of other agencies are ready and willing to take on your business without holding you at gunpoint.
You’ve made your commitment. You’re somewhere close to happy. Only… You’re doing the same thing month in and month out, and it’s starting to get repetitive. Worse, there’s no view of the long term. You seem to be… drifting.
Sound familiar?
If your agency doesn’t have a concrete plan and everything seems ad hoc – a random Facebook post here, tweaking some subheadings there – it’s time to ask: Where is this going?
Good agencies think ahead. They make a plan, agree it with you, and implement it on time.
Remember in the heady early days of your relationship when your marketing agency just wouldn’t stop talking ideas?
Social campaigns, SEO remastering, the most incredible automated email sequence that would get the punters flooding your inbox.
Maybe some of these ideas made it; maybe some were just hot air. But the key question is: Where’s that spark now?
Agencies should grow with you, not stall out. If your marketing feels stuck or at a low creative ebb, it’s probably because they’ve run out of steam.
Every industry has its own language. If you’re a tradesperson, you’ve probably had to explain the difference between render and plaster to a customer more than once.
But if you feel like your agency is deliberately muddying the waters with an army of three-letter acronyms and technical concepts they won’t – or can’t – explain, chances are they’re pulling the wool over your eyes.
Either that or they’re unable to level with their clients.
Good communication isn’t about sounding smart. It’s about helping you understand precisely what is going on in the simplest terms possible.
Let’s face it: sometimes, it’s not one thing.
It’s not the confusing invoice, the lack of emails, or the jargon. It’s just, well, ‘The Ick’!
If you feel like your relationship with your marketing agency has changed – if the energy’s shifted and you find yourself dreading the next meeting – listen to your instincts.
You don’t need permission to move on from something that just doesn’t feel right.
Maybe every point hit home. Maybe you only recognised a couple. Either way, if you’ve got that lingering ‘Ick,’ it might be time to look around.
When searching for another agency, ask other business owners you trust and get personal recommendations. Look local. Don’t just go off a slick sales pitch or website; try to understand the people running the show – because that’s what matters most.
And if you’re worried about getting hurt again… Well, nothing in life (or marketing) is certain. Trust that you better understand what you want and need from your marketing agency. So when you’re ready, go ahead and put yourself out there again!
Advance Online has over 400 clients, including local businesses and tradespeople. Our digital marketing experts cut through the noise with no-nonsense strategies that work.
We’re approachable and friendly, too (or at least we like to think so!).
If you want to learn more about what we have to offer, book an appointment on the calendar below for a no-strings-attached consultation.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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