You’re evaluating 3-5 agencies right now. They all have nice websites. They all claim “data-driven results.” They all have case studies with impressive numbers.
Here’s how to figure out who’s actually good.
These 15 questions separate agencies that deliver from agencies that just talk well. We’ve organized them into three categories: strategic thinking, operational reality, and proof of results.
Part 1: Strategic Thinking
Can they think, or just execute?
1. “Walk me through your process from initial brief to campaign launch.”
What you’re listening for:
- Do they have a structured process, or is it ad hoc?
- Do they ask questions before proposing solutions?
- How much time do they spend understanding your business vs. pitching services?
Red flag answer: “We’ll create a strategy deck, get your approval, and start posting/running ads.”
Good answer: “We start with a discovery phase, your business model, customer data, competitive landscape, and what you’ve tried before. Then we audit existing assets and channels. Only after that do we recommend specific strategies. Timeline: 2 weeks discovery, 1 week strategy development, review together, then 2 weeks build-out before launch.”
Socialee’s answer:
Week 1: Stakeholder interviews, data access, competitive analysis.
Week 2: Channel audit, audience research, creative review.
Week 3: Strategy presentation with 3-5 recommended channels, budget allocation, success metrics.
Week 4: Build and test. Week 5: Launch with full reporting dashboard.
We’ve done this with 250+ clients across 11 industries. The process is refined but flexible based on your vertical.
2. “How do you decide which channels to prioritize for our business?”
What you’re listening for:
- Do they default to what they’re good at, or what you actually need?
- Do they consider industry benchmarks and your customer behaviour?
- Are they honest about channels that might not work?
Red flag answer: “We recommend starting with Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads for everyone.”
Good answer: “It depends on where your customers are and what action you need them to take. For B2B SaaS, we might prioritize LinkedIn and Google Search. For e-commerce fashion, Instagram and Meta might dominate. For local healthcare, we’d focus on Google Local Services and Maps. We look at your industry benchmarks, customer journey, and budget to recommend 2-4 channels to start.”
Socialee’s answer: We’ve run campaigns across every major platform in 11 different industries. We know, for example, that healthcare performs differently from gaming apps. Education requires longer funnels than e-commerce.
Here’s our framework:
- Where is your target audience actually active? (Not where you assume)
- What’s the typical CAC by channel in your industry? (We have benchmarks from 250+ clients)
- What’s your budget threshold for meaningful testing? (₹50k won’t work the same as ₹5L)
- What’s your internal capacity to support different channels? (Video content needs production)
We’ll recommend 2-3 channels to start, scale what works, and pause what doesn’t.
3. “What metrics will you track, and how will you report them?”
What you’re listening for:
- Do they focus on vanity metrics (likes, impressions) or business outcomes?
- Is the reporting clear and accessible, or buried in jargon?
- How often do you see performance data?
Red flag answer: “We’ll track engagement, reach, and impressions. Monthly reports via email.”
Good answer: “We track metrics in three tiers: (1) Business outcomes—leads, sales, CAC, ROAS. (2) Channel performance—CTR, conversion rate, cost-per-result. (3) Content efficiency—which creative drives results. You get real-time dashboard access plus weekly summaries. Monthly deep-dive calls to review trends and optimize strategy.”
Socialee’s answer: Every client gets access to a live dashboard showing:
- Budget pacing (are we on track?)
- Key outcomes (leads, sales, cost-per-acquisition)
- Channel breakdown (where’s budget going and what’s it generating?)
- Creative performance (which ads/posts work best?)
Weekly email summaries highlighting what’s working and what we’re testing. Monthly strategy calls to review performance and adjust course. You’re never waiting 30 days to know if something’s working.
As Meta Business Partners and Google Partners, we also have access to beta reporting features before they’re public.
Part 2: Operational Reality
What will working together actually look like?
4. “Who will I actually work with day-to-day?”
What you’re listening for:
- Is it the person you’re meeting now, or will you be handed off?
- What’s their experience level?
- How accessible are they?
Red flag answer: “You’ll work with our account management team.”
Good answer: “I’ll be your primary contact [name, title, experience]. I’ll be in weekly check-ins. Behind me, you have [names] handling performance campaigns, [name] leading content, and [name] managing analytics. You’ll meet the full team during onboarding.”
Socialee’s answer: You’ll work directly with a dedicated account manager who’s been with us for [X years] and has experience in [your industry]. They’re your single point of contact, but you’ll also meet:
- The performance lead running your campaigns
- The content team producing creative assets
- The analytics specialist building your dashboard
Your account manager is available via email, WhatsApp, and scheduled calls. Response time for questions: same business day.
We don’t hand you off to junior staff after the pitch.
5. “How many clients does each account manager handle?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are you getting attention, or are you one of 20 accounts?
- Does workload match the quality of service promised?
Red flag answer: “Our team handles everything efficiently.”
Good answer: “Our account managers typically handle 5-7 clients at a time, depending on scope and complexity. This ensures each client gets meaningful attention and strategic thinking, not just task execution.”
Socialee’s answer: Account managers at Socialee manage 6-8 clients maximum. We prioritize depth over volume.
With 50+ people across four offices (Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Gandhinagar), we can maintain these ratios while serving 250+ total clients. Specialized teams support multiple account managers, so you get both dedicated attention and deep expertise.
6. “Do you create content in-house or outsource to freelancers?”
What you’re listening for:
- Quality control and turnaround time
- Alignment between strategy and creative execution
- Reliability and consistency
Red flag answer: “We have a network of trusted freelancers and production partners.”
Good answer: “We have an in-house creative team including designers, copywriters, and video editors. For specialized needs like high-end photography or 3D animation, we partner with vetted studios. This gives us quality control and fast turnaround while accessing specialized skills when needed.”
Socialee’s answer: We built our own studio. Not a freelancer network. An actual production facility with equipment, dedicated staff, and a controlled environment.
Our in-house team includes:
- Content creators (photographers, videographers, editors, designers)
- Copywriters specializing in different industries
- Social media specialists who understand platform-specific formats
Why does this matter? Faster turnarounds. No waiting for freelancer availability. Strategy and creative in the same building, so content actually aligns with campaign goals. Consistent quality across all deliverables.
When you see our portfolio, you’re seeing work created by the same team that will work on your brand.
7. “What do you need from us to succeed?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are they honest about client responsibilities?
- Do they set clear expectations upfront?
- Do they understand partnership vs. vendor relationship?
Red flag answer: “Just approve our proposals and we’ll handle everything.”
Good answer: “We’ll need timely feedback on creative (48-hour turnaround ideally), access to necessary tools and data, clear decision-making authority or process, brand assets and guidelines, and someone internally who can answer product/customer questions. The more responsive and collaborative you are, the faster we can optimize and drive results.”
Socialee’s answer: We’ve worked with 250+ brands. The partnerships that work best have these elements:
From you:
- Brand assets and access (social accounts, ad platforms, analytics)
- Decision-maker availability (not waiting weeks for approvals)
- Customer insights (who they are, what they care about, pain points)
- Feedback within 48 hours on creative/strategy
- Honesty about what’s working internally and what’s not
From us:
- Proactive strategy and optimization
- Clear, jargon-free reporting
- Meeting deadlines and commitments
- Bringing expertise from across 11 industries
- Telling you when something isn’t working (even if it’s uncomfortable)
Marketing agencies in Vadodara aren’t magic. We’re force multipliers. The better your inputs, the better our outputs.
Part 3: Proof of Results
Can they back up their claims?
8. “Can you show me 3 case studies in my industry?”
What you’re listening for:
- Do they have relevant experience, or are they learning on your dime?
- Are the results specific and verifiable, or vague claims?
- Do they understand your industry’s unique challenges?
Red flag answer: “We haven’t worked in your exact industry, but our strategies work across all sectors.”
Good answer: “We’ve worked with [number] clients in your industry. Here are three: [Client 1] saw X% increase in qualified leads over 6 months. [Client 2] reduced CAC by Y% while scaling budget 3x. [Client 3] achieved Z ROAS on e-commerce campaigns. I can walk you through the specific strategies and challenges for each.”
Socialee’s answer: We’ve worked across 11 industries with 250+ clients. Chances are we’ve worked in your sector.
Healthcare: Zydus Hospitals, Sterling Cancer Hospital, multiple clinics and speciality centres. We understand patient acquisition, doctor vs. patient targeting, local SEO for multi-location healthcare, and compliance requirements.
Education: Amity University, DA-IICT, and multiple coaching centres. We’ve reduced cost-per-enrollment and optimized for application quality, not just volume.
SaaS: Interakt and several B2B software companies. We know longer sales cycles, demo request optimization, and lead scoring.
E-commerce, Gaming Apps, Finance, B2B, Hospitality, Fashion, FMCG: Detailed case studies available for each.
Tell us your industry and we’ll share relevant case studies with specific metrics, timelines, and strategies used.
9. “What’s your average client retention rate?”
What you’re listening for:
- Do clients stick around, or do they churn after 3-6 months?
- Are results sustainable or just short-term wins?
Red flag answer: “Most clients work with us for 6-12 months to achieve their goals.”
Good answer: “Our average client retention is [X] months/years. Some clients are project-based, but our retainer clients typically stay with us [X]+ years because we continuously drive value. Happy to provide references from long-term clients.”
Socialee’s answer: We have clients who’ve been with us for 5+ years. Some started when we were just Kushal and Harsh in a basement office in 2014, they’re still with us.
We also have clients who come for 6-12 months to solve a specific challenge, then move on or bring marketing in-house. Both are fine.
What matters: Our longest client relationships are in healthcare, education, and SaaS, sectors where long-term growth compounds. We’re not chasing short-term contracts. We’re building partnerships.
We can connect you with clients who’ve worked with us for multiple years if you want unfiltered feedback.
10. “What channels or strategies have you tried that didn’t work?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are they honest about failures, or only highlight wins?
- Do they learn from what doesn’t work?
- Do they admit limitations?
Red flag answer: “All our strategies deliver results when executed properly.”
Good answer: “We’ve had campaigns that underperformed. [Specific example]. Here’s what we learned and how we adjusted. Not every channel works for every business, and part of our job is identifying that quickly and reallocating budget to what’s working.”
Socialee’s answer: Over 10 years and 250+ clients, we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.
Things that didn’t work:
- Facebook Ads for B2B manufacturing: Low intent, high cost. Shifted to LinkedIn and Google Search.
- Influencer campaigns for healthcare services: Compliance issues and poor trust transfer. Moved to doctor testimonials and patient reviews.
- Broad targeting for niche SaaS: Wasted budget. Moved to account-based targeting with smaller, highly qualified audiences.
We’ve also seen platform changes kill previously successful tactics. When iOS 14 privacy updates hit, we had to completely rebuild attribution and creative strategies for mobile app clients.
The difference between good agencies and great ones: Great agencies tell you when something isn’t working and pivot quickly instead of defending a failing strategy.
11. “What results can you guarantee?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are they making unrealistic promises?
- Do they understand what’s within their control vs. what’s not?
- Are they confident without being deceptive?
Red flag answer: “We guarantee 10x ROAS / 500 leads per month / #1 Google ranking.”
Good answer: “We can’t guarantee specific numbers because too many variables are outside our control, your product, pricing, market conditions, competition, etc. What we guarantee is our process: strategic planning, data-driven optimization, transparent reporting, and continuous improvement. We commit to beating industry benchmarks for your sector and showing measurable improvement over your baseline.”
Socialee’s answer: We don’t guarantee numbers. Anyone who does is either lying or running your campaigns with such conservative targets that you’re leaving money on the table.
What we commit to:
- Strategic foundation: Channel selection based on your industry benchmarks and customer behaviour
- Continuous optimization: Weekly performance reviews, monthly strategy adjustments
- Transparent reporting: You see everything we see, in real time
- Industry expertise: Applying learnings from 250+ clients to your campaigns
- Honest communication: If something isn’t working, we tell you within days, not months
Results depend on your product, market fit, pricing, and competition. Our job is to maximize marketing efficiency within that reality.
What we track: Are we improving your metrics month-over-month? Are we beating industry benchmarks? Are we generating profitable customer acquisition?
Part 4: Logistics & Commitment
The practical details that matter
12. “What’s your contract length and cancellation policy?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are you locked into long commitments?
- What happens if it’s not working?
- Are they confident enough to offer flexibility?
Red flag answer: “12-month minimum commitment, 90-day cancellation notice, early termination fee of X%.”
Good answer: “We typically recommend 6-month initial agreements because digital marketing in Ahmedabad takes time to optimize. After that, we go month-to-month or renew for longer if you prefer. Cancellation requires 30-60 days notice to properly wrap up campaigns and transfer assets.”
Socialee’s answer: We believe you should work with us because we’re driving results, not because you’re locked in a contract.
Our typical structure:
- 3-month pilot for new relationships (proves fit, builds trust)
- 6-12 month agreements after successful pilot
- 30-day cancellation notice after initial period
- No termination fees (we don’t trap clients)
If you’re unhappy after 90 days, you should have the freedom to leave. If we’re delivering value, you’ll want to stay.
All work, assets, and access remain yours. We’ll provide documentation for smooth handoff to internal team or new agency.
13. “How do you handle scope changes or additional requests?”
What you’re listening for:
- Is the pricing transparent and flexible?
- How do they manage scope creep?
- Are they reasonable about adjustments?
Red flag answer: “Any changes require a new contract and additional fees.”
Good answer: “Our retainer covers agreed-upon scope. For additional requests, we discuss whether it fits within existing budget or requires adjustment. Minor tweaks are usually fine. For major new initiatives, like adding a channel or launching a new campaign, we’ll quote separately. Transparency is key.”
Socialee’s answer: Our retainers are structured around deliverables and channel management. The scope is clearly defined upfront: X posts per week, Y ad budget managed, Z hours of strategy, etc.
Within scope: Minor revisions, creative iterations, strategy adjustments based on performance.
Outside scope: Adding new channels, producing additional content beyond agreement, major campaign overhauls.
If you request something outside scope, we’ll tell you: “This falls outside our current agreement. Here’s what it would cost to add it, or here’s what we could deprioritize to fit it in.”
No surprise invoices. No scope creep without discussion.
14. “Who owns the creative assets and intellectual property?”
What you’re listening for:
- Can you use the content if you leave the agency?
- Are there hidden restrictions?
- Do they treat you as a client or a hostage?
Red flag answer: “All creative assets remain property of the agency.”
Good answer: “All assets created for your brand, designs, ad copy, videos, strategy documents, belong to you. You can use them after our engagement ends. We may request permission to feature work in our portfolio with your approval.”
Socialee’s answer: Everything we create for you is yours. Full stop.
Creative assets, strategy documents, campaign data, and reporting templates all belong to you. If you leave, you take everything with you.
The only thing we ask: permission to showcase work in our portfolio (with client approval on what’s shared). Many clients in sensitive industries prefer confidentiality. We respect that completely.
Your brand, your assets, your data.
15. “Can you provide references from current or past clients?”
What you’re listening for:
- Are they confident enough to let you talk to real clients?
- Can clients speak candidly about the experience?
Red flag answer: “Due to confidentiality agreements, we can’t share client contacts.”
Good answer: “Absolutely. I can connect you with [number] clients in similar industries who’ve agreed to serve as references. They’ll give you honest feedback about working with us, what went well, what challenges we faced, whether they’d recommend us.”
Socialee’s answer: We’re happy to connect you with current and former clients.
We can arrange calls with:
- A long-term client (5+ years) who can speak to consistency and evolution
- A recent client (within the last year) who can describe the onboarding and early results
- A client in your industry who can address sector-specific challenges
These are real conversations, not scripted testimonials. Ask them anything: responsiveness, results, problem-solving, what they wish was different.
We’re a team of 50+ people across four offices working with 250+ brands. Our work speaks through client relationships, not marketing copy.
How to Use These Questions
Don’t ask all 15 in one meeting. That’s an interrogation, not a conversation.
First meeting: Focus on strategic questions (1-3) to see how they think.
Second meeting: Dive into operational reality (4-7) to understand the working relationship.
Final evaluation: Ask about proof and logistics (8-15) before making a decision.
What Happens Next
You’ve asked the questions. You’ve compared answers across agencies.
Now you’re deciding.
Here’s what matters most:
Not who gave the slickest pitch. Not who promised the biggest numbers. Not who had the fanciest deck.
Who gave you honest, specific answers? Who admitted limitations? Who asked insightful questions about your business instead of just talking about their capabilities?
That’s your agency.
Want to Ask Us These Questions?
Schedule a conversation: Contact Socialee
We’ll walk through our answers honestly. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you. If we are, we’ll show you exactly how we’d approach your specific challenges based on what we’ve learned from 250+ clients across 11 industries over 11 years.
Not ready to talk yet?
Download our Agency Evaluation Scorecard—a framework for comparing multiple agencies objectively, with built-in red flags and weighted scoring.