Every agency demo looks good. The way to see through the deck is to ask questions that only a well-run agency can answer well. Here are the ten we would ask, with the answers you should expect. Bring this list to the sales call.
The 10 questions and the answers you want
- 1. What number will you report to me every month? You want: leads, cost per lead, revenue. Red flag: impressions, reach, “brand visibility.”
- 2. How will you track results back to your work? You want: a specific tracking plan built in month one. Red flag: “we use the platform dashboards.”
- 3. Who exactly works on my account? You want: named people and their roles. Red flag: a salesperson you never see again.
- 4. What would you NOT recommend we spend on? You want: a real answer. An agency with no opinion on what to skip sells everything.
- 5. What happens in the first 90 days? You want: audit, tracking, quick wins, then strategy. Red flag: activity starting day one with no diagnosis.
- 6. Can I see a client result with numbers? You want: a specific before and after. Red flag: logos without outcomes.
- 7. What is your average client tenure? You want: years. Churn is the most honest review an agency has.
- 8. Who owns the accounts and data if we part ways? You want: you do, always. Red flag: anything else, walk away.
- 9. How are you handling AI search? You want: a concrete answer about answer engines and AI visibility. Red flag: a blank look, this is where search is going.
- 10. Why might we NOT be a fit? You want: honest boundaries. An agency that fits everyone fits no one.
The pattern behind all ten
Every question tests the same thing: does this agency operate on accountability or on activity? Accountable agencies name numbers, name people, admit limits, and put ownership in writing. Activity agencies talk about deliverables. You can hear the difference in one call if you ask the right questions.
Common questions
What if an agency answers most questions well but not all?
Weigh which ones they missed. Fumbling question 9 is forgivable and coachable. Fumbling questions 1, 2, or 8 is structural.
Should price be one of the questions?
Of course, but last. Price only means something once you know what is included and what gets reported. Cheap activity is more expensive than fairly priced results.
Where Eynstyn Digital fits
We publish our answers: revenue-level reporting, named team, your accounts stay yours, and AI search is built into every SEO engagement. Bring the whole list to a call and test us with it.
