Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lead Generation Agency
By Justin Chambers ·
Hiring someone to find you new customers can save you a lot of time. It can also cost you money if you sign up without knowing what you are paying for. These are the questions worth asking on the first call, before you sign anything.
1. Who will my ads and emails reach?
Ask which area they will target and what kind of customer they are looking for. A good answer is specific: the towns you serve, the jobs you want more of, the type of business or homeowner who usually hires you. If the answer is vague, the ads will be too.
2. Will I see everything before it goes out?
Every ad and every email goes out with your business name on it. You should be able to read it, ask for changes and say yes before anything runs. Ask how that approval works and how long it usually takes.
3. What do I get with each lead?
A name and a phone number is a start, but it leaves your team guessing. Ask what else comes with each enquiry: who the person is, what they asked about, and anything they have shared publicly about their business. The more your team knows before they pick up the phone, the easier the call is.
4. Is the ad budget included in the fee?
Most agencies charge a fee for their work, and the money that pays for the ads themselves is separate. Ask whether you pay the ad platform directly or whether the agency pays it and bills you. Ask for the smallest ad budget they would recommend for your area, so you can plan for the full monthly cost.
5. How long is the contract, and how do I leave?
Ask for the minimum term, how much notice you need to give, and what happens to your ads and your landing page if you stop. Get the answer in writing before you sign.
6. Do the ads follow the advertising rules for my trade?
Many trades and professions have their own rules about what an ad may say. Contractors, dentists and insurance brokers each have different ones. Ask how the agency checks each ad against the rules for your trade before it runs.
7. What happens when someone asks not to be contacted?
If the agency sends emails for you, people will sometimes reply asking to be left alone. Ask how those requests are recorded and how quickly the person stops getting emails. This protects your name as much as theirs.
8. How will I know if it is working?
Ask what you will see each month and how often you will talk. Be wary of a firm number of leads quoted before anyone has looked at your business. Ask how they arrived at it.
How Horizon answers these questions
We agree your area and the jobs you want more of on the first call.
You approve every ad and every email before it runs.
Each lead comes with two short sheets: a Bio Sheet on who the person is, and a Closer Sheet with what to say on the call.
You pay your ad budget directly to the ad platform, on top of our fee. Each service has a 3-month minimum, then continues month to month on 30 days' notice.
Every ad is checked against the advertising rules for your trade before you see it.
Your first purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied in the first 30 days and tell us in writing, we refund all of our fees, including any setup fee or 3-month prepayment. Money you have paid the ad platforms for ads is not refunded. The guarantee applies once per business.
Talk it through
If you are weighing up whether to hire help with your ads or outreach, book a free 30-minute call. Bring these questions. We will answer each one for your business, and you can decide from there.