Before I moved to Marbella I worked in sales, marketing and events in London, where every brief, deadline and budget got written down and signed off. I didn’t always love it at the time. But it’s the best advice I can give anyone hiring a marketing agency: get it in writing.
Because most of the unhappy agency stories I hear in Marbella aren’t about bad marketing. They’re about expectations that were never written down.
What should a marketing agency actually do for me?
A good marketing agency should give you a clear plan, do the work it agreed to do every month, report on the results in plain English, and tell you honestly when something isn’t working. You should never have to chase them to find out what’s going on.
In practice, that means you know what’s being posted, which ads are running, how much they’re spending, and what came back from it.
What should happen in the first month?
The first month is mostly setting things up properly. Expect an onboarding call, a look at your current channels, access to your accounts, tracking set up, and a plan for the next three months.
Don’t expect fireworks in month one. Anyone who promises you “results in 7 days” is either very lucky or selling you something. (Usually the second one.)
What you should have by the end of the first month:
- A written plan with goals you both agree on
- Your Meta Business Suite, Google Ads and Google Business Profile access sorted out
- Tracking in place so you can see where enquiries come from
- A content calendar or ad plan you’ve actually seen and approved
How often should my agency communicate with me?
Most small businesses are happy with a short check-in every week or two and a proper report once a month. What matters is that you know who to contact and how quickly they’ll reply.
Here on the Costa del Sol, WhatsApp is how most of my clients prefer to talk. It’s quick and it’s where business actually happens. But agree it upfront. If you want everything on email, or you hate being messaged at weekends, say so.
What should be in my monthly marketing report?
Your monthly report should show what was done, what it cost, and what came back, in numbers you understand. Enquiries, calls, bookings or sales should come first, with likes and followers further down.
If your report is 30 pages of graphs and you still can’t answer “did it work?”, that’s a problem. A good report fits on a page or two and ends with what’s happening next month.
What should I do as the client?
You’ll get much better results if you send photos and videos, reply to questions within a day or two, tell the agency about offers and events early, and share feedback from customers.
I say this kindly, but it’s the most common reason campaigns struggle. If I find out about your summer opening night two days before it happens, there’s only so much I can do. In Marbella, where so much happens around the season, planning ahead makes a huge difference.
What should I NOT expect from a marketing agency?
Don’t expect guaranteed rankings, guaranteed sales or overnight viral success. No honest agency can promise those, because they depend on things nobody controls, like Google’s algorithm or how good your offer is.
You also shouldn’t expect your agency to know your business better than you do. They know marketing. You know your customers. The magic happens when you put those together.
What should I do if my agency isn’t meeting expectations?
Raise it early and be specific. Say what you expected, what’s happening instead, and what you’d like to change. Most problems can be fixed with one honest conversation.
If nothing changes after that, check your contract notice period and move on. Make sure you own your ad accounts, pages and website logins (always in your name, never the agency’s) so moving is easy.
You might also like
- What your report should track
- Choosing an agency
- Social media management
- Get a free AI Visibility Check
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take a marketing agency to show results?
Ads can show early results in four to eight weeks. Social media and SEO usually take three to six months to build properly.
Should my agency have access to my accounts?
Yes, but as a partner or admin on accounts you own. Never let an agency create your ad account or business page in their own name.
How quickly should a marketing agency reply to messages?
Within one working day is a fair expectation for most small businesses. Agree response times at the start so nobody is guessing.
What if I don’t understand my marketing report?
Ask for a quick call to go through it. A good agency is happy to explain, and if they can’t explain it simply, that tells you something.
Want to know what working together would look like?
Drop me a message on WhatsApp and I’ll walk you through exactly what you’d get each month, what I’d need from you, and how we’d measure it. No jargon, I promise. You can also see everything I offer at Hashtaggz Marketing.
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