How to Tell If Your Marketing Agency Is Actually Helping You

If you’re working with a marketing agency — or thinking about hiring one — you probably have one big question:

“Is this actually doing anything for my business?”

And honestly? That’s a fair question.

At LeadsEasy Solutions, we’ve talked to plenty of small business owners across New England who felt stuck, confused, or ghosted by previous agencies. They were paying monthly invoices… but couldn’t point to anything tangible in return.

So let’s break down how to tell if your marketing partner is delivering real value — or just racking up the bill.

1. You Don’t Know What They’re Doing Each Month

If you’re paying a retainer but have no idea what work is actually happening, that’s a major red flag.

Your agency should provide:

• Clear deliverables (blog posts, ads, SEO updates, etc.)
• Regular updates or reports (monthly at minimum)
• A consistent plan aligned with your goals

If the only thing you receive is an invoice, you might be paying for “marketing” in name only.

2. You’re Not Seeing Measurable Results

Let’s be honest — not every strategy gets instant wins. But over time, you should be seeing movement in the metrics that matter most:

• More phone calls or contact form submissions
• Better local rankings
• Lower ad costs per lead
• An increase in qualified traffic or sales

If you’re getting vague excuses like “SEO takes time” or “we’re building your brand” — with zero data behind it — it’s time to ask some hard questions.

3. The Reporting Makes Zero Sense

Some agencies love to bury you in charts and jargon that make you feel like things are happening… even when they’re not.

Good reporting should be simple:

• What was done
• What changed (traffic, calls, leads, etc.)
• What’s coming next

You shouldn’t need a decoder ring to understand whether your investment is working.

4. There’s No Strategy — Just Activity

Marketing isn’t just “posting stuff” or “running a few ads.”

There should be a clear plan tied to your business goals. For example:

• Do you want to grow in a specific town like New Bedford, Fall River, or Taunton?
• Are you trying to book more service calls? Sell products? Build your brand?

If your agency can’t show how each piece of work ties back to those goals, you’re not getting strategy — you’re just getting noise

5. You Feel Like You Can’t Ask Questions

You should never feel embarrassed to ask, “What does that mean?” or “Why are we doing this?”

A good agency:

• Answers honestly and clearly
• Respects your input
• Teaches you along the way
• Partners with you — not talks over you

If your agency avoids questions or talks in circles, they’re probably more interested in keeping your retainer than helping your business.

What Working with LeadsEasy Solutions Feels Like

We’re not here to confuse you, upsell you, or push stuff you don’t need.

We’re here to:

• Build a strategy that makes sense
• Communicate like real people
• Show you what’s working (and what’s not)
• Make sure your website, SEO, ads, and content are all rowing in the same direction

We don’t win unless you win. Period.