10 Questions That Reveal the Truth About Your Agency

On this solo episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch lays out the 10 questions every small business owner should ask before hiring—or continuing to pay—a marketing partner. After decades of seeing business owners overpay for underperformance, John shares a practical checklist you can use to weed out smoke-and-mirrors agencies, avoid being held hostage by your own assets, and find true marketing leadership instead of task-doers. If you’re tired of vague reports, long-term contracts, and unclear results, this episode gives you a clear, no-nonsense framework.

About the Host

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker, and author of several best-selling books including Duct Tape Marketing and The Ultimate Marketing Engine. As the founder of Duct Tape Marketing, he helps small and mid-sized businesses build simple, effective, and scalable marketing systems.

• Website: ducttapemarketing.com
• Podcast Archive: Duct Tape Marketing Podcast

John walks through 10 key questions and what to watch for in the answers:

1. Who owns my marketing assets and accounts?
   You should own your website, ad accounts, data, and tools—no exceptions. Agencies should have access, not ownership.
2. How do you define success, and how often will we review it?
   Avoid vanity metrics. Push for clear definitions around leads, conversions, and revenue, plus a regular review cadence where they translate metrics into insight.
3. How do you connect tactics to strategy?
   “Tactics = strategy” is a red flag. Look for a framework or system that starts with strategy and then maps to campaigns and tasks.
4. What happens if I want to end the contract?
   Watch for long-term lock-ins, hidden fees, and non-compete-style clauses. Month-to-month or flexible arrangements signal confidence and transparency.
5. Who will I actually work with day to day?
   Don’t get sold by the senior strategist and then handed off blindly. Ask to meet the team you’ll work with and understand their roles and experience.
6. How do you report on results, and can I see a sample?
   Ask for a sample report and look for narrative, interpretation, and recommendations—not just raw numbers or tool exports.
7. How are you using AI, and what is still human-led?
   You’re not trying to avoid AI; you want to know how it’s used to support strategy, operations, and performance while keeping your brand voice, judgment, and expertise human-led.
8. How will you collaborate with my team (and other partners)?
   Good partners integrate with your internal resources and existing vendors, not operate as a disconnected black box.
9. What is your process for creating strategy before you execute?
   Look for a clear discovery and strategy process: ideal client, core message, differentiation, customer journey—before they start pitching tactics.
10. What will you teach me along the way?
    You don’t need to become a marketer, but you do need a partner who educates and empowers you to make better decisions—not one who keeps you in the dark.

• 00:01 – Why This Episode Exists
  John’s frustration with business owners getting ripped off by marketing partners.
• 02:06 – Question #1: Who Owns the Accounts?
  Why ownership of websites, ad accounts, and data is non-negotiable.
• 03:20 – Question #2: How Do You Define Success?
  Moving beyond vanity metrics to real business outcomes.
• 04:28 – Question #3: Tactics vs. Strategy
  The danger of “magic behind the scenes” without a framework.
• 05:40 – Question #4: Ending the Contract
  How to spot traps in long-term agreements.
• 06:37 – Questions #5–7: Team, Reporting, and AI
  Who does the work, how results are shared, and how AI fits into modern marketing.
• 08:40 – Question #9: Strategy Before Execution
  Why understanding your ideal client, message, and journey must come first.
• 10:54 – Question #10: Will You Teach Me?
  The difference between abdication and empowered collaboration.

“If an agency owns your website or ad accounts, they’re not a partner—you’re renting your own marketing.”

“Vanity metrics are worthless unless someone can tell you what they mean and what you should do next.”

“Anyone can sell you tactics. You want someone who connects strategy to execution and outcomes.”

“The best marketing partners educate you, integrate with your team, and make you smarter and more in control—not more dependent.”