Business owners in Ahmedabad often hear several agency pitches. They all sound confident and the decks look alike. The difference shows up in how clearly an agency answers simple questions. Take this list into every meeting, ours included.
1. What exactly will you do each month?
Ask for a written list of deliverables: how many posts, reels, ads and reports, and who makes them. "We will grow your brand" is not a deliverable. If the scope is fuzzy, you cannot hold anyone to it.
2. Who will actually work on my account?
The person who pitches is often not the person who does the work. Ask who your day-to-day contact is, who designs, who runs ads, and how quickly they reply.
3. Who owns the accounts and the ad data?
Your Instagram page, Facebook page, ad account and Google Business Profile should stay in your name, with the agency added as a team member. If you leave, you should walk away with everything. An agency that wants to hold the logins is a risk.
4. What is included in the fee, and what is extra?
Fees and ad spend are two different costs. Ad spend goes to the platform, such as Meta, and should be paid from your own account where you can see every rupee. Also ask what is quoted separately, for example websites, shoots or Google Ads, and whether GST is added on top.
5. How will we know if it is working?
Agree on what to measure before you start. For a local business that may be enquiries, calls, WhatsApp messages or store visits, not just likes. Ask to see a sample report and check that it connects to real business results.
6. What do you need from me?
Good marketing depends on your input: photos, offers, quick approvals, honest feedback on which leads were any good. A good agency tells you upfront how much of your time it needs.
7. How do you handle local search and reviews?
For shops, clinics, restaurants and services, Google Maps matters. Google says local results depend on relevance, distance and prominence, and prominence includes reviews. Ask how the agency will help you earn real reviews. Anyone offering to buy fake ones should be shown the door.
8. What happens if we part ways?
Check the contract for the minimum period, notice terms and handover of files and logins. Be wary of any agency that promises guaranteed rankings, guaranteed sales or a fixed number of followers. No honest agency controls what Google, Meta or your customers do.
A simple way to compare
- Ask every agency the same eight questions, in writing if possible.
- Note which answers are specific and which are vague.
- Ask for work samples and a conversation with a current client, then judge for yourself.
- Ask what the minimum period is and how a review point works.
Price matters, but fit matters more. A cheaper plan that does not match your goals costs more in the end.