How to Choose a B2B Marketing Agency: 7 Questions That Predict Revenue Impact

May 23, 2026

The 7 questions

Print these. Use them in every agency call. The total score across 7 × 10 = 70 max. Below 50, walk away.

1. What's your retention rate past month 12?

Good answer: "78%. Most clients stay 2-3 years. The 22% who leave are usually graduating to in-house teams." Specific. Measurable. Includes the why.

Bad answer: "Most clients renew." Vague. No number. Avoid.

2. Can you show pipeline-linked case studies?

Good answer: Specific numbers across the funnel. "RSN Property Group: $220 CPL → $71 CPL, $25M+ in client capital raised through the system in 18 months." Spend, time, outcome.

Bad answer: "We drove a lot of leads." No revenue tie. Walk.

3. What's your vertical depth in my industry?

Good answer: Three or more named accounts in your vertical, each with documented outcome and timeline.

Bad answer: "We've worked with similar industries." That means no direct experience.

4. Walk me through your tracking and attribution stack

Good answer: Words like server-side, GA4 measurement protocol, Meta CAPI with advanced matching, CRM integration, multi-touch attribution, 90-day attribution window, quarterly incrementality testing.

Bad answer: "We use UTMs and Google Analytics." That's 2019's setup.

5. Who specifically runs my account?

Good answer: Named senior strategist with LinkedIn proof and a list of accounts they've personally led.

Bad answer: "Our team" or junior AM with 18 months experience. You'll get junior work at senior prices.

6. Show me your AI workflow today

Good answer: Demonstrable AI tools in the daily stack — AI-assisted creative briefs, predictive CAC modeling, automated audience segmentation. Live demos, not slide claims.

Bad answer: "We use ChatGPT for copy." That's not workflow integration. It's a side tool.

7. What's the 30/60/90 plan?

Good answer: Days 1-30 audit, install tracking, ship creatives, build flows. Days 30-60 launch tests, identify winners, scale. Days 60-90 sustain scale, install retention mechanics, document playbook.

Bad answer: No structured plan, just a contract length. They're selling time, not outcomes.

How AdSquad scores on these

Retention: 78%. Case studies: RSN ($25M+ raised), EightX (2 → 35 leads/30d), UGC Factory (+1,150% YoY). Vertical depth: cross-vertical with B2B SaaS, services, real estate, professional firms. Tracking stack: server-side baseline, CAPI, advanced matching, 90-day attribution. Senior-led: founder Justin Prince + senior strategist team. AI workflow: 127-page audit, predictive modeling, automated lifecycle. 90-day plan: documented, repeatable, calibrated against $100M+ in client revenue.

See what we'd find on your brand

The AdSquad audit runs the same 7-question diagnostic plus 120 additional checks. Seven reasoning steps, 30 seconds.

Run the audit on your B2B brand →

Frequently asked questions

What's the most predictive question of agency quality?

Retention rate past month 12. Agencies that produce pipeline keep clients. Agencies that don't, churn within 6-9 months.

How much should a B2B agency cost?

Specialist agencies: $5K-$15K/month. Mid-market: $15K-$35K/month. Full-stack: $25K-$75K/month or more with revenue-share.

Should I score on price or capability?

Capability. A $15K/month agency producing $200K of pipeline beats a $5K/month agency producing $30K. Always compare cost-to-pipeline, not cost-only.

What if an agency scores well on all 7 but I don't trust them?

Trust your instinct. The 7 questions filter for capability. Cultural fit is the 8th, unquantified filter. If two finalists tie on capability, pick the one that feels right.