07/21/2026
You hired a marketing agency in January of this year.
You told them your goal was to put $100K worth of work on the ground each month, so you could reach your goal of +$1.2MM by the year's end.
They said they could do it, no problem. You trust them.
They said they'd run ads, and get you ranked on Google.
They come recommended from their Google reviews and a few peers who have used them.
They explained they have a "proven process" to get any business rolling in under a week. They charge $600/mo - you feel it's a great deal.
You get started. They launch ads in 24 hours. SEO begins.
Dashboard access gets sent. You're excited.
1 week goes by. No leads yet (but they're coming, don't worry)
2 weeks go by. 2 leads hit. Both trash. No real opportunity.
3 weeks in. 2 more leads. 1 quote sent... then they ghost.
4 weeks / 1 month in. SEO reports get sent. Bunch of jargon and spreadsheets with data you can't understand. No new leads yet.
End of month 2 rolls around. You end up closing one small job worth $6500. It's a headache. Client doesn't even leave a review.
SEO report for Month 2 rolls in. They have just wrapped up initial audits and assessments for your site and SEO strategy. WTF - why is this just getting done now??
You start to get antsy. You don't understand what's going on. The agency isn't very responsive. You start to feel like a number, not a person.
You hold out for another month. Maybe things will get better? They don't.
Month 3 rolls around. You've now had a total of 8 leads from ads.
Nothing from SEO. The website still has problems you're trying to get the agency to fix - but then you find out you don't even OWN the website!
You're locked into a contract with assets you don't own. If you leave, all the money and work is lost forever. It goes with the agency to help them build another company's business.
You ask them what is going on. They don't get back to you for 4 days. Then they try to sell you on a different package because "things aren't working and we need to switch strategy".
At this point, you are between a rock and a hard place.
Do you continue with the agency's suggestion and move to a different service, put more money in, wait for it to curate and HOPE it produces better results...
Or do you cut your losses now, lose all the investment you've made, lose the website, lose the ads, lose the assets altogether, and move on?
Believe it or not, this is a conversation I have with high-end contractors doing over $2MM/yr every single week. They trust the wrong people, based on a sexy price and a silver tongue.
It's not their fault, though. Agencies today are lazy on their positioning. They all sound the same.
They all have a "proven" process.
They all have a no-risk guarantee.
They all run some kind of paid ads or SEO service.
They all have success in your market.
They all have decent Google reviews.
They all market themselves the same way.
They all assure you their system is the best.
Here's what you need to understand before you ever speak to another agency again:
1.) GOOD results take time
2.) One channel is not going to save you
3.) Processes are just as important as leads
4.) Every business is different and should be treated as such
5.) No guarantee is feasibly possible - or else every agency would be millionaires living in Bali
6.) Google is NOT the source of truth - check multiple resources
7.) Only commit to contracts if there are clear milestone objectives layered in, where you have the option to renegotiate if those milestones are not met. Never blindly sign a long-term contract.
I honestly feel for companies that can't get traction with their marketing because they put trust in the wrong people. It's a group effort, not just one-sided. Your agency partner should own that.
Have you experienced a similar situation to this before? If so, what lessons did you learn, and how will you be better the next time?
Would be interested to hear your thoughts in the comments below.