Five Ways Hiring a Marketing Agency Is Like Choosing a Travel Guide

But choosing the destination and procuring the ticket is just the beginning. To ensure a successful trip, you have to first establish the purpose of your journey. It could be completely chillaxing on a beach, but if you’re an adventurer who wants to explore and learn about the local culture, there’s just as much to be said about going with the flow and leaving the itinerary open to detours as there is about maximizing your time by researching and selecting a guide for at least part of your trip.

It might seem like a no-brainer to get a guide when venturing to uncharted or unfamiliar territory, but letting someone else take the wheel, even in an area where you feel confident, well-versed, or “fluent enough” to websearch your way around—which can be said of a lot of marketing territory—trusting in the resources and knowledge of a guide may unlock experiences (and—you get the metaphor by now—marketing wins) you’d never have going the DIY route.

Hiring a marketing agency can be a lot like choosing a travel guide. The tool kits and terrain might be a little different, but the idea of leaning on someone else’s knowledge to get the best out of the experience holds in both worlds. You have to consider how you can benefit from the knowledge of the agency or guide, and then get out of your own way and enjoy the ride. But finding the right agency/guide is key.

Here are 5 things to consider:

1. They’ve walked the path before. Looking for an agency that can show tangible results through case studies and client success stories is a way for you to see their measurable outcomes. They should be able to show you hard data about increased leads, ROI, brand awareness improvement, and engagement level— ideally in your industry or a similar business. And when you trust your guide, you’re less inclined to look over their shoulder the whole time, and they’re in turn more likely to do their best work without a backseat driver.
2. They speak the language. A proven travel guide knows the customs, shortcuts, and hidden gems, and likewise, a marketing agency that’s a good fit will have expertise in your niche or desired channels and industry. Remember, though: an agency that can “do it all” may not be the best fit if your needs are more technical and/or specific. You don’t book a “Highlights of Japan” tour when you’re mostly looking to uplevel your high-end sake knowledge and palate.
3. They don’t send you on your way and then go radio silent. Just as a travel guide should give you a clear itinerary—whether you’re with them for a few hours or a month—and update you if plans change, an agency should always be able and available to answer your questions. Find an agency where you experience clear communication, responsiveness, and honesty about what’s realistic. You should both be clear on how you will measure success.
4. They don’t just follow a map—they design the route. Just as the best guides take you off the beaten path and know the most scenic routes, a marketing agency should be creative and offer you an elevated level of strategic thinking beyond what your internal team or ChatGPT could do. They should bring standout ideas to the table, not just run ads. Ask them to provide examples of how they’ve creatively solved challenges or helped a brand stand out.
5. They’re fun to travel with. If you don’t enjoy traveling with your guide, even the best trip and solid game plan can be disappointing. Find a marketing agency that is fun to be with, has a culture and values that align with yours, and works with a spirit of collaboration and cooperation.

Bottom line? Don’t settle for a guide or agency that just reads from the brochure—you could do that yourself! Self-guided tours can be fun to a certain point, but no matter how much research you do, it’s never going to be as good as when you’re led by a subject matter expert. So get your nose out of the travel book—or for goodness' sake, step away from the keyboard—and find a marketing agency who knows where the real magic happens, isn’t afraid to take a detour, and makes the whole ride feel like first class—even when you’re flying coach!