9 Questions Your Marketing Agency Hopes You Will Never Ask
by Chad de Lisle • January 30, 2026
TL;DR
Most agencies are world-class at selling but mediocre at integrating. They’ll show you the “A-Team” in the boardroom and then hand your account to an intern the second the ink is dry. If you’re tired of “checking in” on your agency more than they check in on your results, you have a Team Alignment problem. Here are the 9 questions to flush out the truth.
👉 Take the Team Alignment Audit
The “A-Team” Bait-and-Switch
We’ve all seen it. The pitch deck is flawless. The VPs are charming. The case studies look like magic.
Then, Month Three hits. Communication slows down. The “strategist” you loved is suddenly too busy for your calls. You realize you’re paying for a senior-level partnership but receiving junior-level execution.
This is the “Agency Honeymoon” phase—and it’s where most marketing budgets go to die.
At Disruptive, we’ve spoken with over 600 business leaders last quarter alone. 43% of them feel “burned” by a previous agency. It’s not because the strategy was bad; it’s because the Alignment was non-existent.
The “Agency Truth” Checklist
Our Sales Director, Jace, has sat through thousands of these conversations. If you want to know if an agency is a true partner or just a “vendor” in disguise, ask these 9 questions before you sign:
- “Who is the specific human pulling the levers in my account daily?” If they won’t put the technician on the pitch call, they’re hiding a lack of depth.
- “What is your employee retention rate?” If their marketers leave every 6 months, your brand’s “tribal knowledge” disappears with them.
- “If you’re 40% cheaper than the competition, what are you cutting?” (Hint: It’s usually the account manager’s time. They’ll be juggling 30 other clients).
- “Do you have a specialist for this channel, or is one person doing everything?” Generalists get eaten by the 2026 algorithms. You need depth.
- “Can I speak to a client you failed to help?” Don’t look at the polished case studies. Ask how they handled the alignment when things went sideways.
- “Will you tell me ‘No’ when my idea is bad for ROI?” You don’t need a “Yes-Man.” You need a partner who protects your bottom line.
- “Why do you require a 12-month contract?” Performance-based alignment creates its own retention. Long contracts often hide insecurity.
- “Is this a template, or a custom diagnosis?” If they use the same “Playbook” for every B2B client, they aren’t aligned with your specific goals.
- “Are you measuring clicks or ‘Closed-Won’ revenue?” If your agency isn’t speaking the language of your bank account, they aren’t on your team.
Alignment is the Only Metric
At Disruptive, we believe in Owners.
Partnerships fail when there is a gap between what the sales team promised and what the marketing team performs. We closed that gap. At Disruptive, the strategist who meets you is the technician who works for you. No hand-offs. No “lost in translation.”
We know that if your team and our team aren’t perfectly aligned on what “success” looks like, the strategy is doomed before it starts.
The Takeaway
Vision gets you started. Strategy gives you the map. Execution brings the motion. But Team Alignment ensures your business survives the hard realities of the marketplace.
Before you sign your next contract, stop looking at the shiny deck and start looking at the people. Are they an extension of your company, or just another vendor spending your budget?
Is Your Team Actually Aligned?
The “Agency Honeymoon” ends eventually. Make sure you’re built for the long haul:
