September 2, 2026 · 4 min read
Confessions of a Marketer: 3 Things We Wish Clients Knew Before Hiring an Agency
Agencies rarely explain their own business model to clients. Here are three things that would save most owners thousands of dollars.
1. Month one is mostly setup, and that's normal
Accounts, tracking, keyword research, page fixes. Very little of it looks like results. An honest agency tells you that up front instead of manufacturing a dashboard full of impressions.
2. You should own every account with your name on it
Your domain, your Google Ads account with your card, your Google Business Profile, your analytics. If leaving means losing any of them, you signed a contract without reading it.
3. Percentage-of-spend fees quietly change the advice
When the fee grows with the budget, 'let's scale' always sounds smarter than 'let's pause this.' A flat fee removes that incentive entirely.
What to ask on the first call
Who does the actual work? What happens in month one versus month six? What's in the monthly report? Can I cancel with thirty days' notice? The answers matter more than any case study.
MiHi Marketing is month to month and you own every account. Call Ralph Simpson at 720-676-5646 with your questions — the awkward ones especially.
Call 720-676-5646