Invental · Buyer's guide

The Agency Vetting Checklist

Take this to the shortlist call. Tick a box when you get a specific answer — a name, a number, a process, a story. Adjectives don't count. Most agencies clear the first two groups; the ones worth hiring clear all six.

01 · Targeting and data

Where most campaigns are won, and where weak agencies are vaguest.

Which sources would you combine for our market, and why? A single provider name is a poor answer. Where does verification sit — before or after enrichment? They should have a position and a reason. What do you do with catch-all domains? Separate, low volume, watch before scaling. How would you test coverage for our ICP before we sign? Look for a hand-checked sample. How big is the list, and what would you cut it to? Enormous means loose targeting.

02 · The message

Everyone says "human-written". These make it checkable.

Can we see three first lines you'd send to our ICP? Ask before signing. Most revealing hour you'll spend. Is any of it generated, and where exactly? Research yes, writing is a different answer. How many variants run at once, and how do you decide what to change? A method, not "we optimise continuously". What's the ask in the first email? "Book a 30-minute call" means they haven't thought about it.

03 · Domains and infrastructure

The expensive mistakes live here and nobody asks until it breaks.

Will you send from our primary domain? The answer should be no. Who owns and pays for the domains and inboxes? If they own them, you're renting your own reputation. What happens to those domains if we stop working together? Agree it while everyone is friendly. How long is warm-up, and how many sends per inbox per day? Real numbers, and lower than you expected. How do you handle unsubscribes and suppression across clients? A shared suppression list is the serious answer.

04 · Who does the work

The pitch team is rarely the delivery team.

Who works on this account, by name, and how much of their week? Vagueness here is the industry's most common warning sign. Is any of it subcontracted, and where to? Not disqualifying. Undisclosed is. How many other clients does that person carry? There is a number above which research stops happening. What happens in the first 30 days, before any email goes out? Setup is weeks, not days.

05 · When it doesn't work

How they answer this predicts the whole relationship.

What counts as a lead — in writing? The gap between "replied" and "qualified" is where disputes start. Month two produces nothing. What do you change first? Targeting before copy, copy before channel. Hesitation is the tell. What have you stopped doing in the last year, and why? Everyone who has run campaigns has abandoned something. Can we speak to two clients — including one that didn't renew? The second half is the real question.

06 · Contract and exit

Decide this before the relationship needs it.

What's the minimum term and the notice period? Three to six months is reasonable. Twelve with no exit is not. What's included, and what's billed separately? Data, domains, inboxes and tooling are real costs. What exactly triggers a per-lead fee? Read that definition twice. What do we keep when we leave? Lists, sequences, domains, reporting, suppression list.

How to score it

20+ specific answers — worth a second call. 12–19 — capable, but pin down the gaps in writing before signing. Under 12 — you're being sold activity, not pipeline. And count the questions they asked you: fewer than five and they plan to send whatever you asked for and invoice you.

Don't want to research, write and follow up on every prospect yourself? That's the part we run for you.

Request a custom outbound plan ↗