How to Vet a Full-Service Marketing Agency Before You Commit

Is Your “All-in-One” Agency Really All-in-One?

In today’s economic climate, many businesses are tightening budgets and scaling back marketing efforts to save money. Prices are rising across the board—even for essentials like groceries—so it makes sense that companies are looking for cost-effective solutions. For some, consolidating marketing, branding, and web services under one agency seems like a smart way to streamline costs.

For eCommerce businesses and websites with complex custom programming, this approach can be challenging. If an “all-in-one” agency lacks the necessary technical expertise, managing your site’s backend may become difficult, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies.

Most often, it is best to have the all-in-one agency work side by side with a web developer or team such as NDIC to ensure your goals are met while making the most of your budget. 

Before you commit, here’s how to make sure your agency can truly deliver on everything they promise.

1. Dig Into Their Technical Expertise

Many agencies excel at branding and marketing but lack the technical depth for complex website development or custom integrations. If they claim to provide development services, ask:

• Do they have in-house developers, or do they outsource?
• If outsourced, where are the developers located, and what is their availability?
• Can they handle advanced programming needs, or will they rely on pre-built templates and plugins?

A good test: Ask them to describe a custom development project they’ve done beyond basic website design. If they hesitate, you may need additional development support.

2. Confirm Their Response Time & Availability

Speed matters. Some agencies operate with a rigid queue system, meaning even small updates could take weeks. Consider:

• Can you reach their developers directly, or do all requests go through an account manager?
• Are their technical teams available for real-time problem-solving, or do you have to submit a ticket and wait?
• If something breaks, how fast can they respond and resolve the issue?

With a team like NDIC, you can pick up the phone and get issues addressed right away—a luxury not all agencies provide.

3. Evaluate Their Cost vs. Value

Agencies often pitch an “all-in-one” package as a cost-saving solution. But be cautious:

• Are they bundling services you don’t actually need?
• Is their pricing transparent, or are there hidden costs for “extra” services?
• Will you end up paying more for custom solutions they can’t handle in-house?

Sometimes, a specialized development partner like NDIC is more cost-effective than an agency that struggles with advanced programming.

4. Ask for Proof of Past Success

A strong agency should provide case studies showing real-world results—not just attractive designs but measurable improvements in traffic, conversions, or eCommerce performance.

• Have they worked with businesses in your industry before?
• Can they demonstrate long-term client success?
• Are they willing to connect you with a past client for an honest review?

5. Protect Your Website’s Long-Term Future

Your website is a long-term investment, not just a design project. Consider:

• Will this agency be around to support you years down the line?
• If you decide to leave, do you still own all of your site’s assets and custom code?
• Will you need to rebuild everything if they use proprietary tools or third-party solutions?

With NDIC, clients have full transparency, long-term reliability, and access to custom programming expertise that most agencies can’t match.

6. Establish a Cohesive Working Relationship

If you do decide to work with an all-in-one agency, NDIC recommends setting up a group meeting between your team, the agency, and NDIC’s development team. This ensures clear roles, expectations, and timelines, preventing miscommunication or delays. A collaborative approach keeps marketing, branding, and technical development aligned, making the transition smoother and more efficient.

Final Thought: One-Size-Fits-All Rarely Fits Well

A true all-in-one agency is rare. Before making a switch, take the time to verify that your new agency can truly deliver on their promises. And if they can’t? A hybrid approach—pairing a marketing agency with a development team like NDIC—often leads to better results, greater flexibility, and real-time support when you need it most.

About NDIC

NDIC is a technology based web services company. Our strengths lay in custom programming and WordPress optimization; we bundle these technical skills with expertise in providing a private, secure, and scalable managed hosting platform. Through the combination of these services, we provide our clients with the peace of mind that all of their web technology is expertly managed, with a single point of contact for all of their web development needs.