Is Your Marketing Agency Being Honest With You? 7 Red Flags Cleaning Companies Should Know

By ERIN LARISON

COO, Five Door Media

Hiring a marketing agency is a little like dating. At first, they say all the right things. They promise they’ll always be there for you, they brag about how many other people adore them, and you’re thinking, Wow, where have you been all my life?

And then, six months later, you’re staring at your credit card bill wondering if you’ve been catfished.

Look, there are plenty of great agencies out there. But there are also some red flags you should know about. Here are seven that cleaning and pressure washing companies run into the most.

1. They Promise Instant Results

If your agency swears you’ll be #1 on Google tomorrow, congratulations. You’re dating a liar. Marketing takes time. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling snake oil.

2. They Keep Everything a Secret

This is your business. You should have logins to your website, your ad accounts, your analytics. If they say, “Oh no, don’t worry about that, we’ll handle it,” what they really mean is, “We don’t want you to see behind the curtain.”

3. They Talk in Buzzwords

If your monthly report sounds like a TED Talk titled ‘Synergizing Cross-Platform KPIs for Optimal Engagement,’ you are being scammed. Agencies should speak in plain English: how many calls did you get? How many jobs were booked? Did you actually make money?

4. They Nickel-and-Dime You

One fee for your website. Another fee for “strategy.” Another for “extra posting.” Before you know it, you’re paying more than a luxury car payment just to exist online.

5. They Push Stuff You Don’t Need

A cleaning company doesn’t need a $15,000 TikTok influencer campaign. You need leads. If your agency is trying to sell you flashy nonsense instead of focusing on what actually grows your business, they’re not a good fit.

6. They Don’t Get Your Industry

If they’ve never worked with a cleaning or pressure washing company, they’re guessing. And you shouldn’t have to pay for their guesswork.

7. They Ghost You

Worst of all: no communication. You send emails, leave voicemails, maybe even threaten to send a carrier pigeon — and still nothing. If you feel like you’re chasing your agency for answers, 🚩.

The Bottom Line

A good agency should feel like a partner, not a bad date. They’ll be transparent, realistic, and actually invested in helping your business grow.