The most useful agency comparison starts with the work your program needs. A list of impressive names cannot tell you who will recruit suitable partners, resolve the reporting backlog or keep offers accurate for your business.
Write a short brief before asking for a proposal. Include the platform, products, eligible markets, current operating problems and the decisions you need help making. Ask every candidate to price and explain the same scope. This article is a buying framework, not a ranked review of agencies or a claim that we tested them.
Ask for the weekly work, not just the promise
Who researches prospective partners? Who checks fit? Who writes and sends approved outreach? Who handles launch questions and disputes? Ask which person performs each job and what happens when that person is unavailable. A senior name in a pitch is not evidence of day-to-day staffing.
Request a redacted sample work product where the agency has permission to share it. Useful examples include a qualification brief, an action-oriented report and a launch checklist. Do not request private client data or treat a sample result as a forecast for your business.
Compare two fictional proposals
Suppose fictional Agency A quotes $3,000 a month for management and reporting. Agency B quotes $4,000 and includes recruiting, creative coordination and network support. B is not automatically more expensive for the same work because the scope differs. Ask A what the missing tasks cost and ask B how much time is allocated to them.
Then compare the fee plus network charges, commissions, approved incentives and any tools you must buy. Identify what is fixed, variable or excluded. Use your actual contract terms; there is no universal fee model.
Make the decision reviewable
Choose a few observable milestones, such as an approved prospect list, complete partner briefs and a reconciled monthly report. Revenue may be a business objective, but the agency should explain the assumptions and dependencies behind any target.
Confirm account ownership, access, notice periods and handover deliverables before signing. CostPerNews is published by Evan Weber, who is associated with Experience Advertising. That relationship is another reason to assess actual proposals rather than treat an agency mention here as an independent ranking.