The Ultimate Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marketing Agency for Your Financial Planning Firm

Choosing to partner with a marketing agency for your financial planning firm is one of the most significant investment decisions you will make. Get it right, and you will build a predictable engine for client acquisition that fuels your growth for years. Get it wrong, and you could waste tens of thousands of pounds on a frustrating exercise that produces nothing but vanity metrics and vague promises.

The market is crowded with generalist agencies that do not understand the nuances of your profession, especially the critical importance of FCA compliance. They are skilled at selling you "marketing activities" like social media posts or blog articles, but they are often less skilled at delivering what you actually need: a consistent flow of new, qualified clients.

This guide is your defence against a bad investment. Use this checklist of 10 questions to cut through the jargon, challenge the sales pitch, and find a true growth partner who is aligned with your business goals.

The Foundational Mistake: Buying "Activities" Instead of "Outcomes"

Before we get to the questions, you must understand this core distinction. Most agencies sell activities. They charge you a monthly retainer and in return, they will write blog posts, manage your Google Ads budget, or post on your LinkedIn profile.

The problem is, you do not need more activities. You need outcomes.

An outcome is a qualified prospect, booked into your calendar, who meets your specific criteria and is expecting your call. The right partner sells outcomes. The questions below are designed to reveal whether you are talking to an "activity" agency or an "outcome" partner.

The Checklist: 10 Critical Questions to Ask

1. Do you specialise in working with financial planners in the UK?

• Why it matters: The UK financial services industry is a unique ecosystem with its own language, client expectations, and strict compliance rules. A generalist agency that works with a local dentist one day and an e-commerce store the next simply will not have the deep industry expertise required.
• Good Answer: "Yes, 100%. We only work with financial planners, mortgage advisors, accountants and other financial services providers in the UK. We understand the market and work directly with your compliance department to ensure everything we do is approved".
• Red Flag: "We work with lots of professional services. Marketing principles are the same for everyone."

2. How do you define a "lead," and what is your process for qualifying them?

• Why it matters: This question exposes the agency's business model. For many, a "lead" is simply a name, email, and phone number, someone who filled out a generic form. This leaves you with the time-consuming and painful work of chasing and qualifying them.
• Good Answer: "We do not sell 'leads'; we deliver qualified appointments. A prospect only gets booked into your calendar after our AI system has engaged them in a conversation, confirmed they meet your specific criteria, and verified their intent to speak with an advisor. We then arm you with a full summary of that conversation ahead of your meeting".
• Red Flag: "We will send all the leads directly to your inbox for you to follow up with."

3. Can you guarantee exclusivity in my local area?

• Why it matters: If an agency is running the same marketing campaigns for you and your direct competitor down the road, your marketing spend is being used to create a bidding war against yourself. True partners do not play their clients off against each other.
• Good Answer: "Absolutely. We only work with one advisor per 25-mile radius, ensuring you are not competing with anyone else for your leads. All the appointments we generate in your area are exclusively yours".
• Red Flag: "We have a proven system that works for many advisors, and we do not limit who we can help."

4. What is your approach to FCA compliance?

• Why it matters: This is non-negotiable. Any marketing material, from a Facebook ad to a landing page, is considered a financial promotion. A mistake here can have serious consequences. The agency must have a clear, documented process for ensuring compliance.
• Good Answer: "We take compliance very seriously. We work closely with each client's individual compliance department to get written sign-off on all materials before they go live. In fact, if your compliance team blocks us from setting up our system as needed, your setup fee is fully refundable".
• Red Flag: "Just let us know if you need any changes made for your compliance people."

5. What are the total costs involved?

• Why it matters: The retainer fee is often just the beginning. Many agencies will charge a management fee plus require you to pay for the ad spend on top. You need to know the all-in cost to generate a result.
• Good Answer: "Our model is simple and transparent. There is a one-off setup fee to build your system. Then, you only pay a set price for each qualified appointment we deliver, and you control the monthly advertising budget that goes directly to Meta. There are no hidden fees or long term contracts".
• Red Flag: "Our retainer is £X per month, and then your ad spend is on top of that. How much you spend is up to you."

6. How much of my time will this require on a weekly basis?

• Why it matters: As a busy advisor, your most valuable asset is time. A marketing system that requires you to spend hours each week chasing leads, writing content, or sitting in meetings is a system that will eventually fail.
• Good Answer: "Our system is designed so you do not have to lift a finger before your first meeting. Your only time commitment is attending the pre-qualified appointments we have already booked into your diary. This saves you hours every week".
• Red Flag: "We will need a couple of hours from you each week for approvals and follow-up calls."

7. How will you report on success?

• Why it matters: You need to know if your investment is generating a return. Many agencies report on "vanity metrics" like clicks, impressions, or website traffic. These numbers feel good but do not pay the bills.
• Good Answer: "We report on the only metrics that matter: the number of qualified appointments delivered, your show-up rate, and your cost per acquisition. We also have a feedback loop where you can comment on appointment quality, which helps us continuously improve the service for you".
• Red Flag: "We will send you a monthly report with your click-through rates and search engine rankings."

8. Who will be the face of my marketing? The agency, or me?

• Why it matters: Clients choose to work with you, the individual advisor, not a faceless firm. Effective marketing should build your personal brand and reputation, not the agency's. They are not buying a product, they are buying a human relationship.
• Good Answer: "Everything we do is built around you as the individual. We create a personalised landing page that showcases your personality, your life away from work, and your client stories. We are the engine, but you are always the brand."
• Red Flag: "We will be marketing our proven brand to generate leads for our partners."

9. What is your process for converting a click into a client?

• Why it matters: This question tests their strategic depth. Generating a click is easy. Converting that click into a high-value client requires a sophisticated system for engagement, nurturing, and qualification.
• Good Answer: "We have an end to end system. A hyper-targeted Meta ad attracts the right audience. A click leads to a custom landing page built to convert. A form submission triggers an instant, AI-powered conversation to nurture and qualify the prospect. A qualified prospect is then booked directly into your calendar".
• Red Flag: "We drive traffic to your website's contact page and let your great reputation do the rest."

10. What happens if I am not happy with the quality of the appointments?

• Why it matters: This final question tests their accountability. In any marketing initiative, there will be a period of learning and refinement. You need to know that your partner is committed to getting it right.
• Good Answer: "Our performance-driven model is our guarantee. Because you only pay for each qualified appointment booked, our success is directly tied to your success. We do not get paid if we do not deliver the quality you need."
• Red Flag: "We cannot guarantee the quality of every lead, but we will work to improve the targeting over time."

Intently: An Integrated System, Not Just a Service

As you read through the "good answers," a clear picture emerges. A top tier marketing partner provides a complete, end to end client acquisition machine that is designed around you, respects your time, and focuses relentlessly on delivering qualified appointments.

That is precisely why we built Intently. 

We designed our system to be the definitive answer to every one of these questions.

• We specialise exclusively in the UK financial sector.
• We handle the entire qualification process with our rigorously trained AI system.
• We guarantee local exclusivity for every one of our partners.
• We are built around your personal brand and our process is designed to be fully compliant.
• You only pay for the outcome, a qualified appointment in your diary.

Choosing a marketing partner is too important to leave to chance. Arm yourself with these questions, demand clear answers, and choose a partner who is as committed to your firm's growth as you are.