The practical view
Choosing a marketing partner is different for a service business. Phone calls, booked jobs, and the ability to connect campaigns to real customers matter more than surface-level metrics.
What to focus on
Look for a partner that understands acquisition, conversion, CRM follow-up, call tracking, and reporting. A good agency should feel like a senior hire, not a black box.
The takeaway
Before selecting a partner, ask how they connect ad spend to booked opportunities, whether you retain account access, and how they measure lead quality.