How to choose a B2B lead generation agency — without regretting it in month three.
We're an agency writing about how to buy from an agency. That's uncomfortable enough that we're going to be specific. Here's the 9-point checklist we'd hand a friend.
· Three questions kill 80% of shortlists: show me the sequence, show me the sample size, show me who owns the domains.
· Below €2k/mo is usually a list-only reseller; above €10k/mo is usually enterprise/named-account.
· Reversibility beats promises. Month-to-month + owned assets is the safest structure.
1. Ask to see the exact sequence they'd send in month one
Any agency worth hiring can write a rough three-touch sequence for your ICP in the sales call. Vague "we'll workshop it" answers mean the strategist won't be the one writing your copy. That copy is the product.
2. Ask for a reply-rate range with a sample size
"We get 8-12% reply rates" means nothing without on how many campaigns, in which sector. Push for numbers with sample sizes attached. Our benchmarks page is one example of what "with a sample size" looks like.
3. Confirm who owns the domains, LinkedIn accounts and CRM records
If the agency owns the sending domains, you can't leave without burning the pipeline. Insist on a setup where every asset lives in your accounts. It's a five-minute conversation that saves a six-month migration.
4. Understand the pricing tier you're actually in
- · €500-€2k/mo — usually a list reseller with a light sending layer. Fine for topping up a real engine, not for building one.
- · €2.5k-€7k/mo — full-stack mid-market: list, copy, sending, replies.
- · €7k-€15k+ — enterprise/ named-account programs, embedded strategists.
5. Check the reply-handling model
Whoever answers replies effectively runs first-round qualification. Ask exactly who does it (junior SDR? senior operator? you?), what their SLA is, and how they log outcomes. A slow reply loop kills every gain in the sending step.
6. Look for a month-to-month structure
12-month contracts exist because agencies want to survive their own churn — not because you need 12 months to see if outbound works. Six weeks is enough to see the shape of reply rate; three months is enough to see meetings. Anything longer is a lock-in that benefits them, not you.
7. Ask what they'd refuse to do
An agency with a real point of view refuses things: "we don't do ACVs under €5k", "we don't send more than 200 emails/day/inbox", "we won't run three sectors in month one". Agencies that say yes to everything ship average work for everyone.
8. Get named references in your sector, not logo walls
Logos on a homepage are cheap. A 15-minute reference call with an operator in your sector is worth more than any case study. If the agency won't put you on the phone with two clients, that's the answer.
9. Confirm the reporting cadence and what's in it
Weekly beats monthly. What's in the report matters more than the frequency: emails sent, deliverable rate, positive/neutral/negative replies, meetings booked, meetings held, what's changing next week. Dashboards without "what's changing next week" mean nobody's iterating.