A guide to help tech organisations get to where they want to go, faster.
While B2B tech providers are in their happy place building, implementing and optimising complex technologies, most find marketing hard.
It’s common for MSPs, ISVs and start-ups to have few or no marketing resources in-house, while vendors and distributor marketing teams are often under the pump, as priorities and budgets outpace what teams can execute, putting pressure on people and quality.
Finding the right agency can feel daunting. Large agencies may be too big to care while smaller agencies may not be able to move fast enough. Regardless of size, many aren’t equipped to deeply understand the nuances of the B2B tech sector or navigate the intricate steps essential to connect marketing initiatives to commercial outcomes.
It’s no secret that agency people can be polished, wowing with impressive pitches, credentials and promises of growth. But when the rubber hits the road, a gap between expectation and reality is common. Choosing the wrong agency costs you precious time and money, drains the energy of senior leaders and can damage relationships with customers, partners and investors.
The right marketing partner will help you educate customers, energise your team and suppliers, accelerate commercial outcomes and stay ahead of new opportunities.
This guide is designed to help technology leaders ask the right questions to separate the cowboys from proven marketing partners.
1. Do you have proven experience working with companies like ours?
Not all marketing expertise translates across industries. Successful B2B tech marketing requires an understanding of the trends influencing buyer behaviour, how to engage complex buying groups and the ability to translate technical offerings into clear narratives that resonate with both technical and business audiences.
What to look for:
- People who quickly ‘get’ what you’re sharing and what you’re trying to achieve, and who can add valuable insight from the very first interaction
- Deep experience and current engagements across the technology ecosystem – distributors, MSPs, vendors, channel partners and/or independent solution providers
- A track record working with businesses at your stage of scale and growth; working with a start-up is very different from working with a large enterprise
Takeaway: Choose a B2B specialist tech marketing agency that understands your world and can share specific expertise and experience around projects aligned with your focus.
2. Can you provide referenceable case studies and testimonials?
Trusted references and past performance are the best predictors of future results. Look for agencies willing to share detailed case studies that articulate the client challenge, solution and results.
What to look for:
- Their portfolio of B2B tech clients, and the type of work they do for them
- Client success stories aligned with what you’re looking to achieve
- Testimonials published on their website and LinkedIn from leaders in similar roles and companies
Takeaway: Focus on proof rather than promises. The right agency will be proud to share their success stories, and satisfied clients will be happy to vouch for them.
3. What is your strategic approach and methodology?
Great agencies work to build comprehensive strategic foundations, leveraging proven methodologies that underpin sustainable growth. Inexperienced providers often don’t know the difference between a commercial marketing strategy and a tactical plan.
What to look for:
- A documented methodology for strategy development, campaign planning and execution aligned with your business objectives
- Examples of strategic deliverables or a templated process they can share
- Demonstrable strategic case studies and testimonials
Takeaway: A tactical plan is not a strategy. A strategy should lay robust foundations for programs, campaigns, customer experiences and future growth.
4.How do your strategies flow into execution and GTM programs?
Many agencies claim to be ‘full service’ but lack depth in critical areas. Understanding their true capabilities prevents costly gaps and ensures quality execution and faster time-to-market.
You want an agency that is strong in both strategy and execution. Look for proven end-to-end processes that ensure strategic plans seamlessly move into creative execution and in-market programs.
What to look for:
- A timeline that outlines the step-by-step process
- Ability for the core team to direct and manage creative development and production of all campaign assets — websites, content (eBooks, blogs, videos, case studies etc.), sales collateral (data sheets, presentations, checklists etc.) and GTM assets (emails, social, banners, search ads etc.)
- Expertise across technical elements such as financial forecasting, CRM set-up and automation, Google Analytics, SEM and Paid LinkedIn and results tracking
- Clear briefing and sign-off moments so nothing progresses too far without your approval
Takeaway: Clear processes that cover both strategy and execution are essential to protect quality, time to market and budgets.
5. Who will I be working with day-to-day?
One of the most common agency scenarios that lead to disappointing partnerships is when senior executives give you all the upfront love and attention, but once they win the business, hand you off to junior team members.
What to look for:
- A clear understanding of the agency structure, team roles and how you’ll work together
- The experience level across the team and years in their current roles
- The opportunity to meet team members and know who your primary contact will be
- A culture that’s a good fit — look for people who show genuine interest in your business, communicate effectively, have experience with similar projects and who are proactive, flexible and solutions oriented
Takeaway: Ask to meet your actual team, not just the executive leaders or sales team. The people doing the work must feel like safe hands for you.
6. How much of our time will you need?
With many B2B tech companies having limited internal marketing resources, it’s important to understand how much time the agency will need from you, so you can focus on building your business and client relationships, while they take care of your marketing.
What to look for:
- The ability to quickly understand your business and talk to you about it in a way that makes sense to you
- Experience working within businesses structured like yours, with few or no internal marketing people, or marketing people with limited time
- A clear onboarding process – clear guidance on what they need from you at the start to set themselves up for success
- A defined check-in cadence and preferred communication methods
- A team that can become a seamless extension of yours, trusted to run and be accountable for your marketing
Takeaway: An experienced agency partner should have expert processes to get the inputs they need to quickly become self-sufficient.
7. How do you manage workload and prioritise us when you’re busy?
Agencies with the right processes should make you feel like you’re their only client. Whether they’re juggling multiple projects or you’re the sole focus, it shouldn’t impact your experience.
What to look for:
- Length of time in business and working as a team
- Clear timelines agreed upfront by all parties
- A transparent and easily accessible WIP document that tracks deliverables against timings and flags anything that needs your input
- Regular touchpoints for questions and collaboration
- Flexibility to work around your processes, timings and channel preferences
- Flexibility to quickly pivot when something changes within your business
Takeaway: Great agencies are built on refined processes. Look for systematic yet flexible approaches to project management and client communication.
8. How do you integrate and leverage AI in your processes?
While AI is an exciting tool, it’s important to understand how agencies are intending to use it for your business. The last thing you want is an agency loading your confidential information into a public tool – or leaning too heavily on AI-generated content while still charging for bespoke deliverables.
What to look for:
- Transparency around their specific use cases for AI
- The tools they’re using
- Understanding of how AI lifts the quality of strategic and executional deliverables
Takeaway: The right agency will understand how to use AI to unlock process efficiencies and improve the quality, speed and effectiveness of your marketing.
9. How do you provide transparency over our investment?
Budget surprises kill agency relationships, it’s important that your agency partner can provide transparency around pricing and inclusions.
What to look for:
- Detailed cost estimates with a breakdown of all anticipated expenses
- Clear approval processes for additional costs or scope changes
- Detailed invoicing that ties back to approved estimates
- Proactive budget alerts when approaching limits
- Fairness with any upfront payments – no more than 50% upfront, so you remain empowered if deliverables fall below expectations
Takeaway: Financial transparency builds trust. Look for clear processes for budgeting, reporting and scope management.
10. How do you measure and report on results?
Effective measurement and reporting are essential for optimising performance and demonstrating ROI.
What to look for:
- The ability to connect your business objectives to marketing initiatives and results
- A commercial forecasting model that outlines agreed KPIs around customers, revenue and investment
- Proactive approaches to capturing, measuring and reporting on results with a continuous learning and optimisation process
Takeaway: Ask for measurement frameworks that connect marketing activities to commercial results. What gets measured can be further built on and optimised over time.
Finding the Right Fit
Asking these ten questions will significantly narrow the field and surface the agencies that are genuinely equipped to deliver. The right B2B tech agency will answer these questions with confidence, backed by evidence.
Launched in 2002, Rocket Science is a team of senior marketing specialists 100% focused on the B2B tech sector. With deep experience working across the whole IT ecosystem –distributors, vendors, channel partners and independent solution providers –we bring a high degree of love and care to every project for every client. Our proven strategic approach, anchored in teaching, provides a robust and long-lasting foundation for all marketing initiatives. A typical starting point is helping you define your unique value proposition and strategic narrative. From there we plan out an effective and sustainable go-to-market program that is brought to life through insight-led creative.
Everything we do is underpinned with stringent processes to ensure all outputs are of the highest quality, while staying on time and on budget.
Get in touch at melj@rocketscience.com.au or visit rocketscience.com.au
