Tag Archive for: factor four marketing

Avoid “Long-Term Contract” Neglect

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When we bought our home in 2016, we replaced all the kitchen appliances. Everything came with a one-year warranty – which I was grateful for when our refrigerator broke within the first year. A repair person showed up in two days. Problem solved.

So when we were offered an extended warranty, I signed up without hesitation. The fridge wasn’t cheap, and it had already failed once. Then it broke again. This time, it took 10 days to get a technician.

That’s when I learned what it really means to be locked into a long-term contract. They knew I wasn’t going anywhere. So urgency disappeared.

I’m guessing customers paying full price got much faster service.

The Same Thing Happens with Agencies

Long-term agency contracts create the same dynamic. Once you’re locked in for a year, some agencies quietly shift priorities. Response times slow. Small tasks drag on. Follow-through weakens. We see it all the time.

One client told us their previous agency took two weeks to upload new creative. This is something that should take 10-15 minutes.

Another waited more than a week for a new call-tracking number. That’s a 60-second task.

These weren’t technical problems. They’re motivation problems.

When Clients Can’t Leave, Service Suffers

For some agencies, a year-long contract becomes a license to be unresponsive. They know the client can’t walk away – even if performance slips. That’s not a partnership. That’s complacency.

And it’s incredibly frustrating when you’re investing real money and getting slow, careless service in return.

Why We Don’t Rely on Lock-Ins

At Factor Four, we ask for 90 days to build, optimize, and stabilize campaigns. After that, we work month-to-month. It’s not because we’re “nice” (although we think we are). It’s because it keeps us accountable.

We don’t keep clients through paperwork. We keep them through performance, responsiveness, and results you can see.

Clients don’t leave agencies that:

  • Return calls quickly
  • Act on feedback immediately
  • Take ownership of problems
  • Deliver measurable ROI

They leave when those things disappear.

If your agency feels slower, less responsive, or less invested than they used to, and a long-term contract is the only thing keeping you there, it may be time to ask why. You deserve a partner that treats your business like it matters every month, not just when you sign.

Have you ever been locked into a long-term contract? What was your experience?

Business owner

Own Your Google Ads Account

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Do you actually own your Google Ads account? Not just access but real ownership.

If you decided to part ways with your agency tomorrow, could you take the account with you and hand it to a new team, or bring it in-house?

If you’re not sure, that’s a problem.

When the Agency Owns the Account

Last January, we started working with a company spending about $1.5 million per year on Google Ads. At the time, they had 33 locations (and have grown since). They were frustrated with performance and ready for a change.

There was just one issue: Their agency owned the Google Ads account and refused to transfer it.

Despite paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in management fees over several years, the agency claimed the account was their intellectual property.

In my experience, that rarely has anything to do with protecting great work and everything to do with avoiding accountability.

The Hidden Cost of Not Owning Your Data

Because we couldn’t access the historical account, we had to rebuild everything from scratch. We couldn’t see what had worked, what hadn’t, or what lessons had already been learned.

That slows momentum and means the client ends up paying, again, to rediscover insights they already funded.

That’s not a partnership. That’s a lock-in strategy.

What You Should Check… Now

If you’re currently working with an agency:

  • Do you have your own login to the Google Ads account?
  • Is the account owned by your business, not the agency’s email address?

If you don’t own the account, you’re more tied to that agency than you may realize, especially if performance slips.

To be clear: a strong agency can still drive solid results within 30–90 days, even without historical data. But you shouldn’t have to give up your past learnings just to move on.

Set the Expectation Up Front

If you’re evaluating a new agency, ask this question early:

“Will we own the Google Ads account… unequivocally?”

If the answer isn’t a clear “yes,” keep looking.

Ownership gives you leverage, flexibility, and confidence that your agency is earning your business, not protecting theirs.

Transparency Changes Behavior

I believe agencies should earn trust every month. That doesn’t mean every month is perfect, but it should always be clear that your results come first.

And when agencies know you can log in, see the data, and ask real questions – they’re far less likely to hide behind dashboards or massage the numbers.

If you want more transparency, clearer accountability, and an agency that believes you should own what you pay to build, feel free to message us. I’m always happy to have a conversation and see if it makes sense to work together.

Looking Back at 2025

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How was 2025 for you? Personally, I’ve found that reflecting on a year is a valuable exercise. It’s a chance to slow down, notice progress that’s easy to overlook, and acknowledge how your thinking has changed along the way.

In December 2024, we closed our largest client ever. Until that point, I had assumed we couldn’t compete with the big agencies. Then we took over the Google Ads work from one of the largest agencies in the country – and the client is thrilled with the results. More than the revenue, that experience fundamentally changed how I see what we’re capable of.

To properly serve this new client, along with several others who started working with us, we added two full-time team members to Factor Four. These were our first full-time employees in 17 years in business.

Building a bigger team has been energizing… and humbling. It forced me to let go more than I was comfortable with and trust others with work I’ve always held closely. Delivering outstanding results is what gets me up in the morning, and I held onto the details tighter than I should have. With some helpful coaching, I’m learning how to stop being the master craftsman and start becoming the architect building systems that deliver excellent results repeatedly.

Despite the growth, we still measure success by one thing: how effectively we helped our clients.

This year brought some meaningful wins for organizations willing to rethink how they approach lead generation. A few highlights from new clients:

  • Cardiac Care landed their largest client ever through a Google Ads lead, revealing a new market opportunity they are now actively pursuing.
  • A home services company reduced the cost of branded search terms by 77%, freeing up budget to successfully expand into non-branded keywords and acquire new customers via Google Ads.
  • SMCU lowered overall ad spend by 39% while maintaining the same volume of qualified leads.
  • ScriptCert temporarily reduced advertising because demand outpaced their internal capacity. They are currently adding team members so they can scale further.

We also celebrated a milestone that means a lot to us: 16 years of helping Otay Ranch Eyeworks get new patients consistently.

2025 reinforced something I’ve always believed: when performance can be clearly measured, decisions get better, and growth follows.

We’re grateful for our great existing and new clients and look forward to building on our momentum in 2026.

Don’t Let Your Agency Hide Behind a Dashboard

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Do you hire a digital advertising agency to grow your business—or to grow their bottom line?

It sounds like a ridiculous question, but too many agencies act like you’re there to fund their retainers, not your results.

The Dashboard Dilemma

Dashboards can be a great tool… when used honestly. They can also be a convenient way to show you just enough to keep you from asking tough questions.

Too often, agencies use them to summarize performance without context. And without context, you can’t make informed decisions.

Simplicity Shouldn’t Mean Hiding the Truth

Dashboards often highlight one number: Average Cost Per Lead (CPL). Useful, sure. But it rarely tells the full story.

Here’s an example. Before we took over a client’s account, their agency showed them an average CPL of $37 – a great number for their industry. But 80% of those conversions were coming from branded searches – people already looking for the company by name.

Once we dug in, we found branded leads cost $26 each, but new customer leads (non-branded terms) were much higher. So, we restructured the account.

Within months, branded CPL dropped to $7, and non-branded leads – actual new business – came down to $75. That shift turned their ad spend from “maintenance mode” into a real growth engine.

Local Data, Informed Decisions

The same client has 37 locations across the East Coast. Their previous agency lumped everything into a handful of campaigns. It was easy… for them. But not so useful for the client.

We rebuilt it from the ground up: 147 campaigns by location and service line. That level of granularity gave them clarity they’d never had before.

Now they can see that leads in Charlotte, NC, cost twice as much as in Bow, NH, and make decisions accordingly. That’s what transparency looks like.

Demand the Data You Deserve

I hate seeing businesses spend good money on bad campaigns.

If your agency’s dashboard makes everything look “fine” but you don’t understand why it’s fine, or where your leads are really coming from, it’s time to ask for the full picture.

Simplicity should serve clarity, not hide it.

If your agency can’t (or won’t) give you that clarity, it may be time to find one that will.

Your Thoughts

What has been your experience with agency dashboards?