What CMOs Actually Want From Their Digital Agency
- Katherine LeBlanc
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
And why most agencies get it wrong.
I've been a CMO in franchising for a long time. I've hired a lot of agencies. I've fired a few. And I've watched the same dynamic play out more times than I can count.
The agency comes in strong. The pitch is polished. The case studies look great. Six months in, I'm showing up to every call feeling like I have to direct the strategy myself. The franchisees are calling me to complain. And somewhere along the way, the agency stopped being a partner and started being a vendor I manage.
It doesn't have to go that way.
Here's what I actually want. And if you're an agency reading this, I'd bet your CMO clients want the same thing.
Safe Hands
I don't call it subject matter expertise. I call it Safe Hands, because that's what it feels like when you have it.
CMOs are stretched. We've got CEOs breathing down our necks, a team to lead, and franchisees who question everything. When we bring on a digital agency, we are not looking for execution support. We are looking for someone we can trust completely so we can stop thinking about that part of the business.
That trust is built in small moments. You send me a note about a platform update before I've heard about it, with your take on what it means for our brand. You walk into a review knowing which of our products drives the most margin. You bring a point of view to every conversation, even when we disagree, because conviction is what tells me you know what you're talking about.
If I have to bring you industry news, we have a problem. If you can't answer basic questions about how my business makes money, we have a bigger one.
The agencies that earn Safe Hands status do three things consistently. They stay ahead. They know the business. And they show up with a perspective, not just a report.
Franchisee Satisfaction Means Results, Not Happiness
This one trips up a lot of agencies, and I understand why. The franchisee is loud. They have opinions. They have requests. And it feels like the path of least resistance is to give them what they want.
It is not.
My franchisees are not marketing experts. That's why they hired an agency. When a franchisee wants to run a 50% off promotion on their highest-margin product, the right answer is not to run it. The right answer is to explain why it will hurt them and offer a better path forward.
Franchisee satisfaction is not about making them happy. It's about making them money. When their revenue grows, they trust you. When they trust you, they stop calling me to complain. That is what success looks like.
The agencies that get this right don't ask franchisees how they think it's going. They walk into every check-in knowing how it's going, and they say so. They're honest about what's working and what isn't. They hold the line on strategy even when it's uncomfortable. And they earn a level of respect that makes the whole relationship easier for everyone.
If you're an agency, see where you actually stand. If you're a CMO, here's what to hand your partner. The full audit, checklist, and 7 Deadly Sins — free download below.
Part of the Team
This is the one I feel most strongly about, and the one that's hardest to articulate.
Your digital agency is not a vendor. They are executing a major part of your brand strategy. The creative they run is how your brand shows up to new customers every single day. They hold a significant portion of your franchisees' marketing budgets. They are, whether they think of it this way or not, a critical member of the marketing team.
When it works, it looks like collaboration. We test things together. We talk about what's not landing before it becomes a problem. When something goes wrong with a franchisee, the agency tells me first so we can manage it together. I don't find out because someone called me upset.
When it breaks down, it usually looks like one of four things. The franchisee is calling me constantly about the agency's performance. They've already found an out-of-network partner they want to work with. We're meeting more than we should because I feel like I need to drive the strategy myself. Or I'm completely checked out and already looking for your replacement.
If you're an agency, pay attention to those signals. An uptick in meeting cadence or a sudden drop-off in communication are both red flags. One means I've lost confidence. The other means I've already moved on in my head.
Want the tools that go with this? Download the Are You on Track checklist and the 7 Deadly Sins guide.