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Agency report decoder: twelve questions to ask of any marketing report

A printable list of twelve questions to ask of any marketing report: does it count signed clients, net of drops, by source, with the lag stated? Free.

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What is this for?

Print this page and hold it next to your last report. Tick each question the report answers well. Each empty box is a question to put to whoever sent it.

The counting rules behind the questions are on cost per signed case and reconciliation, and the layout we use is on how we report.

What the report counts

  • Does it count signed clients, not only calls, forms or leads?A report that stops at inquiries cannot say what the spend produced.
  • Are signed clients shown net of matters that later dropped?Ask for the dropped count and the date it was taken.
  • Is each signed client tied to the source that brought the inquiry?Ask how the source is recorded and whether a later contact can overwrite it.
  • Is the time lag stated?A recent month looks worse than it is until late records arrive. The report should say how old each figure is.

What it costs and compares

  • Is cost shown per signed client, not only per lead or click?Ask which spend is included: ad spend, fees, tools, call tracking.
  • Is the fee separate from the ad spend?You should see both, and who paid each.
  • Does the comparison period match the one before it?Same length, same season of the year, same tracking.
  • Are your own records the source of the signed counts?If the agency counts them from its own tools, ask to reconcile with your intake list.

What you can check

  • Do you own and can you log in to every account the report draws on?Ad accounts, listings, call tracking and analytics should be in your name.
  • Can you see the raw list behind each number?Ask for the list of inquiries and which ones signed.
  • Does the report say what did not work and what it will change?A report with only good news is a sales page.
  • Is there one next step, with a date and an owner?One decision per month is enough.

How was this built?

What it covers. Twelve questions in three groups: what a report counts, what it costs and compares, and what you can check.

Method. The questions come from the counting rules in The Probative Standard: signed clients, net of drops, tied to a source, with the time lag stated.

Limits. A report can answer every question and still be wrong; ask for the raw list behind it. The questions do not judge any agency. It is marketing guidance, not legal advice.

Related

Questions people ask

Does this tool judge my agency?

No. It lists twelve questions to ask of any marketing report. A report can answer every one and still be wrong, so ask for the raw list behind the numbers.

What is a signed case, and why does the report need to count it?

A signed case is a new client who signed with your firm. Clicks and leads are early signals. Signed cases are the number your own records can confirm.

Who should ask these questions?

The managing partner or whoever approves the marketing budget. Send the questions with the latest report and ask for written answers.

Sources

  1. The Probative Standard: how we count leads, signed cases and costAccessed October 26, 2026
  2. Cost per signed case, as defined in The Probative StandardAccessed October 26, 2026
  3. Reconciliation, as defined in The Probative StandardAccessed October 26, 2026

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The review scores six areas out of 100 points: Google profile 20, website 20, content 15, paid ads 15, intake 20 and compliance 10. It uses public information only: no logins and no call to your phone lines. It can’t see what each client costs you or which ads brought signed clients. Delivered within 2 business days.

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How we checked this page

Sources
3 sources listed on this page, each with the date we read it.
Checked by
Our data desk, with a second person checking every number against its source (who does what).
Last checked
What it covers
The open data and rules named on this page. It shows what they say; it never says an ad passes or fails, and it is not legal advice.
Found a mistake?
Email hello@probativegrowth.com. Every fix goes in our corrections log.