The three things to check
What exactly is guaranteed? A number of leads, a number of jobs, a ranking, or something vaguer like "results".
What counts? This is where most guarantees are won and lost. If any inbound call counts as a lead — including wrong numbers, suppliers and out-of-area enquiries — the target is easy to hit without producing you any work.
What is the remedy? More free work, a partial refund, or a full refund. "An extra month of service" from a provider whose service is not producing is not much of a remedy.
The definitions to insist on
In writing, before signing:
- A lead is an enquiry from a potential customer, about a service you offer, in an area you serve
- Wrong numbers, spam, suppliers and existing customers do not count
- Duplicates from the same person do not count twice
- Who decides a dispute, and how quickly
A provider unwilling to define these plainly is telling you what the guarantee is worth.
The conditions attached to you
Guarantees usually come with obligations on your side, and these are often where they are voided:
- Responding within a stated time
- Providing content, photos or approvals promptly
- Not changing the website
- Maintaining a minimum ad spend
- Providing outcome data
Some of these are entirely reasonable — a provider genuinely cannot guarantee results if you never answer the phone. What matters is whether the conditions are achievable for your business as it actually operates.
The guarantees that cannot be honest
Guaranteed rankings. Nobody controls Google's results.
Guaranteed revenue. That depends on your pricing, your close rate and your capacity.
Guaranteed exclusivity with no explanation of how it is enforced.
A provider making these either does not understand the constraints or is comfortable stating things they cannot support. Either is disqualifying.
The guarantees that can be honest
Work delivered. "These pages built, this tracking installed, this profile completed, by this date." Entirely within their control and genuinely meaningful.
Response times. "We reply within one business day."
No lock-in. "Leave with thirty days' notice and take everything." Arguably the strongest guarantee a provider can offer, because it means the work has to keep earning its place.
The question that settles it
"What would have to happen for this guarantee to pay out, and has it ever?"
A straight answer tells you whether it is a commitment or a marketing device.
Getting a proposal read
If you have one in front of you, call James on 832-338-2926 for a second opinion from someone not selling you that particular thing.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check in a guarantee?
What exactly is guaranteed, what counts toward it, and what the remedy is. If any inbound call counts as a lead, the target is easy to hit without producing you any work.
Which guarantees cannot be honest?
Guaranteed rankings, because nobody controls Google; guaranteed revenue, which depends on your pricing and close rate; and exclusivity with no explanation of how it is enforced.
Which guarantees can be honest?
Work delivered by a date, response times, and no lock-in — arguably the strongest, because it means the work has to keep earning its place every month.
What single question settles it?
What would have to happen for this guarantee to pay out, and has it ever? A straight answer tells you whether it is a commitment or a marketing device.