What questions should I ask before hiring a performance marketing agency?

Ask about their 90-day execution plan, creative testing process, campaign structure, reporting format, team involvement, and how success is measured beyond clicks and leads. Also assess turnaround time and prior startup experience.

My seed-funded startup needs to demonstrate quantifiable growth for our next round. How does a performance marketing agency's focus on concrete ROI differ from a traditional agency's brand-building approach, and why is this critical for proving our business model to investors?

A performance marketing agency prioritizes measurable outcomes directly tied to revenue, which is what investors need to see. Unlike traditional agencies focused on awareness, performance marketing is built on a foundation of data-driven optimization to prove and improve your unit economics. This distinction is critical because it shifts the conversation from subjective brand value to objective financial results. A strong partner will focus on: Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Continuously testing and optimizing channels to lower the cost of acquiring each new paying customer.Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Analyzing user behavior to improve signup, trial, and purchase funnels.Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Ensuring every rupee spent, from a minimum budget of ₹10 lakhs, generates a predictable return. This focus on financial efficiency and scalable systems provides the tangible proof of a viable business model that is essential for securing your Series A. To learn how to spot an agency with this focus, explore the full guide on evaluation criteria.

We are a post-product-market fit startup preparing for our Series A. How should we understand the role of performance marketing in this specific context, and why is it considered a key lever for demonstrating a scalable, repeatable acquisition model to potential VCs?

Performance marketing serves as the engine for demonstrating scalable growth, transforming your proven product into a high-velocity business. For a pre-Series A startup, it is not just about getting users; it is about building a predictable acquisition machine that justifies a significant investment. A performance marketing agency helps you build this machine by establishing systems that are both efficient and scalable. This involves moving beyond founder-led sales to automated, data-backed channels. Key elements they build include multi-touch attribution models to understand the customer journey, optimized landing pages that convert traffic effectively, and diversified channel strategies to avoid platform dependency. Showing investors you have a system that can turn ₹10 lakhs in ad spend into a predictable number of customers is far more compelling than relying on inconsistent manual efforts. This guide details how to find a partner capable of building that system.

Our startup just closed a seed round and needs to scale user acquisition quickly. What are the definitive trade-offs between hiring an in-house marketing team versus partnering with an agency, specifically considering our limited 12-18 month runway and need for immediate results?

The core trade-off is between immediate impact and long-term integration, a critical decision when runway is limited. An agency provides speed and specialized expertise right away, while an in-house team represents a slower, more culturally integrated long-term asset. Here is how you should weigh the factors: Speed to Execution: An agency can launch campaigns in 2-3 weeks, leveraging existing tools and processes. Hiring, onboarding, and training an in-house team can take 3-4 months before yielding results.Upfront Cost & Flexibility: An agency retainer of ₹50,000-₹2,00,000 monthly is often less than the annual salary of a marketing manager (₹8-15 lakhs), without the overhead of benefits, software licenses, and recruitment fees.Specialized Knowledge: Agencies see patterns across dozens of clients, bringing a breadth of experience that a single new hire rarely possesses. For a seed-stage startup, an agency's ability to deliver measurable results quickly and efficiently often makes it the superior choice for preserving capital and hitting growth targets. Discover the exact criteria to select the right agency partner in the complete analysis.

For a B2B SaaS startup, the customer journey is complex. How should we evaluate whether a prospective performance marketing agency's approach is better suited for our model versus one designed for D2C or fintech, and what specific capabilities should we prioritize?

Evaluating an agency for a SaaS startup requires looking beyond generic paid ad management to find expertise in long sales cycles and value demonstration. Unlike D2C's impulse buys, your goal is to nurture leads through a considered purchase process, making funnel optimization and attribution modeling paramount. Prioritize agencies that demonstrate a deep understanding of the following SaaS-specific challenges: Trial-to-Paid Conversion: They should have case studies on optimizing user onboarding and demonstrating product value to convert free users to paying customers.Product-Led Growth (PLG) Experience: Look for experience with campaigns that drive sign-ups and in-product engagement, not just website traffic.Multi-Touch Attribution: They must be able to track how different channels contribute to a final sale over weeks or months, not just the last click. An agency that measures success by MQLs and free trials without tracking the eventual conversion to revenue is a red flag for any SaaS business. The full guide explains how to probe for this specific expertise during your evaluation.

Many startups burn through their marketing budget with little to show for it. What are the most common and costly mistakes early-stage companies make when selecting an agency, and what processes can we implement to avoid partners that chase vanity metrics over real business outcomes?

The most critical mistake is failing to align agency KPIs with core business objectives like revenue and user retention. Startups often get distracted by vanity metrics like impressions or clicks, which an ineffective agency can easily manipulate, burning through your budget without improving unit economics. Stronger companies avoid this trap by implementing a rigorous evaluation and management process. Common pitfalls to avoid include: Accepting Vague Reporting: Insist on dashboards that connect ad spend directly to signups, sales, and CAC.Ignoring Vertical Expertise: Hiring a D2C-focused agency for a complex fintech product will lead to compliance and messaging failures.Skipping Reference Checks: Speak to their former startup clients to understand their true impact on growth. To protect your investment, define success with metrics that matter to your bottom line from day one and hold your agency accountable to them. Read on to find more detailed questions that separate the growth partners from the budget burners.

Our startup has a limited acquisition budget of under ₹10 lakhs and lacks sophisticated conversion tracking. Why do these two factors make it premature to engage a performance marketing agency, and what foundational work should we prioritize first to ensure future success?

Engaging an agency without adequate budget and data is like hiring a pilot without a plane or a dashboard, it is inefficient and likely to fail. Performance marketing relies on statistical significance and clear feedback loops, both of which are compromised by these limitations. Here is the foundational work to prioritize before hiring an agency: Implement Robust Analytics: Set up event and conversion tracking to accurately measure user actions like signups, demo requests, or purchases. An agency cannot optimize what it cannot measure.Focus on Organic Growth and Customer Discovery: If you are pre-product-market fit, your capital is better spent on product iteration and direct customer feedback rather than paid ads.Secure Sufficient Budget: A minimum monthly ad spend of ₹50,000-₹1,00,000 for 3-6 months is necessary for an agency to gather enough data to optimize campaigns effectively. Building this foundation ensures that when you do engage an agency, your investment is poised for maximum ROI. The complete guide offers a checklist to determine if your startup is truly agency-ready.

For a fintech startup in a highly regulated market, what proven strategies and specific expertise should we look for in an agency's portfolio? How might a firm like Razorpay have leveraged performance marketing for compliant and trust-centric customer acquisition?

A fintech startup must prioritize agencies with proven expertise in navigating regulatory minefields and building user trust. Unlike other industries, a misstep in messaging can lead to compliance issues with bodies like the RBI, so generic marketing approaches are not just ineffective but also risky. Successful fintechs like Razorpay likely use performance marketing for precision targeting and educational campaigns, not just direct sales. When evaluating an agency, look for evidence of: Compliance-Safe Messaging: They should demonstrate experience creating ad copy and landing pages that are clear, transparent, and adhere to all financial regulations.High-Consideration Funnel Building: Experience with multi-channel campaigns that educate users on security, benefits, and value over time.Audience Segmentation: A track record of identifying and reaching specific customer profiles with tailored messaging that addresses their unique financial needs and concerns. An agency's ability to show past work that balances aggressive growth targets with strict regulatory adherence is the clearest sign of a suitable partner. This guide offers more questions to ask to verify this specialized expertise.

Looking at the startup landscape, what evidence suggests that partnering with a specialized performance marketing agency provides a significant competitive advantage in achieving scalable growth compared to relying on a generalist or in-house team early on?

The primary evidence is in the speed and efficiency with which specialized agencies help startups prove their unit economics, a key milestone for follow-on funding. Generalist approaches often fail to optimize for the specific financial metrics that venture capitalists scrutinize, while building a specialized in-house team takes too long. Agencies focused on startups offer a distinct advantage by acting as a growth catalyst. For example, they can: Reduce Time to Market: Launching optimized campaigns in 2-3 weeks versus the 3-4 months it takes to hire allows startups to capitalize on market opportunities faster.Provide Benchmarking Data: Having worked with dozens of similar companies, they know what a “good” CAC or conversion rate looks like for a SaaS or fintech startup, setting realistic targets from day one.Lower Financial Risk: An agency retainer of ₹50,000-₹2,00,000 monthly is a flexible operating expense, unlike the fixed, long-term cost of an employee's salary. This combination of speed, expertise, and capital efficiency is a powerful advantage when the goal is rapid, sustainable scaling. Explore the full guide to see how this advantage translates into a higher likelihood of securing Series A funding.

As a founder of a SaaS company that has just validated product-market fit, what is a practical, step-by-step plan for selecting and onboarding a performance marketing agency to help us demonstrate a scalable acquisition model before our Series A round?

A structured approach is essential to select a partner that can help you hit the growth milestones needed for Series A. The goal is to move from validation to a repeatable acquisition playbook, focusing on process and clear expectations from the start. Here is a four-step implementation plan: Internal Readiness Audit: Before outreach, confirm you have clear conversion tracking in place and have allocated a minimum acquisition budget of ₹10 lakhs for a 3-6 month pilot.Define Success Metrics: Establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs). For a SaaS startup, this includes target CAC, trial-to-paid conversion rate, and lead velocity rate.Shortlist & Vet Agencies: Identify 3-5 agencies with specific SaaS and PLG experience. Ask for case studies showing how they improved trial conversion, not just lead volume.Launch a Pilot Project: Start with a 3-month engagement focused on one or two core channels to test their methodology, communication, and ability to deliver results before committing to a long-term contract. Following this plan ensures you choose a partner aligned with your goals and ready to build the scalable systems investors want to see. The full article provides a detailed checklist for each of these stages.

Our early-stage startup is ready to scale beyond founder-led sales. What is the most effective process for evaluating potential performance marketing agencies to ensure they have the vertical-specific expertise required to succeed in our niche?

The most effective process involves moving beyond surface-level pitches to rigorously test an agency’s understanding of your specific market dynamics. A generic approach will fail; you need a partner with a deep appreciation for your customer psychology and competitive landscape. Structure your evaluation around verifying their vertical expertise: Review Industry-Specific Case Studies: Do not just ask if they have worked in your industry. Ask for detailed case studies that outline the problem, the strategy they implemented, and the specific results, such as a 30% reduction in CAC.Present a Hypothetical Challenge: During the pitch, give them a real-world business problem you are facing and ask for their strategic approach. This tests their problem-solving skills in your context.Check for Regulatory Knowledge: If you are in a regulated space like fintech, quiz them on compliance constraints. Their response will quickly reveal their level of experience. This diligence ensures you partner with an agency that can provide strategic value from day one, not one that learns your industry on your dime. Dive deeper into the specific questions to ask for different verticals in the complete guide.

Considering the increasing competition for digital ad space and rising acquisition costs, how should a startup's strategy for engaging with performance marketing agencies evolve over the next few years to maintain a competitive edge and ensure sustainable growth?

Startups must evolve from viewing agencies as simple ad buyers to treating them as strategic partners in capital-efficient growth. As costs rise, the focus must shift from pure volume to the quality and lifetime value of acquired customers, demanding a more sophisticated agency relationship. In the future, successful partnerships will be defined by: Deeper Funnel Integration: Agencies will need to optimize not just for the initial click or lead, but for down-funnel metrics like user activation, retention, and expansion revenue.Emphasis on Creative and Conversion: With rising media costs, the biggest leverage point will be improving conversion rates through better ad creative, messaging, and landing page experiences.Data and Analytics Mastery: Your agency partner must be an expert in your analytics stack, helping you build a single source of truth for marketing performance and LTV modeling. Startups should begin preparing now by prioritizing agencies that demonstrate a strong command of analytics and a holistic view of the customer lifecycle. Learn how to identify these forward-thinking partners in our full analysis.

Given the trend towards data privacy and the depreciation of third-party cookies, how will the role and required skill sets of performance marketing agencies change, and what should startups look for in a partner to future-proof their acquisition strategy?

The shift towards greater data privacy fundamentally changes the performance marketing playbook from one of hyper-targeting to one of brand building and sophisticated analytics. Agencies that rely solely on old tracking methods will become obsolete, making it crucial to find a partner adapted to the new reality. To future-proof your strategy, look for an agency with expertise in these emerging areas: First-Party Data Strategy: They should be able to help you collect, segment, and activate your own customer data for targeting and personalization.Conversion Modeling: With less granular tracking, agencies will need strong analytical skills to model conversions and measure the incremental impact of their campaigns.Brand and Performance Synergy: The line between brand marketing and performance marketing will blur. A future-ready agency will excel at creating compelling creative that both builds your brand and drives direct response. Your next agency partner must be as much a data strategist as a media buyer to navigate this new landscape effectively. The complete guide explores how to vet for these forward-looking capabilities.

How to Choose a Performance Marketing Agency for Startups in 2026

Q: How much does a performance marketing agency cost for startups in India?

Most performance marketing agencies charge between ₹50,000 and ₹3,00,000 per month, plus 10% to 20% of ad spend. Early-stage startups typically spend ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month in fees, while funded startups often spend ₹1.5 lakh or more. Avoid long-term contracts without proven performance.

Q: When is the right time to hire a performance marketing agency?

The right time to hire an agency is after achieving basic product-market validation, setting up proper tracking, and allocating at least ₹10–₹15 lakhs for 3–6 months of testing and scaling. Hiring too early can be inefficient if product positioning is not yet clear.

Q: Should I hire a niche agency or a generalist agency?

If possible, choose a specialist agency in your vertical such as SaaS, fintech, D2C, or edtech. Niche agencies typically ramp up faster, avoid category-specific mistakes, and understand funnel behavior better than generalist agencies.

Amol Ghemud
How to Choose a Performance Marketing Agency for Startups in 2026
Published: February 7, 2026

Contributors: Amol Ghemud
Published: February 7, 2026

Summary

Choosing the right performance marketing agency for your startup depends on their ability to scale acquisition while reducing CAC, expertise across paid channels (Google, Meta, LinkedIn), and transparent reporting on real growth metrics like qualified leads, activation rate, and payback period.

In 2026, most agencies charge ₹50,000-₹3,00,000 per month, plus 10–20% of ad spend. The best agencies stand out through startup-focused execution, strong funnel optimization, accurate attribution tracking, proven case studies, and the ability to work fast within limited budgets.

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Your startup just raised seed funding, and now the pressure is real. You need to scale fast, prove unit economics, and hit growth targets that justify your next funding round. But growth is expensive, and wasting even a few lakhs on the wrong campaigns can set you back months.

Building an in-house performance marketing team takes time, hiring bandwidth, and serious monthly costs. That is why most startups choose agencies early on. The challenge is picking the right one. A strong performance marketing agency can reduce CAC, improve funnel efficiency, and build scalable acquisition systems. A bad one burns budget chasing vanity metrics.

This guide breaks down how to evaluate performance marketing agencies for startups in 2026, what to ask, what to avoid, and how to choose a partner that aligns with your growth goals.

What is a performance marketing agency, and whydo startups need one

A performance marketing agency specializes in paid digital advertising optimized for measurable outcomes such as leads, signups, purchases, and revenue, rather than vague metrics like impressions or reach.

How performance marketing differs from traditional agencies

Traditional marketing agencies focus on brand building, creative campaigns, and awareness metrics.

Performance marketing agencies focus on ROI, conversion optimization, and customer acquisition economics.

For startups, performance marketing delivers faster, measurable results aligned with growth goals.

Why startups work with agencies instead of hiring in-house

Speed to execution: Agencies have existing team structures, tools, and processes for launching campaigns in 2-3 weeks, versus 3-4 months after internal hiring.

Specialized expertise: Agencies manage campaigns across dozens of clients, accumulating pattern recognition that individual hires lack.

Lower upfront cost: Agency retainers (₹50,000-₹2,00,000 monthly) cost less than hiring a marketing manager (₹8-15 lakhs annually) plus specialists.

Access to tools and platforms: Agencies provide enterprise software subscriptions for analytics, attribution, and optimization, included in retainers.

Scalability and flexibility: Agencies scale effort up or down based on budget and stage without hiring or firing employees.

When should startups hire a performance marketing agency?

Not every startup stage requires external agencies. Timing matters significantly.

Ideal timing for agency engagement

Post-product-market fit validation: You have proof that customers will pay for your solution, and some understand unit economics.

After seed or Series A funding, you have a 12-18-month runway and capital allocated for customer acquisition.

When scaling beyond founder-led sales, Manual outreach or founder networks no longer deliver the required user volume.

Before Series A or B fundraising: You need to demonstrate scalable, repeatable acquisition to raise the next round.

When to delay agency engagement

Pre-product-market fit: If you are still iterating on the core value proposition, invest in product and customer discovery first.

Without conversion tracking: Agencies need accurate data to optimize. Set up basic analytics and event tracking before engaging agencies.

With less than ₹10 lakhs acquisition budget: Minimum viable agency engagement requires ₹50,000-₹1,00,000 monthly for 3-6 months to see meaningful results.

Key criteria for evaluating performance marketing agencies

Not all agencies serve startups effectively. Use these criteria to filter candidates.

Criterion 1: Vertical and industry expertise

Agencies with experience in your industry understand customer psychology, competitive landscape, and regulatory constraints.

For SaaS startups, look for agencies that demonstrate free-trial-to-paid-conversion optimization, product-led growth experience, and multi-touch attribution.

For fintech startups: Require compliance-safe messaging expertise, experience with RBI regulations, and proven lead quality optimization.

For D2C ecommerce: Prioritize ROAS optimization, retargeting strategies, and creative testing frameworks.

For edtech startups: seek experience in parent targeting, seasonal campaign planning, and cohort retention tracking.

Ask agencies: “Show me three case studies from startups in our vertical with similar growth stage and target audience.”

Criterion 2: Proven ability to reduce CAC while scaling

The best performance marketing delivers more customers at a lower cost simultaneously.

What to ask: “Show me a case where you reduced CAC by 30%+ while increasing monthly customer acquisition by 50%+ within 90 days.”

Red flag: Agencies showing only one metric improving (lower CAC but flat volume, or higher volume but rising CAC).

Good signal: Detailed case studies with before/after metrics, campaign screenshots, and attribution methodology explained.

Criterion 3: Transparent reporting and communication

Startups need weekly visibility into performance, not monthly black-box reports.

Minimum reporting standards:

Weekly performance snapshots via email or Slack.

Shared live dashboard access (Google Data Studio, Tableau, or similar).

Monthly strategic review calls discussing tests, learnings, and next quarter planning.

Questions to ask: “What metrics do you report weekly? Can we access live dashboards? How do you communicate when campaigns underperform?”

Red flag: Agencies are reluctant to share login access, provide only monthly PDF reports, or avoid discussing failed experiments.

Criterion 4: Technical capabilities beyond media buying

Great agencies don’t just run ads. They optimize entire conversion funnels.

Required capabilities:

Landing page conversion rate optimization.

A/B testing methodology and tools.

Conversion tracking and attribution setup.

Creative development for ads and landing pages.

Funnel analysis identifying drop-off points.

Questions to ask: “Do you build landing pages or only run ads to our existing pages? How do you approach conversion rate optimization? What attribution model do you recommend?”

Red flag: Agencies refusing any performance alignment, demanding large fixed retainers regardless of results.

Questions to ask during agency evaluation

These questions reveal agency quality, approach, and cultural fit.

Strategic questions

“How would you approach our first 90 days?” Strong agencies outline the discovery phase, initial hypothesis, testing roadmap, and success metrics.

“What’s your hypothesis on why our current CAC is ₹X?” Tests whether the agency did homework researching your business before pitches.

“What channels do you recommend and why?” Reveals strategic thinking versus cookie-cutter approaches.

Tactical execution questions

“How do you structure Google Ads campaigns for our category?” Demonstrates hands-on expertise versus account manager fluff.

“Walk me through your creative testing process.” Shows a systematic approach versus random creative development.

“How do you handle iOS 14+ attribution challenges?” Tests current platform knowledge and problem-solving ability.

Cultural fit questions

“How many startups versus enterprises are in your client roster?” Startups need agencies comfortable with rapid iteration, limited budgets, and an experimental mindset.

“What’s your typical response time for urgent requests?” Startups need agility. 24-48 hour response times signal a mismatch.

“How do you handle underperforming campaigns?” Look for honest communication, proactive problem-solving, and transparent explanations versus excuses.

Performance marketing agency pricing models in 2026

Understanding pricing structures helps budget appropriately and evaluate value.

Pricing Model	Structure	Typical Range (India)	Best For	Pros	Cons
Monthly Retainer	Fixed monthly fee	₹50,000-₹3,00,000	Early-stage startups need predictable costs	Budget certainty, aligned effort	No performance alignment
Percentage of Ad Spend	10-20% of monthly ad budget	10-20% of spend	Scaling startups with large budgets	Scales with investment	Incentivizes higher spend not efficiency
Hybrid (Retainer + %)	Base fee + % of spend	₹30,000-₹1,00,000 + 5-15%	Most common for startups	Balances fixed and variable costs	Complexity in tracking
Performance-Based	Fee tied to outcomes (CPL, CPA)	Variable based on results	Startups prioritizing ROI alignment	True performance alignment	Hard to negotiate, fewer agencies offer

Budget allocation rule: Total monthly performance marketing budget = Agency fees + Ad spend.

How to work effectively with your performance marketing agency

Hiring agencies are not outsourcing responsibility. Successful partnerships require active startup involvement.

Provide clear goals and constraints upfront

Agencies need to know:

Target CAC or cost per acquisition.

Monthly customer acquisition volume goals.

Budget constraints and flexibility.

Prohibited messaging or channels (compliance, brand guidelines).

Timeline for showing results (investors expecting metrics by specific dates).

Share access to necessary tools and data

Agencies cannot optimize without data access:

Google Analytics or an equivalent analytics platform.

CRM showing lead-to-customer conversion rates.

Product analytics showing activation and retention.

Existing campaign performance data.

Establish weekly check-in rhythms

Schedule recurring 30-minute calls reviewing:

Previous week’s performance versus targets.

Current week tests and experiments.

Blockers requiring startup input or resources.

Test agency recommendations quickly

Agencies propose hypotheses requiring testing. Delays in implementing tests waste time and budget.

If the agency suggests landing page changes, prioritize getting them live within one week, not one month.

Measure agency performance on business metrics, not platform metrics

Focus on:

Cost per qualified lead (not just form fills).

Activation rate (users completing onboarding).

Payback period (time to recover CAC).

Customer lifetime value trends.

Avoid obsessing over:

Click-through rates without conversion context.

Impressions or reach without business outcomes.

Final Takeaway

Choosing the right performance marketing agency for your startup in 2026 requires evaluating vertical expertise, proven CAC-reduction capabilities, transparent reporting practices, technical conversion-optimization skills, and a cultural fit with startup speed and experimentation. Top agencies demonstrate results through detailed case studies, offer flexible engagement models, and communicate transparently about both successes and failures.

At upGrowth, we specialize in performance marketing for funded Indian startups across fintech, SaaS, D2C, and edtech verticals. Our approach focuses on metrics that matter to investors and boards: sustainable CAC, qualified lead volume, activation rates, and payback periods

Let’s connect and get started

FAQs

1. What should I look for in a performance marketing agency for my startup?

Look for proven startup experience, industry-specific case studies, strong tracking + landing page optimization skills, transparent reporting, flexible contracts, and the ability to move fast. Always ask for real references and measurable results.

2. How much does a performance marketing agency cost for startups in India?

Most agencies charge ₹50,000 to ₹3,00,000/month plus 10% to 20% of ad spend. Early-stage startups usually spend ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000/month in fees, while funded startups spend ₹1.5L+. Avoid long lock-ins without performance proof.

3. When is the right time to hire a performance marketing agency?

Hire after you have basic product-market validation, tracking in place, and at least ₹10 to ₹15 lakhs allocated for 3 to 6 months of testing and scaling. Avoid hiring too early if your product positioning is still unclear.

4. What questions should I ask before hiring an agency?

Ask about their 90-day plan, how they test creatives, campaign structure, reporting format, team involvement, and how they measure success beyond CTR and leads. Also check their turnaround time and startup experience.

5. Should I hire a niche agency or a generalist agency?

If possible, choose a specialist agency in your vertical (SaaS, fintech, D2C, edtech). They usually ramp faster, avoid category mistakes, and understand funnel behaviour better than generalists.

For Curious Minds

A performance marketing agency prioritizes measurable outcomes directly tied to revenue, which is what investors need to see. Unlike traditional agencies focused on awareness, performance marketing is built on a foundation of data-driven optimization to prove and improve your unit economics. This distinction is critical because it shifts the conversation from subjective brand value to objective financial results. A strong partner will focus on:

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Continuously testing and optimizing channels to lower the cost of acquiring each new paying customer.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Analyzing user behavior to improve signup, trial, and purchase funnels.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Ensuring every rupee spent, from a minimum budget of ₹10 lakhs, generates a predictable return.

This focus on financial efficiency and scalable systems provides the tangible proof of a viable business model that is essential for securing your Series A. To learn how to spot an agency with this focus, explore the full guide on evaluation criteria.

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About the Author

Amol Ghemud

Optimizer in Chief

Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.

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