Words: Adam Jones

Marketing probably wasn’t the reason you got into this industry. You likely started because you love design, or maybe the satisfaction of transforming spaces and seeing happy customers. But suddenly, you find yourself juggling social media, ad campaigns, email funnels, and SEO jargon. That’s when many of us turn to agencies for help.

Whilst many agencies are genuinely helpful… others? Not so much. 

I’ve seen too many retailers (ourselves included) being pitched flashy-sounding strategies that promise the world but don’t actually deliver much. In some cases, I’ve seen they even make the customer journey harder.

This isn’t to say all agencies are out to take advantage. There are some great ones out there. But from one retailer to another, I think it’s worth having an honest chat about the kinds of tactics we’re being sold, and whether they really serve our business and more importantly our customers.

Rookie errors

Here are a few examples I’ve come across:

SEO landing pages that are unaligned with client intent –

We were always told to create SEO pages like “shaker style kitchen” or “handleless kitchen”, but here’s the thing: hardly any customers actually use those search terms. Most don’t know (or care) what “shaker” means until we explain it to them in person.

These pages brought in traffic, sure, but it was mostly low-intent browsing. Worse still, it created friction. Instead of helping customers make decisions, it sent them down a rabbit hole of terminology they didn’t understand.

A better approach: Create landing pages that showcase you and your work. Make it easy for customers to see your style, your approach, and how you can help them, without expecting them to already know the lingo.

Overcomplicated lead qualification –

I’ve seen agencies that have built multi-step overly complicated enquiry forms, asking customers to tell you their budget range, what brand of furniture and appliances they want and answering several detailed questions about their project, before they can even submit an enquiry. While I understand the intention is to qualify leads, in reality, this can put off potential customers who simply want an initial conversation.

A better approach: Keep enquiry forms simple. Let people get in touch without jumping through hoops. Customers appreciate a smooth, frictionless experience.

Ad campaigns focused on vanity metrics – Agencies often run paid ads on Google or social media, reporting back on metrics like impressions and clicks. But these numbers don’t always tell the full story. If a campaign generates traffic but few enquiries, it may not be optimised for conversion.

A better approach: Ensure paid ads have clear objectives tied to showroom visits, calls, or consultation bookings. Not just website traffic.

Overdesigned websites – 

There’s a difference between a beautiful website and a useful one. Ours looked amazing after a redesign, but conversions dropped. Why? There was no clear call-to-action or way to get in contact.

A better approach: Clean design, clear CTAs, easy navigation. Don’t make customers work for it. Customers should immediately understand what you offer and how to get in touch.

Social media with no strategy – 

You know the type: “Happy Friday! Here’s a kitchen we designed.” We’ve all done it,  I certainly have. But without a story or purpose, it doesn’t connect. Many agencies are guilty of this one – offering social media packages of x amount of posts per month, but content that doesn’t resonate is counter-productive. 

A better approach: Share real stories. Behind-the-scenes. Design dilemmas. Before-and-afters. Customers engage with authenticity. Engaging video content and interactive posts will always perform better than generic updates.

Inauthentic AI-generated blogs – 

SEO blogging is a common agency service, (we use an SEO agency) but many blogs can end up being AI-generated filler with titles like “10 Reasons to Get a New Kitchen.” These articles might improve rankings, but they often lack real expertise and don’t engage potential customers.

A better approach: Write content, or work with your agency to ensure your content is rooted in your actual customer conversations. What do they ask? What do they worry about? That’s your content gold.

Lead magnets with no real value – 

Some agencies suggest downloadable PDFs (e.g., “Download Our Free Kitchen Planning Guide”) to collect customer emails. We tried this, but if the content is too generic or the follow-up strategy isn’t strong, it can end up being an unnecessary extra step in your leads funnel.

A better approach: If something’s downloadable, make sure it’s genuinely helpful and is part of a well-thought-out customer journey. Follow these up with real value, not just a sales pitch.

Retainers with no measurable return – 

Many agencies work on monthly retainers, but if there’s no clear return on investment, it’s worth reassessing. Reports full of technical metrics (rankings, impressions, clicks) are useful, but they should always be tied to tangible outcomes like enquiries and sales.

A better approach: Work with agencies that provide clear, transparent reporting on how their efforts are directly and demonstratably contributing to your business growth.

Takeaways

So, what actually works? That’s easy: a customer-first mindset.

In my experience, the best marketing happens when you put the customer first – not the algorithm, and certainly not by prioritising the agency pitch deck. 

You need to ensure you’re creating content that educates and engages your audience. We’ve had great results from design guides, behind-the-scenes videos, and blog posts that answer real questions. It really works to build trust and keeps people coming back.

At the same time, you also need to employ streamlined enquiry processes. We simplified our contact process – one clear form, one strong call to action – enquiries went up.

Finally, authentic brand storytelling is an absolute must. People want to know who they’re buying from. Share your process, your team,
your values.