10 Important Questions to Ask Before Outsourcing Your Marketing to a B2B SaaS Agency

Marketing for B2B SaaS companies has shifted from creative intuition to data-driven outcomes. Without data to show the right path, strategic sessions can devolve into battles of ego.

Now, with advanced attribution tools and integrated platforms that map out the complete buyer’s journey, outsourcing the entire marketing function is now a viable option. 

However, outsourcing isn’t just about handing over tasks—you need to team up with a partner who can deliver measurable results.

To help you assess whether outsourcing is the right move and how to choose the best partner, we’ve compiled the 10 most important questions that every SaaS founder should ask before outsourcing their marketing.

We often get these questions from B2B SaaS CEOs as they evaluate Kalungi’s services.

The Importance of Choosing the Right B2B SaaS Marketing Agency

Outsourcing your marketing function is no small decision.

For B2B SaaS companies, where marketing needs to be deeply integrated with sales and product efforts, choosing the right agency can mean the difference between scaling rapidly or getting stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. 

So how do you make the right choice? It starts by asking the right questions—questions that cut through the fluff and get to the heart of what really matters: results, accountability, and growth.

Read our blog on Tips For Choosing The Right B2B SaaS Marketing Agency To Scale Your Startup here.

10 Questions to Ask Before Outsourcing Your Marketing

Here are ten crucial questions that will help you evaluate whether a B2B SaaS marketing agency is the right fit for your company and growth goals.

1. “Does your agency have industry expertise in our vertical?”

Ask whether the agency has specific experience in your industry and understands the unique challenges of B2B SaaS marketing. Founders should look for an agency that has not only built and scaled marketing strategies in this space but also understands how to navigate vertical markets such as healthcare, fintech, or telecom.

Example: A B2B SaaS company targeting early adopters in the healthcare sector would benefit more from an agency that has driven adoption in the early technology curve rather than one that specializes in late-stage markets.

At Kalungi, we prioritize industry expertise. We help clients in niche markets develop effective go-to-market strategies and build brand awareness. For example, we helped this fertility clinic increase their MQL acquisition by 25%.

2. “How many engagements do your CMOs have at one time?”

This question has two distinct answers, depending on the type of engagement you’re looking to sign up for: Interim CMO or Fractional CMO.

Interim CMO

An Interim CMO (or Outsourced CMO) generally focuses on one engagement at a time. This model works best for B2B SaaS companies with at least $10M in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR). At this stage, a full-time Interim CMO is essential to oversee a marketing team of 5 to 10 professionals, along with external agency resources. When Kalungi partners with companies in the “Scale” or “Profit” stages of growth, this is often the ideal setup.

However, smaller B2B SaaS companies, particularly those in the "Start" stage (with ARR between $1M and $10M), often cannot afford a full-time CMO with the necessary experience. The retainer for such expertise would leave little room in the budget for other critical areas like team building, media spend, content creation, or external support for design and web development.

To address this, Kalungi offers a shared marketing leadership model where a CMO-as-a-Service  (CaaS) can manage multiple engagements while maintaining high service quality. This is our Fractional CMO solution.

Fractional CMO

A Fractional CMO (or Shared Service CMO) typically manages no more than two clients at once. In most cases, one client is in the ramp-up phase, where the CMO is focused on building the team and establishing the necessary infrastructure. Meanwhile, the other client is further along in their journey, with the CMO managing performance and driving improvements in key KPIs, as discussed in the next question.

Kalungi offers both models, ensuring the right fit for each company's stage of growth.

3. “What KPIs can a B2B SaaS Marketing Agency be measured on?”

When outsourcing, it’s essential to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect meaningful results. Ask the agency if they are willing to tie their compensation to achieving specific outcomes. This can show confidence in their ability to deliver real growth.

Look for agencies that set KPIs around conversion rates, lead generation, and cost per acquisition. Some may even offer a pay-for-performance model to ensure accountability.

At Kalungi, we take this a step further by incorporating KPIs into a "pay-for-performance" compensation model if we are managing the entire marketing function. This approach is unique and is only feasible when an agency takes full ownership of the marketing function. It allows control over key variables such as content quality, data and analytics, campaign management, online presence, product positioning, and overall marketing strategy.

As the engagement progresses and your outsourced marketing team gains greater control over these variables, the KPIs will evolve to reflect the growing influence the team has on outcomes. This allows for a more nuanced and effective way of measuring success over time. 

4. “Do you manage contractors and freelancers as well?”

If your marketing strategy requires external resources, such as contractors or freelancers, ask whether the agency will take full accountability for managing them. A good agency should be able to handle all elements of your marketing team to ensure seamless execution.

Make sure the agency has a structure in place to oversee both internal and external resources, which is critical for delivering cohesive results.

At Kalungi, we design our retainer to cover both Marketing Leadership (your Outsourced CMO) and Marketing Agency Services. When clients choose both, we take full responsibility for the results. This setup also offers flexibility if clients later bring on an in-house leader or have internal staff handle parts of the work, while we stay accountable for overall outcomes.

5. “How long does the typical engagement last?”

Ask the agency about the ideal length of engagement to see results. A commitment of at least six months is usually recommended to allow time for strategic planning, content production, and campaign execution.

The first three months are essential for building the marketing infrastructure, assembling the team, producing content, and updating your online presence. During this period, your B2B SaaS marketing agency should establish key performance benchmarks, such as Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), conversion rates, brand awareness, and ROMI (Return on Marketing Investment) metrics like cost per lead, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and MarTech spending.

Ensure the agency provides transparency on how long it will take to see measurable ROI and if they offer flexibility to extend engagements if needed.

A Kalungi SaaS CMO usually remains engaged for a few additional months after the agency contract ends to assist with hiring and onboarding a full-time, in-house CMO, ensuring a smooth transition. Some clients choose to extend the Outsourced CMO’s role for longer, especially if their company is scaling rapidly and the CMO's responsibilities evolve. This flexibility gives clients the option to delay a full-time hire until they are certain of the right fit for their company's future growth.

6. “Will the Interim CMO have a quota?”

It’s important to ensure your agency’s CMO or marketing leader will be accountable for hitting specific targets. Ask if they use a goal-setting system, like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), to track progress and align with your overall business goals.

Agencies that embrace OKRs or similar frameworks will help ensure your marketing efforts are consistently driving toward growth and measurable outcomes.

At Kalungi, we prefer using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) because they align well with the quarterly cadence most of our clients follow in managing their business. OKRs provide a structured way to set goals and track progress, ensuring that the marketing leadership is always driving toward meaningful outcomes.

In this article, we share examples of OKRs tailored for a Marketing Leader and their team, illustrating how these goals can evolve as the marketing function matures over time.

7. “What will outsourced marketing cost?”

Outsourcing doesn’t have to break the bank, but it’s important you understand the costs involved. Ask for a breakdown of fees, including retainer costs, project fees, and any additional services. Compare this to the cost of building an in-house team to understand if outsourcing offers better ROI.

Agencies that offer a flexible pricing model can help you manage costs while scaling your marketing function as your company grows.

When comparing the cost of hiring a full-time CMO versus an outsourced CMO-as-a-Service, you'll find that outsourcing your marketing function can be competitively priced. In fact, when you factor in the costs of various marketing projects and specialized resources, outsourcing can often be done for a cost that is not significantly higher than hiring full-time employees. 

The key benefits of outsourcing include the flexibility to adapt to changing needs over time and the ability to avoid long-term commitments or equity compensation often tied to full-time marketing hires.

This article breaks down the various components that a typical B2B SaaS company should budget for during their early stages of marketing growth, helping you size your overall marketing budget.

Additionally, this study offers insights into what you can expect to pay for a typical CMO in a B2B SaaS company, and this article—Three Questions to Answer for a Great B2B SaaS Marketing Budget—provides further guidance on building the right budget for your needs.

8. “How to pay a SaaS Marketing Agency for performance?”

Ask the agency how they will measure and report on the success of their marketing efforts. Look for detailed reporting on KPIs like cost per lead, conversion rates, and customer acquisition costs. Agencies that provide comprehensive, regular reporting demonstrate their commitment to transparency.

Ideally, your chosen agency should allow you to hold them accountable for delivering results. While a "pay-as-you-go" model offers flexibility, allowing you to cancel at any time, it’s not typically effective for long-term success. 

Quality marketing takes time—whether it’s refining your positioning, conducting A/B testing, or turning content marketing and brand awareness investments into tangible outcomes. These efforts can take months, if not years, to fully pay off.

We recommend a quarterly pay-for-performance structure, often tied to OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), as outlined in this blog. This approach allows you to measure progress against clear targets and ensure accountability.

You can choose to commit to a 3-month or 6-month engagement, with the option to pre-pay for some savings. To protect your investment, consider negotiating an initial 30-day “no questions asked” opt-out clause. This gives you time to evaluate the agency's effectiveness before making a longer-term commitment, ensuring they’re the right partner for driving your growth.

9. “Is my CMO part-time? How many hours do I get?”

Even though your CMO may be outsourced, they should still be fully accessible and integrated into your executive team. Ask if the CMO will attend leadership meetings and contribute to strategic discussions.

Your CMO should be available for critical business moments, whether it’s managing a crisis or supporting high-level decision-making.

This article provides an overview of the typical responsibilities of a SaaS CMO, which can vary depending on the engagement but gives a solid starting point.

At Kalungi, we believe an outsourced CMO should be an integral part of your management team, including joining critical executive engagements such as Board of Directors meetings. Your Fractional CMO is a full-fledged member of your leadership team, carrying the same responsibilities and commitments as a traditional CMO. They can be featured on your website and participate in leadership and board meetings as needed.

10. “Will my Fractional CMO have hiring and firing authority?”

Your marketing leader should have the autonomy to make key personnel decisions. Ask if the agency’s CMO will have the authority to hire and fire team members to ensure the marketing function is fully aligned with your company’s goals.

Granting this level of authority ensures the marketing leader can build a team that is accountable and high-performing.

At Kalungi, our CMOs will align with your C-Level executives to manage all aspects of the marketing function, including team decisions, to ensure alignment with growth objectives.

So… should you outsource our marketing?

If the current economic climate is forcing you to cut costs or reduce staff, outsourcing your marketing function—even temporarily—might be a smart alternative to rebuilding your in-house team. This could be the perfect opportunity to evaluate how effectively you can manage a remote marketing team, without the long-term commitment of full-time hires.

To help you weigh your options, here’s an article that compares the benefits and challenges of hiring a full-time CMO versus an outsourced Fractional CMO or Interim CMO. It’s worth considering as you plan for flexibility and growth in these uncertain times.

How to Ensure Your B2B SaaS Marketing Agency is Adding Value to Your Business

You’ve selected an agency. Now, how do you make sure they are adding value beyond just checking the boxes?

Here are some essential questions to ask yourself:

You’ve selected an agency. Now, how do you make sure they’re delivering more than just the basics?

Here are some essential questions to help you assess your agency’s impact across your entire marketing strategy:

Are they enhancing your brand’s reach and engagement?

Beyond driving traffic, your agency should be focused on attracting the right audience. This means building engagement with quality content, targeting channels where your buyers are active, and aligning with your brand’s voice and values. 

Check if they regularly analyze engagement metrics, adapt strategies to improve brand reach, and adjust to market changes as they arise.

Is your agency optimizing for lead quality over quantity?

Effective marketing agencies focus not only on generating leads but on bringing in marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) that convert. Assess whether they measure and refine lead quality based on performance, ensuring that leads move efficiently through the sales pipeline.

Do they provide ongoing SEO and content insights?

Look for an agency that regularly assesses your search visibility and recommends ways to grow your organic reach. Ask if they’re helping to build thought leadership, identify content gaps, and improve SEO performance so your brand is always visible and valuable to potential customers.

Are they applying a comprehensive, cross-channel approach?

Every piece of content or campaign should contribute to your broader goals. Confirm if your agency benchmarks across channels, ensuring consistent messaging and value on social media, email, paid ads, and organic search. 

This integrated approach allows for a more meaningful impact, as each channel supports and strengthens your overall marketing performance.

Is reporting clear, actionable, and insightful?

Your agency’s reports should offer more than a data dump—they should translate metrics into actionable insights that support strategic decision-making. Comprehensive reporting should break down channel performance, conversion benchmarks, and actionable improvements, ensuring you’re getting a clear view of both wins and areas for growth.

Do they proactively suggest optimizations for growth?

A valuable agency consistently brings fresh ideas and improvements to the table, from new campaign concepts to innovative adjustments in content and outreach. They should understand your audience’s evolving needs and provide strategic recommendations that keep your brand ahead of the competition.

Do they bring you MQLs?

Generating marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) is one of the clearest indicators that your marketing agency is driving meaningful results. MQLs should represent leads that aren’t just interested but also aligned with your buyer profile and primed for conversion. 

To assess this, ask if the agency actively qualifies leads based on behavioral data, engagement metrics, and alignment with your ideal customer profile.

A strong agency will track MQLs over time, refine audience targeting, and adapt strategies to improve both lead quality and quantity. Look for consistent reporting on MQL growth and conversion rates, ensuring your marketing investment is driving leads that have a real impact on your bottom line. An agency that can reliably deliver MQLs is one that’s truly adding value to your business growth.

By asking these questions, you can ensure your agency is truly invested in driving growth and measurable value for your business.

Let Kalungi Be Your Strategic Marketing Partner for SaaS Success

At Kalungi, we specialize in B2B SaaS marketing. 

We partner with companies to help them scale faster, with measurable and meaningful results. Whether you need a Fractional CMO or a complete outsourced marketing team, we’re here to drive your growth.

Ready to take your SaaS marketing to the next level? Let’s start a conversation.