Hi everyone, I’m Mark, and I’m a marketing director at a US-based DTC brand. We’re thinking about expanding our influencer campaigns into Russian and Eastern European markets, which means we need to find agencies there who actually know what they’re doing and align with our values around transparency, data-driven decision-making, and authentic partnerships.
The challenge is: I have no idea how to properly vet an international agency. I can’t just rely on their website and case studies – those can be polished BS. And I don’t have existing relationships in Russia, so I’m basically starting from scratch.
Here’s what I’m worried about: (1) How do I actually verify they have the network and expertise they claim? (2) What should I look for in their past work to assess quality? (3) How do I ensure we’re aligned on ethics and brand values? (4) What’s the right structure for a trial project to see if we work well together?
I’ve been burned before by agencies who overpromised and underdelivered. I want to be more systematic this time.
If anyone’s successfully partnered with agencies across different markets, I’d love to hear your process. What were the red flags? What made you confident in a partner? And what would you do differently?
Thanks in advance.
Mark, what a smart question. International agency partnerships are absolutely critical, and you’re right to be skeptical.
Let me share what I look for when vetting partnership agencies:
First layer – relationships: Ask for referrals from other US brands who’ve worked in Russian/Eastern European markets. Talk to their references directly – don’t just accept the ones the agency suggests. Ask them specifically: “Would you work with them again? Why or why not?”
Second layer – team expertise: Meet the actual people who’ll be running your campaigns, not just the business development team. Ask them about recent campaigns they’ve executed – specific examples, metrics, what worked and what didn’t. A good agency partner should be able to speak confidently and specifically about their work.
Third layer – market knowledge: Ask them about local market nuances. How do Russian audiences respond differently to influencer content than US audiences? What are the regulatory considerations? If they can’t give you a thoughtful answer, they probably don’t know their market as well as they claim.
Red flags I watch for:
- Overly polished case studies with vague metrics
- Can’t give you direct access to the team executing work
- Don’t ask you good questions about your brand and goals (if they’re just nodding along, they’re not thinking critically)
- Inflated follower promises or sketchy influencer networks
Honestly though? The best vetting happens through a small pilot project. That’s my recommendation – see how they actually work before committing to a big contract.
One more thing – ask about their influencer vetting process. How do they evaluate influencers? Do they actually audit follower quality, engagement authenticity, audience demographics? If they can’t explain their vetting framework, they probably don’t have one.
Also – super important – ask for a breakdown of their last 5 campaigns: what was the budget, what were the promised metrics, and what were the actual results? You’ll immediately see if they hit their targets. And if they’re hesitant to share actual numbers, that’s a red flag.
Mark, I’ve been through this exact process – we had to find European agencies for expansion, and it was surprisingly tricky.
Here’s my honest take: don’t trust case studies. They’re marketing material. Instead, ask the agency to execute a small paid pilot – like a 2-3 week campaign with a specific influencer or small creator group. Give them a $2-5K budget to work with.
In that pilot, you’ll learn:
- Do they actually know the market or are they just using generic strategies?
- How responsive are they to feedback?
- Do they spend time optimizing or is everything one-and-done?
- Can they articulate why they made certain decisions?
From that pilot, you’ll know within 2-3 weeks whether this is a real partnership or if you need to keep looking. It’s cheap insurance.
One thing I’ll warn you about: some Russian agencies operate on a different business model than you’re probably used to. They might be more flexible and creative than traditional US agencies, but they might also be less structured in their reporting. Make sure your expectations and their capabilities align before you commit.
Also – and this is practical – choose an agency that has someone who speaks English well and is available during reasonable hours for your timezone. Communication friction kills partnership dynamics.
Mark, I literally work as an agency head, so let me give you the inside scoop on how to evaluate agencies like me.
Red flags you should absolutely watch for:
- Agencies that don’t ask you detailed questions about your brand, audience, and goals in the first conversation
- Case studies that don’t clearly attribute results to specific strategies
- Unclear pricing or hidden fees
- High turnover on their team (bad sign internally)
- Unwillingness to do a pilot project
Green flags:
- They ask smart questions about your existing data and benchmarks
- They’re transparent about what they can’t do (not everything is for every brand)
- They have a clear methodology and can explain it
- They provide regular reporting and are open to feedback
- They introduce you to team members, not just leadership
- They’re willing to do a small pilot to prove value
The pilot structure I’d recommend:
- Define clear success metrics upfront (this is shared responsibility)
- Give them a smaller budget ($3-10K) to execute
- Build in weekly touchpoints and feedback
- Require detailed reporting on what worked and what didn’t
- After pilot, have a retrospective – not a sales pitch
If they knock the pilot out of the park, you’ve got a partner. If it’s mediocre, you’ve learned something valuable and you can keep looking.
How much are you thinking of investing in this initial expansion?
One more thing – as an agency owner, I’ll tell you: good agencies are expensive, but they’re worth it because they think strategically. Cheap agencies just execute and hand you a report. That’s the difference. You get what you pay for.
Hi Mark! I don’t work at an agency, but I collaborate with a LOT of them as a creator, so I see this from the other side.
Here’s what I notice about agencies that actually deliver vs. ones that are just trying to look good:
Good agencies:
- Understand their influencer network deeply (not just names and follower counts)
- Have real relationships with creators, not just transactional ones
- Ask creators thoughtful questions about audience fit and creative approach
- Are willing to iterate if content isn’t hitting
Mediocre agencies:
- Just blast creators with briefs and hope something sticks
- Don’t actually audit influencer quality
- Prioritize volume over quality partnerships
- Don’t give creators room for creative input
When you’re evaluating an agency, ask them: “How do you select influencers?” and “Walk me through your last collaboration.” If they can’t give you a detailed answer, they’re probably not being strategic.
Also – Russian agencies sometimes operate differently in terms of processes and communication than US agencies. That’s not bad, just different. Make sure you’re cool with a slightly different work style.
I’ve worked with Russian agencies and American agencies, and honestly? Some of the best creative ideas came from the Russian agencies because they weren’t as risk-averse. Just something to consider.
Mark (fellow Mark!), great question, and I appreciate the data-driven mindset you’re bringing to this.
Here’s how I’d structure agency vetting from a strategic standpoint:
Layer 1 – Capability Assessment:
Create a RFI (Request for Information) that’s not a sales pitch – it’s actually asking for specific details: team size, geographic coverage, specific influencer relationships, case study metrics, reporting infrastructure. Most agencies can’t answer this well because they’re used to glossy pitches. The ones who actually engage with the details are the keepers.
Layer 2 – Framework Evaluation:
Ask each agency: “What’s your campaign development process?” They should have a repeatable framework: discovery → influencer identification → brief development → content creation → performance analysis. If they can’t articulate a clear process, they’re winging it.
Layer 3 – Reference Verification:
Don’t just call the references they provide. Find references independently – reach out to other brands in your space that worked with them. Ask specific questions: Did they hit timelines? Did they deliver the promised metrics? Would you work with them again? Any surprises or concerns?
Layer 4 – Trial Project:
Structure a pilot campaign with specific KPIs: influencer engagement rate targets, conversion benchmarks, content quality standards. Track their ability to hit these targets. More important than the campaign’s ROI is how they respond to miss targets – do they diagnose the problem and iterate, or do they blame external factors?
One thing I’d specifically investigate for a Russian agency: their relationship with platforms and influencers. Russian platforms (VK, Telegram) operate differently than Instagram. Do they have deep relationships there, or are they primarily Instagram-focused? This matters for your expansion strategy.
What’s your timeline for expansion? That’ll help me give you more specific vetting advice.
One final thought: be explicit about your communication expectations and cultural values upfront. If you value radical transparency and rapid iteration, say that. If the agency culture is aligned with those values, it’ll work. If it’s not, you’ll spend two years frustrated. It’s better to know that in the vetting phase.