5 Marketing Promises That Should Make You Run

🚨 Introduction:

If you’ve ever spoken to a marketing agency that promised wild results like "We’ll rank you #1 on Google in 30 days!" — you’re not alone. These agencies use impressive-sounding claims to reel in small business owners, but most of the time, they’re selling you a dream that doesn’t line up with reality.

At Dango Marketing, we’ve seen the damage that these false promises can cause. So here’s a breakdown of some of the most common red-flag statements we hear — and why you should think twice before signing anything.

❌ 1. “We’ll Rank You #1 on Google!”

Sounds great, right? The problem is: it doesn’t mean anything unless you know what keyword they're talking about.

Ranking #1 for “best plumber in the world” won’t help your Houston-based plumbing business. Worse, most industries are too competitive to promise #1 rankings without spending a ton on ads or waiting months (even years) of SEO work. Be cautious if they can’t explain which keywords, how they’ll rank you, and why it matters.

✅ What to ask instead:

"What local keywords are driving traffic and leads for businesses like mine?"

❌ 2. “We Got This Client From $20K to $100K a Month!”

Cool story — but what’s missing here? Probably the budget, time frame, industry, and location. It’s easy to cherry-pick a few wins, but without context, those numbers are meaningless.

✅ What to ask instead:

"Can you walk me through a full case study, including what the client spent?"

❌ 3. “We’ll Put You on Google Maps!”

If you’re a product-based business or an online service, this is completely irrelevant. Google Maps listings are powerful for local, in-person service businesses. But if your company doesn’t have a physical address that customers visit, this promise is either misleading or useless.

✅ What to ask instead:

"Does a Google Business Profile help a company like mine — and why?"

❌ 4. “You’ll Get 300% More Calls in 60 Days!”

That’s a bold (and usually baseless) claim. There are too many variables in marketing — location, budget, reputation, competition, and seasonality. Any agency that guarantees call volume increases without data is just trying to close a sale.

✅ What to ask instead:

"What tools do you use to track calls, and what do the reports look like?"

❌ 5. “We’ll Make You Go Viral!”

Viral content isn’t a strategy — it’s luck. Most small businesses don’t need to go viral to succeed. They need consistent, branded marketing with clear calls to action. Agencies promising one big hit are distracting you from what actually works.

✅ What to ask instead:

"What’s your plan for long-term growth if a post doesn’t go viral?"

✅ What Real Strategy Looks Like

Good marketing takes:

Realistic goals

Data-backed strategy

Transparent reporting

Customized plans

Local understanding

Clear deliverables

If your marketing partner isn’t offering that, you’re not working with a real partner — you’re being sold to.

🔗 Wrap-Up

Don’t fall for the flash. If you’re tired of the talk and want a real plan built for your business, Dango Marketing LLC is here to help. We specialize in marketing for Texas-based service companies that want results, not fluff.