---
title: How to choose an outbound agency: 12 questions heads of sales should ask
description: How to choose a cold email or B2B outbound agency: 12 questions on deliverability, offer testing, data ownership, reporting and channels.
url: https://www.vectify.io/blog/choose-an-outbound-agency
published: 2026-11-03
author: Vectify
---

# How to choose an outbound agency: 12 questions heads of sales should ask

How to choose a cold email or B2B outbound agency: 12 questions on deliverability, offer testing, data ownership, reporting and channels.

*By Floris Jansen, founder of Vectify*

**Short answer:** Choose an outbound agency by how it works, not by how it sells. Ask how it protects deliverability, how it tests offers before scaling, who owns the domains, data and list, what it reports, which channels it runs and in what order, and what you keep when you stop. A good agency answers all twelve questions below plainly. If the answers are vague, so is the result.

This guide is for heads of sales at B2B companies with an existing sales team who are comparing outbound agencies. It's written to be useful whoever you hire. Where it helps, we say how we answer each question at Vectify.

## Before you start: what do you actually need?

Be clear on the job first. Most companies with an established sales team want one thing from an agency: qualified conversations with net-new accounts that their reps can take over. Some also want the agency to handle the full process, from building the list to booking calls in your reps' calendars. Others only want help with copy or infrastructure. The questions below assume you want the full process.

If you're still deciding whether to outsource at all, read [in-house SDR team vs outsourced outbound](https://www.vectify.io/blog/in-house-sdr-team-vs-outsourced-outbound) first.

## The 12 questions

<h3>1. How do you set up sending domains and inboxes?</h3>

Cold email should never go out from your main company domain. If it gets flagged, your normal sales and customer email suffers too. Ask what domains the agency sends from, who sets them up, and how they're warmed up before real sending starts.

*Our answer:* we send from dedicated lookalike domains set up for each client, so your main domain is never put at risk.

<h3>2. How do you keep emails out of spam?</h3>

Ask how the agency monitors deliverability day to day: inbox placement, bounce rates, and what it does when a domain or inbox starts to slip. "We use good copy" is not an answer. You want a process.

<h3>3. How do you decide what to say?</h3>

This is the most important question. Many agencies write one sequence based on your website and send it at volume. Ask how many different offers they'll test, how they compare them, and how quickly they cut what doesn't work.

*Our answer:* we test many offers and phrasings first, and only scale volume once one clearly lands. We call this finding [message-market fit](https://www.vectify.io/blog/message-market-fit).

<h3>4. How big does our market need to be?</h3>

Testing needs volume. Ask the agency what market size it needs to run a proper test, and walk away from anyone who says it doesn't matter.

*Our answer:* for our 90-day test, the market needs to be at least 100,000 companies.

<h3>5. Who builds the list, and how?</h3>

Ask where the data comes from, how contacts are verified before sending, and how the agency decides who qualifies. A bad list wastes good copy and damages deliverability.

<h3>6. Who owns the domains, the data and the list?</h3>

Find out what's yours. Ask who owns the sending domains, the contact list, the reply history and the messaging that worked, both during the work and after it ends.

<h3>7. Which channels do you run, and in what order?</h3>

Cold email, LinkedIn and cold calling each have a role. Ask whether the agency runs them as one system with one message, or as separate activities.

*Our answer:* email first, to find the message at volume with the least effort from your team. Then LinkedIn and calling on top, using the same proven message. We explain why in [cold email vs LinkedIn vs cold calling](https://www.vectify.io/blog/cold-email-vs-linkedin-vs-cold-calling).

<h3>8. What do you report, and how often?</h3>

Ask for an example report. Good reporting focuses on qualified conversations and meetings with the right people, and shows which offers and segments produced them. Emails sent and open rates alone tell you very little.

<h3>9. Who works on our account?</h3>

Ask who writes the copy, who manages deliverability, who handles replies and who your day-to-day contact is. Ask how many other clients those people handle.

<h3>10. Do you work with our competitors?</h3>

An agency that runs outbound for two companies selling the same thing into the same market has a conflict.

*Our answer:* we work with one client per product category per country.

<h3>11. What proof can you show?</h3>

Ask for examples relevant to companies like yours and, if possible, a reference call with a current client. Be careful with screenshots of single great weeks. Ask what a typical client sees.

<h3>12. How flexible is the agreement, and what happens at the end?</h3>

Ask how the engagement is structured, what happens if results lag, and what you keep when it ends. You'll get the real terms on a discovery call; what matters here is that the agency answers clearly, and that you leave with your domains, data and the messaging that worked.

## Red flags

- A fixed sequence written before any testing.
- Sending from your main domain.
- Reporting that stops at opens and emails sent.
- No clear answer on who owns the data and domains.
- Working with direct competitors in your market.

## How to compare agencies side by side

<table><thead><tr><th>Area</th><th>Good answer</th><th>Weak answer</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Domains</strong></td><td>Dedicated lookalike domains, warmed up first</td><td>Sends from your main domain</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Messaging</strong></td><td>Many offers tested before scaling</td><td>One sequence, sent at volume</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Channels</strong></td><td>One message across email, LinkedIn and calling</td><td>Separate, unconnected activities</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Reporting</strong></td><td>Qualified conversations and meetings by offer</td><td>Opens and emails sent</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Ownership</strong></td><td>Clear on domains, data and messaging</td><td>Vague</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Where to start

Before talking to agencies, it helps to know how big your untapped market is. Our free **Untapped Market Report** estimates how many potential buyers you're not reaching yet, built for your company.

**[Get your free Untapped Market Report →](https://www.vectify.io/resource/market-report?src=seo)**

## FAQ

<h3>How do I choose a cold email agency?</h3>

Judge it on process: how it protects deliverability, how it tests offers before scaling, who owns the domains and data, what it reports, and which channels it runs. Ask for examples and a reference from a company like yours.

<h3>What should I look for in a B2B outbound agency?</h3>

Dedicated sending domains, a clear method for testing offers, verified lists, reporting on qualified conversations and meetings, one consistent message across channels, and clear ownership of data and domains.

<h3>Which outbound agencies handle the full process from list building to booked calls?</h3>

Many agencies cover only part of it, such as copy or infrastructure. Ask each one directly whether it builds the list, sets up domains, writes and tests offers, handles replies and books meetings in your reps' calendars. Vectify runs that full process as the Outbound Acquisition System.

<h3>How do I check cold email agency reviews?</h3>

Read reviews on independent platforms, but also ask for a reference call with a current client similar to you. Ask what a typical client sees, not just the best result.

<h3>Should I use an outbound agency or build an in-house SDR team?</h3>

It depends on how fast you need pipeline and whether you want outbound as a permanent internal team. Our comparison of in-house SDR teams and outsourced outbound covers when each wins.