Stop Giving Away Audits (Unless You’re Doing This)

Most agencies treat audits like a sales step.

But if you're using audits to prove your worth, especially with non-technical buyers, you’re doing it wrong.

Here’s the thing:
The best agencies hold the audit as a prize, not a giveaway.

Let me show you what that looks like.

1. Audits Are Optional, Not Standard

• Don’t lead with an audit unless it’s absolutely necessary to close the deal.
• Use it only when there’s a sales objection you can’t overcome any other way.
• If you’re selling to a warm or pre-sold lead, skip it.
  
  

2. Position the Audit as Premium

• “We usually charge $10K for this... but we’ll waive it if you commit to a decision in the next 30 days.”
• This turns the audit into a value-builder, not a resource drain.
• It also tells the buyer you're serious and sets the tone for your partnership.
  
  

3. Keep It Tight: The Minimum Viable Audit (MVA)

• Go too deep and it backfires. Clients throw it in your face months later.
• Focus only on the platform or problem that matters most to the client.
• You’re not building a strategy doc. You’re earning trust.
  
  

4. Use Audits as Objection Killers, Not Door Openers

• Ask for the sale first.
• If they resist because they “need to know what you’ll actually do,” then and only then offer a scoped audit with strings attached.
• Qualify: “What specifically would you need to see to feel confident moving forward?”
  
  

Here’s a simplified example: 

You’re talking to a DTC beauty brand spending $30K/month on Meta. They’ve been stuck at 0.7 ROAS for 2 years and want to get to 2.0.

Instead of jumping into an audit, you say:

“Sounds like your north star is 2x ROAS. That’s a big gap. We can help, but instead of us wasting a month pulling logins to 6 platforms, what if we just did a focused Meta audit? That’s normally $10K, but if you’re ready to move forward this month, we’ll waive the fee. Deal?”

The bottom line:
Don’t give the audit away until they’ve earned it.
It’s not a pre-sale freebie. It’s the close.

Run the play. Hold the line.
You’ll save time, look more premium, and close more deals.

CQ

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