You need more leads and you need more sales. You come to realize you need help with your marketing.

Hiring the right marketers can be hard. Here are 10 tips to get it right.

1. Check credentials. Research the professional credentials a person or company has and see if they are valuable to you. Are they serious, hard-to-get designations or wild claims of competency? A love for marketing and keeping people safe is not the best way to hire marketing help. Find trained marketers that appreciate this industry and you are on your way.

2. Watch for complaints. Research the Better Business Bureau record of any company you are planning to hire. Search review sites. Conduct a search on Google.

3. Don’t buy on the first visit. Think about what is being offered and discuss it with others. If you are pressured right away into buying, consider that a red flag.

4. Forget the references. Even the worst of companies and individuals can scrape together three references.

5. Look at your options. Some companies have limited offerings and capabilities and try a “one-size-fits-all” approach. When the company makes recommendations about what actions you should take, find out why and what other options they considered.

6. Get it in writing. Find out why recommended actions are right for you, the anticipated outcomes of such actions and the total funding required to make things happen.

7. Ensure understanding. Online marketing is ever-changing and can be confusing. Make sure you understand what is being recommended and how it fits into your overall strategy. To test your understanding, explain the advisor’s recommendations to one of your trusted friends. Does that person get it?

8. Check the other side. Ask yourself one simple question: how can the marketing advisor make money and still have their services be worthwhile for you?

9. Ask about the money. If the advisor is recommending you use outside software, vendors or services, find out if the advisor is getting a kick-back on the recommendation. Sometimes these arrangements are OK; many times, they are not in your best interests.

10. Use your best judgment. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If someone promises a No. 1 position on Google or tells you they’ll make you millions for your $5,000 investment, you should run and hide.