How to choose a growth service: 7 questions to ask first
Most growth services sound identical on a sales call. The differences show up in seven questions worth asking before the first payment.
1. Where do the followers come from?
A supplier working organically can explain the targeting method: competitor followers, hashtags, location, the audience of a similar account. A vague "we have a system" with no explanation of the source is the signal to dig further.
2. What happens if I cancel in month two?
This exposes the contract structure faster than reading the contract. Check minimum term, exit penalty, and pro-rata refund. Our answer is that there is no commitment and you can cancel any month.
3. What account access is required?
Organic growth needs permission to act from the account. Establish how that permission is granted, whether a password is stored, and how access is revoked at the end. Ask whether manager permissions can be used instead of handing over a password.
4. Who defines the target audience?
A supplier who asks you for competitors, interests and a geographic area is building a segment. A supplier who starts work without asking anything about your business is running a template.
5. What is in the monthly report?
A useful report covers followers gained, followers lost, and the change in reach and inbound messages. A report showing only new followers hides the other half of the equation.
6. Who do I talk to when something breaks?
In a small business this is usually one person, which is an advantage: no support queue. Ask what a reasonable response time is and how to reach them. At Boosty support comes directly from Shay Baker, available around the clock.
7. What does the service not do?
A supplier willing to say "we do not write your content" or "we do not guarantee a follower count" is describing real boundaries. One who says they do everything, fast and cheap, is describing a sales pitch.
Red flags
- A guaranteed follower number. Nobody controls other people's decisions. Anyone who guarantees a number manufactures it.
- A price well below the market. Organic growth takes labour. A price that does not cover labour covers automation.
- No name, no address, no phone. A supplier with no identifying details is a supplier who is hard to hold accountable.
- Instant results. A thousand followers on day one is not organic growth.
- Pressure to close today. A discount that expires in two hours is a sales technique.
What to check after a month
Set a review point at the end of month one and look at three numbers: inbound messages compared with the previous month, where new followers come from according to your insights, and how many started a conversation. If none of the three moved, that is worth raising with the supplier before you renew.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important question to ask a growth service?
Where the followers come from. A supplier working organically will explain the targeting method — competitor followers, hashtags or location. A vague answer about the source is the first sign to look deeper.
Is a supplier who guarantees a follower count trustworthy?
Guaranteeing an exact number of real followers is not possible, because the decision to follow belongs to people. A supplier who guarantees a number usually makes up the difference with accounts that are not real.
Do I have to give a growth service my password?
Ask whether manager permissions can be used instead of a password, how the password is stored if one is required, and how access is revoked when the engagement ends.
How long should I give a service before deciding?
One month is enough to see movement in inbound messages and in the source of new followers. If neither has changed, that is a good point for a conversation with the supplier.