Retainers
Agency retainers, start to finish: how to scope, price, pace, bill and reprice a monthly retainer, in practical guides and notes from operators.
Guides
Cash flow management for marketing agencies: profitable on paper, short on payroll
Cash flow management for agencies: why a profitable shop runs short before payroll, how to read DSO, build a 13-week forecast and size a cash reserve.
Sep 3, 2026PricingHow to price agency retainers
Price retainers department by department from the people doing the work, target 50 to 60% gross margin on labor, and reprice at renewal from usage statements.
Sep 3, 2026InvoicingHow to invoice retainer clients
Bill retainers in advance, send a monthly usage statement, pre-pay overages, keep pass-through costs separate, and run a dunning schedule that protects cash.
Blog posts
Agency pricing models: six ways to charge, and what each does to margin
Agency pricing models for 2027: hourly, project, retainer, value-based, performance and hybrid, with the same work priced six ways and the margin on each.
Oct 4, 2026OperationsAgency client onboarding: the first 30 days decide the margin
Agency client onboarding in 2027: a 30-day plan, a checklist, a 12-question questionnaire and the month-one hours budget that keeps a new account profitable.
Sep 24, 2026OperationsAccelo alternatives: 8 options for marketing agencies in 2027
Comparing Accelo alternatives for 2027? See how Verbial, Productive, Scoro, Teamwork.com, BigTime, Kantata and more compare on retainers, pricing and setup.
Sep 1, 2026Time trackingTime tracking for agencies: pace the retainer, don't police the team
Pace retainers by department: cap used, days left, projected burn. Billing-model rules, role visibility, and Verbial Agency Management Software for owners.
Aug 4, 2026PricingHow to price a marketing agency retainer (and stop giving work away)
A practical way to price drawdown retainers by department, write an overage rule that holds, and track the servicing gap so the account stays profitable.