Summary
Three points to use.
- Compare proposals against one written scope instead of comparing the headline monthly fee alone.
- Separate agency fees, advertising spend, production, software, taxes, and third-party charges.
- Require deliverables, limits, responsibilities, approval timing, reporting, and exit terms in writing.
Identify the engagement model
A fixed project suits a defined output such as a strategy, campaign launch, tracking setup, or website. A monthly retainer suits recurring planning, production, management, and review. Hourly or day-based support can suit advisory work and uncertain implementation needs. Performance-linked fees require precise definitions, dependable tracking, and rules for factors the agency does not control.
Ask which model is being proposed and why it fits the assignment. A low retainer with undefined limits can be less predictable than a higher fixed scope with named outputs.
List the factors that change the fee
The fee normally changes with the number of channels, research depth, content volume, design and video requirements, campaign complexity, website work, reporting depth, meeting cadence, turnaround time, senior involvement, and the quality of material supplied by the client.
- Channels and markets in scope
- Monthly content and production volume
- Campaign, website, SEO, and analytics responsibilities
- Approval rounds and turnaround requirements
- Access, coordination, and reporting requirements
Separate the agency fee from pass-through costs
The proposal should show the agency fee separately from media spend, creator or production charges, stock assets, hosting, plugins, software, taxes, payment fees, and other suppliers. The client should know which charges are estimates, which are fixed, and who pays each provider.
A blended number makes budget control and performance review harder. It can also hide whether a reduction affects agency work, advertising delivery, or production quality.
Compare proposals line by line
Give each agency the same brief and compare the response against the same criteria. Look for specific deliverables, exclusions, dependencies, ownership, communication, measurement, and change-control terms.
- What is delivered and how often?
- What is explicitly excluded or limited?
- Who supplies information, access, approvals, and assets?
- Who owns accounts, source files, data, and final work?
- How are changes, delays, renewals, and cancellation handled?
Share a budget range and request options
A realistic budget range helps an agency prioritise the channels and deliverables that can be supported properly. Ask for a recommended scope, a reduced option, and the consequences of removing work. This produces a better decision than asking every supplier to guess the largest affordable package.