What we know about agency finances.
Practical thinking on profit, pricing, margins and what the numbers really mean for agency founders.
Influencer Agency Commission Models: How to Structure Creator Payments
Learn how to structure profitable influencer agency commission models. This guide explains different creator payment structures, from flat fees to percentage-based models, and shows you how to calculate your true costs to protect your margins. You'll get practical frameworks to price your services, manage cash flow, and build a sustainable agency business.
Creative Agency Pricing for Brand Identity Projects
Learn how to price brand identity projects profitably as a creative agency. This guide covers value-based pricing models, calculating your true costs, and structuring proposals to protect your margins. You'll get specific frameworks to move beyond hourly rates and ensure your creative work is valued correctly.
PR Agency Retainer Pricing: What Clients Should Expect to Pay
This guide explains how PR agencies set their monthly retainer fees, from £2,000 to £15,000+. You'll learn what factors drive cost, what deliverables to expect, and how to assess the value of a PR retainer for your business. Get the clarity needed to budget effectively and choose the right agency partner.
Performance Marketing Agency Fees: Results-Based Pricing Models
This guide explains how performance marketing agencies can structure their fees using results-based pricing models like CPA (cost-per-acquisition). You'll learn the commercial mechanics of aligning your revenue with client outcomes, how to protect your agency's profitability, and when to use hybrid models. Discover the frameworks top agencies use to price their services profitably while sharing in client success.
Agency Cash Flow: Why You're Billing Well but Still Short on Cash
An agency cash flow gap happens when your billed revenue doesn't match the cash in your bank. This is often caused by slow client payments, upfront costs, and poor payment terms. Fixing it requires managing your cash conversion cycle, tightening credit control, and building a cash reserve to smooth out the bumps.
Client Deposits for Agencies: Getting Paid Before Work Starts
This guide shows marketing and creative agency owners how to implement client deposits effectively. You'll learn the commercial benefits of getting paid upfront, how to calculate the right deposit amount, and how to present this policy to clients professionally. Adopting this approach protects your cash flow, reduces client risk, and builds a more financially stable agency.
Bad Debts at Your Agency: Writing Them Off and Claiming Tax Relief
Learn how to handle bad debts at your marketing or creative agency. This guide explains when and how to formally write off bad debts, and how to claim tax relief on the lost income. Properly managing unpaid invoices protects your cash flow and ensures your tax bill reflects your real profit.
The Real Cost of Running a Small Marketing Agency in the UK
This guide breaks down the real, often hidden cost of running a marketing agency. You'll learn the true agency operating costs UK founders face, from team and tech to taxes and overheads. Use this to set profitable prices, forecast accurately, and build a financially resilient creative business.
Invoicing Best Practice for Agencies: Getting Paid On Time Every Time
Learn the agency invoicing best practice framework used by profitable marketing and creative agencies. This guide shows you how to design a clear invoice process, set firm payment terms, and automate follow-ups to dramatically reduce late payments. Implement these steps to improve cash flow and stop chasing clients for money.
Agency Co-Founder Equity Splits: How to Get It Right
Learn how to structure a fair and durable agency co-founder equity split. This guide covers the key factors beyond initial investment, how to use vesting to protect the business, and why a formal shareholder agreement is non-negotiable. Avoid the common pitfalls that break agency partnerships before they even start.
Break-Even Analysis for Agencies: Know Your Magic Number
Learn how to calculate your agency's break even point—the exact monthly revenue needed to cover all costs. This guide shows you how to factor in fixed costs, team utilisation, and project margins to find your magic number. Use break even analysis to make smarter pricing, hiring, and growth decisions for your marketing or creative agency.
HMRC Investigation: What to Do If Your Agency Gets a Letter
This guide explains exactly what to do if your marketing or creative agency receives an HMRC investigation letter. You'll learn the critical first steps, how to understand the type of enquiry, and the process of working with HMRC or a professional. It covers how to prepare your records, manage communication, and minimise disruption to your agency.
Agency Expense Claims: What You Can and Cannot Claim Through Your Company
This guide explains the rules for agency expense claims in plain English. You'll learn exactly what marketing and creative agencies can legally claim to reduce their corporation tax bill, and what common expenses are not allowed. Get clarity on travel, equipment, client entertainment, and director expenses to ensure you're claiming everything you're entitled to without risking an HMRC enquiry.
Quiet Months at Your Agency? A Financial Planning Guide
This guide shows marketing agency owners how to plan for and profit from quiet months. You'll learn to forecast seasonal slowdowns, build a financial buffer, and use downtime strategically to improve your business. Turn a potential cash flow crisis into an opportunity for refinement and growth.
Undercharging at Your Agency: The Warning Signs and How to Fix It
Learn how to spot the clear financial and operational signs that your marketing or creative agency is undercharging. This guide provides a diagnostic framework to calculate your true cost of delivery and a practical, phased strategy for raising underpriced rates with existing clients and new proposals. Fixing agency undercharging is the fastest way to improve profitability, team morale, and sustainable growth.
Agency Payment Plans for Large Projects: How to Structure Them
Learn how to structure agency payment plans for large projects to protect your cash flow and profitability. This guide covers milestone billing, staged payments, and project payment structures that align client payments with your costs. Get practical frameworks to avoid funding client work and ensure you get paid fairly for every phase.
Workplace Pensions for Agencies: Auto-Enrolment Made Simple
This guide explains your legal duties for agency workplace pensions and auto-enrolment. You'll learn how to choose a pension scheme, calculate contributions correctly, and manage ongoing compliance without it becoming a burden. Get a clear, step-by-step process to set up and run your agency pension scheme efficiently.
Travel Expenses for Agency Owners: What HMRC Allows
This guide explains exactly what travel expenses agency owners can claim tax relief on under HMRC rules. You'll learn how to handle mileage claims, client visit travel expenses, and mixed personal trips correctly. Get clear on what qualifies as business travel tax relief to maximise your claims and stay compliant.
Business Loans for Agencies: When to Borrow and What to Look For
This guide explains when an agency business loan is a smart strategic move and when it's a trap. You'll learn how to evaluate your need, choose the right type of funding, and understand the key terms that protect your agency. Get a clear framework for using borrowed money to fuel profitable growth without risking your business.
Agency Pricing Objections: Handling the "You're Too Expensive" Conversation
Learn how to confidently handle agency pricing objections when a client says you're too expensive. This guide provides a commercial framework for justifying agency pricing by shifting the conversation from cost to value and ROI. You'll get specific scripts and strategies to defend your agency rates and close more profitable deals.
Direct Debit Collection for Agencies: Automating Client Payments
Learn how to implement direct debit agency payments to automate client billing and get paid on time, every time. This guide covers the practical steps, tools like GoCardless, and the commercial impact on your agency's cash flow and profitability. Stop chasing invoices and start focusing on client work.
Annual Accounts for Agencies: Preparation and Filing Guide
This guide explains everything marketing and creative agency owners need to know about preparing and filing annual accounts. You'll learn the step-by-step process, key deadlines, what your accounts should include, and how to use them to make smarter business decisions. It turns a compliance task into a strategic tool for growth.
Christmas Party Tax Rules: What Your Agency Can Claim
Learn the specific tax rules for agency Christmas parties to reward your team without unexpected tax bills. This guide explains the annual event tax exemption, what qualifies as a tax-free staff party, and how to correctly process agency party expenses. Get clarity on HMRC's rules to maximise your claim and avoid common pitfalls.
Currency Risk for Agencies Billing International Clients
Learn how to manage agency currency risk when billing international clients. This guide shows marketing agencies how to protect their profit margins from exchange rate swings, set up smart multi-currency invoicing, and choose the right tools to get paid without losing money. Turn a hidden financial threat into a manageable part of your commercial strategy.
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