Function Point Productivity Software is the leading all-in-one project management solution to specially designed for ad agencies, design studios and internal marketing departments looking to streamline their business.

1. Steps to Keep
Your Agency
Retainer Jobs
Profitable

2. A Retainer Client:
a client who is billed monthly
(or sometimes even weekly)
for work being done by the
agency.

3. The Benefit:
a retainer client could allow
for consistent cashflow for the
duration of the contract.

4. The Problem:
if you’re not careful, you can
turn a potentially profitable
client into one that costs you
money and stress.

5. If you follow these 5 simple
steps, your creative agency
team will thank you for
making their lives easier &
senior management will
thank you for ensuring the
agency is actually making
money.
But first…

6. My name is Tate
Lillies. I am an avid
Vancouver Canucks
fan. In fact, I flew to
Boston to watch game
6 of the 2011 Finals.
Which they lost. So I’m
pretty much
responsible for the
Canucks losing the
Stanley Cup.
Hi!

7. Now back to business

8. Ensure the Client
has Reasonable
Expectations
from the Start

9. Don’t just say you’ll do
whatever it takes. Make sure
they understand that time is
what you’re selling to them.

10. Track time &
expenses to the
Retainer

11. It’s very important that all
team members track time
accurately and that nothing is
missed.

12. Bill your client
for the month
in advance

13. Bringing in money at the
start of the job will help with
cashflow immediately.

14. Present last
month’s
timesheets &
expenses with
next month’s
invoice

15. Being open with these costs to
the client will allow them to see
what you’re doing for them.

16. This detailed reporting will help
with retainer planning &
negotiation both with this client
and future retainer clients.

17. Set up a 6-month
review with
the client

18. A retainer relationship will only
work if both sides find the value
in it.

19. A review will allow your client &
agency to discuss the process
openly and maybe even re-
negotiate the remainder of the
year if needed.

20. Check out the full blog post

21. streamline processes
simplify collaboration
centralize information
get real-time business data
Visit functionpoint.com to learn what fp.
can do for your agency