Agencies send an estimate or proposal before any campaign, rebrand, or production work starts, and often as part of a competitive pitch. Clients compare total cost, what is included, how many revision rounds they get, and whether media and production costs are inside or on top of the fee.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
Upload logo
PDF will be generated with filename:
Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Listing the number of ad variations, video lengths, and file formats prevents arguments over what was promised.
Two rounds is common. Stating this up front gives you a basis to bill extra rounds.
Make clear whether ad spend is included in your price or billed separately at cost, and who owns the ad accounts.
Talent, stock, printing, and studio costs are often uncertain. Give an estimate range and state they are billed at actual cost plus any markup.
Delays often come from slow feedback. Tie your delivery dates to the client providing assets and approvals on time.
Clarify what the client owns on final payment, and the term and territory for any licensed assets.
Production and media costs change. A 30-day expiry protects you from honoring old prices.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Account management / project management | per hour | $85-150 |
| Creative direction, art direction, or copywriting | per hour | $100-200 |
| Campaign strategy and planning | flat fee | $3,000-15,000 |
| Monthly retainer for small business clients | per month | $3,000-10,000 |
| Paid media management (search, social) | percent of ad spend | 10-20% (often with a monthly minimum of $1,000-2,500) |
| Video ad production (30-60 second spot) | flat fee | $5,000-30,000 |
| Logo and brand identity package | flat fee | $3,000-15,000 |
| Third-party production costs markup | percent of cost | 10-20% |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Estimate hours for strategy, creative, production, and account management using your rate card, add a contingency of 10-15%, and present a single project price. Clients prefer certainty, and you keep your internal math.
Present good, better, and best packages, for example a basic campaign, a full campaign with video, and one with ongoing media management. Clients often choose the middle option.
Show agency fees in one section and media or production costs in another. It makes the quote easier to compare against other agencies.
A paid strategy phase before the full proposal filters out clients who only want free ideas and gives you real information to scope the rest.
For defined projects, a fixed price with a clear scope works best for most clients. For open-ended or evolving work, use an hourly estimate with a not-to-exceed cap or a monthly retainer.
Quote your fee firmly and give media as a budget the client approves, with your management fee as a percentage or flat amount. Note that actual platform costs are billed at what was spent.
For small and mid-size work, a free proposal is common. For large pitches involving original creative concepts, many agencies charge a pitch fee or limit the work to strategy and examples.
Only for changes outside the agreed scope. Use a short change order that describes the added work and cost, and get the client's written approval before starting it.
Use the Advertising Agency invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Advertising Agency invoice template