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How to read an agency quote
Comparing agency pricing in South Africa is hard for one reason: almost nobody publishes it, and the quotes you do get describe different things using the same words. "Social media management" can mean twelve posts a month, or it can mean content, community management, paid amplification and reporting. The number on the quote tells you very little on its own.
So compare scope before you compare price. Three questions usually expose the real difference between two quotes.
What is actually delivered each month?
Insist on countable units: how many posts, how many ad campaigns, how many hours of strategy, how many reports. If a scope cannot be counted, it cannot be held to, and you will have no basis for the conversation in month four when you are unsure what you are paying for.
Is ad spend inside or outside the fee?
This single question can move the real cost of a retainer by tens of thousands of Rand. A R30,000 retainer including R15,000 of ad spend is a R15,000 management fee. Keep the two numbers separate so you can see which part is buying reach and which is buying someone's time.
Who does the work, and who owns it afterwards?
Ask who is actually in your account day to day, and confirm in writing that you own your ad accounts, analytics and creative if the relationship ends. Agencies holding client assets in their own accounts is common and is the most expensive thing to discover late.
For what it is worth, we publish ours. Every Drift Studio figure is on the pricing page in Rands with the scope written down, and the automation packs list exactly which automations each one includes.
Common questions about agency pricing
What does a marketing agency cost in South Africa?
Small retainers typically run from about R5,000 to R15,000 a month for one or two channels handled properly. Mid-market retainers sit around R25,000 to R60,000 and usually include paid media management, content and reporting. Above that you are buying a dedicated team. What matters more than the band is what is actually delivered inside it.
Why do agency quotes for the same work vary so much?
Because the scope underneath them is rarely the same. Two R20,000 quotes can mean twelve posts and a report, or a full paid media programme with weekly strategy calls. Ad spend is the other common difference: some quotes include it in the fee and some bill it separately, which can move the real cost by tens of thousands.
Is a cheaper agency always worse value?
No, but a cheap retainer with a wide scope is a warning sign. The work has to fit inside the hours the fee pays for, so an unusually broad scope at a low price usually means it is delivered thinly or by someone very junior. Narrow scope at a low price can be excellent value.
Should ad spend be included in the retainer?
Keep them separate and visible. A combined number hides how much is actually reaching the platforms versus paying for management, and it makes it impossible to tell whether poor results came from the strategy or from an under-funded budget.
What should I ask before signing?
Four things: exactly what is delivered each month in countable terms, who does the work, what the notice period is, and who owns the accounts and creative if you leave. Vague answers to the last one are the expensive mistake.