Agencies · 5 min read

When your messaging costs are flat instead of per-message, you get to choose how to price. Here are five models agencies use. The numbers are illustrative — adjust them to your market, and don’t promise clients specific results.

1. Monthly retainer

Package strategy, campaign creation, list growth and reporting into a monthly fee. It’s predictable for you and the client, and it positions you as a partner. Include a fixed number of campaigns per month and a reporting call.

2. Automation setup fee

Charge a one-off fee to wire up the high-value automations: booking confirmations, order status texts, lead follow-up within a minute, review requests. Then add a small maintenance fee. Because automations run quietly in the background, clients see value every day.

3. Campaign packages

Sell a defined package: an offer text, a reminder three days later, an end date, a tracked link and a results summary. Packages are easy to explain and easy to repeat for seasonal promotions.

4. List-growth bonus

A big list of consenting subscribers is an asset. Offer a fee for building the list — opt-in forms, checkout opt-ins, keyword sign-ups (“text JOIN to …”) — with consent captured properly from day one.

5. Share of results

For clients who want a performance model, track clicks and redemptions with per-person links and coupon codes, and take a share of attributable revenue. Agree the attribution rules in writing before you start.

A worked example

Five clients on a $150/month SMS retainer is $750/month. Your costs: one Pro license ($89/year for five sites) plus phone plans you may already have. The margin is in your strategy, not in message markups. Your real results will vary.

Don’t skip compliance

Every pricing model sits on top of consent. Make sure clients understand they need permission to text people and that you’ll honour STOP requests automatically. It protects them, you and the results.