A full client list should leave more than a busy team. Alongside accounts and tax, COPA's senior team helps you discuss retainer pricing, hiring and growth using the project figures you already have.
Which clients actually leave a margin? Revisions, meetings and freelancer bills can use up a healthy-looking fee. A retainer may now cover far more work than you priced. Discuss client fees and delivery costs using your existing time and project records. The detail available depends on what you record.
Can we hire before the project payment lands? Deposits and overdue invoices make cash uneven. Payroll and VAT don't wait for client sign-off. Talk through expected receipts, unpaid invoices and commitments with our senior team before adding a fixed salary.
Is the team busy or genuinely at capacity? Sales calls, internal work and rework fill calendars too. Another hire may not solve the real pressure. Use existing time records and accounts to discuss paid delivery versus other work. Check tool compatibility before agreeing integrations.
What can the directors take out? Irregular dividends or salaries planned without the company's commitments can make both tax and cash harder to manage. Profit on a report isn't the same as money available today. Connect director remuneration, pension questions and company tax provision to the actual business and personal circumstances. Don't rely on a generic saving estimate.
Would the agency be ready for a sale? A buyer will ask about recurring fees, delivery costs and how much depends on you. Mixed personal expenses make that harder. Discuss the existing accounts and ownership plans with our senior team. Valuation and transaction work need separately agreed specialist scope.
Compliance, understood well before deadlines Keep accounts, tax returns, VAT and payroll obligations organised. Understand what needs filing and paying well in advance, rather than discovering the bill at the deadline.
Tax efficiency: pay no more than you need to Review allowable delivery costs, VAT recovery and director remuneration. Plan to minimise Corporation Tax and VAT within the rules, including the treatment of overseas client work.
Business strategy: scale and prepare to sell Talk through retainer pricing, hiring and a possible future sale with our senior team. Use your existing accounts, project and time records to discuss what the agency can afford.
Systems & automation: connect your financials Connect invoicing, expenses, bank feeds and suitable project tools with your accounts. Automate repeat data entry so client income and delivery costs support useful reporting.
Start with the delivery model. Tell us which services you sell, how you price projects and retainers, and where capacity, margins or late payments are causing concern.
Look at the finance workflow. Discuss invoicing, Xero, time records, freelance costs and unreconciled periods. Identify clean-up and system requirements without assuming you need to replace every tool.
Agree the work and monthly fee. Confirm bookkeeping, filings, reporting and advisory needs. Review services and quantities in an editable quote before agreeing responsibilities and scope.
Discuss the next decision. Talk through hiring, pricing and ownership with our senior team using your existing figures. Future fees and sale values are not guaranteed.
Marketing and SEO, paid media, social and content, branding, web development, PR and video teams can earn similar fees through very different delivery commitments. Choose a model that sounds like your work.
Marketing & SEO retainers Ongoing delivery and account management can expand while the fee stays fixed. Understand the cost of serving the account before renewing on the same terms. Retainer fees, delivery time, team costs, external services and aged debtors. Is the renewal price enough for the work now being delivered?
PPC & paid media Client ad budgets and agency fees are different amounts with different responsibilities. Reporting needs to distinguish pass-through spend from income earned. Fee agreements, advertising invoices, client billing and delivery costs. What is the agency earning once client media spend is separated?
Branding & web development Deposits and milestones may not follow the pace of design or development. Extra rounds and delayed approvals can consume both capacity and cash. Project scope, milestone invoices, time records, contractor costs and receipts. Can we fund delivery if the next sign-off and invoice move back?
Content, PR & video Production, freelance talent and travel can be committed before the client settles. A headline project fee doesn't show those cash requirements. Project fees, production commitments, freelancer invoices and payment terms. What deposit or payment schedule supports the upfront work?
Discussions about client margins and team time depend on your existing records. Integrations, valuation and transaction advice need scope checks. No margin, tax saving or sale price is promised.
We typically work best with agencies generating £150k–£3m, but we can support earlier-stage founders too.
Yes. We review the records and periods involved, then agree the clean-up work, responsibilities and fee before starting.
Yes—it's a major part of our value. We structure your pay and dividends strategically.
We can discuss your existing figures, ownership structure and tax considerations with our senior team. Valuation, legal and transaction work require separately agreed scope; no sale value or tax saving is guaranteed.
COPA supports accounts, tax and connected bookkeeping for agencies. Our senior team also discusses pricing, hiring and growth using your existing project and financial records. We do not produce bespoke strategy reports.