Financial Challenges for PR & Communications Agencies
Retainer Profitability is a Black Box
Most PR agencies can't tell which clients are profitable until year-end. Crisis work eats hours, but the retainer stays flat.
Cash Flow Lags Behind Billing
You invoice £15k in January but don't get paid until March. Meanwhile, payroll, contractors, and overheads keep hitting your account.
Pricing Conversations Feel Uncomfortable
You know you should increase retainer fees, but you don't have the data to justify it confidently to the client.
Accounting Services for PR & Communications Agencies
Time tracking by client and project type – Know exactly how many hours you're actually delivering per retainer
Recovery rate reporting – See the gap between billed hours and actual hours (and address it)
Client profitability analysis – Identify which clients are healthy retainers vs. margin-killers
Scope definition templates – Clear outlines of what's included in retainers so clients and team know expectations
Additional work pricing frameworks – Have a clear rate for out-of-scope work so it's easy to charge for
Retainer repricing guidelines – Know when and how to adjust fees based on actual effort
What You Get
Monthly time tracking reports showing your recovery rate by client.
Client profitability analysis showing which retainers are healthy and which ones need repricing or restructuring.
Quarterly retainer health reviews to help you make adjustments.
Strategic guidance on moving from flat retainers to blended retainer + project fee models that protect margins.
Complete tax compliance and corporation tax filing with guidance on contractor vs. employee costs for freelance support.
Insights into your agency's service mix and which client types (corporate, startup, nonprofit) are profitable.
PR & Communications Agencies Accountants Across the UK
We work with pr & communications agencies across the UK, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh. All services are delivered remotely using cloud-based accounting tools.