# Agency Fees When Results Stall: Pipeline vs Testing Models

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Maintained by Groas for groas ·
Canonical: https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric

This page answers the questions covered by the article [Directive vs Disruptive Advertising: Who Pays When Results Stall?](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric) on groas.com. The article is the full, canonical source.

**Direct answer:** The article asks what happens in month four if the number has not moved on a $20,000 a month media account, and who pays for it. According to groas, neither the revenue-weighted pipeline model nor the fast paid-media testing model puts the fee clearly at risk when performance stalls. The article recommends comparing both with a flat monthly fee, billed monthly, that can be cancelled anytime, with a specific target and the fee consequence agreed in writing.

## Who pays when agency results stall after a few months?

The article states that neither quoted monthly fee automatically tracks CPA or pipeline, so the advertiser still carries a stalled quarter. The article recommends asking what happens in month four if the number has not moved before reviewing case studies. According to groas, advertisers should compare both models with a flat monthly fee, billed monthly, that can be cancelled anytime.

Read more: [the article](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric)

## How do monthly agency fees behave when performance moves?

The article reports an entry package at $6,500 a month and standard work at $10,000 to $30,000 a month for the pipeline model, and a typical range at $5,000 to $10,000 a month with most projects at $10,000 to $49,999 for the testing model. The article states that scope pricing removes the incentive to earn more just because the media budget grows, but leaves the retainer incentive intact. According to the article, if CPA rises in month two, the monthly fee does not automatically fall.

Read more: [Axis 1: The fee stays put when performance moves](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric#axis-1-the-fee-stays-put-when-performance-moves)

## What contract terms determine who absorbs a slow quarter?

The article notes that one model advertises no long-term contracts and a 90-day performance guarantee described as “if we don’t deliver, you don’t pay”. The article states that a guarantee without a written target is not protection and advises defining deliver in the order form, including what counts as delivery, what happens if it misses, and what cancellation costs. According to the article, low-rated reviews cited termination fees without corresponding work and difficulty getting creatives after cancellation, so exit and handoff terms should be verified in writing.

Read more: [Axis 2: The contract decides who absorbs a slow quarter](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric#axis-2-the-contract-decides-who-absorbs-a-slow-quarter)

## Which reporting number should decision-makers agree on first?

The article contrasts CRM pipeline value weighted by stage, CAC, LTV and payback with nearer-term CPL, conversion rate, ROAS by campaign and test readouts. The article gives the example that a $180 CPL means little by itself, while the picture changes when 12% of those leads become SQLs and 22% of SQLs close. According to the article, advertisers should agree on the number that wins before reporting starts, because optimizing for leads when the business needs qualified opportunities can leave pipeline flat.

Read more: [Axis 3: Which number reaches the decision-maker?](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric#axis-3-which-number-reaches-the-decision-maker)

## What does 90 days cost on a $20,000-a-month media budget?

The article calculates an illustrative 90-day total of $90,000 to $150,000 with the standard retainer or $75,000 to $90,000 with the typical testing range, before any unquoted setup cost. The same calculation is $79,500 at the listed $6,500 entry price, based on $60,000 in media over three months. The article states that neither range prices setup, internal time, or exit costs, and advises asking which number triggers a refund, a fee cut or free work, and where it is written.

Read more: [What 90 days costs on a $20,000-a-month media budget](https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric#what-90-days-costs-on-a-20000-a-month-media-budget)

## Sources

[1] https://groas.com/post/directive-vs-disruptive-advertising-pric (the article this page answers from)