Getting started with QuoteCloud

Marketing proposals that turn a pitch into a retainer

SEO, social, paid, email and content as tiers the client can see, add-ons they tick, ad spend shown apart from your fee, and the first month paid when they sign.

Marketing agencies, studios, PR firms and freelancers use QuoteCloud to send retainer and project proposals: each channel at a tier with its deliverables, monthly fees shown as repeating charges, optional add-ons, the client's ad spend as their own estimate, locked scope and revision rounds, every signer, and the first payment on signing via Stripe or PayPal.

A sample retainer proposal from a fictional agency, Ambergrove Digital, for Kinroy Outdoor Co., drawn as a mixing desk with five channel faders: SEO, social, paid, email and content. The faders move through three set-ups: SEO and content on Foundation ($2,550 a month); search and social ($5,650 a month); then the full retainer with SEO, social and paid on Growth and email and content on Foundation, $8,530 a month plus tax, with $11,363.00 paid on signing. Beside it, the client's ad spend of $6,000 a month sits on a separate ticket marked 'paid to the platforms, not in our fees'. Both signers have signed.

Three kinds of money, never mixed up

A marketing proposal carries your monthly fees, a few one-offs and a media budget the client pays someone else. Each sits in its own place, so the client knows exactly what they're signing for.

12-month growth retainer for Kinroy Outdoor Co. · AD-R-2207 · sample figures, ex tax, over 12 months

  • Your monthly fees$8,530 a month × 12

    $102,360

    Each channel at its tier, written as repeating charges with a 12-month term in the agreement.

    Who pays whom
    The client pays your agency
    In QuoteCloud
    Repeating price items. The first month is paid on signing; you invoice the rest.
  • One-offsOnboarding, once

    $1,800

    Onboarding, a strategy workshop or a landing page sprint, priced once.

    Who pays whom
    The client pays your agency
    In QuoteCloud
    One-off rows, paid on signing through Stripe or PayPal.
  • The client's ad spend$6,000 a month × 12, estimate

    $72,000

    Their media budget for search and social ads, shown as their own estimate so it's never mistaken for your fee.

    Who pays whom
    The client pays the ad platforms
    In QuoteCloud
    A content block outside the totals. Nothing is collected or connected.

Sample figures from a fictional agency. QuoteCloud takes the first payment when the client signs; it doesn't bill retainers, collect ad spend or connect to ad platforms.

Try it: build a retainer, then sign it as the client

Switch channels on, pick a tier for each and set the client's ad budget. The fees, deliverables and 90-day plan follow. Then send it, change the add-ons as the client, sign twice and pay the first month.

New retainer · Ambergrove DigitalDemo · fictional data

1 Channels and tiers for Kinroy Outdoor Co.
2
$6,000/mo

Within the Growth tier's $15,000 a month.

Monthly fees$8,530 Paid on signing$11,363.00 Ad spend, not in fees$6,000

What Ambergrove sees

  1. Proposal sent to Elena and DanielEmail link · AD-R-2207
  2. Opened by ElenaTue 20 Oct, 2:48 pm
  3. Monthly review call added+$380 a month
  4. Onboarding questionnaire submittedForms block · 4 answers
  5. Signed by Elena MarshTue 20 Oct, 4:12 pm
  6. Signed by Daniel KwanWed 21 Oct, 9:05 am
  7. First payment received$11,363.00 via Stripe

Preview: the proposal builds as you choose The client's view

Ambergrove DigitalRetainer proposal AD-R-2207 Sample · fictional business

Retainer proposal · AD-R-2207

12-month growth retainer for Kinroy Outdoor Co.

Elena Marsh & Daniel Kwan, Kinroy Outdoor Co.

Your retainer

ServiceWhat's included each monthMonthly
Monthly fees · repeating for 12 months
SEOGrowth
  • 20 hours technical and on-page SEO a month
  • 2 landing pages optimised a month
$2,600/mo
Social mediaGrowth
  • 20 posts a month on 3 channels
  • 4 short-form video edits a month
$2,100/mo
Paid search & socialGrowth
  • Management of up to $15,000 monthly ad spend
  • Creative refresh every month
$1,600/mo
EmailFoundation
  • 1 newsletter a month
  • Welcome flow built once
$750/mo
ContentFoundation
  • 2 long-form articles a month
  • Content plan each quarter
$1,100/mo
Add-ons Tick to add
$1,280/mo
$380/mo
$2,400 once
Once, at the start
Onboarding and strategy workshopQuestionnaire, half-day workshop, access and tracking set-up $1,800 once
Monthly fees
$8,530.00/mo + tax
Once, at the start
$1,800.00 + tax
First payment on signingA fixed amount: first month and one-offs, inc tax
$11,363.00
Over 12 months, ex tax
$104,160

Monthly fees are repeating charges shown in the agreement. QuoteCloud takes the first payment on signing; later months are invoiced by your agency.

Ad spend (your estimate)

Not in our fees

$6,000/mo ·Paid by you directly to the ad platforms

  • Search ads$3,500/mo
  • Social ads$2,500/mo

Your paid media tier covers managing up to $15,000 a month.

Ad spend is your estimate of what the client will pay the ad platforms directly. It isn't part of your fee, isn't in the totals and isn't collected through the proposal. QuoteCloud doesn't connect to ad platforms or pull analytics.

Your first 90 days Gantt chart · Business plan

  • OnboardingOnboarding questionnaire and strategy workshop
  • SEOTechnical auditOn-page work
  • Social mediaCalendar and tone of voicePosting and community
  • Paid search & socialAccounts and tracking set-upCampaigns live
  • EmailFlows builtNewsletters
  • ContentContent planArticles published
  • ReviewsMonth 1 review, week 4Month 2 review, week 8Quarter review, week 12

Accept, sign and pay

  • Elena MarshHead of e-commerce, Kinroy Outdoor Co.
  • Daniel KwanFinance director, Kinroy Outdoor Co.

First payment $11,363.00 paid via Stripe · demo, nothing charged

Signed by everyone · Certificate of authenticity attached

A demo with fictional data: nothing is sent, stored or charged. In QuoteCloud you set the payment on signing as a percentage or a fixed amount; here it is worked out for you as the first month plus one-offs. The 90-day plan is a Gantt chart (Business plan).

More on retainer proposals

Send your next retainer proposal from QuoteCloud

Free for 14 days, no credit card required. Send us your current proposal and we'll convert one template for you during the trial.

Five more documents agencies and freelancers send

A rebrand, a launch campaign, a PR retainer, a freelancer's quote and a fractional CMO's agreement, each from its own template. Sample documents from fictional businesses.

Ambergrove DigitalProject proposal AD-P-0418 Sample · fictional business

Investment by phase

ItemQtyRateAmount
1. Discovery and strategy$6,200
Discovery workshopHalf a day at the cellar door, with your team
1 workshop $2,400 $2,400.00
Brand strategy and positioningAudience, story, tone of voice
1 $3,800 $3,800.00
2. Identity and labels$10,100
Logo refresh and brand systemLogo, colours, type and a brand guide
1 $6,500 $6,500.00
Wine labelsFront and back label per wine
3 wines $1,200 $3,600.00
3. Website content$6,400
Website copyHome, story, wines, visit, events and three more
8 pages $450 $3,600.00
Product photography dayBottles, vineyard and tasting room
1 day $2,800 $2,800.00
4. Spring launch (optional) Tick to add
1 $4,200 $4,200.00
3 emails $350 $1,050.00
Subtotal
$26,900.00
Tax (10%)
$2,690.00
Total
$29,590.00
Deposit on signing (40%)
$11,836.00

Project plan

StageW1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10W11W12W13W14
Discovery workshop Week 1 to 1
Brand strategy Week 2 to 3
Identity, 2 rounds Week 4 to 7
Labels, 2 rounds Week 7 to 10
Website copy Week 8 to 11
Photography day Week 9
Spring launch optional Week 12 to 14
Launch day Week 12
Rows of green grapevines in a vineyard under a warm low sun

A rebrand in phases, with a plan they can see

Discovery, identity and labels, website copy and an optional launch, each phase with its subtotal, then the 14 weeks as a Gantt chart. A 40% deposit is paid on signing.

  • Phases as price-table sections
  • The launch phase is optional: the client ticks it
  • Gantt chart with milestones (Business)

Gantt charts: Business plan

Brand, website & campaign projects
Ambergrove DigitalCampaign proposal AD-C-0611 Sample · fictional business

Our fees

ItemQtyRateAmount
Campaign$6,480
Strategy, audiences and tracking set-upDone before launch
1 $1,400 $1,400.00
Ad creativeStatic and carousel ads
6 ads $280 $1,680.00
Campaign managementDaily checks, weekly report and call
6 weeks $300 $1,800.00
Launch landing pageCopy and build on your website
1 page $1,600 $1,600.00
Add-ons Tick to add
1 $1,280 $1,280.00
Subtotal
$6,480.00
Tax (10%)
$648.00
Total
$7,128.00
Deposit on signing (50%)
$3,564.00

Your ad spend (estimate)

Not in our fees

$5,400 over six weeks ·Paid by you directly to the ad platforms

  • Social ads$3,600
  • Search ads$1,800

Ad spend is your estimate of what the client will pay the ad platforms directly. It isn't part of your fee, isn't in the totals and isn't collected through the proposal. QuoteCloud doesn't connect to ad platforms or pull analytics.

A bright pilates studio with rows of reformer machines

Your fees in the table, their ad budget beside it

Strategy, creative, six weeks of management and a landing page, with a 50% deposit. The studio's $5,400 media budget sits in its own box, outside every total.

  • Management fee and creative as your lines
  • Ad spend as the client's estimate
  • Deposit via PayPal or Stripe
Ad spend estimates & management fees
Stillwater CommunicationsPR retainer proposal SC-0207 Sample · fictional business

Choose your PR retainer

Your PR retainer

ItemQtyRateAmount
Retainer
Profile packageSix months from 1 Dec 2026
Monthly $4,800 $4,800.00/mo
Set-up$1,500
Media list and launch kitOnce, before the first pitch
1 $1,500 $1,500.00
Options Tick to add
1 $3,500 $3,500.00
Monthly $600 $600.00/mo
Subtotal
$1,500.00
Tax (10%)
$150.00
Total
$1,650.00
Monthly retainer, invoiced by Stillwater
$4,800.00/mo
Paid on signing: set-up (100%)
$1,650.00
Copper pot stills in a small distillery

Three levels of PR, one choice

A PR firm's Launch, Profile and Always-on retainers as a single choice. Choosing one changes the monthly line; set-up is paid on signing, the months are invoiced by the firm.

  • Packages as a single-choice group
  • Monthly retainer as a repeating charge
  • Launch evening and on-call support as options
Retainer proposals & scope tiers
Mae Hollis CopyCopywriting quote MH-0193 Sample · fictional business

Quote

ItemQtyRateAmount
Website copy$2,880
Page copyHome, about, services, three project pages · 2 rounds each
6 pages $420 $2,520.00
Page titles and meta descriptionsWritten with the page copy
6 pages $60 $360.00
Add-ons Tick to add
4 posts $280 $1,120.00
Subtotal
$4,000.00
Tax (not registered) (0%)
$0.00
Total
$4,000.00
Deposit on signing (50%)
$2,000.00

Accept, sign and pay

Lucy Bramble · Principal designer

Signed online · Sat 17 Oct 2026

Deposit on signing (50%)

$2,000.00

Paid via PayPalPay with card or PayPal

Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

A bright room with a sofa, a bed and floor-to-ceiling windows

A freelancer's quote, signed with a deposit

Six pages of website copy with two rounds of changes, four optional blog posts the client ticked, and half paid by PayPal when she signed.

  • Not tax-registered: tax set to nil
  • Optional extras the client ticks
  • 50% deposit via PayPal
Sign-off & the first payment
Jo Varley AdvisoryFractional CMO agreement JV-0042 Sample · fictional business

Monthly fees

ServiceVisitsPer month
Fractional CMO, 6 days a monthMonthly$8,700.00
Board pack, quarterly (spread monthly)Monthly$400.00
Monthly
$9,100.00
Term
6 months · $54,600
  1. N
  2. D
  3. J
  4. F
  5. M
  6. A
  7. M
  8. J
  9. J
  10. A
  11. S
  12. O

Accept and sign

Arjun Mehra · Chief executive, Tessel Robotics

Signed online · Thu 15 Oct 2026

Agreement summary

Monthly fees
$9,100 + tax
Term
6 months from 2 Nov 2026
Paid on signing
First month, $10,010.00
Later months
Invoiced by Jo Varley

Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

A team meeting around a long wooden table with laptops

A fractional CMO's six months, agreed

Six days a month and a quarterly board pack as repeating charges over a six-month term, with the first month paid on signing and the rest invoiced by the adviser.

  • Repeating charges with a term
  • Agreement summary beside the signature
  • Nothing billed by QuoteCloud
Retainer renewals & annual reviews

One project proposal, from moodboard to deposit

Ambergrove's rebrand for Orchard Lane Wines, part by part. Every part is a QuoteCloud content block from the agency's project template.

  1. Account team edits

    Open on their estate, not your logo

    A cover photo of the client's own place, then a moodboard of the direction you discussed in the workshop.

    Marketing proposal templates
    Ambergrove DigitalProject proposal AD-P-0418 Sample · fictional business
    Rows of green grapevines in a vineyard under a warm low sun

    Project proposal

    Brand refresh, website copy and launch for Orchard Lane Wines

    Prepared for Grace & Tom Kirkby, Orchard Lane Wines · Prepared Thu 15 Oct 2026 · Valid until Thu 29 Oct 2026 · 14 weeks from the start date

    Grace and Tom, this is the plan from our tasting-room workshop: a refreshed brand, new labels for the three estate wines, website copy that sounds like you, and a launch for the spring release.

  2. Client answers

    The brief, answered inside the proposal

    A brand questionnaire in the Forms block: Grace answered it before the workshop, so the strategy starts from her words.

    Forms block: Business plan

    Onboarding questionnaires

    Brand questionnaire

    Forms block · Business

    Forms block · answered before the workshop

    1. Three words you'd like people to use about Orchard Lane Honest, generous, unhurried
    2. Which wines are in the spring release? Estate Rosé, Old Block Shiraz, Late Harvest Riesling
    3. Keep the current logo shape? Keep itRefresh it, keep the pear (chosen)Start again
    4. Brands you admire, and why Small producers who tell the farm's story plainly

    Submitted with the proposal

  3. Locked block

    Deliverables and revision rounds, locked

    What each phase delivers, the rounds of changes included and what's out of scope, written once by the studio lead and locked in the library.

    Content locking: Business plan

    Scope, deliverables & revision rounds

    Deliverables and revision rounds

    Locked block
    DeliverableIncludesRevisions
    Brand strategyA 12-page strategy document and a 1-hour presentation 1 round
    Logo and brand systemTwo directions, one developed into the final system and guide 2 rounds
    Wine labelsPrint-ready front and back labels for 3 wines 2 rounds
    Website copy8 pages, written for your web designer to place 2 rounds

    Not included

    • Printing and label stock
    • Building the website
    • Ad spend for the launch

    Extra rounds are $180 an hour, quoted and approved in a revised version before we start.

  4. Client chooses

    Phases they can see, a launch they can add

    Each phase with its subtotal. The spring launch is optional, and Grace ticked it, so the total and the deposit changed in front of her.

    Brand, website & campaign projects

    Investment by phase

    ItemQtyRateAmount
    1. Discovery and strategy$6,200
    Discovery workshopHalf a day at the cellar door, with your team
    1 workshop $2,400 $2,400.00
    Brand strategy and positioningAudience, story, tone of voice
    1 $3,800 $3,800.00
    2. Identity and labels$10,100
    Logo refresh and brand systemLogo, colours, type and a brand guide
    1 $6,500 $6,500.00
    Wine labelsFront and back label per wine
    3 wines $1,200 $3,600.00
    3. Website content$6,400
    Website copyHome, story, wines, visit, events and three more
    8 pages $450 $3,600.00
    Product photography dayBottles, vineyard and tasting room
    1 day $2,800 $2,800.00
    4. Spring launch (optional) Tick to add
    1 $4,200 $4,200.00
    3 emails $350 $1,050.00
    Subtotal
    $26,900.00
    Tax (10%)
    $2,690.00
    Total
    $29,590.00
    Deposit on signing (40%)
    $11,836.00
  5. Launch ad spend, kept apart

    Their $3,000 media budget for the launch is an estimate in its own box: they pay the platforms, and it never appears in your total.

    Ad spend estimates & management fees

    Launch ad spend (your estimate)

    Not in our fees

    $3,000 over the 4-week launch ·Paid by you directly to the ad platforms

    • Social ads$1,800
    • Search ads$1,200

    Ad spend is your estimate of what the client will pay the ad platforms directly. It isn't part of your fee, isn't in the totals and isn't collected through the proposal. QuoteCloud doesn't connect to ad platforms or pull analytics.

  6. Fourteen weeks on one chart

    Identity and labels with two rounds each, website copy, the photography day and the launch as a Gantt chart with milestones.

    Gantt charts: Business plan

    Project plan

    StageW1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10W11W12W13W14
    Discovery workshop Week 1 to 1
    Brand strategy Week 2 to 3
    Identity, 2 rounds Week 4 to 7
    Labels, 2 rounds Week 7 to 10
    Website copy Week 8 to 11
    Photography day Week 9
    Spring launch optional Week 12 to 14
    Launch day Week 12
  7. Two signers

    Both owners sign, then the deposit

    Grace has signed; Tom signs from his own inbox. Once both have, the 40% deposit is paid by card through Stripe.

    Sign-off & the first payment

    Accept, sign and pay

    1 of 2 signed

    • Grace KirkbyOwner & winemaker Signed16 Oct 2026
    • Tom KirkbyOwner Awaiting signature

    Deposit on signing (40%)

    $11,836.00

    Paid via StripePay with card or PayPal

    Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached

AI Co-Worker · Business plan

A first draft of the summary, yours to accept

Attach your discovery call notes and ask for an executive summary. The AI Co-Worker drafts it in the editor; it stays flagged until someone on your team accepts, edits or rejects it.

Case studies, team bios & AI-drafted summaries
Ambergrove DigitalRetainer proposal AD-R-2207 Sample · fictional business

AI Co-WorkerDraft an executive summary from the discovery call notes. Plain and friendly, no promises about results. kinroy-discovery-call.txt

Suggested by AI Co-Worker · review before sending

Executive summary

Kinroy sells hiking and camping gear online and through two stores. Most new customers find you through search, and you want more of them to come back for their next trip.

This retainer brings search, social, paid, email and content under one plan for twelve months, with a review call every month and a written plan for each quarter.

AI Co-Worker can make mistakes. Its text stays flagged until someone on your team accepts, edits or rejects it.

Rated, secure and in business since 2013

  • eIDAS compliant eSignatures
  • 256-bit encryption
  • Hosted on AWS
  • GDPR compliant

A retainer's last 60 days, without a scramble

An agency's own renewal routine, using QuoteCloud's expiry dates, bulk send and signatures. Nothing in it renews or bills by itself.

  1. 60 days

    See what's ending

    Filter the dashboard to Expiring Soon and list the retainers that end this quarter.

    Expiry dates
  2. 45 days

    Prepare the year ahead

    Review each retainer with the account lead and decide which channels move up, down or stay.

    Your judgement
  3. 30 days

    Send the renewal offers

    One renewal template, bulk-sent as a personalised proposal to each retainer client.

    Bulk send Essentials and up
  4. 14 days

    Answer the questions

    See who has opened theirs and reply to comments inside the proposal.

    Comments
  5. Expiry

    A new term, signed

    The client signs the new year and pays the first month, or the old retainer simply ends on its date.

    eSignature

Drawn by us to show an agency's own process. QuoteCloud does not renew agreements or bill monthly fees.

Case studies and bios, ready for every pitch

Save the blocks your agency reuses once, then drag them into each proposal and tailor them. Case studies are your own work: label any forecast as your estimate.

Content libraryAmbergrove Digital · CompanySample data

  • Our 90-day onboarding methodMethod
  • Case study: outdoor retailer, search and emailCase study
  • Case study: allied health clinics, local SEOCase study
  • Team bios: strategy, SEO, social, paidTeam
  • Channel tiers: SEO, social, paid, email, contentPrice table
  • Onboarding questionnaireForm
  • Scope, revisions and ad spend termsTerms Locked

AD-R-2207 · Growth retainerRetainer proposal, being assembled

  1. 1CoverFrom the retainer template
  2. 2Executive summaryDrafted with the AI Co-Worker, then accepted
  3. 3How we work From library
  4. 4Work we're proud ofThe closest match to Kinroy From library
  5. 5Your team From library
  6. 6Your retainerTiers chosen, add-ons to tick From library
  7. 7Onboarding questionnaire From library
  8. 8Scope and terms Locked block
  9. 9Accept, sign and payElena and Daniel
  • Company and personal content

    Folders, search and filters, pinned favourites, and role permissions for who can add or edit.

  • Locked terms

    Scope and ad spend wording that account managers can use but not change.

    Business plan

  • Price tables as blocks

    Channel tiers saved with their repeating items, so every proposal starts from the same prices.

From discovery call to signed retainer in five steps

What happens between a good first conversation and the first month landing in your account.

  1. Start from your template

    Open your retainer template with your cover, method and terms already in place.

  2. Choose channels and tiers

    Drag in the channel tiers from the library and set each channel's level, with add-ons the client can tick.

  3. Show the ad spend apart

    Add the client's media budget as their own estimate, outside your totals.

  4. Send it to every signer

    The marketing lead and finance each get their own link, with the onboarding questionnaire inside.

  5. Signed, first month paid

    Both sign, the first payment is made by card or PayPal, and the signed status can reach your CRM through Pipedrive or Zapier.

Everything an agency sends

From the first retainer proposal to the renewal a year later.

Marketing proposal and retainer questions, answered

Can I price a marketing retainer as good, better and best tiers?

Yes. Write each channel's tiers into your price tables, or offer whole packages as a single choice the client picks. Monthly fees are repeating price items with a term, one-offs such as onboarding sit beside them, and add-ons are optional rows the client ticks. Totals update as they choose.

Does QuoteCloud bill my monthly retainer?

No. Monthly fees are shown in the agreement as repeating charges. QuoteCloud can take a payment when the client signs, such as the first month and onboarding, through Stripe or PayPal. Later months are invoiced by your agency, for example from Xero or QuickBooks.

How do I show the client's ad spend without it looking like my fee?

Put the media budget in its own content block or section, labelled as the client's estimate and kept out of your totals. The client pays the ad platforms directly. QuoteCloud doesn't connect to ad platforms, pull analytics or collect ad spend.

Can both the marketing lead and finance sign?

Yes. Add every signer and each gets their own link and signature block, with no account needed. You can see who has signed and who hasn't. Every signed document comes with a certificate of authenticity and an audit trail.

Can a client fill in our onboarding questionnaire inside the proposal?

Yes, with the Forms block on the Business plan: a form inside the document, so the client answers your brief questions in the same proposal they sign. It isn't a website form.

Can the AI Co-Worker write our proposals?

It helps your team draft inside the editor on the Business plan, for example an executive summary from attached call notes. Its text stays flagged until someone accepts, edits or rejects it, and it can make mistakes, so a person always reviews it.

Does QuoteCloud connect to HubSpot or Pipedrive?

Pipedrive connects directly, so proposals can be created from deals. HubSpot connects through Zapier. Zapier, Make and the QuoteCloud API are on Essentials and up; native CRM and accounting integrations are on Business.

Which plan do marketing agencies need?

Essentials covers price tables, templates, the content library, payments, bulk send, expiry dates and Zapier. Business adds Gantt charts, content locking, the Forms block, version history, approvals and the AI Co-Worker. eSignatures are on every plan, including Free.

More questions from agencies

Your next pitch, signed and started

Free for 14 days. No credit card required.