We have been approached by several agencies to white label PPC services for Google Ads, SEO and Facebook Ads.
We reject 95% of these partnership requests.
If you’re considering an arrangement where you want to white label our PPC services for your agency, walk through these 11 important points then decide if you are ready to hire our PPC team.
You’ll be glad you did!
“Oh, Derek. Aren’t you a snob and being cocky.”
A snob, 100%! Cocky? Barely.
Before you jump to conclusions (you are entitled to your opinion, of course), understand this.
Our pack is running a digital agency and have a committed intention to grow it with the right team, the right clients, AND the right partners.
So, as the leader of the pack, it is my responsibility and obligation to be picky and protect my pack. Wouldn’t you do the same?
After all, it would be a great disservice to my team if I simply agree for to white label PPC services without doing my homework. Right?
Many things can go wrong with a white labeling partnership. But the most obvious one is losing your client because of the disastrous work done by your white label agency.
So, before you hire a white label PPC agency to support your clients, consider these 12 things.
Let’s dive in.
11 Things to Consider When You Are Setting Up your White Label PPC Partnership Agreement
In my experience, you want to address these 12 things — preferably in writing (email, letter of intent, master service agreements, etc.):
- Client Communication
- Structure of the White Label Agreement
- Scope Management
- Client Expectations
- Performance Measurement; Define Success
- Timeline
- Personality / Mindset Fit
- Client Selection
- Term of the Partnership
- Level of Involvement with the Client
- Payment Terms
Let’s take a closer look at each one. If you’re currently thinking about signing a contract to do white label PPC with an agency, please read this then decide if you’re picking the best white label PPC agency to partner with!
1. Client Communication
Do you need your white label PPC agency to interact with your clients? Some agencies prefer to maintain and control the client relationship, while others pull in their white label PPC agency for their expertise and importantly transparency with their clients.
With Fullmoon Digital, many of our agency partners introduces us directly to their client. When we are hired as a white label PPC agency, we have an email address created under the agency partners domain name — we are an extension of their team.
“But Derek, doesn’t that create a hassle with so many different email addresses?”
Sure.
But we’ve been a white label PPC agency since day one, so we’ve worked out many of the operational kinks and have gained some efficiencies in how we do things around here.
Either way you decide your communication with a white label agency, make sure you set that clear from the get go, establish communication procedures and point of contacts.
A smooth communication flow will ensure that information is passed accurately and timely to your white label PPC agency, the work gets done, and results gets delivered to your clients.
2. Structure of the White Label Agreement
The structure of your white label agreement outlines what the client has visibility to. This is particular important — does the client know your agency is doing the work or if it is being presented as the white labeling agency is.
As a white label PPC agency, Fullmoon Digital does not have a desire to solicit our partners’ clients. We stay in our lane, do the we’re white labeled to do, and create a healthy and mutually beneficial partnership with our partners.
For most of our engagement, we provide our white label Master Service Agreement for the agency legal team to review. We want to make sure that the agreement is structured to be fair, transparent, and clear to all parties involved.
3. Scope Management
Scope is important in so many ways. It takes working closely with your agency point of contact to ensure there’s no surprises.
Professionally speaking from experience, there will be occurrences that more work needs to be done — and as a white label PPC agency, we expect that to happen. There’s no such thing as a perfect set up.
Unlike white label web development agencies, our PPC services is much more predictable in terms of scope.
Because the scope of our PPC work (deliverables, reporting, budget, communication, etc.) is clearly outlined in every agreement with our agency partners, we rarely run into any confusion about scope.
4. Client Expectations
Every client expects results. Duh! I chuckle every time I hear people agencies ask the question “What is your client’s expectations?”
What you need to find out from your agency partner before committing to the work is the current level of expectations and things to look out for.
Not for a second, do we believe that all expectations are reasonable. We’d be fools.
At Fullmoon, we understand the need for expectations. But we also work closely with our clients to truly set reasonable expectations. How do we do that? Years of experience have taught us that saying no is equally important to saying yes.
Saying “Yes” commits
Saying “No” sets the tone.
5. Performance Measurement; Define Success
The best partners we have worked with are the ones who are able to clearly define what success looks like for their clients.
The concept is simple. You can’t achieve what you cannot define. Yet, so many people get bogged down in the simplicity of measuring success — because they feel it must be complex.
No it’s not! Your first mistake is to over complicate and create more unnecessary work that weighs down your team. So please stop that.
We work with our white label partners to look at what really matter, ask plenty of questions for clarity, and get everyone to arrive at a agreeable measurement of success — whether it’s cost of acquiring customers, cost per sales/marketing qualified lead, phone calls, requests for samples, etc.
6. Defining The Timeline
Oh yes, one of the most important and least respected element in white labeling partnerships. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I have seen so many white label partnerships crumble because no one respects each other’s timelines.
The client wants to get something done “ASAP” (it’s always ASAP! hate that word), the partner makes a promise, and the agency cannot deliver on the aggressive, and often unrealistic due dates – sound familiar? I’m sure it does.
Want to make white labeling work for your agency? Great. Then respect each other’s timeline. Be realistic with your expectation. Don’t treat your white label partner as a “service” – but more as part of your team. Everyone wants to see the project succeed.
One thing we make very clear with any white label partner is the importance of creating a timeline together, as a team. Imagine how much confusion and misunderstanding will be eliminated with such communication!
7. Personality / Mindset Fit
We don’t work with jerks. Period. We can sniff them out with our top-of-the-line B.S. detecting tool.
I know we don’t make many friends by not compromising. We’re not “yes men” and do not bend our integrity to any agency — big or small. We don’t chase after money.
Instead, we are bullish on forging long term relationships with partners with high alignment in how clients should be treated and how a business is run.
You see, my friends, we are less concerned about fancy appearances or high flying portfolio. Those are superficial and can fade away in a blink of the eye.
But when like-minded people come together with aligned mindset, great things happen. This is one of the many reasons why we are selective who we agree to offer white label PPC services top. Without guard rails, we will be floundering.
8. Client Selection
Who we choose to work with is just as important as who we choose not to work with.
As an agency, we are not obligated to work with anyone just because they agree to pay our fees. No sirree.
When FMDM started, I made the grave mistake of taking on clients that were willing to pay — admittedly, that’s one of the curses of launching your own agency without investors, venture capital, trust fund, or daddy’s money.
Through real world experience, I embraced an important lesson. “Don’t become a slave to your pipeline.” I know, it’s difficult for your sales team to swallow this pill — and even worse, if you have taken on outside investors.
With white labeling PPC services, our reputation is at stake. The burden is heavy. Why?
The brand (client) has tasked the agency with goals. The agency passes their client’s goal to us. So now, we have to make sure our agency partner looks like champions, so they can make their clients look like heroes in their organization. WOW!
It sounds biased, perhaps. But it is wise to place your resources on clients who are most likely to succeed.
Expert white label tip: You don’t have to accept every project your white label PPC partner puts in front of you. We certainly don’t. Be selective. Be prudent. Be responsible.
9. Term of the Partnership
The length of the partnership matter. The amount of resources, planning, and time put into making a white label PPC service work is significant.
Our white labeling partnerships are usually annual commitments with our agency partners. That just means there’s good faith to leverage our PPC resources when opportunity presents itself.
Of course, the white label contract can be terminated if our work sucked. But let’s not focus on the negative – we haven’t had to discuss termination with our partners yet, and do not plan to!
But that’s why, in previous points, I made it clear that choosing who you partner with and offer white labeling PPC services to is so damn important. Minimize your risks, mitigate your losses, and win more battles.
10. Level of Involvement with the Client
Often times, we don’t feel like a white label PPC agency with our partners. We’re tightly integrated into the client’s workflow, so much so, we feel like we’re part of the direct team – AMAZING!
That’s what we want to accomplish with every partner of Fullmoon.
A very involved (but not micromanaging) client and partner is worth its weight in gold. When everyone focuses on doing what they are good at, everybody wins.
10. Level of Involvement with the Client
In every single white label PPC management project Fullmoon is involved in, we have direct communication with the client.
Is it a requirement? If you want to succeed, then we highly recommend it. Why? Here are a few reasons:
- reduce miscommunication
- be the subject matter expert on calls
- support agency partner in real-time
- increase knowledge sharing and ideas
- and many more
Don’t get me wrong. We have partners where we don’t ever talk to the clients, and it works well also. That’s because our agency partner is so buttoned up and run a smooth operation!
Decide what works best for your partner and client. There is no right or wrong, just what’s appropriate.
11. Payment Terms
Every business must get paid to keep the lights on. As a white label PPC agency, or any agency for a matter of fact, you must be comfortable with the payment terms put before you.
If you need to be paid before you start your work, then don’t be shy to say so.
Other times, your payment terms is determined by the client. If your agency partner has a net 30 term with their client, then chances are your term would be net 45 or even 60 from your white label PPC partner.
If you want to be a solid partner, don’t let money get in the way. Sort this out and be clear on how you would like to get paid for your services. Don’t wait for surprises to happen — it’s no good for everyone in the partnership.
