“We’re winning the work, then watching our fee get negotiated down.”
We hear this from many firms. The pattern shows up even in agencies that have adopted new pricing approaches and value-based messaging.
It feels like a pricing problem. It rarely is.
What the Agency Model Map shows
The Agency Model Map makes the real problem visible by plotting agencies on two interdependent dimensions:
- Value Definition — how clearly and credibly the firm defines its uniqueness and the commercial outcomes it can own
- Value Capture — how effectively the firm monetizes those outcomes through how it structures its offerings, decouples revenue from labor, and aligns pricing with impact
Most agencies fall into one of four recognizable patterns based on where they sit on these dimensions. Each pattern reflects a stage of progress in the journey toward a more scalable revenue model. The diagnostic places your firm against those patterns — and the placement points to several opportunities for a firm at your stage.
See where your agency lands on the map
5 questions. About 4 minutes. You'll receive:
- A mapping of your firm to one of four archetypes
- A roadmap of opportunities for a firm at your stage