Structure · Proposals & SOWs

Write a Deliverables and Scope Section for a Retainer

Spell out exactly what's in and out of scope for a monthly retainer so neither side ends up resentful.

foundermanagerIntermediate⏱ 60-90 minutes per retainer
When to use
Use this for the deliverables section of any monthly retainer (SEO, content, paid media, social, design). It produces a quantified, dated, in-and-out-of-scope list that prevents the slow drift that destroys retainer margins. Best paired with the SEO Retainer SOW or Web Design SOW prompts.
The prompt
You are a head of operations at a digital agency who reviews every retainer scope before it ships, because scope drift is your number one margin killer.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] | Service line: [SERVICE_LINE] | Client: [CLIENT_NAME] in [CLIENT_INDUSTRY] | Monthly fee: [PRICE] | Estimated team hours per month: [HOURS_PER_MONTH] | Top client priorities: [CLIENT_PRIORITIES] | Things the client has already asked for that we will NOT include: [OUT_OF_SCOPE_FLAGS]
Write the deliverables and scope section of the retainer SOW. List monthly deliverables with explicit quantities, formats, and cadence. Add a service-level section (response times, meeting cadence, reporting). Add a comprehensive 'Out of Scope' subsection. Add a change-order paragraph explaining how new requests get scoped and billed.

- Every deliverable line must have a quantity AND a unit (e.g., '2 long-form articles, ~1,500 words each, by end of month')
- The 'Out of Scope' list must be at least as long as the 'In Scope' list
- Include a service-level commitment with explicit business-day response times
- Change-order paragraph must state the hourly rate or block-of-hours pricing
- Tone: friendly but firm; protect both sides

Markdown section with H3 subsections: 'Included Each Month', 'Service Levels', 'Out of Scope', 'Change Orders'. Include a deliverables table.
Variables
  • [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency's name
  • [SERVICE_LINE] — Service category (SEO, paid, content, social, etc.)
  • [CLIENT_NAME] — Client name
  • [CLIENT_INDUSTRY] — Client industry
  • [PRICE] — Monthly retainer fee
  • [HOURS_PER_MONTH] — Estimated team hours included monthly
  • [CLIENT_PRIORITIES] — Top 2-3 things the client cares most about
  • [OUT_OF_SCOPE_FLAGS] — Things the client has already hinted at that you are NOT including
Example input
Agency: NorthPath Digital | Service line: SEO | Client: Ridgeline HVAC | Monthly fee: $4,500 | Hours: ~30/mo | Priorities: more service calls, less paid spend dependency | Out-of-scope flags they've already asked about: paid ads, email newsletter, full site redesign
Example output
## Deliverables & Scope

### Included Each Month (~30 hours)
| Deliverable | Quantity | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Long-form articles (1,400-1,800 words) | 2 | By month-end |
| Service-area page optimizations | 2 | Mid-month |
| Google Business Profile posts | 4 | Weekly |
| Technical SEO fixes | Up to 6 hours | As needed |
| Reporting dashboard + 45-min review call | 1 | First Tuesday |

### Service Levels
- Email response: within 1 business day
- Strategic questions: within 2 business days
- Monthly report delivered 5 business days before review call

### Out of Scope
- Paid media of any kind (Google, Meta, Bing)
- Email marketing, newsletter design, list management
- Website redesign, new page templates, CMS migration
- Review acquisition campaigns or reputation management
- Local press, PR, or sponsorship outreach
- Hiring or managing in-house marketing staff

### Change Orders
New requests outside this scope are scoped within 3 business days and billed at $185/hr or as a separate fixed-fee project.
Pro tips
  • Make 'Out of Scope' longer than 'In Scope' — it sets the conversation for every Slack request from here on
  • Always quantify deliverables in a table — paragraph-form scope is unenforceable
  • Service-level response times protect you from after-hours and weekend creep
Works with
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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