FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about our performance-aligned engagement model.
The Capital Allocation Audit is a one-time fixed fee of $5,000–$10,000, depending on business complexity. The ongoing Growth Systems Partnership engagement includes a base retainer of $10,000–$15,000 per month, plus a performance fee of 5% on verified incremental revenue above your contractually defined baseline. Ad spend is separate and stays fully under your control.
Baseline is defined as the same calendar period in the prior year — not a trailing average. This controls for seasonality: if your business does $600K every November, you don't pay a performance fee because November arrived. The performance fee applies only to verified incremental revenue above that prior-year period. Returns are excluded from the baseline calculation. The baseline resets at the 12-month mark by mutual agreement using the same prior-year methodology.
Yes. The Capital Allocation Audit is a prerequisite for the Growth Systems Partnership engagement. It exists because execution without diagnosis is how marketing budgets get wasted. The audit defines where capital should go before we deploy it.
We install attribution infrastructure before any capital is deployed — platform integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.), pixel tracking, UTM parameters, and sales report reconciliation. All tracking methods and the baseline definition are agreed upon in writing before work begins. Every client receives a live dashboard showing baseline versus incremental revenue in real time.
The Growth Systems Partnership engagement is month-to-month after an initial 90-day alignment period. Either party can terminate with 30 days written notice. There are no long-term contracts or early termination fees.
Brandlark takes on a maximum of 3–5 active client partnerships at any time. This is intentional — depth of engagement requires limits on volume. If all partnerships are currently filled, we maintain a short waitlist.
Execution runs across all three levers depending on what the audit prioritizes: paid media (Meta, Google, TikTok), organic search and authority content, and on-site conversion and AOV optimization. Channel selection is governed by where the audit identifies the highest expected return, not by what is easiest to manage.
You do. Budgets stay in your accounts and under your approval. We recommend capital allocations and manage day-to-day execution, but you retain complete control over spend limits and platform access.
Traditional agencies charge a fixed retainer regardless of whether revenue moves. Brandlark's base retainer covers execution; the performance fee only activates when we grow your revenue above a defined baseline. We also diagnose before we prescribe — the audit precedes execution. We work with a maximum of 5 clients at any time, meaning you work directly with senior decision-makers, not account coordinators.
* Important Notes: Our fee structure includes a base retainer for strategy and execution, plus a performance fee on verified incremental revenue above a contractually defined baseline. Media costs (Meta, Google, TikTok, etc.) are funded by the client and approved in advance. All fees and attribution methodology are documented transparently.