Make Agency Clients Sign Long-Term Contracts

If you’re struggling to get your agency clients to commit to long-term agreements…

Read on as I might have the answer.

I know many agencies rely on month-to-month contracts because they fear scaring off clients.

But here’s the problem: 

When your agency doesn’t lock in a long-term commitment with clients…

You make it far too easy for them to leave—often before they’ve even seen results.

With that, here’s how to make signing long-term contracts feel like a no-brainer to them:

#1. Start with 6-month agreements 

If clients hesitate at 12 months, offer 6 months as a middle ground.

#2. Offer an incentive for annual commitments 

Discounts, bonuses, or extra services make long-term deals more appealing.

#3. Position it as a partnership, not a contract 

Frame your collaboration as a long-term growth plan instead of a locked-in contract. 

When clients understand that long-term marketing produces better results…

They’ll be more willing to commit long-term.

Now, one thing we know that most clients don’t is this:

Marketing strategies—whether it’s SEO, PPC, or content marketing—take time to work. 

This is why when clients sign on with a “let’s see how it goes” mindset, they tend to:

#1. Get impatient and cancel before results kick in 

Clients expect instant success.

And if they don’t see it within a month or two, they leave.

#2. View your agency’s services as a test, not an investment 

When there’s no commitment, clients don’t fully buy into the process.

#3. Make your revenue unpredictable 

If your agency is constantly replacing lost clients, it’s nearly impossible to scale sustainably.

I admit…

Even our agency originally used month-to-month contracts. 

We thought it would make it easier to sign clients—but it actually hurt us in the long run.

When we switched to annual agreements, our retention rate skyrocketed to 97%.

And we had more stability to deliver real results. 

Clients were more patient, engaged, and willing to trust the process…

Because they had committed to a full year.

And we’re not the only agency that experienced this kind of success after making the shift.