Start with the specific disagreement
In a marketing-agency dispute, separate the work the agency agreed to deliver from the commercial results you hoped it would produce. Campaign performance can inform a discussion, but a poor return does not explain whether the agreed activity was completed. Start with the scope, approvals, reporting and spending authority. Then identify the specific decision needed: correction, clearer reporting, revised work or an orderly exit.
Work through the facts, one step at a time
List outputs and responsibilities
Record agreed campaigns, assets, reports and approval steps. Identify client responsibilities such as supplying material or approving claims. Keep media spend separate from agency fees, and note who had authority to approve each.
Inspect delivery against the scope
Compare published assets, campaign records and reports with the agreed outputs. If a metric is disputed, ask how it was defined and measured. Avoid comparing figures that use different time periods or attribution methods as though they were identical.
Discuss the correct remedy
Missing deliverables may call for completion; unclear reporting may call for reconciliation. Disappointment about performance may require a strategy discussion. If ending the relationship, specify account access, asset handover and the remaining financial questions.
What this can look like
An agency delivers eight agreed posts but omits the monthly performance report. The client also expected more sales. Those are two conversations: the missing report can be identified directly, while the sales expectation needs comparison with what was actually promised.
This is an invented scenario to explain the approach, not a customer result or a prediction of your outcome.
Records worth gathering
- Statement of work
- Approved campaign assets
- Reports and metric definitions
- Media-spend approvals
Keep originals and prepare copies of the relevant parts. Redact unrelated personal details before sharing. Explain any gaps in the record rather than filling them with assumptions.
Open a clearer conversation
Edits stay on this page and are lost when you leave. Nothing is sent automatically. This is a discussion starter, not a legal notice or settlement agreement.
Before you agree to the next step
Do not assume the agency guaranteed revenue unless that is established in the agreement. Claims about advertising performance and account ownership should be checked against the actual records.
Put any proposed outcome into specific terms: who will act, what they will do, the amount if money is involved, and the date. Identify what remains unresolved. An invitation, a discussion and a signed agreement are different stages.
Should media spend be treated as the agency’s fee?
Usually they are separate accounting questions, but check your arrangement. Identify who paid the platform, who approved the spending and which charges relate to the agency’s own service.
A private place to prepare your side
SettleBetween provides private AI guidance for each person and a shared space to discuss approved information. You choose what to share and whether to agree. Availability depends on both parties’ locations and the dispute type.
Free to start. The case starter pays $79 only after both parties sign. The invited party never pays the agreement fee. See included access and pricing.
Prepare your side freeAI can make mistakes. This guide is practical preparation, not legal advice. Use appropriate official schemes or independent advice when needed. A discussion here does not pause external deadlines or guarantee payment.