Client Billing Question

How do you handle payment

[Opportune Moment]

I hope someone here can provide some good advice. I've recently started a search engine marketing management company and am curious to know how you handle client CPC charges.

I'm setting up separate Google Adwords and Overture accounts for each client, is it best to register these accounts with THEIR credit card information versus my credit cards being billed and then I invoice the client. I'm sure the client would prefer that I put the charges on my cards and then get repaid by the advertiser. But I personally can't afford to run up thousands in client charges and then seek payment in the rear.

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks
Hugh

[edited by: agerhart at 3:58 pm (utc) on Aug. 5, 2003]
[edit reason] removed sig - per TOS [/edit]

[agerhart]

It really depends if you have the money to front your clients.

If you have the cash to front, I would use your own card, as I think it will be easier to manage, and it will be easier to bill them for management fees, and the 10-15% of monthly money spent.

[Andy_Reid]

Is 10-15% the industry standard to manage a PPC campaign?

[agerhart]

There are many PPC experts here that may know for sure, but that is the figure that I have heard. More an advertising standard.

[roitracker]

Many get the client to set up the account initially (so it's the client that gets billed by the PPC), and charge a management fee (fixed &/or a percentage of spend).

I think this is a good method, since it means that your service will be completely transparent to your clients (which is always good practice). It has the additional advantage of solving potential cash-flow issues.

[McSpike]

How do you charge a flat management fee? Based on what, hours, diffculty? What rates are the industry standard and how do you define and charge for diffculty?