Vendor & Agency Management for Contractors

You've hired agencies. You've tried freelancers. But nobody's steering the ship—and you're not sure who's actually delivering. We fix that.

Get Your Vendors Under Control
73%
of businesses are dissatisfied with agency relationships
4.2
average marketing vendors a $5M contractor juggles
40%
of agency spend typically wasted on misaligned activities
15+
hours/month owners spend managing marketing vendors

Data from HubSpot Agency Survey, Capstone client audits

The Vendor Management Problem

You didn't start a contracting company to become a marketing project manager. But somehow, that's what happened.

I spend hours every month chasing vendors for updates and sitting through reports I don't fully understand.

I pay invoices every month without knowing if I'm actually getting value for what I'm spending.

My agencies don't talk to each other—I'm playing telephone between vendors who operate in silos.

I've fired agencies before but ended up in the exact same situation with the new ones.

I can't confidently say which vendors are actually driving results and which ones I should cut.

$15K+

monthly vendor spend with no clear accountability

40%

of spend wasted on misaligned activities

15+

hours/month you spend babysitting agencies

The problem isn't the vendors. It's that nobody is managing them strategically.

The Solution

One point of control. Clear accountability. Vendors that actually deliver.

What's Included in Vendor Management

01

Vendor Audit & Performance Scorecards

We evaluate every current vendor and establish clear KPIs. Monthly scorecards grade each vendor—green, yellow, red—so you know at a glance who's delivering.

02

SLAs & Vendor Syncs

We establish Service Level Agreements for communication and deliverables. We run the sync meetings, ask the hard questions, and document commitments—so you don't have to.

03

Cross-Vendor Coordination

We make sure your SEO agency talks to your web developer talks to your ad manager. No more silos, no more duplicated work, no more conflicting strategies.

04

Budget Oversight & Vendor Replacement

We track spend against results and recommend where to shift dollars. When a vendor isn't cutting it, we manage the transition—finding replacements, handling handoffs, maintaining continuity.

Single Point of Accountability

You get one person (us) who owns the marketing outcome. No more "that's not my job" finger-pointing between vendors. Your vendors operate as a cohesive team, not disconnected contractors.

Vendor Management Investment

Choose the level of oversight that fits your situation. Most clients choose the Fractional CMO path.

Vendor Audit Only

$1,500 one-time

A full audit of your current vendors with scorecard templates and recommendations. You manage ongoing.

✓ Full vendor inventory & assessment

✓ KPI & scorecard templates

✓ Keep/improve/replace recommendations

✓ 60-minute working session

Best for: Teams who can manage vendors themselves but need the framework.

Managed Vendors

$2,000–$3,500/mo

Ongoing vendor oversight as a standalone service. We manage your vendors; you focus on your business.

✓ Monthly performance scorecards

✓ Weekly/bi-weekly vendor syncs

✓ Cross-vendor coordination

✓ Budget oversight & recommendations

Best for: Teams with strategy figured out who need vendor accountability.

Most Popular

Fractional CMO

$5,500+/mo

Vendor management included with full strategic oversight. Strategy + execution + accountability in one.

✓ Everything in Managed Vendors

✓ Marketing strategy & planning

✓ Intake & conversion optimization

✓ Full marketing KPI ownership

Best for: Teams who need the full picture—strategy, vendors, and execution.

Vendor management works best paired with strategic oversight. That's why most clients choose the Fractional CMO path.

Month-to-month. No long-term contracts required.

Is Vendor Management Right for You?

Perfect For

Contractors spending $10K+/month across multiple marketing vendors
Owners who spend 10+ hours/month managing agencies and feel like a project manager
Businesses with vendors who "seem busy" but can't prove results
Companies that have fired agencies before but ended up in the same situation
Teams preparing to scale and need vendor infrastructure that can grow

Not Right For

Businesses with only one vendor (just manage them directly or replace them)
Contractors who want to stay deeply involved in every vendor decision
Companies not willing to share vendor access and contracts
Situations where the real problem is strategy (vendors can't execute a plan that doesn't exist)

How We Take Over Vendor Management

We integrate quickly so you can step back from the chaos within 30 days.

01
Week 1

Vendor Audit

Inventory all current vendors, contracts, and scope. Collect recent reports and performance data. Interview each vendor to understand their perspective. Document costs and identify gaps.

02
Week 2

Scorecard & SLA Setup

Define clear KPIs for each vendor tied to business outcomes. Establish SLAs for communication and deliverables. Create scorecard template. Communicate expectations to vendors.

03
Week 3-4

Takeover & Rhythm

We become the primary point of contact for all vendors. Establish meeting cadence. Deliver first round of scorecards. Provide initial recommendations: keep, improve, or replace.

04
Ongoing

Management & Optimization

Monthly scorecards and vendor grades. Continuous performance monitoring. Budget reallocation recommendations. Vendor replacement management when needed. Quarterly reviews with you.

What Vendor Management Produces

Real results from a multi-trade home services company after 6 months of vendor management.

Metric
Before
After 6 Months
Hours Owner Spent on Vendors
18/month
2/month
Vendors with Clear KPIs
1 of 5
5 of 5
Marketing Spend
$32,000/mo
$28,000/mo
Cost Per Booked Job
$340
$215
Vendors Replaced
2 (underperformers)

Net Result

16 hours/month back. $4K/month saved. 37% lower cost per job.

Results vary by starting point and vendor quality.

Where Vendor Management Fits

Vendor management is one piece of what a Fractional CMO does. Here's how it connects.

Fractional CMO Function
Strategy & Planning
Budget Optimization
Intake & Conversion
Reporting & Dashboards
How Vendor Management Supports It
Vendors execute the strategy; we ensure alignment
We track vendor spend vs. results, reallocate accordingly
We hold lead gen vendors accountable for quality, not just volume
Vendor data feeds the executive dashboard

If you only need vendor management (you have strategy figured out), we can do that. If you need the full picture (strategy + vendors + execution oversight), that's our Fractional CMO engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will you replace our current vendors? +

Only if they're underperforming. We start by auditing and giving every vendor a fair chance to meet clear expectations. Many vendors improve significantly once they have accountability. If a vendor consistently underperforms, we'll help you find a replacement and manage the transition.

Do you become the main point of contact with our vendors? +

Yes. We handle the day-to-day communication, run the sync meetings, and manage deliverables. You stay informed through our reporting and can join any call you want—but you don't have to be in the weeds.

What if a vendor doesn't want to work with you? +

Rarely an issue. Most vendors appreciate working with someone who speaks their language and can give clear direction. If a vendor resists accountability, that's a red flag about whether you should keep them anyway.

How is this different from hiring a marketing manager? +

A marketing manager typically costs $60K-$100K+ per year (plus benefits, training, management overhead). They also may not have experience across all the channels your vendors cover. We provide senior-level strategic oversight at a fraction of the cost, and we've managed dozens of vendor relationships across multiple industries.

How quickly can you take over vendor management? +

Typically within 2-3 weeks. Week 1 is audit and documentation, week 2 is scorecard setup and communication with vendors, and by week 3-4 we're running the show. You'll feel relief within the first month.

What if we don't have vendor contracts or documentation? +

Common situation. Part of our audit process is documenting what each vendor is supposed to do, what they're actually doing, and what you're paying. We create the documentation that should have existed from the start.

Stop Babysitting Your Agencies

Get a single point of control for your entire marketing vendor ecosystem. Know exactly who's delivering and where your money is going.

Book Your Vendor Audit Call