Deliverables

Deliverables are the specific outputs, work products, or results that an agency produces and hands over to a client as part of a project or engagement. They're the "what" of agency work—the designs, reports, websites, content, strategies, or other artifacts that clients receive. Clearly defining deliverables is fundamental to project success because it establishes mutual understanding of what will be produced, forms the basis for scope and pricing, and provides clear completion criteria. Deliverables vary widely by agency type and project. A design agency might deliver brand guidelines, logo files, website mockups, or packaging designs. A marketing agency might deliver SEO audits, content calendars, ad creative, or campaign reports. A development agency might deliver a functioning website, app, or integrated system. The key is specificity: "a website" is vague; "a responsive 5-page marketing website with contact form, CMS, and 30 days post-launch support" is a deliverable that can be scoped, priced, and completed. In project agreements, deliverables should be explicitly listed with sufficient detail to prevent disputes. For each deliverable, consider specifying format (file types, dimensions), quantity (number of pages, versions, rounds), revision allowance (included rounds), and acceptance criteria (what "done" means). This level of detail protects both parties—the client knows what they're getting, and the agency knows what's in scope. Deliverables are often tied to milestones in project plans. Completing a deliverable might trigger a client approval checkpoint, a milestone payment, or the start of the next phase. This creates a natural project rhythm and clear progress indicators. For retainer work, deliverables might be recurring—monthly blog posts, weekly social content, quarterly strategy reviews—with each cycle producing defined outputs. Common mistakes include defining deliverables too vaguely (leading to scope creep and disputes), not specifying formats or quantities (clients expecting more than agreed), not defining revision allowances (unlimited revision expectations), and not tying deliverables to acceptance or payment (ambiguity about when work is complete). The most successful agencies invest in clear deliverable definition upfront, documenting exactly what will be produced so both team and client have a shared understanding from day one.