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#68 · Should AI Automation Agencies Build Custom Tools in 2025?

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For a cold email system that relies on paid platforms like Instantly, should I cover those platform costs by charging the client a small monthly maintenance fee, or should I have the client pay for the platforms directly?

There's only a minor difference between the two — either works. If having the client pay directly is a limiting belief for you, just get them to pay you instead. But the benefit of having the client sign up for the platform themselves is affiliate revenue: you can get a cut of their Instantly signup (e.g. 30-40%), so if they spend $100/month you've effectively made yourself an extra $40/month, plus there's perceived value in being a platform partner. I personally prefer having the client own the whole tech stack and sign up directly, mainly to avoid liability — when a client inevitably stops working with you (it happens a lot), you don't want to be stuck handing off usernames/passwords for tools you're sharing. Yes, it takes a bit longer to onboard since you have to walk them through signup on a kickoff call, but it eliminates that handoff problem entirely.

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How do you set up a cold‑email system for a client and what do you charge for setup and retainers?

My standard offer was a $1,980 setup fee plus 7 % of the revenue generated. I also had a higher‑priced option at $2,930 setup plus $120 per lead, and a pure pay‑per‑lead model. I recommend starting with a setup fee, then adding a monthly retainer, then moving to pay‑per‑lead, or for tight‑budget clients offering a setup plus a revenue share (like I did) to align incentives and get your foot in the door while you gain experience.

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How should I price a cold email system that costs $1,500 for setup and $400 per month to maintain? Should I charge $1,500 upfront and $550 monthly?

Look at it from the customer’s perspective. If you’re delivering, say, $4,500 worth of value each month, you can charge a multiple of that amount. In B2B you typically charge a percentage of the revenue you generate for the client—about 30 % of top‑line revenue and, for bottom‑line improvements, up to 50 % of the margin you save them. In your specific case the $400 a month is a cost you’re passing on, so I recommend not adding extra liabilities. Have the client pay for the ongoing costs directly—charge a setup fee for the cold‑email domains and let the client cover the monthly expense. You can then charge a monthly retainer, a percentage of revenue, or any other model you prefer. For more detail on the many pricing models, check out my previous video where I break down about 80 different ways to price a service.

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When buying pre-warmed domains for a client's cold email setup, do you buy them yourself or does the client buy them? Same question for tools like Instantly — do you include that cost in your fee, or mention it to them as a necessary add-on?

Either approach works, and I've tried both. These days I have the client sign up themselves — after the kickoff call, the system starts running right away. But if you're just starting out and don't have the credibility to make clients trust the value upfront, buying the domains/tools yourself can help get the ball rolling and put the liability on you. I've done that before too — a client pays, the kickoff call is a few days out, so I go buy pre-warmed domains and roll the campaign myself so that by kickoff, I can already show a few booked meetings, which is an extremely strong first impression. There's no single right way to do it, it's really a liability tradeoff.

domainswarm-uptool costsclient onboarding