The 100-Day Playbook

Last week in part one, we covered why retention and referrals matter. 

If you missed it catch up on it here. 

Let’s focus on the fix: engineering an onboarding process that makes your clients stay, spend more, and recommend you.

Hey, I’m Nick Avaria, agency owner, and founder of Agency Acquisitions. If you’re an agency owner who is ready to scale to 7 & 8 figures you’re in the right place.

If you want to connect with me online, send over a LinkedIn request.

100 Days to Stickiness

Retention starts on day one. The first 100 days of a client relationship set the tone for whether they’ll stay for years—or leave at the first hiccup.

Here’s the framework:

• 35% Expectation Setting: Align on goals, KPIs, and communication rhythms. Clarity builds trust.

• 30% Experience Building: Create high-touch moments that surprise and delight. Smooth onboarding isn’t optional—it’s essential.

• 35% Education: Teach clients how to engage with your process and see value beyond the deliverables.

These first 100 days aren’t just about delivering results—they’re about engineering loyalty.

Insights: The Secret Sauce

Retention thrives when clients see you as more than a service provider. They want a partner who delivers insights—new opportunities, untapped revenue streams, or unexpected efficiencies.

Every month, aim to surface one “aha” moment for each client. Show them something they didn’t know about their business. See the image below for how to package an insight.

It’s the difference between being good and being irreplaceable.

The Payoff: Referrals & Upsells

Clients who feel valued naturally become your advocates. Here’s the play:

• After 100 days, ask for a referral, testimonial, or upsell. You’ve earned the trust—don’t waste the moment.

• Keep delivering insights. Showing clients how they can grow makes you indispensable.

Scaling isn’t just about adding clients. It’s about keeping the ones you already have while turning them into your biggest champions. Start with this playbook, and watch your agency grow.

Fixing retention and referrals isn’t optional. 

It’s how you scale beyond the $1–$2M ceiling without burning out your sales team. 

Start with a better onboarding system, prioritize insights, and watch your agency grow.

If you want to check out the video that shows you this in more depth check it out here:

Ready to chat about getting 1:1 support for scaling your agency to 7 figures or more?

Book a time with me this week to connect about the stage you are stuck on scaling your agency.

Nick