REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY

1. Scope

This policy applies to customer acquisition planning, offer presentation strategy, campaign effectiveness reviews, marketing brief preparation, and related advisory work. A signed proposal or service agreement may include project-specific cancellation terms. If those terms conflict with this general policy, the signed project terms control.

2. Cancellation before work begins

A client may request cancellation in writing before substantive work begins. If payment has been made and no reserved time, research, intake review, preparation, third-party commitment, or project work has occurred, the payment may be refunded less non-recoverable payment-processing charges, if any. Administrative review of an inquiry alone is not treated as substantive project work, but a scheduled working session, review of campaign materials, audience analysis, or preparation of a strategy document is substantive work.

3. Cancellation after work begins

Once work begins, fees already earned are non-refundable. The amount earned may be calculated based on completed milestones, time spent, materials reviewed, meetings held, research or analysis performed, drafts prepared, and capacity reserved. If the client has prepaid more than the value of completed and committed work, the remaining unearned balance may be refunded. Draft status or the fact that a final file has not yet been delivered does not mean that no work has been performed.

4. Deposits and reservation fees

A proposal may require a deposit to reserve project capacity and begin work. Unless the proposal states otherwise, the deposit becomes non-refundable when the project start date is confirmed and preparation begins. This reflects capacity held for the client and work that may not produce a separate final deliverable, including intake analysis, scheduling, file organization, preliminary review, and strategic framing.

5. Fixed-fee and milestone projects

For a fixed-fee project, cancellation charges are based on the completed portion and committed work, not solely on hours. For a milestone project, accepted or substantially completed milestones are non-refundable. If a later milestone has not begun, fees allocated to that milestone may be refundable unless capacity or third-party costs were already committed. Feedback delays do not reverse acceptance of an earlier milestone.

6. Consultations and scheduled meetings

A scheduled consultation may be rescheduled once without charge when at least 24 hours’ notice is provided and a replacement time is reasonably available. A cancellation or rescheduling request made with less than 24 hours’ notice may be charged up to the full session fee. A missed session without notice is non-refundable. If technical problems attributable to the service provider prevent a session, the session will be rescheduled or the session fee will be refunded.

7. Client delays and inactive projects

If required information or feedback is not provided on time, the schedule may be adjusted. A project inactive for more than 14 days may be paused. A project inactive for more than 30 days may be closed, and completed work plus reserved capacity may be invoiced. Restarting may require a new schedule, updated scope, and reactivation fee. Delay by the client does not create an automatic refund right.

8. Scope changes

Changing the objective, audience, offer, campaign, quantity of materials, or expected deliverables may require a revised fee. If the client declines the revised scope, the original scope may continue or the engagement may be closed under the cancellation rules above. Payment for work completed under the original scope remains due.

9. Cancellation by the service provider

An engagement may be declined or cancelled because of capacity, conflict of interest, nonpayment, abusive behavior, unlawful or misleading intended use, material misrepresentation, security concerns, or inability to obtain necessary information. If cancellation occurs for a reason not caused by the client, unearned prepaid fees will be refunded. If cancellation results from client breach or misconduct, completed work, committed costs, and reserved capacity may be deducted.

10. Dissatisfaction and correction

Because consulting involves professional judgment, disagreement with a recommendation or absence of a desired marketing result is not by itself grounds for a refund. If a deliverable materially omits an item expressly included in the accepted scope, the client should provide written notice within seven calendar days of delivery. A reasonable correction will be offered where appropriate. New requests, changed preferences, or new information are treated as revisions or additional scope.

11. Refund requests and timing

A refund request must identify the client, project, payment, reason, and relevant reference code. Requests are reviewed against the accepted scope and work record. Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method when practical. Bank or processor timing is outside the service provider’s control, and posting may take several business days. Refunds are not issued in cash or to an unrelated third party.

12. Chargebacks

Clients should contact the service provider and allow a reasonable opportunity to review a billing concern before initiating a payment dispute. Filing a chargeback for properly delivered or completed work may result in suspension, termination, collection activity, and submission of project records to the payment provider. This provision does not limit lawful consumer rights.