Sterling Media House — Sales Team
Commission Guidelines
What you earn, when you earn it, and how it is calculated — for Setters, Closers and Full-Cycle reps.
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Setter
Upfront 8% of upfront collected
Recurring No recurring commission
Commission Summary
Every role at a glance
Upfront commission is paid on the total upfront collected. Recurring commission is paid monthly, while active.
| Role | Upfront | Recurring (monthly, while active) |
|---|---|---|
| Setter | 8% of upfront collected | $0 |
| Closer (with Setter) | 22% of upfront collected | 7% of monthly payment |
| Closer Only (Add-On Later) | 30% of upfront collected | 7% of monthly payment |
| Full-Cycle | 30% of upfront collected | 7% of monthly payment |
Core Guidelines
Five guidelines that govern everything
Guideline 1
Commission is paid on total upfront collected (deposit + setup fees + first month's payment).
Guideline 2
Recurring commission = 7% of monthly payment, paid monthly for as long as the client remains active with SMH and the Closer remains actively affiliated with SMH.
Guideline 3
Recurring commission goes to the Closer who closed the deal (including add-ons upsold later).
Guideline 4
Upgrades = recurring commission recalculated on the new total monthly payment.
Guideline 5
Rent-to-own transition fee = no commission (upfront or recurring).
Commission by Service Type
Rates by service
Owned Site
No Recurring| Service | Total Price | Deposit | Balance | Upfront Commission (30%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Page | $495 | $247.50 | $247.50 | $148.50 |
| 5-Page | $1,197 | $598.50 | $598.50 | $359.10 |
Split: Setter (8%) / Closer (22%) or Full-Cycle (30%). Recurring: $0 (no monthly fee for owned sites).
Rented Site (Setup + Monthly)
With Recurring| Service | Setup | First Month | Total Upfront | Upfront Commission (30%) | Monthly Payment | Recurring Commission (7%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Page | $199 | $99 | $298 | $89.40 | $99 | $6.93/mo |
| 5-Page | $499 | $149 | $648 | $194.40 | $149 | $10.43/mo |
Split: Setter (8%) / Closer (22%) or Full-Cycle (30%) on upfront. Closer/Full-Cycle gets 7% recurring.
Add-Ons
With Recurring| Service | Setup | First Month | Total Upfront | Upfront Commission (30%) | Monthly Payment | Recurring Commission (7%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Desk AI | $99 | $297 | $396 | $118.80 | $297 | $20.79/mo |
| Reputation (Automated) | $99 | $197 | $296 | $88.80 | $197 | $13.79/mo |
| Reputation (Managed) | $99 | $297 | $396 | $118.80 | $297 | $20.79/mo |
| Visibility (Standard) | $99 | $197 | $296 | $88.80 | $197 | $13.79/mo |
| Visibility (Full) | $99 | $347 | $446 | $133.80 | $347 | $24.29/mo |
| Insights (Standard) | $99 | $97 | $196 | $58.80 | $97 | $6.79/mo |
| Insights (Full) | $99 | $197 | $296 | $88.80 | $197 | $13.79/mo |
Important
Four things people get wrong
Setup fees
The $99 setup fee is charged for every add-on the client purchases — not just the first one.
Existing clients
Existing clients adding an add-on later pay the $99 setup fee for that add-on at that time.
Who gets recurring
Recurring commission goes to the Closer who upsold the add-on.
Not indefinite
Recurring commission continues only while the Closer remains actively affiliated with SMH and the client remains active — it is not paid indefinitely regardless of the rep's status.
Real-World Scenarios
Worked examples
Scenario 1
New Client — Rented 5-Page + All 4 Add-On Categories (With Setter)
"All add-ons" here means one tier picked from each of the 4 categories: Front Desk AI, Reputation (Managed), Visibility (Full), Insights (Full).
| Payment | Amount | Setter (8%) | Closer (22%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site Setup | $499 | $39.92 | $109.78 |
| Add-On Setup (4 × $99) | $396 | $31.68 | $87.12 |
| First Month (Site) | $149 | $11.92 | $32.78 |
| First Month (Add-Ons) | $1,138 | $91.04 | $250.36 |
| Total Upfront | $2,182 | $174.56 | $480.04 |
Recurring Monthly (Closer only, at 7%)
Site: $149 × 7% = $10.43/month
Add-Ons: $1,138 × 7% = $79.66/month
Total Monthly Recurring: $90.09/month
(while client and Closer both remain active)
Closer's Total Year 1 Earnings (deal closed with a Setter)
Upfront: $480.04
Recurring: $90.09 × 12 = $1,081.08
Total Year 1: $1,561.12
If the same deal is closed Full-Cycle (no Setter, 30% upfront)
Upfront: $654.60
Recurring: $1,081.08 (same — recurring rate doesn't change with Setter involvement)
Total Year 1: $1,735.68
Scenario 2
Existing Client Adds Front Desk AI Later (No Setter)
| Payment | Amount | Closer Only (30%) |
|---|---|---|
| Add-On Setup | $99 | $29.70 |
| First Month (Front Desk AI) | $297 | $89.10 |
| Total Upfront | $396 | $118.80 |
Recurring Monthly (Closer only)
Front Desk AI: $297 × 7% = $20.79/month (while client and Closer both remain active)
Closer's Total Year 1 Earnings
Upfront: $118.80
Recurring: $20.79 × 12 = $249.48
Total Year 1: $368.28
Scenario 3
Client Upgrades Reputation (Automated → Managed)
Before Upgrade
Reputation (Automated) $197/month → recurring commission $197 × 7% = $13.79/month
After Upgrade
Reputation (Managed) $297/month → recurring commission recalculated: $297 × 7% = $20.79/month
Commission Change
Monthly increase $20.79 − $13.79 = $7.00/month more. Annual increase: $7.00 × 12 = $84.00/year.
Who Gets It
The Closer who upsold the upgrade.
Scenario 4
Client Upgrades Owned Site → Rented Site
Scenario
Client currently owns a 5-Page site (no monthly fee) and wants to add Front Desk AI.
Before
No recurring commission (owned site = $0/month).
After
Front Desk AI added — monthly payment $297/month, recurring commission $297 × 7% = $20.79/month.
Who Gets It
The Closer who upsold the Front Desk AI.
Scenario 5
Rent-to-Own Transition (No Commission)
| Payment | Amount | Commission |
|---|---|---|
| Transition Fee | $199 | $0 (no upfront or recurring) |
Effect on Recurring
Site monthly fee stops ($99 or $149/month no longer charged); recurring commission on the site stops. Add-ons continue (if any), so recurring commission continues on those.
Example
Client rents 5-Page ($149/mo) + Front Desk AI ($297/mo).
Before transition: Recurring commission = ($149 + $297) × 7% = $31.22/month
After transition: Recurring commission = $297 × 7% = $20.79/month (site fee stops)
Quick Recap
Confirmed
✓Setter = 8% upfront only (no recurring)
✓Closer (with Setter) = 22% upfront + 7% recurring (while active)
✓Full-Cycle / Closer Only = 30% upfront + 7% recurring (while active)
✓Recurring commission = 7% of monthly payment
✓Recurring commission continues while client AND Closer remain active — not a lifetime guarantee
✓Recurring commission goes to Closer who upsold
✓Upgrades = recalculated on new monthly total
✓Rent-to-own transition fee = no commission
✓Owned sites = no recurring commission
✓$99 setup fee applies to EVERY add-on, not just the first