Short answer: Often yes, for its own operating records, if it's big enough. Mode asks for 50+ employees in this industry; micro1 asks for 30+. Census counts 1,969 U.S. firms in this industry with 30+ employees and 1,269 with 50+.
On this page
What these companies hold
- Client campaign plans, creative and performance reports
- Client customer lists and ad-platform data
- Pitches, proposals and statements of work
- Internal chat and project management
What buyers value
Briefs, creative rounds, approvals and performance reporting form a full record of agency work, and Mode says outcome records raise offers. Mode names four drivers: how many people work in the company's systems (today and at its peak), years of records, number of connected systems, and volume. Records that show outcomes, such as deals won or lost and jobs completed, raise the number (Mode affiliate FAQ).
What needs care
Client customer data you process for campaigns is usually limited by your contracts to providing the services. Business contacts aren't exempt from California's CCPA anymore: the Attorney General says the employee and business-to-business exemptions expired December 31, 2022 (California AG).
Size and fit
Mode lists 50+ employees for industries outside legal (10+) and accounting, medical and finance (15+) (Mode). micro1 asks for 30+ employees, mostly English data, and says it is prioritizing US companies (micro1).
| Industry (U.S. firms, 2022) | All firms | 30+ staff | 50+ staff | 100+ staff | 150+ staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising, PR & related services (NAICS 5418) | 34,925 | 1,969 | 1,269 | 715 | 524 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, detailed employment sizes. Firms (enterprises) by paid employees; contractors are not counted. Each column sums the Census size classes at or above that size.
Price and timeline
Mode's affiliate FAQ gives indicative offers by full-time US staff: 20 to 49 = $200K to $500K, 50 to 149 = $400K to $900K, 150+ = $800K+, with eligible companies under 20 quoted individually. Mode calls these 'indicative ranges, not offers' (Mode affiliate FAQ).
Mode's FAQ describes a 30-minute call, a non-binding letter of intent with a mutual NDA, an intake form and indicative range, a fixed offer in the license agreement, upload of the agreed systems within 10 days of signing, de-identification with a sample audit, and payment within 30 days of acceptance. It says most companies go from first call to payment in about 2 to 3 months (Mode affiliate FAQ).
This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your own attorney or compliance advisor before you share or license any records.
What could your company's records be worth?
Answer 6 questions. See the published range for a company like yours and which program fits. Takes about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Do contractors count toward headcount?
Census counts paid employees only, and the programs don't publish a contractor rule. Ask the buyer.
What systems do we need?
Mode asks for 5+: email, internal chat, file storage, a CRM, plus one more, with 3+ years of records.
Do we lose our data?
Mode describes licensing a de-identified copy; you keep your originals and systems.
Sources
- Mode / BizBuyData referral pagebizbuydata.com
- Mode affiliate FAQ (PDF, dated Oct 14, 2026)bizbuydata.com
- micro1 company referral pagemicro1.ai
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022, detailed employment sizeswww2.census.gov
- California Attorney General: CCPA overview and FAQoag.ca.gov
Referral-fee disclosure: we may be paid by a program if your company signs with it after using this site. General information only, not legal advice.
Compare programs
Best AI data program for a company with 50+ employeesSide by side from each program's own pages. Rankings follow published rules, not referral fees.
See buyers that name professional-services firms, from their own pages, with sources and dates.