*6/10/24 note: I am currently filled on monthly clients. But you can still get one-off projects done.
I get asked about a monthly retainer from time to time. I don’t have a set service for this, as every client is different. So I never made a formal work agreement, preferring a more organic relationship. I want the work to keep us together, not legalese.
Heck, I’m so hands off here that I put this in my blog and not as a “service”.
That stated, there are a few rules I have. Read these if you are interested in a monthly retainer for my services.
I have a monthly minimum of $3k, and I’ll ask for a verbal commitment of at least six months. Without these commitments, it’s simply not going to work. We’ll work out actual workload / projects / etc. when we speak. But for $36k a year, you get a hell of a good writer, thinker, and marketer producing for you every month.
I’ll need some time from you. I’ll want to discuss marketing, branding, the weather, and other stuff. I’ll have questions. Some good, some stupid, all relevant.
I require a one-month deposit at the start. And if we decide to part ways, that probably covers your last month’s payment. For not having a contract, I think that’s fair. As far as payment, ACH/Zelle work fine, as does PayPal. If you want to do check, that’s ok too, but I prefer the others.
I like to have several balls in the air, so we’ll probably have multiple projects going, plus you can always say “Dan, I need this thing…”. How fast they get done is up to us. You’ll also need support – artwork, web people, etc.
I’m not super strict on timing, and don’t use a clock. This works in your favor. I’ll be learning your business as we go, and the work usually gets better as we move forward.
Why I Work This Way
I’ve been told to charge more, to be agency, etc. But I like the way things are. I’ve been doing it for more 20 years like this.
I also like strategizing and then doing the work. I don’t like spreadsheets. With agencies and bigger numbers come spreadsheet expectations, or worse still, reports. You’re not getting spreadsheets from me. You are getting someone you can trust to come up with the right angle and message. Just no spreadsheets. Good?
Ok, that about covers it. Carry on.