A client sends me two or three small requests most months, then disappears for six weeks and returns with something urgent. They suggested a monthly retainer. That sounds predictable, but I don't want them paying for unused hours or assuming I'm permanently on call. Would you define a fixed amount of reserved availability with a clear rollover policy, or keep billing per request until the work becomes more consistent?
Deciding when a retainer makes sense for irregular ongoing requests
- freelancing
- retainer
- makes
- sense
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3 replies
I would not sell a full retainer unless the work is really steady. Reserved availability with a cap on response time is safer, because other...
I would not sell a full retainer unless the work is really steady. Reserved availability with a cap on response time is safer, because otherwise they start treating your calendar like it belongs to them.
That's what I use too. A small monthly block for priority access, then normal billing for anything beyond that, so the client gets predictability without buying my whole month.
The rollover policy matters a lot. If unused hours roll forever, the client thinks they're banking a discount; if they never roll, they may feel cheated when one quiet month happens.
I usually keep it simple: a retainer for being available, not for promising a pile of unfinished hours. That keeps the relationship from tur...