Pay per meeting vs retainer agencies.
Both can work. They put the risk in different places.
| Point of comparison | Retainer agency | Meetings Held |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Activity: sends, calls, hours | A held meeting with a prospect you approved |
| Monthly cost | Typically a fixed retainer, billed whether meetings happen or not | $900 tech fee, then $300 per held meeting |
| Cost of a month with zero meetings | Full retainer | $900 |
| Cost of a month with ten held meetings | Full retainer | $3,900 |
| No-shows | Usually still counted as activity | Not billed |
| Who defines qualified | Often the agency | You, in writing, before launch |
| Contract | Often 3 to 6 months minimum | Month to month, 30 days notice |
| Who owns the lists | Varies | Delivered to you when we stop |
Retainer agencies commonly quote several thousand dollars a month. Leadium states $2,000 to $5,000 a month for basic campaigns, $5,000 to $10,000 for mid-tier programs, and $10,000 to $15,000 or more for enterprise multichannel engagements. TaskBlink states $2,000 to $10,000 or more a month.
When a retainer is the better choice
When you need a full team working many channels at once, or when your market is too small for outbound to produce a steady meeting count. If that is your case, I will tell you on the call.
Book a 30-minute call.
Bring your offer and your numbers. I bring the buyer signals and the outbound plan for your market. If this will not work for your market, I say so on the call.