A monthly marketing retainer is often misunderstood. It’s not about locking clients into unnecessary work or filling hours for the sake of it. When done well, a retainer is simply a way to provide consistent, flexible support over time.
Retainers work best when marketing needs are ongoing rather than one-off. This might include regular website updates, campaign support, event preparation, email marketing, CRM maintenance, or ad hoc design and content requests. Instead of scoping and pricing every small task, a retainer allows teams to focus on priorities as they evolve.
For many organizations, this model reduces friction. There’s less administrative overhead, faster turnaround, and a stronger working rhythm because I’m already familiar with the brand, systems, and stakeholders involved.
That said, retainers aren’t always the right fit. If a project has a clearly defined scope and timeline — such as a single campaign, asset, or short-term initiative — hourly or project-based work often makes more sense.
I usually recommend starting with project-based work and transitioning to a retainer once ongoing needs become clear. The right model depends on how frequently support is needed and how much flexibility the team wants.