<div dir="ltr">Josh -- and anyone else,<br><br>Can you share how you structured your retainer program?<br><br>My biggest stuggle now is finding time for all my smaller clients who want changes to their sites -- I'm finding it really hard to fit them in. I'm at the point where I have far more work than I can do and let's face it, the big clients need to come first.<br>
<br>So, I've been thinking of offering smaller clients some type of retainer program, where they buy so many hours a month. This could also give me the steady income to potentially take on an employee or regular freelance.<br>
<br>But I'm unclear how such a plan might work. for instance, if they don't have any changes, do they pay anyway? Do hours rollover? Do you schedule a fixed time when you're available for them. <br><br>Thanks,<br>
Sam<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 9:29 AM, Josh McCormack <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:josh@interactiveqa.com">josh@interactiveqa.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div class="Ih2E3d">On Wed, 2008-09-17 at 04:53 -0400, Michael Goldsmith wrote:<br>
> Another thing to consider, when thinking about how much a consultant<br>
> is<br>
> worth at a full time gig would be a "bulk discount" on your hours.<br>
</div>> <snip><br>
<br>
We started offering a retainer plan that was really buying hours in<br>
bulk, and it's been well received. We bill earlier, clients get a better<br>
rate (hours don't expire and can be used however needed), and it<br>
establishes longer term relationships that are almost quasi employee.<br>
<div class="Ih2E3d"><br>
<br>
-Josh McCormack<br>
Owner, InteractiveQA<br>
Social Network Development & QA testing<br>
<a href="http://www.interactiveqa.com" target="_blank">http://www.interactiveqa.com</a><br>
917.620.4902<br>
<br>
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