That $50 retainer fee that finally scared away the tire kickers

I had this one person who kept emailing me every week asking for free samples of my work and wanting to redesign our whole process without paying a dime. After 3 months of this back and forth I finally added a $50 non refundable retainer just to start a project with new folks. First time I mentioned it to that client they ghosted me instantly and I actually felt relieved instead of frustrated. It cost me nothing to set up the fee and it saved me hours of wasted time explaining why I can't work for exposure. Now I just tell people upfront that the retainer covers my initial research and planning time. Has anyone else tried a small upfront fee to filter out the people who just want free labor?

3 comments

3 Comments

wyattramirez16d ago

Funny enough, the $50 retainer could actually work as a trust signal if you frame it right. I had a guy who was really offended by the fee until I explained it gets fully applied to their first invoice if they move forward with the project. That flipped the whole conversation because now it feels like a commitment on both sides, not just them risking money. Seems like some clients actually respect you more when they see you value your own time from the jump.

kevinw9416d ago

Isn't it funny how that $50 "commitment fee" thing works just like putting money on a concert ticket to make sure you actually show up?

the_robin16d ago

Actually that seems kind of backwards to me. You're putting up a wall before you even know if someone is serious or just curious. A lot of my best clients started out as tire kickers who needed time to trust me before they spent real money. A $50 fee would have chased them away before they even got started. You might be filtering out people who could turn into long term paying customers if you just had a little patience. That retainer also sounds like it could make you look desperate or untrustworthy right out of the gate.