I finally stopped thinking retainer agreements were just a way to trap clients

Had a graphic design client last year who kept changing the scope every week. Logo turned into a full brand guide turned into social media templates. I was losing my mind. A buddy in a freelance discord told me to write up a retainer contract with a set number of revisions per month. I thought it sounded shady like I was locking them in. But after one project where I did 12 rounds of edits for $800 I gave it a shot. First client on it? They pushed back but I held firm. Ended up saving me about 40 hours over 3 months. Anyone else change their mind on something like this after getting burned once?

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_bailey1d ago

Yeah 12 rounds for $800 is brutal. Retainers saved my sanity too.

dianawilson1d ago

Hold up Joseph_bailey, is 12 rounds for $800 really that much worse than any other bad client.

the_ben1d ago

Is it kind of like how we all learn the hard way that "unlimited" anything is a trap? Free refills at a diner just means you drink more soda.