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I turned down a steady retainer for a one-off project last month
A regular client offered me $2,000 a month for ongoing support, but I chose a single $5,000 website build instead because I wanted to free up my schedule. In my view, chasing retainers can lock you into low-value work and stop you from finding better clients. Has anyone else passed on a retainer and been glad they did?
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mila_brown101d ago
Wait, but what if the retainer work was easy money?
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umar591d ago
Back in 2008, I took a simple retainer to proofread a local newsletter. The problem was it kept me from pitching a bigger magazine I really wanted to work for, because that "easy" check made me feel safe. The money is easy, but the real cost is the time and energy you stop spending on finding better work. It can quietly hold your career back without you even noticing.
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