So what is a retainer?
A retainer fee’s purpose is to retain the designer, it is paid up front before any work is ordered. You are, in a sense, pre-ordering the designer’s time versus a service. When you retain Graphic Zen, we anticipate work from you as an ongoing client and block out the appropriate amount of time in our schedule to accommodate your projects when the work comes.
Can a retainer agreement work for you?
Here are some example scenarios:
“Katie” needs ongoing design work, yet doesn’t want to hire a full time designer. Katie can afford up to $42000 in graphic design services for the next 12 months. Katie and Graphic Zen, LLC agree to a monthly retainer agreement of $3500/mo.
“Jeff” doesn’t exactly know what kinds of graphics work he’ll need for the year, but he knows he’ll need occasional small projects done. Like Katie, he will not employ a graphic designer. Jeff determines that he’s willing to budget $12000 this year toward any graphics needs that come up. Jeff and Graphic Zen, LLC establish a $1000 monthly retainer agreement so we can efficiently handle his graphic needs as they come up.
What do you get? Description of Design Services:
Design services may include: assistance in advertising and branding strategies; in-person, over the phone or email technical support for websites created by us; in-house consultation for design, advertising, and marketing services; print coordination; brainstorming & creative direction; promotions; and print and multimedia resources.
What if I exceed my monthly plan?
If you have a project that might cause you to go over your limit we can do on of two things:
- Wait until the next month to start the project.
- Work on the project and bill you at a determined hourly rate.
Do the hours carry over to the next month?
No. Like a lawyer’s retainer, the monthly time is there for you every month to be taken care of by our staff and our resources, therefore it does not rollover.
How is the retainer agreement determined?
There are many factors that can determine the amount of the retainer fee, such as:
- frequency of design scheduling
- average amount of time needed from designer
- nature and complexity of design-work required
- length of retainer agreement
- typical level of urgency of design work
Like You, We Are Busy.
So in all honesty, we’re only interested in working with clients who understand the value that our retainer service adds to their business. Please contact us and we’ll help figure out which plan works best for you. There are no long-term contracts, so you can cancel at anytime.
This service is designed to offer you peace of mind and the assurance that you have a skilled partner who can help you achieve your business marketing objectives so you can elevate your business.