06 · Creative Retainers
An extension of your team. Without the overhead.
A monthly allocation of creative and technical time from one partner who already knows your business. Design, development, marketing and support, as you need it.
The work doesn’t stop after launch day. Neither do we.
Most businesses don’t need a full-time designer, a full-time developer, an SEO specialist and someone to fix the email. They need a little of each, every month, from someone who doesn’t have to be briefed from scratch every time.
A creative retainer gives you exactly that: an agreed allocation of time each month, or a customized package of services, with Smashbeat Media as your ongoing creative and technical partner. You get continuity, a direct line to the person doing the work, and the range of an agency, without adding headcount.
Mixing desk
Set the levels.
Tell the faders what a typical month looks like. We’ll suggest a starting package and carry your mix into the inquiry form.
Mixing desk
What does a month look like?
Set roughly how many hours a month each kind of work needs. Nothing is saved or sent.
Graphics, ad creative, sales materials, brand upkeep
New pages, landing pages, fixes, features
Technical fixes, content, local search
Google and Meta campaigns, tracking, reporting
Email, DNS, accounts, troubleshooting
- Hours a month
- 9
- Skill sets you’d hire for in-house
- 4
- With Smashbeat
- 1 partner, one point of contact
A sensible starting point
Growth Partner
10 hours a month, from $1,800/mo
A starting point, not a quote. Every retainer is scoped with you first.
Packages
Four starting points
- 5hours / month
Creative Essentials
A steady hand on the essentials: site updates, design requests and quick fixes, handled every month.
$1,000/mo
Talk about Creative Essentials - 10hours / month
Growth Partner
Room for real projects alongside upkeep: landing pages, campaign creative, SEO improvements.
$1,800/mo
Talk about Growth Partner - 20hours / month
Extended Team
A meaningful share of a senior creative and technical partner, working across your whole marketing operation.
$3,200/mo
Talk about Extended Team - ∞custom hours and scope
Custom Partnership
Hours, scope and services built around how your business actually runs.
Custom pricing
Talk about Custom Partnership
Retainers are customized to each client and subject to a mutually agreed scope. Billing occurs on the first day of each month for the following service month. Retainers are not unlimited: they cover the time or services agreed in your scope.
What retainer time covers
One partner. A lot of hats.
- Website Updates
- Website Development
- Graphic Design
- Branding Support
- Ad Creative
- Landing Pages
- SEO Improvements
- Campaign Support
- Technical Support
- Marketing Consultation
- Digital Strategy
- Ongoing Creative Production
Is it a fit?
A retainer makes sense when…
- 01
You have more to do than people to do it
The marketing to-do list keeps growing, but none of it adds up to a full-time hire.
- 02
You’re tired of briefing new vendors
Every freelancer and agency starts from zero. On a retainer, whoever picks up the next request already knows your brand, your site and your customers.
- 03
You need more than one skill set
This month it’s a landing page and some ad creative. Next month it’s an email deliverability problem and a brochure. One partner covers both.
- 04
You want someone accountable
Someone who knows what’s in progress, keeps track of priorities and is straight with you about what fits this month.
FAQ
Retainers, explained
How do creative retainers work?
We agree on a monthly allocation of time, or a customized package of services, based on what your business needs. Each month you send requests and priorities, we plan the work together, and you get progress updates as it goes. The scope is set with you up front, so both sides know what the retainer covers.
What can the hours be used for?
Anything within the agreed scope: website updates and development, landing pages, graphic design and ad creative, branding support, SEO improvements, campaign support, technical help with email or Google Workspace, and marketing consultation. Most clients use a mix that changes month to month.
Is a retainer unlimited?
No. Retainers are a defined allocation of time or a defined package, not unlimited requests. That’s what keeps them fair and predictable for both of us. If a month needs more, we’ll talk about it before any extra work happens.
How is a retainer billed?
Billing occurs on the first day of each month for the following service month. The exact terms, including scope, are set out in your agreement before work starts.
Do I need a retainer, or just a project?
If you have one clearly defined thing to do, like a new website or a logo, a project is usually the better fit. Retainers make sense when work keeps coming in different shapes and you want a consistent partner on call for it. Many clients start with a project and move to a retainer afterward.
Can we change the retainer later?
Retainers are customized, and they can be revisited as your needs change. How and when changes take effect is covered in your agreement.
Let’s build your on-demand team.
Tell us what you’re working on. You’ll hear back from Andrew directly, usually with a few questions and a clear next step.
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