What to do when retainer agreements come to an end…
Breaking up is hard to do.
Especially when the break-up results in a lost monthly retainer fee and a dent in your ego.
Not to worry! Your girl Cowners is here to share tips on what to do next. This particular post is fresh on the heels of last year’s work drought, so the tips are all tried, tested, and Cownley approved.
Reading glasses on, babe — we’re going in!
Evaluate the lost retainer
Before we get too cut up over the termination of our retainer, let’s think about the job and the client overall. Were they dope? Worth doing again? In alignment with your career goals for the year?
Before we decide what to do next, we’ll need to evaluate the freelance writing gig and decide whether to pitch for more jobs like it or whether to give that shit the dodge in future.
Put it into the context of your career plan and make the call, my guy.
2. Replace the revenue hole with temporary jobs
Now we need to plug the hole our missing monthly retainer fee has left. Rather than frantically starting from scratch, it’s quicker to hit up your regulars. Email round and ask if they have any additional tasks they’d like to hand off. You can explain that you have slightly more availability this month, so even if they don’t have anything right now, they know you’re free and may come back to you later.
It’s easier to heat up a warm lead than pitch cold — you’d be surprised how often this tactic works!
3. Assess current regulars for retainer potential
While we’re busy rustling up extra work, why not assess your current clients for retainer potential? Assuming you haven’t already ‘put a ring on it’, that is. If you enjoy working with them and feel there are enough recurring jobs to warrant a retainer, there’s no harm in putting out your feelers and asking them. Be sure to clearly demonstrate the benefit you’d bring and to lay out some potential terms. A little prod might be all it takes…
4. Start cold pitching your ideal clients
A nasty hole in your monthly schedule might be the perfect opportunity to start pitching more dream clients (it’s not like you don’t have the time, bruh).
Cold pitching is the most bangin’ way to get new freelance clients and has worked wonders for me in the past. Here’s retro Cownley to tell you more…
Give it a try and buy me a beer when it works, yeah?