Switched from flat retainer fees to per-project pricing 8 months ago and it saved my agency

I used to bill clients $3000 a month for unlimited revisions. That was a NIGHTMARE. One client in Nashville would send 12 rounds of changes on a simple landing page. I switched to per-project pricing last March after a bad breakup with that client. Now I charge $1500 for a 5 page website with 2 revision rounds built in. My revenue actually went up because I can take on more clients without the endless back and forth. Has anyone else had luck getting clients to agree to revision caps without them walking?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler_burns663d ago

Have you tried framing it as a "complimentary revision package" instead of a cap? I found that telling clients "you get 2 revisions included, anything after that is a new project" made them actually stop and think before sending another change. Some of my early clients still tried to push it, but I just point to the contract and say sorry. Works like a charm once they realize you aren't bluffing.

michaeljones2d ago

Tyler's got it right. I started doing something similar after getting burned by a client who wanted 15 revisions on a simple logo. Now I tell people upfront "you get two rounds of changes, anything extra is a new quote." It sets a boundary from the start and they actually respect it. The key is sticking to your guns even when they push back. How do you handle the ones who try to argue that a "small tweak" shouldn't count as a revision?