A retainer agreement is the document that defines the ongoing relationship between you and a client — what you’re providing, what they’re paying, and what happens in various scenarios. Without one, retainers tend to drift: scope expands, expectations diverge, and the relationship becomes harder to manage. Here’s what to include.
Define the scope clearly
Specify what’s included: number of hours, specific services, or a defined set of deliverables per month. Be equally specific about what’s not included — the work that would require a separate project fee. “Monthly retainer includes up to two strategy sessions, one written report, and ongoing email support. Additional projects scoped separately.”
Address unused time
What happens if the client doesn’t use their full allocation in a month? The most common approach is that unused time doesn’t roll over — the retainer fee is for availability and priority access, not just deliverables. State this clearly upfront to avoid arguments later.
Include a review mechanism
Build in a rate and scope review at least annually. Retainers often start at a reasonable rate that becomes underpriced as your experience grows or as scope informally expands. A scheduled review makes the conversation easier because it’s expected rather than a surprise.
Set a clear notice period
Either party should be able to end the arrangement with reasonable notice — one to three months is typical, depending on how embedded the work is. Make it mutual and symmetric. One month is usually enough for most comms retainers.
The retainer agreement template below gives you a structure for a clear, professional retainer agreement that covers all the key terms without unnecessary complexity.