Service — The Scaling Retainer
The scaling retainer (fractional cmo) pricing explained
The scaling retainer is from $5,000/mo, published, and it does not move based on how the first conversation goes.
6 min read · Reviewed by both partners
Published pricing exists so the negotiation is about fit rather than about who blinks. It also means nobody pays more for seeming able to.
What the money buys: a fractional CMO function with both partners, governed monthly against one number.
Step by step
What is included
A fractional cmo function with both partners, governed monthly against one number. The full scope is fixed before anything starts.
What is not included
Execution labour beyond the deliverable’s own scope. If ongoing work is warranted, the Plan prices it separately and says so.
Why it is not quoted per project
Custom quoting rewards whoever negotiates hardest and punishes the operator who assumed the price was the price.
How it compares to the alternative
It is priced below a single senior hire and replaces the decision-making, not the labour
What happens if it is not the right fit
We say so before taking the money. That is easier to do when the price is not the variable.
Common mistakes
Comparing price without comparing output
Two engagements at similar prices can produce a document and a slide deck respectively. Ask what exists at the end.
Buying the cheapest diagnosis available
A diagnosis you cannot act on is not cheaper. It is a smaller amount of money spent on nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The scaling retainer (fractional cmo) pricing explained?
Published pricing exists so the negotiation is about fit rather than about who blinks. It also means nobody pays more for seeming able to.
What’s the practical next step with Growth-Scaling after reading this?
It sits under The Scaling Retainer in the Growth Scaling Method. The next step for an owner is the $1,500 Assessment, which reads your own numbers against everything described above.
How much should we budget?
Budget $4,500 to find out what to build. Budget from $5,000 a month only if the Plan says a recurring engine is warranted — sometimes it says the opposite.
Who will we actually be talking to?
Both partners, on every engagement. That is the structural reason the firm stays small and the reason the engagement list is short.
References
- www.nfib.com — primary source
- www.consumerfinance.gov — primary source
- www.census.gov — primary source
Nothing here is a range
The scaling retainer is from $5,000/mo. The Assessment says whether it is the right next step.
Growth-Scaling is a marketing and business-scaling firm. It is not a licensed practitioner in any client vertical and does not provide medical, legal, financial, or contracting services; all industry content on this site is marketing and growth guidance for owners in those fields. Figures describing past engagements refer to specific businesses under specific conditions and are not a prediction of any future result. No outcome is promised.
Written by Steven Lockhart, reviewed by David Mitroff, Ph.D. Figures and regulatory details reflect the cited public sources; requirements vary by state and situation. Growth-Scaling is a marketing and business-scaling firm, not a licensed practitioner in any client vertical.