If you’re running a PR agency that only works on projects—especially those big, long-term, high-budget ones—this post is for you. Because eventually… you’re going to burn out.

The Conversation That Sparked This Episode

I recently spoke with an agency owner who has never used a retainer model—not once in over 10 years of running her business. She and her partner have built their agency entirely on multi-year, high-value projects with big-name clients and big budgets. Sounds great, right?

But now, a decade in, they’re feeling the pressure. They’re overly reliant on a few major clients, which means if one cuts their budget or walks away, their revenue projections collapse. On top of that, they’re stuck leading every project themselves. Clients expect it—because the stakes are high, and there’s no room for error.

They also can’t figure out how to support smaller clients. If a client doesn’t have a six-figure budget, they get turned away. And every time a new project comes in, they have to reinvent the wheel—custom proposals, custom processes, custom everything.

Why the Project Model is Exhausting

This is the trade-off with project-based work:

• You’re always on someone else’s timeline.
• You’re constantly scoping from scratch.
• You’re the one leading everything.
• There’s no flow, no scale, no sustainability.

You can’t onboard new clients into a streamlined system. You can’t reuse your pitch angles or processes. And forget about building momentum or nurturing relationships with media contacts… it’s all start, stop, start, stop.

Even worse, when you finally start to gain traction, when editors begin recognizing your client, you wrap up the project, say goodbye, and disappear from their inboxes. Total momentum killer.

Retainers = Freedom + Sustainability

Your agency growth won’t come from constantly landing more clients. It’ll come from changing how you work with the clients you already have.

Retainers are how you stop the income rollercoaster. How you:

• Maintain consistent visibility for your clients
• Build long-term media relationships
• Protect your time, energy, and sanity
• Create predictable, scalable revenue

Kylie, a new member of The Pitch Lab, reached out and said something that really stuck with me. She had never even heard of the retainer model until a client asked if she offered it. After binging my YouTube videos, she figured out how to price herself, structure a retainer, and—just this week—converted her first hourly client into a retainer. 👏

This was already a planned episode based on that earlier convo with the project-based agency owner… and Kylie’s message was the perfect confirmation that this message needs to be heard.

Stop Charging Hourly. Seriously.

If you’re still charging by the hour… we need to talk.

You’re not a lawyer. You’re not selling a bundle of hours. You’re selling value: your contacts, your expertise, your ideas, your strategy, your ability to get your client seen in top-tier media. That’s what clients are paying for.

Hourly pricing penalizes you for getting better at your job. As your skills improve and your network grows, you get results faster—and make less money? No. That’s backwards.

Years ago, I got two clients featured in the same episode of Ellen. I made two phone calls—because I had spent years building those relationships. Should I charge by the hour for that? Of course not.

The Myth of “Just a Quick Launch”

Please don’t fall for the “we just need a quick 2-month PR push” request. That’s not how visibility works. That’s not how momentum works. That’s not how media works.

Retainers give you the time and space to build real traction. You can’t keep starting and stopping. You miss opportunities. You leave money and relationships on the table. You end up responding to editors after a project ends—essentially working for free because you don’t want the lead to die. Retainers prevent that.

How to Introduce Retainers to Clients

If you’ve built your business on projects, the easiest shift is to roll your existing clients into retainer support once a project ends. Start planting the seed early—don’t wait until the last minute.

Make it a natural next step:

“Here’s how we can continue building momentum after the launch.”

“Here’s how we can keep your name in the media year-round.”

Retainers aren’t about bundling a bunch of tasks into a checklist. Avoid rigid deliverables. Your value comes from strategy, media expertise, and ongoing visibility—not from promising “3 press releases per month.”

Don’t let clients dictate tactics that don’t actually align with their goals. Not everything needs a press release. You’re not selling busywork. You’re selling results.

Value-Based Retainers, Not Checklists

Here’s what you can include in your retainer language:

• Media relations
• Strategic, proactive pitching
• Influencer or celebrity seeding
• Affiliate + performance PR integrations

What you don’t want is something like:

“3 press releases per month, 4 press hits guaranteed…”

Nope. We don’t guarantee results in PR. That’s not how earned media works. And any agency that does is probably paying for coverage and wholesaling it to you as “media placements.” Gross. Don’t do that.

What to Do Next

If this is hitting home, and you’re ready to pivot to retainers—or refine your existing model—check out The Agency Accelerator.

This program has everything you need to:

• Close high-value retainer clients
• Price strategically and protect your time
• Structure client support that scales
• Build a business that doesn’t burn you out

We give you templates, contracts, training, and a step-by-step roadmap to take you from “what do I even include in a retainer?” to confidently pitching retainers like a pro.

Final Thought: Project Work Isn’t Bad, But It’s Not Enough

If your agency is built on project work, chances are, your clients love you. They trust you. And they want to keep working with you. So don’t wait for the next launch to stay top-of-mind. Offer them ongoing support. Plant the seed early. Make retainers your default—not an afterthought.

And whatever you do, stop charging hourly. For real. You deserve better than that.

You’ve got this.