Pricing Models for B2B Marketing Agencies: Retainers vs. Project Fees (Finance & Consulting Edition)

January 22, 2025
8:00 am

Selecting the right B2B marketing agency pricing model can make or break your marketing success, especially in finance, fintech, and consulting. Whether you choose a retainer, a project-based pricing structure, or a hybrid model, the key is aligning your pricing with client needs, risk tolerance, and industry regulations. The wrong marketing agency pricing structure can lead to budget overruns, compliance issues, or inconsistent results. In this guide, we’ll break down the best B2B marketing pricing models, their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one for your business.

1. Retainer Model: Predictability for Long-Term Relationships

For B2B marketing agencies working with finance, fintech, and consulting firms, retainers offer stability, consistency, and long-term value. A retainer model ensures that marketing efforts remain proactive rather than reactive, supporting ongoing initiatives like regulatory content, lead nurturing, and brand positioning. Clients benefit from predictable costs and continuous service, while agencies can build deeper relationships and refine strategies over time. But while retainers provide reliability, they also come with challenges—like scope creep and maintaining long-term client satisfaction. Let’s explore why retainers work well for finance firms and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Why Finance Firms Love Retainers

Compliance Demands Consistency: Banks and asset managers need steady content updates to meet regulations like the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) or POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act). A retainer ensures ongoing support for compliance audits, quarterly reports, and regulatory thought leadership posts.
Nurturing Long Sales Cycles: Private equity firms and institutional investors take months (or years) to convert. Retainers fund drip campaigns thought leadership webinars, and CRM management to keep leads warm.
Budget Certainty: CFOs hate surprises. A fixed fee simplifies forecasting, especially for recurring tasks like SEO or social media management.

Example: A wealth management firm might pay R35,000.00/month for blog updates, LinkedIn Ads targeting high-net-worth individuals, and monthly performance analytics.

Drawbacks

Scope Creep: Unclear agreements can lead to endless revision requests.
Underwhelming ROI: If KPIs aren’t tracked, clients may question the value.

Best For:

Ongoing needs (e.g., compliance content, lead nurturing).
Clients who value partnership over transactional work.

2. Project Fee Model: Flexibility for Defined Campaigns

For businesses that need one-off marketing support, a project-based pricing model provides clarity and flexibility. Whether launching a new fintech product, rebranding a consultancy, or executing a time-sensitive campaign, project fees ensure that agencies focus on delivering specific, high-impact results within a defined timeframe. This approach allows clients to control costs and test agency capabilities without committing to a long-term partnership. However, while project-based pricing is great for short-term goals, it can lead to inconsistent cash flow for agencies and missed opportunities for deeper collaboration. Let’s break down when project fees are the best fit—and when they’re not.

Why Consultants Prefer Project Fees

Short-Term Needs: Management consultancies often require one-off campaigns, like rebranding after a merger or creating a pitch deck for a niche vertical (e.g., the annual GenNXT campaign that WOOSH has executed for Sunday Times over the course of the past three years).
Clear Scope = Clear Costs: Projects with defined timelines (e.g., a 6-week email automation setup) minimize budget disputes.
Testing the Waters: New clients hesitant to commit long-term can trial your services.

Example: A boutique consulting firm pays R80 000 for a month-to-month package that provides marketing and creative supporton a campaign targeting C-suite executives in renewable energy.

Drawbacks

Feast-or-Famine Cash Flow: Gaps between projects strain agency resources.
Missed Upsell Opportunities: Limited engagement reduces cross-selling chances.

Best For:

Campaigns with clear endpoints (e.g., whitepapers, event promotions).
Startups or firms with fluctuating budgets.

3. Hybrid Model: The Best of Both Worlds

Many agencies blend retainers and project fees to accommodate complex needs.

Example Hybrid Structure:

Base Retainer (R100k/month): Covers core services like community management, content creation, marketing collateral, emailers, on-going PR etc.
Project Add-Ons (R100 000): Funds a Q4 webinar series or a a digital strategy.

A hybrid pricing model combines the stability of retainers with the flexibility of project-based fees, making it ideal for companies that need both ongoing support and campaign-specific execution. This approach works well for fast-growing fintechs, consultancies balancing multiple initiatives, or finance firms that require compliance-driven content alongside creative marketing sprints. A hybrid model allows agencies to offer core services at a fixed rate while scaling up for high-impact projects, ensuring both predictable revenue and agility. Let’s explore how to structure a hybrid pricing model for maximum efficiency.

How to Choose: 3 Questions for Finance & Consulting Clients

“Is your need ongoing or seasonal?”
- Retainers for compliance, evergreen content, or CRM management.
- Project fees for product launches or rebrands.
“How involved is your legal/compliance team?”
Finance brands with strict review processes benefit from retainer-staffed compliance experts.
“Do you prefer predictability or flexibility?”
Private Equity firms may opt for retainers, while consultancies lean toward project fees.

WOOSH’s Approach: Tailored Pricing for Complex Industries

WOOSH customizes pricing to match your niche:

Retainers with built-in compliance checks for asset managers.
Project-based campaigns for consultancies entering new markets.
Hybrid Models for fintechs balancing growth and regulation.

See how we structure pricing for a R40 Billion AUM asset manager.

Still Unsure? Let’s Map Your Needs
Book a free pricing audit to determine whether retainers, project fees, or a hybrid model aligns with your goals.

P.S. Retainers aren’t “set and forget.” Our clients get monthly ROI reports—because transparency builds trust.