Why Agencies Should Avoid Chasing One-Off Projects

Look, I get it. Projects feel safe. They have clear deliverables, defined timelines, and that satisfying moment when you can say "we're done."

But after years of watching agencies struggle with the feast-or-famine cycle, I'm convinced we've been thinking about this all wrong.

The project-focused agency model is broken, and it's time we admit it.

The lead generation nightmare most agencies won't talk about

Here's what nobody wants to say out loud: most agencies are terrible at lead generation. I've seen it over and over again. Talented teams who can deliver incredible work but spend half their time panicking about where the next client will come from.

If you're building your entire business around one-off projects, you better have an absolutely bulletproof system for driving new business. And let me tell you, that's exponentially harder than getting one good client and delivering consistent value to them month after month.

Think about the math for a second. With projects, you're constantly starting from zero. Every quarter, you're essentially rebuilding your pipeline. You need to prospect, pitch, negotiate, and close deals just to maintain your current revenue level. That's not growth, that's survival mode.

Compare that to retainer work. Once you prove your value and establish trust, you've got predictable revenue coming in while you focus on what you actually do best: delivering results.

Stop making excuses for bad retainer offers

Now, I always hear the same pushback: "But people want projects because they have defined outcomes! Clients don't like ongoing commitments!"

This is lazy thinking, and frankly, it misses the entire point.

When someone tells you they prefer projects over retainers, they're not making a philosophical statement about business models. They're telling you your retainer offer sucks. Full stop.

I've seen agencies pitch retainers that are basically "pay us monthly and we'll do some stuff." Of course clients run from that. There's no clear value, no measurable outcomes, no reason to believe month two will be better than month one.

But here's the thing: businesses have ongoing problems that need ongoing solutions. Marketing doesn't stop after one campaign. Operations don't optimize themselves after a single audit. Growth doesn't happen in three-month sprints.

If your retainer offer isn't compelling, don't blame the model. Rework the offer. Define clear monthly deliverables. Establish measurable outcomes. Show progressive value that builds over time. Make it impossible for them to imagine working with anyone else.

The predictability problem that's killing your growth

Let's talk about something most agency owners don't want to face: you can't build a real business without predictability.

Unless you have a genuinely reliable system for acquiring new clients (and I mean genuinely reliable, not "we got lucky last quarter"), you'll never be able to actually plan for growth. You can't hire strategically. You can't invest in better systems. You can't even take a vacation without wondering if the business will implode.

This is why so many agencies stay small. Not because they don't want to grow, but because they can't predict their revenue beyond the current project pipeline. How do you scale when you don't know if you'll have work in three months?

Retainer clients change this entire dynamic. When 70% of your revenue is locked in for the next six months, suddenly you can make real business decisions. You can hire that senior strategist you've been wanting. You can invest in new tools and training. You can actually plan instead of just react.

The compound effect of long-term relationships

Here's something I've noticed that doesn't get talked about enough: the best work happens in month six, not month one.

When you're constantly onboarding new project clients, you're always in that awkward getting-to-know-you phase. You're learning their business, their quirks, their internal politics. By the time you really understand how to add value, the project is over and you're starting fresh with someone new.

With retainer clients, month six is when the magic happens. You understand their business inside and out. You've built relationships with their team. You can spot opportunities and solve problems before they become urgent. You become an extension of their business, not just a vendor they hired.

This deeper understanding leads to better results, which leads to stronger relationships, which leads to more stable revenue. It's a positive feedback loop that project work can never replicate.

Making the transition without losing your mind

Look, I'm not saying you should fire all your project clients tomorrow and go full retainer. That's a good way to go broke.

But I am saying you should be thinking strategically about this transition. Start by identifying which of your current or past project clients might benefit from ongoing work. Look for businesses that have recurring challenges in your area of expertise.

When you pitch new prospects, lead with retainer options. Position projects as the starting point, not the end goal. "Let's start with this audit, and then I'll show you how we can implement these recommendations over the next six months."

Most importantly, get serious about building retainer offers that actually deliver value. Don't just take your project services and spread them out over more months. Think about what ongoing success looks like for your clients and build your offer around that.

The bottom line on building a real business

At the end of the day, this isn't really about retainers versus projects. It's about building a business that works for you instead of against you.

Projects keep you trapped in a cycle of constant hustling. Retainers give you the foundation to build something sustainable.

Yes, retainers require you to think differently about value delivery. Yes, they require better systems and processes. And yes, they require you to actually be good at what you do month after month, not just for the duration of a single project.

But that's exactly why they work. They force you to build a better business, create deeper client relationships, and deliver consistent value. And in return, you get the predictability and stability you need to actually grow.

The agencies that figure this out first are going to have a massive advantage. The ones that keep chasing projects are going to keep struggling with the same problems they've always had.

Which side do you want to be on?