---
title: Retainer Proposal Strategy — Avant Gardening
type: article
created: '2025-12-12'
updated: '2025-12-12'
source_docs:
- raw/2025-12-12-weekly-call-w-108479355.md
tags:
- avant
- retainer-strategy
- upsell
- seo
- client-growth
layer: 2
client_source: Avant Gardening
industry_context: b2b-services
transferable: false
---

# Retainer Proposal Strategy — Avant Gardening

## Overview

Avant is a residential gardening and landscaping client currently on a one-time flat-fee contract (paid, expiring end of January). The goal is to convert them into a recurring monthly retainer before the contract closes. Karly owns this relationship and is preparing a formal proposal for the Monday call following the 2025-12-12 weekly ops meeting.

**Target retainer:** ~$2,500–$3,000/month
**Decision owner:** Karly Oykhman
**Supporting:** Mark Hope (pitch framework, ROI framing)

---

## Context

- The initial project was scoped and paid as a one-time engagement.
- Avant is happy with the work delivered so far.
- Sebastian is joining the next Monday call to help resolve a payment/account setup issue.
- The contract window gives a natural opening to propose ongoing services before the relationship goes cold.

---

## Proposal Strategy

### 1. Professionalism Positioning

Position Avant as a premium service provider against low-cost competitors (e.g., small informal crews). Emphasize:

- Legitimate business credentials
- Better-trained staff, knowledge of plant species and landscaping best practices
- Professional web presence and marketing as a differentiator

The pitch: clients who want quality and reliability will pay more — and marketing can attract exactly those clients.

### 2. Target High-Value Work: Hardscaping

Avant already does hardscaping (patios, retaining walls, decks). These projects start at **$5,000–$6,000 minimum**, making the ROI math on a retainer straightforward:

> One hardscaping lead per month more than covers the retainer cost.

Focus the proposal on generating hardscaping inquiries rather than low-margin residential maintenance jobs.

### 3. Seasonal Diversification: Snow Plowing

Avant offers snow plowing in winter but **it is not on their website**. Adding this service to the site is a quick win:

- Generates winter revenue during the landscaping off-season
- De-seasonalizes the business (reduces revenue gaps)
- Gives the retainer immediate, tangible deliverables to point to

This mirrors a broader agency principle: help clients find complementary services to smooth seasonal revenue curves. See [[wiki/knowledge/strategy/seasonal-diversification-for-service-businesses]].

### 4. ROI Framing

The proposal must show that the retainer pays for itself. Suggested framing:

- At $2,500–$3,000/month, Avant needs **one additional hardscaping project per month** to break even.
- Residential maintenance jobs ($200–$500 each) require higher volume but are still trackable.
- Use Google Search Console and Ads data to show current baseline, then project realistic lead increases.

Mark's guidance: *"You've got to show them some kind of ROI. He's going to have to get more than $2,500 or $5,000 worth of sales from our effort for it to be worth the money."*

---

## Proposed Retainer Scope (Draft)

To be finalized before Monday's call. Suggested inclusions:

| Service | Notes |
|---|---|
| SEO / organic search | Ongoing content and technical optimization |
| Google Ads management | Target hardscaping keywords |
| Website updates | Add snow plowing, seasonal content |
| Monthly reporting | Traffic, leads, conversions |
| Website hosting (takeover) | Current host unknown — opportunity to consolidate |

---

## Action Items

- [ ] **Karly:** Draft formal retainer proposal (scope + ROI) using ChatGPT/Gamma as a starting framework — ready for Monday's call
- [ ] **Karly:** Confirm who currently hosts Avant's site; assess whether to bring under Asymmetric hosting
- [ ] **Karly:** Add snow plowing services to Avant's website as an early deliverable
- [ ] **Karly:** Resolve payment/account setup issue on Monday call (Sebastian joining)

---

## Related

- [[wiki/clients/current/avant-gardening/_index]]
- [[wiki/meetings/2025-12-12-weekly-ops-call]]
- [[wiki/knowledge/strategy/one-time-to-retainer-conversion]]
- [[wiki/knowledge/strategy/seasonal-diversification-for-service-businesses]]