match the script to the situation, not the script to a feeling. each one has when to use it, the actual words to send, the psych behind the words, and what to do if they say no.
by elisabeth bierschenk hitz · adapted from 10 yrs B2B enterprise sales · deel · criteo · HBO · bloomberg
how to use this: don't paraphrase. these are field-tested phrasings. the specific words matter. send via DM or email after a brand has shown interest, replied to a previous deal, or asked about ongoing work. press cmd+p (mac) or ctrl+p (windows) to save the full document as PDF.
category 1 · performance-based
when the brand cares about results
these work when sales, leads, app installs, or conversion rate are the measure. you're trading "more videos" for "shared upside." three flavors depending on brand size + relationship.
01 the "convert one-off into performance retainer"
use when: you just delivered a one-off deal and the content is going to run as paid ads, OR they're tracking conversions/sales from your content. send 7-10 days after content goes live, not immediately.
hey [name] — quick follow-up.
i've been watching how [brand]'s using the videos i sent and i'm seeing a pattern.
the [specific video type — e.g., "testimonial-style one"] is the kind of content that compounds with iteration. one piece of content tested → winning variants → 5-10 spinoffs from the same hook. you're paying a vendor (me) per video. you could be paying a partner (me) to own the variant engine.
what i'd propose: $[X] per month, you get [N] core concepts + [N] hook/CTA variants per month, monthly performance review where we kill what's not working. month to month, first month is the test.
worth a 20-min call this week?
why this worksyou're not asking for money. you're identifying a workflow gap they didn't know they had (variant testing) and offering to be the solution. the "month to month" + "first month is the test" framing keeps the ask small · they're saying yes to a test, not a year.
if they say "we don't do retainers": see script 9 (the reframe).
02 the performance-indexed retainer
use when: brand is in DTC ecommerce, app, or SaaS — anywhere there's a clear KPI you can be measured on.
[name] — proposal for your team to review.
instead of a flat monthly, i'd rather tie my retainer to your numbers.
base: $[X]/month for [N] videos + [N] revisions
performance bonus: +$[Y] for every [specific metric — e.g., "CPA drop below $25"]
ceiling: $[Z]/month total
this means: if my content doesn't move the number, you pay base. if it does, we both win. it also means i'm reading your dashboard, not just delivering files.
i can show you what this would have looked like across the last 3 videos we did — happy to send a 1-page mockup.
why this worksyou're literally signing up to be measured. 80% of UGC creators flinch at performance-pay because they don't trust their own work. brands love this because it transfers risk back to you. they'll often agree just because nobody else offers it.
03 the performance "win-together" pitch
use when: smaller brand or DTC startup where the founder is in the DMs. they have hustle energy, not corporate procurement.
yo [name] — different proposition.
instead of doing one-off deals, what if we partnered for q[X]?
i'd commit to [N] videos a month for [N] months at $[X]/mo. on top of that, [3-5%] revenue share on anything trackable to my links/codes.
you get a creator who's actually invested in your numbers (vs another vendor billing per video). i get exposure to your roadmap so i can pre-build content for your launches.
if it's not working by month 2, no hard feelings, we go back to project work.
why this worksfounders respond to founder language. "different proposition" beats "i'd like to propose." revenue share + ground floor energy = they say yes because they can't believe they're getting that deal.
category 2 · time-based
when the brand needs capacity
these work when the brand wants a creator they can ping any week without re-negotiating. you're selling availability, not output.
04 the "always-on creator slot" pitch
use when: you've delivered for them 2+ times and they always come back with "do you have capacity for another?"
[name] — observation.
we've worked together [N] times now. every time you ping me, we re-do scope, re-quote, re-negotiate, re-onboard. probably costs your team 2-3 hours of admin per deal.
want to lock in a monthly slot?
$[X]/month, you get [N] hours of my time. anything that fits in that window — content, scripts, revisions, calls with your team, brand-side input on new launches. nothing fits in that window if i'm out of time that month. simple.
faster than scoping each project. cheaper than [X+Y%] if you'd run [N] one-offs at our usual rate.
why this worksyou're solving their procurement headache, not asking for more money. time-based retainers also let you raise effective rate without raising deliverable count — because "anything that fits" includes high-margin work like strategy calls.
05 the "held capacity" frame
use when: brand operates seasonally (Q4 brands, summer brands, launch-cycle brands) and you can predict their need windows.
hey [name] — heads up before q[X] gets here.
your peak window is [month] through [month]. that's [N] weeks where you need fast content cycles, fast revisions, and zero onboarding friction.
i can either: (a) take whatever bandwidth i have when you ask, or (b) hold capacity for you at $[X]/month for those [N] weeks.
option b means i turn down conflicting work, prioritize your inbox, deliver inside 48 hrs. if i'm not delivering on that, you keep the retainer dollars.
want to lock that in for q[X]?
why this works"held capacity" is a B2B term. brands hear it and assume you know what you're doing. the "if i'm not delivering, you keep the dollars" is the risk reversal — they can't lose on this.
06 the hourly-block retainer
use when: brand keeps DM'ing you with small asks ("can you do a quick edit," "can you send me 3 hook ideas," "can you review this script") and there's no clean per-deliverable price.
[name] — easier billing structure.
these small asks are starting to add up but neither of us wants to fight over per-edit pricing.
want a [N]-hour monthly block at $[X]?
i'll track what i'm doing in a shared doc — calls, revisions, hook brainstorms, script reviews, social audits. you see exactly what your hours bought. if we underuse, hours roll into next month (max 2 months stacked). if we overrun, i bill extra at $[Y]/hr.
cleaner than fielding 30 DMs and chasing invoices for $50 each.
why this worksthis is the script that converts "vendor" into "team member." once a brand has hours-on-the-clock with you, every other creator becomes "the random freelancer." you become irreplaceable not because of skill — because of switching cost.
category 3 · deliverables-based
when the brand needs predictable output
these work when the brand wants the same content cadence every month. predictable input · predictable output · no surprises.
07 the "content engine" pitch
use when: brand has an ongoing content calendar (weekly TikToks, monthly product launches) and they're juggling 3-5 random creators.
[name] — proposal: consolidate.
right now you're working with [N] creators for [type of content]. each one is a different DM thread, different invoice, different style, different turnaround time.
i'll be your monthly content engine.
$[X]/month for: [N] long-form TikToks + [N] short hooks + [N] Reels-cut versions + [N] static carousel post visuals. all on-brand. all delivered by the [N]th of the month.
one DM thread. one invoice. consistent voice. cheaper than the [N] creators you're stitching together.
why this worksyou're not selling MORE — you're selling LESS HEADACHE. the buyer is the brand manager who is tired of managing creators. they'll say yes to dismiss the problem.
08 the cohort-drop retainer
use when: brand launches new SKUs or campaigns on a predictable cadence (every 2 weeks, every month).
[name] — sustainable structure for the [campaign type] drops.
every time you ship a new [SKU/campaign], we re-scope. you're missing the first 2 weeks of awareness because we're negotiating instead of creating.
want a launch-tier retainer?
$[X]/month, every drop you ship comes with: 1 hero video + 3 hooks + 1 testimonial-style + 2 raw-clip variants — within 5 business days of the drop notification. no extra scoping.
it means you can plan your launch calendar 6 months out knowing content is solved.
why this worksyou're connecting your retainer to their business calendar. once the retainer is mapped to launches, killing it means killing their launch quality. renewal becomes automatic.
09 the "vendor-tier upgrade" pitch · the reframe for "we don't do retainers"
use when: brand says "we don't do retainers" or "we work project-by-project." this is the reframe that flips 70%+ of those nos.
[name] — totally get it. most brands i talk to say the same thing at first.
quick clarification: i'm not asking for a flat monthly with no obligation. i'm proposing a vendor-tier upgrade.
right now i'm a project vendor — you scope, i quote, you approve, i deliver. each cycle is 7-10 days of friction.
what i'm proposing is a vendor agreement — same vendor, lower friction. you sign once for [N] months at $[X]/month. inside that, you get [specific deliverables]. everything scoped, everything pre-approved, just signal which drop to apply it to.
most of your bigger vendors (creative agencies, ad teams) already work this way. it's not a retainer in the consultant sense. it's a vendor SLA.
i can send the contract template if you want to see what i mean.
why this works"retainer" triggers procurement red flags. "vendor agreement" doesn't. same money, different word, different decision-maker. this is the framing that closes brands who said "no retainers" on round 1.
category 4 · hybrid
when the brand has budget + procurement
these work for enterprise brands · the ones with budgets but also with finance teams and legal. hybrids cover their base + protect your upside.
10 the base-plus-performance hybrid
use when: mid-size brand with marketing director, not founder. they need to defend the spend internally.
[name] — proposed structure for q[X]:
BASE: $[X]/month for [N] deliverables. predictable, easy to forecast in your budget.
PERFORMANCE: +$[Y] per [metric crossed]. tied to numbers, capped at $[Z]. you don't pay for performance you didn't get.
CEILING: $[B + Z]/month if everything hits. floor: $[B] if nothing hits.
your CFO sees the floor. your CMO sees the ceiling. i'm pulling for the ceiling.
i've put together a 1-page proposal with the numbers and metrics — sending today, want to schedule 15 min next week to walk through?
why this worksyou're not selling to ONE person — you're selling to FINANCE + MARKETING simultaneously. the "your CFO sees the floor / your CMO sees the ceiling" language is exactly how B2B enterprise reps frame deals. marketing directors love being handed pre-built defenses.
11 the phased hybrid
use when: brand wants to commit to a retainer but is risk-averse about "what if it doesn't work."
[name] — phased version of what we discussed:
month 1: $[X] flat. you see what working with me on retainer feels like. month to month · you continue when it's working.
months 2-3: $[X+10%] flat. you've seen the work. small step up reflects locked-in priority on my calendar.
months 4+: $[X+25%] flat. by now you've forecasted around it. price reflects committed slot.
i shoulder the early-month risk. you shoulder the long-term commitment. fair?
why this worksphased pricing is unusual and feels custom. brands who agree to a phased structure rarely cancel at month 2 — they're psychologically invested by the time month 1 ends. by month 4, you've got an account that won't churn for at least a year.
12 the hybrid with quarterly reset
use when: brand is sophisticated, has been around the block, has worked with creators on retainer before and gotten burned.
[name] — structured around the things that go wrong with creator retainers.
most retainers fail because: (a) scope creeps, (b) brand interest dies, (c) creator output dies. let's structure around all three.
THE TERMS:
- $[X]/month base, [N] deliverables, [N] revisions
- quarterly reset: at end of each 90-day block we both review. either party can adjust scope, kill, or renew at flat or adjusted rate.
- monthly performance dashboard so you see what you bought
- every quarter is a fresh decision · you re-up when the work's paying for itself
i'd rather earn your business 4 times a year than trap you in something that's not working.
why this worksyou're literally telling the brand "i know retainers usually fail and here's how i'm preventing that." this is rare. smart brands will pay a premium for someone who already knows the failure modes. this script also makes you a more attractive vendor than every "i'll sign a 12-month lock" creator they've had bad experiences with.
decision tools
which script to send · decision tree
don't guess. ask yourself one question first: what is the brand optimizing for?
first, ask yourself: what is the brand optimizing for?
if the brand cares about RESULTS (sales, leads, conversion):
use performance-based (1, 2, or 3)
→ DTC startup with founder in DMs? script 3
→ tracking specific metric (CPA, ROAS)? script 2
→ just delivered, content running? script 1
if the brand cares about CAPACITY (always-available):
use time-based (4, 5, or 6)
→ they re-quote every time? script 4
→ they have seasonal peaks? script 5
→ they DM you with small asks? script 6
if the brand cares about PREDICTABLE OUTPUT:
use deliverables-based (7 or 8)
→ they juggle multiple creators? script 7
→ they launch on cadence? script 8
if they said "we don't do retainers":
script 9 · the reframe (vendor agreement)
if they're enterprise with procurement:
use hybrid (10, 11, or 12)
→ marketing director needs internal sell? script 10
→ they're risk-averse? script 11
→ they've been burned before? script 12
decision tools
the universal "no" responses
for any of these scripts, when they push back · use these. they don't "win" the objection · they reframe it so you keep moving.
"send me more info"
"will do. to help me send the right thing — are you optimizing for results, capacity, or predictable output?"
forces them to pick a lane, which means they're now thinking inside your framework
"need to check with [boss/finance]"
"totally — happy to send a 1-page proposal you can forward. want me to write it in a way your [boss/finance] can approve, or do you want my version first?"
offers to do their internal sell for them. nobody refuses free homework.
"budget is tight right now"
"got it. two options: (a) we start at [lower tier] and bump in 90 days if it's working, or (b) we skip the retainer and you keep me as project-by-project. which is closer to right?"
gives them an out that isn't "no" · they pick (a) more often than you'd think
"maybe in Q[next]"
"sounds good. want me to send the proposal so you can review during the interim and we lock it in [specific date]?"
kills the polite-no, turns it into a real deadline they have to defend
source notes · scripts 1-3 adapted from Criteo enterprise SaaS pricing playbook. scripts 4-6 adapted from Deel retainer-tier customer agreements. scripts 7-8 adapted from HBO talent retainer frameworks. scripts 10-12 adapted from Bloomberg enterprise vendor agreements. all rewritten to fit UGC DMs · same psychology, smaller dollar amounts. use the rate calculator at closermethod.com/rate to land on the $X amount per script.
stay close · optional
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one short email a day · written by eli · reply to any of them
when you're ready · the full toolkit
scripts are the start. the toolkit is the engine.
these 12 scripts get you to the proposal. the closer method toolkit gets you to the signed contract: the rate calculator, the 30-day onboarding roadmap, the 6 email templates for renewal, the re-quote playbook for raising rates without losing the client, the contract addendum + performance clauses, and the kit welcome flow.