Sofia Marchetti, independent brand designer, is raising her retainer with Lumen Botanics — the skincare brand whose $9,300 website she rebuilt and now maintains. Same hours, same work, a rate reviewed once a year.
EFFECTIVE 1 FEBRUARY 2027 · 45 DAYS' NOTICE+10% · +$180 a month · +$2,160 a year
Hours do not shrink while the price rises. In-flight work finishes at the old rate; the new rate applies from the February invoice.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Notice sent | Friday 18 Dec 2026 |
| Reply by | Monday 25 Jan 2027 |
| New rate starts | Monday 1 Feb 2027 |
45 days' notice, anchored to the retainer's February renewal — a date Lumen already has.
Pick a tier. Every tier rises by the same 10% — the increase is a routine annual review, not a negotiation per client.
+$180 a month · +$2,160 a year at the same hours.
Subject: Retainer rate from 1 February 2027
Hi Mara,
The site we rebuilt now takes the bookings it was built for — and the monthly work has settled into a steady rhythm we both know well.
From 1 February 2027, the Growth tier will be $1,980 a month, up from $1,800. The hours stay at 16, the response time stays same-day, and everything already in flight finishes at the current rate.
This is a rate review, and it reflects the work the retainer now covers — seasonal campaigns and new pages alongside the fixes it started with. The January invoice is unchanged; February is the first month at the new rate.
If the new tier does not fit, reply by 25 January and we can shape a smaller scope at the same rate. Otherwise I will update the February invoice, and nothing else changes.
Thank you — I look forward to the next ones.
— Sofia
Short. No apology, no cost diary, one decision.
| Evidence | What it proves |
|---|---|
| Website rebuilt for $9,300, delivered and paid in full | The result Lumen already has |
| Retainer months honoured, no missed response window | Continuity the client can check |
| New clients are quoted the $1,980 tier today | The rate is the market rate, not a personal ask |
What is not in the letter: rent, software costs, or any other freelancer's price. Clients pay for results, not overhead.
One line of thanks, confirm 1 February and the February invoice, update the rate card the same day.
Don't discount the rate. Offer 14 hours instead of 16 at $1,980 — same rate, smaller scope, written down.
Phase it: $1,890 in February, $1,980 in May. Both dates in the same email — never an open-ended discount.
Thank them, hand over files and access cleanly, and don't counter-offer a discount at the door.
This page is an example output of the Rate Increase Writer skill — a fictional retainer increase for a fictional client relationship. The full method (rate math, notice timing, reply playbook) is inside the paid skill.