Practical lead generation guides
Pay per lead or a marketing retainer?
The useful comparison is what you are buying. A pay-per-lead agreement defines an enquiry and its commercial terms. A marketing retainer defines ongoing work, responsibilities and deliverables.
Tell us your target market
What a pay-per-lead agreement needs
Look for a clear lead definition, price, delivery method and rules for invalid or duplicate enquiries. Clarify whether setup or media costs are separate. Your sales team still needs to respond, assess the opportunity and close the work; the purchase is not automatically a sale.
What a retainer agreement needs
A retainer can cover campaign management, creative work, reporting or other specified services. The scope should explain what work is included, who owns campaign assets and how media spend is handled. Paying for ongoing activity does not automatically guarantee a fixed number of leads.
Compare complete costs and responsibilities
List the service fees, campaign costs, internal follow-up time and any setup work for each proposal. Compare the outcomes being offered on equal terms. An initial enquiry, a qualified meeting and a completed sale are different deliverables, even if proposals use the same word for them.
Choose around the problem you need solved
A business that needs ongoing strategic and creative support may evaluate a different scope from one with a sales team ready to handle new enquiries. Ask which responsibilities you want to retain and which you want a provider to manage. The right arrangement depends on that scope and your economics.