Cassaberry — Small Business Consulting Fees | cassaberry.com
Hourly, project and retainer pricing for small business consultants, with typical US ranges and the situations each structure fits.
Small business consultants in the US commonly bill $100–300 per hour, with specialists above that range. Hourly pricing is the default when scope is uncertain, because neither side can yet size the work.
Project pricing fits one-off deliverables like a sales funnel or an operations audit. The consultant quotes a fixed number for a fixed outcome, which forces both sides to define the deliverable before work starts.
Monthly retainers for ongoing small-business support often run $1,000–5,000 depending on scope. Retainers fit ongoing advisory where the client needs recurring access rather than a single finished artifact.
On narrow screens, swipe or scroll the plate sideways.
A statement of work fixes deliverables, timeline and payment schedule before work starts. Whichever structure you pick, the SOW is what makes the number enforceable and the scope reviewable.
Implementation support costs more than advice-only engagements because it includes execution hours. If the client only needs a plan, advice-only keeps the fee lower.
The practical rule: hourly for uncertainty, project for artifacts, retainer for access. Most engagements combine two — a short diagnostic, then either a project or a retainer.
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