Appointment Setting Without a Retainer or Minimum Term

The most common story we hear from founders goes like this. They signed a six month appointment setting retainer, the first month was spent on setup, the second month produced a few replies, and by month four they were paying for a campaign they no longer believed in. They could not leave, so they kept paying.

The retainer trap

A monthly retainer is a fee for effort. It is predictable for the agency and easy to sell, but it does not guarantee outcomes. Combine it with a minimum term and you get three problems:

• You pay before you know it works. The first months are often setup and testing, billed at full price.
• Activity replaces results. Reports fill up with invites sent, acceptance rates and replies, rather than calls attended.
• You cannot walk away. Even when the fit is wrong, the contract keeps running.

The alternative: pay per attended appointment

With AppointmentSetters you buy a fixed number of attended appointments in a one-time package. There is no monthly retainer and no minimum term. When your package is delivered, you decide whether to buy another one. Nothing renews automatically.

No minimum term. No retainer. You buy a number of attended, qualified appointments, and we keep working until that number is delivered.

appointmentsetters.us/portal

Why packages are paid upfront

We are open about this. A quality campaign needs dedicated SDRs, LinkedIn accounts, Sales Navigator seats and data from the very first day, so packages are paid upfront and are not refundable once the work begins. Think of it as funding the team that will deliver your calls.

The protection you get in return is stronger than a refund promise: if the campaign takes longer than planned, we do not charge you again. We keep working until every appointment you paid for has been attended by a buyer who matches your approved criteria. We aim to complete each package within 30 days of launch, as a target rather than a deadline.

What the packages cost

• Starter: 10 attended appointments, $2,500 ($250 each).
• Pro: 25 attended appointments, $5,625 ($225 each).
• Elite: 50 attended appointments, $10,000 ($200 each).
• Enterprise: 100 attended appointments, $15,000 ($150 each).

Questions to ask any provider about contracts

1. 1Is there a minimum term, and how do I cancel?
2. 2Does the fee renew automatically?
3. 3What exactly am I paying for: time, activity, bookings or attended calls?
4. 4What happens if the target is missed?
5. 5Are no-shows counted as delivered?

If the answers point to effort rather than results, keep looking. Outsourced appointment setting should make your pipeline more predictable, not your costs.