Why Secure a Retainer with Influential?
At first glance it might seem that hiring a W2 employee would be cheaper, as their per-hour wage is less than an independent contractor whose fee covers several business expenses. However, when you factor indirect costs, retaining an independent contractor saves you tens of thousands of dollars per year, as broken down below:
12 weeks with...
versus
INFLUENTIAL
150 hrs*
+
$0 Costs for
Insurance
Vacations
Sick Pay
Retirement
Payroll tax
​
= $12,000
​
- plus -
0 hours wasted per day on paid breaks, browsing social media, gossiping with coworkers, or making personal calls,
texts or emails
Multiple writers to work with, ensuring illness or extenuating circumstances don’t sacrifice the job getting done
Staff Writer
480 hrs**
+
$14,000
indirect costs
(benefits, taxes, etc.)
​
= $33,200
​
- plus -
5 hours wasted per day on paid breaks, browsing social media, gossiping with coworkers, or making personal calls,
texts or emails***
1 person handling your project management, putting your projects at risk if your writer becomes sick or takes an unexpected leave
Got Commitment Issues?
If you’re not sure a year-round retainer is right for you, let us start on a per-project basis. See package details and pricing for per-project and retained services below.
*Based on INFLUENTIAL's average of 10-15 hours worked per week per client. Hours vary based on each client's project demands at a given time.
**Based on a 40 hour work week of a staffer being paid $40/hr. Even at 20 hours, the costs to the employer would be nearly double that of hiring an independent contractor.
***Reference: James, Geoffrey (2018). New Research: Most Salaried Employees Only Do About 3 Hours of Real Work Each Day. Inc.com. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/new-research-most-salaried-employees-only-do-about-3-hours-of-real-work-each-day.html