How a retainer works
With a retainer, you pay a fixed monthly fee whether or not the campaign produces conversations. The agency's incentive is to stay busy and keep the contract, not necessarily to book meetings.
That can work when results are easy to predict. For outbound, results depend on targeting, deliverability, and messaging, and it takes time to see what's working.
How pay-per-meeting works
In a pay-per-meeting model there is no upfront retainer. You pay a set amount for each qualified meeting that actually happens.
The risk shifts to the provider. If the targeting is wrong or the campaign underperforms, they don't get paid, so they have every reason to fix it quickly.
What to check before you sign
Ask how a qualified meeting is defined, who verifies it, and what happens if you disagree. A clear definition and a dispute window protect you.
Also ask who owns the sending infrastructure and who covers the tooling costs, so there are no surprise fees later.
