Advisory Retainer: A Growth Marketing Consultant and Marketing Advisor on Call
A senior growth advisor in your corner, without hiring one full time.
From $3k/mo · 3-month minimum
What does a growth marketing consultant on retainer do?
A growth marketing consultant on retainer acts as your senior marketing advisor without a full-time hire. With my Advisory Retainer you get two strategy calls a month, a monthly KPI review, oversight of your agencies and vendors, and quick answers between calls. It's advice and oversight. Execution stays with your team, your agency or Croes Ave.
Merrick Lee Jr. is a strategic growth advisor based in New York City, and the founder of Croes Ave, a digital marketing agency he started in 2014. He works with established, owner-led and PE-backed service brands across New York City and the US.
Do you need a growth marketing consultant on retainer?
Signs it's the right fit for an established, owner-led or PE-backed service brand.
- You have an agency or a junior marketer, but no senior marketing lead
- You want someone to check the plan and the numbers every month
- Vendors and agencies aren't being held to clear goals
- You make big budget decisions and want a sounding board
- You've done an audit or workshop and need help staying on course
What's included in the Advisory Retainer?
Two strategy calls a month
Working sessions on priorities, campaigns and decisions
Monthly KPI review
A look at the numbers with clear next actions
Agency & vendor oversight
I review their work and reports and join key calls
Slack or email access
Quick questions answered between calls
Quarterly plan refresh
Priorities reset every 90 days
How does the Advisory Retainer work?
What do you walk away with?
- Clear priorities every month
- Agencies and vendors held to real goals
- Decisions made with a senior perspective
- A plan that stays current as the business changes
Next step: Fractional CMO
If you need someone to own the plan, budget and team, not just advise, the retainer can step up to a Fractional CMO engagement.
Where Croes Ave comes in
Advisory is advice only. When work needs doing, your team, your agency or Croes Ave executes. Croes Ave is scoped and priced separately.
Results
Results from Croes Ave clients
Paid Search campaigns with intake tracked end to end. Over the last 90 days, Paid Search sessions converted to key events at 36.8% — up 44% vs the prior 90 days.
Google Ads and Meta campaigns that fill summer camps and enrollment classes.
Father's Day brunch campaign on Meta that packed the room for pennies per guest.
“If I have any kind of a problem, any kind of an issue, I call and he picks up — or he calls me right back.”Harry Sgantzos · Owner, Clark's Diner
Advisory Retainer questions
What is a marketing retainer?
A marketing retainer is a fixed monthly fee for ongoing work. Mine is advisory: strategy calls, KPI reviews and vendor oversight, not campaign execution.
How much is a marketing consultant retainer fee?
My Marketing Advisory Retainer starts at $3k a month with a three-month minimum, then runs month to month.
Marketing advisor vs. fractional CMO: what's the difference?
An advisor guides and reviews; you keep ownership. A Fractional CMO owns the plan, budget and team and is accountable for results.
Can I start without an audit?
Yes, but an audit sets a baseline. If you take the Growth Marketing Audit first, its fee is credited toward the retainer.
How fast do you reply between calls?
Within one business day.
Do you work with tree care or lawn care companies?
No. Because of my exclusive partnership with Almstead, I don't take on tree care, lawn care or landscaping clients. If that's your industry, Almstead is in great hands.
Ready to start with a Advisory Retainer?
Book a 30-minute fit call. If it's not the right fit, I'll tell you what is.
Prefer to send a message? Open the contact form
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