The renewal conversation script (90 days before expiry)
How to raise the renewal of a fractional retainer — without sounding desperate, without underpricing, and without losing the deal. Word-for-word script + timing.
Fractional engagements don't lapse because the work is bad. They lapse because nobody scheduled the renewal conversation early enough. This is the script — and the exact 90/60/30 cadence that gets engagements signed before the buyer ever wonders "do we still need this?".
Day 90 — Plant the flag
Three months before contract end, end a regular weekly check-in with: "Heads up — our agreement renews [date]. I'd like to spend 30 minutes in [month] going through what the next 6 months should look like. Want to put it on the calendar now?" Get it on the calendar in that meeting. Don't email it.
Day 60 — The renewal conversation
Use the QBR template (separate article). Open with: "This is the conversation where we figure out the next 6 months. Three options on the table — extend as-is, expand scope, wind down — and I want to make sure we land on the right one for where you are." Then walk results, then proposed plan, then fee.
Always present three options. Naming "wind down" yourself disarms it as a threat and signals confidence. Buyers almost never pick it when you offer it cleanly.
Day 30 — Send paper, not pitch
After the renewal conversation, send a one-page renewal SOW within 48 hours. Fee, term, scope, start date. Subject line: "[Client] × [you] — renewal SOW for signature." No reopening of negotiations in email.
If they hesitate
Hesitation is almost always about clarity, not value. Ask: "What would make this an obvious yes?" Listen. Often the answer is "I want to revisit the priorities," which is fine — that's slide 7. Sometimes it's "I want to flex the fee down," which is a real conversation. Have it once, decide cleanly, move on.
If they say no
Don't argue. "Totally understand — I want to make sure the handoff is clean. Let's spend 60 days transitioning." A graceful exit becomes referrals later. A messy one becomes a story they tell about you.
About fractional renewal script
Can I raise rates at renewal?+
Yes — and you should, modestly, every year. Build a 3–5% annual escalator into your initial contract so renewals aren't a price negotiation, just an indexation.
What if my client wants a month-to-month renewal?+
Counter with a 6-month term and a 60-day mutual termination. You get predictability; they get an exit ramp. Pure month-to-month is a slow-motion lapse.