What Marketing Consulting Costs With Me, and Why It Is Priced That Way

How much does marketing consulting cost?

With Kadlecek Consulting, starter packages are $225 to $325 flat, hourly support is $85 to $175 depending on the type of work, project work ranges from $150 for small website updates to $5,000 and up for full event support, and retainers run $750 to $3,500 and up per month. The first consultation is always free.

Those are the numbers. The rest of this page is why each one is structured the way it is, because a price without reasoning behind it is just a number to negotiate against.

For market context beyond my own rates, I wrote a broader small business pricing guide covering what consultants generally charge. This page is only about mine.

Starter packages: $225, $275, $325

Three flat-rate packages exist for one reason. Most people are not trying to decide whether to hire a consultant. They are trying to solve one specific problem and would like to find out whether working together is any good before committing to something larger.

• Message Mini-Makeover, $225. One hour together, a review of one page or offer, before-and-after language, three stronger headline or call-to-action options.
• Content Compass Session, $275. One hour together, a review of current content or LinkedIn presence, a one-page content priority map, five practical topics.
• Lead Path Tune-Up, $325. One hour together, a review of one landing page or contact path, conversion friction notes, a one-page action list.

Each one is flat rate because the scope is genuinely fixed. Nobody should need a proposal to buy a $225 session.

Hourly: $85 to $175, and why the rate moves

The rate is not a measure of effort. It is a measure of how much judgment sits in the hour and how expensive it is to get that judgment wrong.

• Communication and LinkedIn coaching, $85 to $120. Clearer professional language, executive presence, thought leadership.
• General consulting and marketing support, $90 to $125. Planning, content, campaigns, messaging, and day-to-day marketing decisions.
• AI workflow and process consulting, $100 to $150. Using AI tools to improve workflow and documentation rather than produce more noise.
• Fractional marketing and strategic advisory, $125 to $175. Senior direction across messaging, campaigns, content, and growth priorities.

Hourly is the right choice for a short-term question, a troubleshooting session, or specialized support where you do not want to commit to a larger scope.

Projects: why they are ranges

A range is not hedging. It is the honest answer to a question that does not have a single number, because the same request can be a two-hour edit or a three-week rebuild depending entirely on what already exists.

• Basic website updates, $150 to $500.
• SEO, AEO, and GEO optimization projects, $500 to $2,500 and up.
• Conversion rate optimization reviews, $300 to $1,500.
• Blog writing and publishing, $50 to $300 per article.
• Brand messaging and positioning support, $500 to $3,000 and up.
• Email campaign development, $250 to $1,500.
• Event support packages, $1,500 to $5,000 and up.

The free consultation exists mostly to narrow the range before anything is booked, so you do not overbuy support you do not need. Flat-rate pricing is provided whenever it is possible to provide it.

Retainers: $750, $1,500 to $3,500, and $3,500 and up

Retainers are scoped around the level of strategic involvement, the meeting rhythm, the types of deliverables, turnaround expectations, and whether I am advising, creating, coordinating, or operating more like a fractional marketing lead.

• $750 to $1,500 per month. Light advisory, targeted reviews, a few priority moves each month. A senior check-in with a short list of focused priorities.
• $1,500 to $3,500 per month. The most common tier. Ongoing planning, content direction, website improvements, and campaign support with steady follow-through.
• $3,500 and up per month. More embedded work across strategy, execution, reporting, stakeholders, and growth priorities.

If you are weighing recurring support against a project or a hire, the scope of work template is a useful way to see what you would actually be buying.

Why I publish any of this

Three reasons, and none of them are generous.

The first is that it saves both of us a call. If $750 a month is not possible right now, you should be able to learn that in ten seconds rather than after scheduling something.

The second is that people trust a business that says the number. Hiding pricing behind a form signals that the price depends on how much you appear able to pay, which is the wrong thing to signal to someone deciding whether to trust you with their marketing.

The third is practical. Search engines and AI answer tools cannot cite a price they cannot see. When someone asks an assistant what a small business marketing consultant costs, a page with real, specific, current numbers on it is the kind of page that gets quoted. A page that says "contact us for pricing" is not an answer to anything.

How to spend the least and still get what you need

• Start with the free consultation and ask directly for the lightest useful scope.
• Buy the diagnosis before you buy the execution. A $325 tune-up that tells you the real problem beats a $2,500 project aimed at the wrong one.
• Do not start with a retainer. Start with something finite and see whether you like how the work feels.
• Say your budget out loud. It narrows the recommendation faster than any discovery question I could ask.
• If the honest answer is that you do not need a consultant yet, I would rather tell you that. Here is who I am not a fit for.

Ranges on this page reflect pricing as of September 2026. The pricing page always has the current version.

Frequently asked questions

How much does marketing consulting cost with Kadlecek Consulting?

Starter packages are $225 to $325 flat. Hourly support is $85 to $175 depending on the type of work. Project work ranges from $150 for small website updates to $5,000 and up for full event support. Retainers run $750 to $3,500 and up per month. The first consultation is free.

Why are project prices published as ranges instead of a single number?

Because the same request can be a two-hour change or a three-week rebuild depending on what already exists. A range is an honest signal of the band you are in, and the free consultation narrows it before anything is booked.

Can I start small before committing to a retainer?

Yes. Most relationships start with a starter package, an audit, a strategy session, or one small project. Recurring support makes sense once there is steady work to direct, not before.

Why does the hourly rate change depending on the type of work?

The rate reflects how much judgment and risk sits in the decision. General marketing support is $90 to $125 per hour. Fractional and strategic advisory is $125 to $175 per hour because the decisions made in those hours are the expensive ones to get wrong.

Do you offer flexibility for nonprofits and smaller businesses?

Yes. Flat-rate pricing is provided whenever possible, and smaller businesses, nonprofits, and startups are encouraged to reach out even when the budget is limited. Flexible options may be available depending on scope.