November 13, 2026 · 5 min read
How a Cocoa Beach Business Cut Its Agency Retainer by 89% (and Saved $60,600 a Year)
A local business in Cocoa Beach, FL went from a $4,000/mo agency retainer to $450/mo, an 89% cut, and removed another $1,500/mo in unnecessary Google Ads spend.
That is $5,050 back in the business every month, or $60,600 a year.
Working just to break even
Every month, $4,000 left the business for an agency retainer, plus more than $1,500 in Google Ads spend that was not bringing in work. The owner was putting in the hours, but the money was going out as fast as it came in.
The numbers
The retainer dropped 88.75%, and total monthly marketing cost (retainer plus wasted ad spend) dropped about 92%.
What changed
- A new, fast website built to be found on Google and recommended by AI search.
- Google Ads trimmed to the searches that actually bring in customers, cutting $1,500/mo in waste.
- A simple $450/mo plan instead of a $4,000 retainer.
Growth that lasts longer than an ad
Since the new website launched, the business has been growing in both Google organic search and AI search. Unlike paid clicks, that visibility keeps working month after month, so the business depends less on continual ad spend.
The bigger win is personal: more money stays in the owner's pocket every month, and the business works for him instead of the other way around.
Could you save the same way?
If you are paying more than $150/mo to a marketing agency, plug your numbers into the Switch & Save calculator. See a similar story in How a Bunnell Business Cut Marketing Overhead by 78%.
FAQ
Questions people ask about this
- How much did the Cocoa Beach business save?
- $5,050 per month ($60,600 per year): $3,550/mo from the retainer going from $4,000 to $450, plus $1,500/mo in wasted Google Ads spend removed.
- What does AXF charge?
- Websites start at $300 one-time for up to five pages, then $50/mo hosting starting 30 days after checkout. Google Ads setup starts at $300 one-time, then $100/mo per campaign.
- Do I have to sign a contract?
- No. AXF has no long-term contracts.
Run your own numbers
See what your agency costs you over 12 or 24 months
Put in what you pay your marketing agency per month, how many pages you need, and whether you want Google Ads. The calculator shows the difference against a $300 build and $50/month hosting.