Marketing Tip: Creating Packages That Sell

Whether you’re a coach, consultant, nutritionist, personal trainer, lifestyle expert, or any other kind of expert your business can be helped considerably by offering packages to your prospective clients.

What’s a package?

A package is simply an easy way of bundling together the core services you offer in a way that allows you to clearly communicate what you offer and the value it delivers to your clients.

Here’s an example.

Many new coaches will often view their services on a monthly basis only. If a prospective client inquired about their services the conversation might sound something like this:

Prospective client: How much do you charge?

New coach: For 3-30 minutes calls per month I charge $300 per month.

Period.

There’s no conversation about how many months the coach will work with a client, why that time frame is important, or even what the focus of the coaching relationship will be. Doing it this way actually makes the coaches job much harder because each and every month (should she actually get the client) she’ll have to re-enroll the client for the new month ahead. For the client it’s confusing because there’s no END point to look forward to.

Now, consider this option. Again, a prospective new client asks the coach how she works and after a detailed conversation the coach realizes this client would be a perfect fit for her new business jump start package. Here’s what the coach might say:

Coach: You know, based on what we’ve discussed and what your needs are it sounds like my 90-Day New Business Jump Start Package would be ideal for you! Over 90 Days I will help you achieve A, B, and C so that at the end of 90 days you are ready for your next steps!

If you were this client which option would you say yes to?

That’s the essence of why packages work so well for service-based businesses.

Here are some other reasons why they work:

1. They establish your credibility.

2. They provide you a longer guaranteed income stream vs. month-to-month income.

3. They appear more valuable to prospective clients because packages are PURPOSEFUL in nature.

4. They’re flexible. Once you know the core purpose behind your packages (helping people get their lives on track, businesses on track, lose weight, build muscle, work out relationship issues, etc.) you can actually customize the basic packages for your clients unique needs. This is a very smart thing to do because each client’s needs will differ. If you come to the table with a few basic packages and then customize them for your clients your clients will feel very taken care of and understood.

5. They support the compelling promise you’re making to your new client… “by this date I will help you achieve _________”.

6. You can offer creative payment options: Pay in full, pay in full discount, monthly installments, etc.

7. The package structure will allow you to be extremely focused with your client. FOCUS is something clients like and they’ll more easily see how enrolling in one of your packages will help them be more focused.

Here’s my suggestion: If you haven’t created packages yet then start by brainstorming 3 basic package structures you could offer your clients. Think of these package structures in small, medium, and large terms. Start with your largest package by listing all of the things you’d love to offer a client in this package (making it 100% relevant to what your clients want and need) and for your smaller packages take away items.

In the end be sure the packages you put together are valuable, relevant, and also reflect your unique style and brilliance. Be sure YOU love what you’ve created because then you’ll be much more excited to offer them to your prospective clients!