Define and create your list or freelance service packages easily
An important point to define when you think about working freelance is what services, within everything that covers your career, you are going to offer and what audience you are going to address.}
Therefore, it is important to define a list of freelance services that will at the same time allow you to bid more easily, put together service packages, negotiate prices better and increase your “purchase ticket” (sell more to the same client).
How to put together a list of services and packages:
1. Break down your services into a list
To create your list of services, first write down which functions are the main ones in your work area.
For example, if you are a designer, the main functions may be: creating designs from scratch, vectorization, conversion to CMYK or RGB, image retouching, etc.
After you have defined these main areas, you can divide them into more specific subcategories or functions. For that matter, we are going to take the “creating designs from scratch” function. Imagine that your specialty is branding. This includes not only the creation of logos, but also stationery, brand design development, creation of brand or logo use manuals, packaging design, store or stand design, to name a few.
Or if your specialty is illustration, you could define things like book illustration, set design, character design, comic creation, tattoo designs, etc.
It all depends on what kind of projects you would like to focus on. That is to say, what you should list in the subcategories are specific things in which you can help your ideal client.
2. Relate some services to others
Once you have defined the specific services that you can offer, think about which ones can be offered together.
For example, if you design a logo, you can mention to the client that you can also redesign their stationery. This is an opportunity to sell you more in the same contact. If the client is interested, you will already have an armed offer of what things you can design: folders, letterhead, envelopes, desk calendars, invoices… In short, everything that you have defined as a service related to logo design and its application.
Think about it and make groups of services that can be offered in a package.
Each service does not need to be in a single group. You can make these include the same common elements plus a few extras.
For example:
Individual services: A, B, C, D
- 1st package: A+B
- 2nd package: A + C + D
- 3rd package: A + B + C + D
3. Assign individual and combo prices
The idea of bundling services is to offer the customer better value. Let them see that by choosing a package you will have a more complete solution.
In addition, it will allow you to negotiate prices and discounts. To do this, assign the price of each service individually and then a “combo” price. Here you must keep in mind that the more services a package includes, the better the individual price should be or at least some of them should be at a better price.
For example:
Service A: USD $10, Service B: USD $25, Service C: USD $10, Service D: USD $20.
- 1st package: A + B : USD $32 (Separated add up to USD $35)
- 2nd package: A + C + D : USD $35 (Separately they add up to USD $40).
- 3rd package: A + B + C + D : USD $58 (Separated add up to USD $65)
To determine the value separately, estimate the time invested in each one and the effort depending on its level of difficulty.
You can also define “gift” services and negotiate them within a limited period of time. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you are actually going to give away the work, but rather that the price of each service you offer allows you to cover the cost.
Going back to the example of creating a logo, something easy could be to create a personalized business card.
This could even help you sell changes for signatures or cards for other company employees. You give the card “free”, but you charge for changes.
Of course, it meets the deadlines. If the offer runs out of time, remove the “gift” from the offer and do not give a package price on individual services. Yes you can make a discount, but the combo is always more convenient.
Take your time to review prices. This is an effort worth making.
Benefits of offering packaged services:
1. Ease for the customer
Sometimes clients do not know very well what complementary services they need. Or they are things they had not considered. Offering them your range of solutions in writing will help them better determine their requirements and more easily explain what they want.
This also helps them see options according to their needs, such as company size and budget.
2. Possibility of selling more
By offering packaged services, you have more options to sell extras to the client. Even if you reject the combo at the moment, it is possible that you will later want the service. In this case, you can sell it at the regular price separately.
On the other hand, this way the client knows what else you can do for them. If you do a good job, they are more likely to remember you in the future for new projects.
3. Avoid misunderstandings and unpaid extra work
There are times when the client asks for “favorites,” since you are on the project and they owe you payment.
These can range from trifles like “send it to me in PDF” to you making new designs for something that was not contemplated, you finding the illustrations, you reviewing additional text that it adds to the document for which you bid, your site having Also an app , upload it to Google Playstore…
All of this is work that does require time and effort. And he will want you to “include it as part of the job.”
To avoid this, it is best for the client to have a list of services and prices. And, above all, your offer says that additional services will be invoiced separately with a new purchase order. Thus, with complete confidence you can tell him that you will be happy to do it, that you will send him the purchase order by mail (or physically) and that once approved you will work on it.
In other words, showing your complete list of services will help the client measure the scope of the project as well. What things you will receive and what things you will not.
4. You get more projects in your area of expertise
By having your service package defined, it is more likely that the client will have you in mind for that specific type of work. Additionally, they are more likely to recommend you in such cases.
This means that you will end up getting more jobs and specializing in an area that you really like or in which you are a specialist.
This, of course, will also help you improve your portfolio and make your personal brand “shine” as an expert in the field.
