From website copywriting packages to streamlined success.

If you’re a service business who wants to grow, streamline processes and stand out in a competitive market, service packaging could be for you.

When I first started copywriting, I wanted to tailor a package for every client. I soon realised that was a mistake. It was time consuming to come up with separate packages and pricing and I wasted time second guessing myself. I still delivered a personalised service, but it was clear many copywriting projects were similar.

After a masterclass with Kate Toon on packaging services, I realised not having website copywriting packages was making things hard for me, and for potential clients.

5 benefits of service packaging

Packaging (or bundling) your services has many benefits for you and your clients.

1. Increased perceived value and removes awkward pricing conversations

Having bundles or packages provides clients with a comprehensive solution. This increases perceived value, allowing you to charge a premium.

Having packages for many of my services has stopped me second guessing my pricing. The number is on my website, so it’s easier to provide a quote. It also stops you from wasting time talking to people who aren’t prepared to pay for your services. If you can set up your website to collect payment (using Stripe or PayPal), you can further streamline the process.

Service packaging also helps with budgeting and forecasting. You know exactly how many packages you need to sell each month. You can also set up retainer packages to provide consistent monthly income.

2. Simplified decision making for clients

Packages make it easier for potential clients. Instead of trying to work out which services they need, they can select a pre-designed package. This is especially important if the client isn’t sure what to ask for. A package gives them a better idea of what they can get for their budget. Knowing there aren’t any hidden charges removes possible objections.

Reducing decision fatigue for your clients and making it easier for them to understand your services can improve conversion rates.

3. Improved efficiency

Creating standardised packages helps you streamline your processes. This can lead to high profit margins and allow you to serve more clients. You know exactly how long the service takes, so you can plan your time and schedule clients efficiently. Having a clear timeline also helps clients deliver information or provide changes on time. Giving clients a clear start and finish date also gives them confidence.

Having packages with set inclusions helps you to develop simple processes and guidelines. This not only ensures you provide a consistent service, but it helps if you are engaging sub-contractors or using staff to deliver part of the service. You can also develop a standardised proposal with packages. Or you can include all the information on the sales page and do away with a proposal all together.

Service packages reduce marketing costs because you can focus on the value of a complete package rather than on many smaller services. You’re not wasting time negotiating on pricing, which speeds up the sales process.

4. Upselling opportunities

Having tiered packages or bundles can create natural upselling opportunities. Clients may decide to invest in a bigger service or additional offerings they might not have considered. For example, someone might come to me to write an email sequence to launch a course. But when they look at my email marketing packages, they see I also have a package which includes copy for a lead magnet and a landing page.

5. Standing out in a crowded market

Having a range of well-designed packages can help you stand out from others in the market. Clients will see you as providing a comprehensive solution.

Even if other service providers have packages, this makes it easier for clients to compare costs and inclusions.

9 steps to service packaging

Think service packaging might work for your business? Here are some steps to help you get started.

Step 1: Identify your core services

List the services you offer and work out which are most popular or complement each other. Understanding which services offer the most value and are in demand helps tailor your package offerings.

Focus on services that tick the following boxes:

• You like providing them
• You have specific or unique expertise
• The service generates good revenue
• The services are easy to package

Step 2: Analyse client needs

Review past projects and feedback to understand which combinations of services have provided the most benefit to your clients. Look at the needs and major pain points of your target audience. Conduct surveys, interviews or market research to gain insights into what your clients are looking for to create appealing packages.

Step 3: Bundle complementary services

Group services that naturally complement each other to create interesting packages. For instance, if you’re a digital marketer, bundling SEO, content marketing and social media management makes sense and benefits clients.

Step 4: Create tiered packages

Having 2 or 3 package tiers helps attract clients with different needs and budgets. Each tier should offer increasing value. This allows clients to choose a package to fit their budget while giving them options to upgrade for more value. Ensure each tier offers obvious distinctions in terms of benefits and services provided.

Create names for your packages to show your brand personality. Dane Squance from Noah’s Ark Social Media Management has 4 packages named after pets with a cute tag line. For example, Golden Retriever: Your Brand’s Best FRIEND, which is perfect as his business offers social media management for pet businesses.

Step 5: Price your packages

Map out your process to calculate the cost of delivering each package. Set prices that are attractive to clients while ensuring profitability for you. Offer a slight discount compared to buying services individually to reward package purchases. (You can read more about pricing below).

Step 6: Craft engaging package descriptions

Write clear, benefit-focused descriptions for each package. Highlight the value and what makes each tier unique. Use bullet points, visuals and testimonials to make the information digestible and interesting. Ideally, set up a sales page for your service packages.

Step 7: Determine terms and conditions

Establish the terms and conditions for each package, including duration of the service, payment terms, cancellation policies and other relevant details. Clarity in terms and conditions helps prevent misunderstandings and sets expectations.

Step 8: Develop your sales strategy

Create marketing materials to communicate the benefits of your packages to potential clients. Pick one package and focus all your marketing and communications on it. It should be a key pillar in your social media, the featured service on your website, in your email footer, profiles etc.

Promote case studies and testimonials from clients who have benefited from your service packages. Demonstrating real-world success stories builds trust and attracts new clients.

Go all in on marketing your service packages and make sure it’s working before you look at packaging other services.

Step 9: Test and refine

Once you launch, monitor performance by gathering client feedback and analysing sales data. You may need to adjust your packages based on market response and client needs.

By following these steps, you can create service packages to attract more clients, increase your revenue and streamline your business operations. Focus on creating value for your clients while simplifying your own processes.

How much do you charge for a service package?

Working out what to charge for your service packages can be challenging.

One option is to create a detailed list of everything that’s included and then work out how long you take. Factor in additional time for briefing and discussions, and add some contingency. If you’re in Australia and advertising your packages online, you need to include GST, so you might need to massage the price slightly to make it a round number. If your number comes out to $5011.23, perhaps look at $4997.

When you have multiple tiers of a package, keep the numbers similar.

Bigger packages might include more services, or more of a particular service. With my website copywriting packages, the only change is the number of pages included. Not every website fits into those packages, but it provides a starting point for the client and gives them an idea of what their website will cost.

Another option for service packaging is to bundle related services. This is what I’ve done for my email marketing packages.

The basic package includes an email sequence, the middle package includes an email sequence and a lead magnet. And the biggest package includes an email sequence, lead magnet and a landing page.

Case studies: smart service packaging success

I’ve shared my experience in creating some of my packages but thought it would be useful to share some real-life packaging experiences from some of my Digital Marketing Collective buddies.

Anastasia Geneave from No Grey Suits

I originally packaged my services as an avoidance technique. Not being terribly fond of the awkward money conversation, it’s much easier to have everything packaged up and already priced. Even if a potential client needs some tweaks, they’ve already got an idea of how much things cost.

My packages are a work in progress, as I learn more about the art of pricing. So far, it’s been a combination of researching what others charge for similar services, and reviewing past quotes to work out what inclusions clients have wanted. Now I’ve got a better understanding of clients and competitors, I’m making sure the pricing is sustainable for my business.

There have been several benefits to setting up packages. First, increased transparency as the prices are on my website for all to see. It also eases the quoting conversation and heads off tyre-kickers or those who can’t afford the service. I’d rather be upfront about pricing than try to gate-keep, so this works for me.

Check out Anastasia’s Reel Ready package.

Liz Clarkson from Pod & Pen

We packaged our services because making podcasts is a big job with lots of moving parts, and it easily gets overwhelming. By offering different levels of service, it’s quick to clarify what’s involved with making a podcast and what level a potential client might need.

For example, some people may want a live producer to manage the entire show, including organising guests, research and scripts, recording and editing. Others may also want help with marketing and PR. But some people are looking for something more stripped back.

We’re still working on our packages. We don’t have exact prices on our packages because podcasts vary, so we give ballpark figures based on our experience of launching podcasts and the time that takes. The more episodes, the cheaper per episode it becomes because so much of the work is in the first three episodes.

Packages make things clearer for both me and the clients. For me, offering tiered packaging provides more insight than the packages themselves. It helps me to understand how much help each client is looking for. I’m always surprised, but most clients want higher level packages than the basic offerings, and it’s great to get a clear picture on that within the first 10 minutes of talking to someone.

We now offer a course, which is more economical for those who are looking to DIY their podcast. If someone is looking for minimal support, I can direct them to the Pod like a Pro podcast course. Check out the Podcast Production packages and Podcast content and copywriting packages.

Nerissa Bentley – The Melbourne Health Writer

I packaged my services because I was writing lots of websites and reviewing websites to ensure they complied with AHPRA advertising guidelines. The time involved was always similar and the inclusions were the same for each project. So it was a no-brainer to bundle them into packages. It was easier for clients to understand fees and inclusions and it saved me from quoting for every project. It also removed the emotion of sending out a quote. I worked out how many hours each project would take me and multiplied by my hourly rate. This gave me a base rate to work on. Then I factored in time for discussions with the client and a contingency for extra things that may pop up.

I looked at inclusions that didn’t cost me a lot, but would provide value to the client. For example, sending a video explanation of web copy doesn’t take much time, but it’s helpful for the client and makes the process easier.

There’s been a few benefits about packaging my services. I don’t need to work out quotes every time clients want these types of projects, so I’m more efficient at quoting.

It’s also easier for clients to understand what’s included in the package, what’s not covered and how much it will cost. This helps them make informed decisions and meet their budgets. Seeing prices on my website for some things gives potential clients an idea of whether my services are within their budget. 

Finally, having packages makes marketing easier. I know what I’m offering, I can talk about the offer, and I can send potential clients to a page on my website that outlines the offer.

You can check out Nerissa’s packages here.

Crystal Lobban from Crystal Lobban Creative

I packaged my services to give readers another option to customised pricing. People like to know what they are up for. It’s also helpful for me if someone buys a package as it saves me customising pricing for each project.

I looked at the common content people request and then packaged them up with 3 different price point options (looking at competitor pricing to help). My digital content packages include several types of content for the one price. Perfect for startup businesses who may not know what they need. My 3 different website review packages offer a chance for potential customers to have their website reviewed and existing content edited.

I think the biggest benefit has been people can email me and say exactly what package they want and the project can start sooner. The prices show what I charge, so it eliminates any people whose budget doesn’t align with my services. Of course, still offering customised pricing means the customer can reduce the scope and price of their project to align with their budget.

Find out more about Crystal and her packages here.

Ready to package your services?

I hope this blog, and the case studies I’ve shared, have provided some inspiration to set up your own service packages. By following these steps, you can effectively create and market packages to meet client needs and drive your business growth.

If you know someone who would like to learn about service packaging, please share this blog.