5 Keys to an Irresistible Services Menu

In last week’s article, we went over some of the basic steps to create a great services menu. As a service provider, your menu of services will be one of the critical factors in whether or not someone hires you. By paying attention to these five keys you can make sure that you are developing a menu that meets your clients’ needs as well as your own.

Key #1 – Package your solutions with your clients’ problems in mind.

Don’t create packages just for the sake of creating them. Make sure your offerings will really fit the needs of your ideal client. The packages should help them solve their most pressing challenges. You can do this by making a list of common challenges and then coming up with ways that one or a combination of your services can solve those problems. For example, an interior designer may find that many of her clients aren’t sure what their preferred style of décor is. She can offer a consulting service that both helps educate the client on different styles and guides them toward the right fit for them.

Key #2 – Consider how your ideal client can best benefit from your services.

As a service provider, there are many ways that you can serve your clients to meet their needs – but in order to get the best results you need to find the best way to engage them. Ask yourself “how can my clients best learn from me?” In some cases, they’ll need you to assess where they are at or what they already have accomplished in a one-on-one environment (like a coaching call or consulting session). In other cases, you may need to offer ongoing email support, tools or worksheets. Consider the services that you offer and what helps clients get the best experience and the fastest results. Think outside of the box and offer something that no one else in your industry is offering – for example, a Virtual Assistant could offer coaching sessions on organization and time management for busy clients. Don’t be afraid to try something different!

Key #3 – Realistically look at your clients’ timeframe for success.

How long do your clients need to work with you to achieve the desired result? For example, if you are a weight loss coach or holistic health counselor, your clients didn’t develop bad habits over night.  So you aren’t going to be able to “fix” them overnight, and your packages shouldn’t be short term. In this case, offering a 3, 6 or 9 month coaching program is not only going to benefit your cash flow(because of the long term work) but it will benefit the client as well by helping them to change learned behaviors and enjoy significant results.

Key #4 – Create three options for VIP, mid-range and basic clients.

Even within your market, there are clients that have different levels of needs so it’s best to offer different levels of service. At the VIP level, your clients are getting more access or support from you and, as such, the price is significantly higher than the basic package where you’re offering beginner’s solutions that are “bargain” priced. Consider how you can create different packages to fit different scenarios that your client might be facing and different budgets.

Key #5 – Create benefit-focused package names.

The terms VIP, midrange and basic mean something to you – but they won’t resonate with your customers. Name your packages according to the benefit or result that your clients will gain from investing in that option. Your clients should be able to easily “see themselves” in at least one of your options and immediately think “that’s just for me!”

With these five keys you’ll be able to identify your client’s needs and create packages that are meant just for them. This will lower their resistance to buying and make it easy to picture themselves working with you. Your service menu is one of the most important pre-selling tools available, so be sure to incorporate these five keys to see more success.

How will you implement these steps into your business NOW? Share your plan below and I’ll reply with additional tips to help you get better results!

Your Action Plan For The Week:

1. Write down your client’s major problems and pair their needs with your services.
2. Create several levels of service – a basic, mid-level and VIP package – so that no matter what stage of the game they’re at, you have something to offer them. Remember to focus on the benefits and results your clients are looking for.
3. Keep in mind the length of time you’ll need to work with your clients to create quality results and make sure your packages reflect that.
4. Come up with enticing names for your packages that reflect the benefit to the client. “Package A” is a lot less exciting than “The Social Media Newbie” package.