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Billing Your Services: The Packages

When you become a freelancer or a self-employed worker, you need to answer a few questions about billing your services. Are you going to bill per hour, project, word, or package? What is the best option for you? Let us present to you another option: the package and its many benefits. It is a good option if you want to offer complementary services. <h3>What is a package?</h3> Before starting, we must say that we were surprised to find only a few articles on the packages and their advantages. Still today, many freelancers and self-employed workers choose to be paid on an hourly basis, although there are many other appropriate options to their situation. If we look in a dictionary, a package is simply a set of items, ideas, or services that must be bought or accepted together. The package often offers a better price than if all services are purchased individually. In other words, it is a set of services that can be more advantageous for you and your clients. Packages are increasingly used by self-employed workers and freelancers who provide services. Here is an example: Sebastian is a photographer. He must take pictures during an event for a client. Instead of calculating the travel fees, tasks, and work time individually, he could offer various packages for a specific number of pictures and work hours. It would then include the pictures, printing, rounds of touch-ups, mileage, and time. This type of offer is also easier to sell, understand, and compare. <h3>What are the advantages of offering packages?</h3> Whether for the freelancer or the client, offering packages has many significant advantages. Let’s look at it closely. It is easier to manage  Let’s start with the beginning: a package is likely easier to manage than noting all your worked hours. Indeed, by knowing at the start what the final cost is, you will not have to write down all the working hours and create invoices. We can sum it up by saying that you will have fewer administrative tasks to do. It allows you to sell more than one service at once Moreover, packages allow you to sell more services or services that take place over a more extended period. Besides increasing your business revenues, you ensure that you will have work for some time. For example, the management of social media pages for a month or a package to access different training courses. It allows you to meet your clients’ needs better If we return to our example above, a package can also allow you to better meet your clients’ various needs (travel, touch-ups, printing). It is possible that your potential client did not think about everything. Consequently, an all-inclusive package can simplify their lives.  It shows your credibility in a specific field Finally, when you offer a package, it shows that you thought about everything and are a person who knows their field well. Indeed, you likely have an idea about the number of hours needed since you are used to offering this type of service. Packages are also seen as being more valuable to clients.  Please note that packages are not suited to all types of self-employed workers. If your projects vary a lot from one client to another, or you do not always want to offer the same services, it could be more relevant to bill your services with a bank of hours or per project. It can be redundant to work on the same type of tasks daily. <h3>How to create a new package</h3> Now that you know if packages are relevant to your situation, here are five steps to follow to create one. Nothing prevents you from offering many packages or modifying them with time.  1-Analyze your services First step: make a list of all your services or the tasks you can do. Are some services complementary? For example, could you offer social media and newsletter management services? 2-Analyze your clients’ needs Then, take the time to analyze the needs of your current and potential clients. What are they looking for? How can you help them improve their situation? Discuss with them, do some monitoring, or take a look at your competitors’ offers. 3-Calculate the fees Once you have targeted the services you want to offer, it is time to calculate the fees. As mentioned above, it is vital to provide a package with a more advantageous price than if all services were taken individually; however, remember that it must also be interesting to you. To help you, note down the average time it takes to complete the package’s tasks and multiply it with your preferential rate.  4-Promote your packages Once your packages are created, it is time to promote them. Of course, you can display them on your website and social media, but why not take this opportunity to contact your current clients to offer them to take one of your new packages if it is relevant? 5-Note down everything in a contract of services Finally, do not forget to include all the terms and conditions of your new packages in <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/the-importance-of-having-a-good-contract-of-services" target="_blank">your contract of services</a>. Do you accept refunds? What services do you include in the packages, and what is excluded? You will avoid many issues by taking the time to add all the conditions to your contract. Let’s return to our example about Sebastian the photographer. He could mention in his contract of services that it is possible to purchase more photos for an extra fee or that only two rounds of touch-ups are included in the price. In conclusion, packages have many interesting advantages if you are a freelancer or a self-employed worker. By selling more than one service at a time, it allows you to save time and money. In addition, you are the one choosing what services you want to provide; therefore, aim for tasks you love to do. Regarding what you like less, do not forget that you can always <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/should-i-delegate-my-tasks-if-so-which-ones-and-how-" target="_blank">delegate some tasks</a> to other professionals. Good luck!

Ariane