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In addition, it seems you never have a good answer when someone asks what a site costs. You can say it depends, but most people don't like that idea.
As a result I have been thinking I would start creating packages and selling those and anything outside the package would be X per hour above and beyond.
My question is there anyone else out there who is doing this and if so how successful do you find the strategy. Also what types of things are you guys putting in your packages and at what price points.
Fortune Hunter
If you approach it from the client's perspective, how the client prefers to buy, then packages can be great -- depending on the client. The "Transactional" client doesn't value the sales consultant (you and I) at all. He values price and convenience most, and considers the sales process a waste of time that adds to the final price he must pay. This type of buyer is probably the kind that would love the package options you've described.
The "Consultive" buyer values having a trusted expert who can solve his problem or achieve his objectives. He is the type that will not enjoy making decisions such as, how many pages his site should have, amount of bandwidth, etc. He expects you and I to make those decisions, based on knowing what he wants to accomplish.
That still leaves you with the dilemma of how to solve the sales difficulties you've described (that is, if you still intend to sell to the consultive types). I've learned that there are solutions to the "prepare a proposal and hope" selling model we're all accustomed to. For instance, I don't prepare a proposal to close business. I reach a verbal agreement with the client, the write the proposal to document that agreement. So the proposal becomes the first step in the fulfillment process rather than the last step in the sales process.
you get this many pages with this many images for this much.
it is something to offer, it depends on the client.
That is unfortunate, I was hoping others actually received a better experience with the use of packages. John, I can see your point about this really being a transactional client who wants something like that and quite honestly that is the type of client I would rather not deal with.
I find the value from such clients to be too low because they require the most handholding and want the most "freebies" thrown in. In addition, they try to figure out how to cut you down on price whenever you can.
Since both you have actually experimented with packages how did you set them up, what did they include and what did you charge for them?
Fortune Hunter
I find the value from such clients to be too low because they require the most handholding and want the most "freebies" thrown in. In addition, they try to figure out how to cut you down on price whenever you can.
Have you heard this saying? "Great service, top quality, lowest price... pick two." That illustrates an important business truth, that you can't excel at all three. If you provide good quality, low-cost packages, you'll have to automate the process to remove "service" from the equation and minimize your involvement.
Even though we set up some packages, we really didn't push them or automate the process like I've talked about. One of our few package clients acted like the $500 she was spending was a major capital investment and demanded her money back when we didn't jump through hoops to get her site completed after she procratinated on getting us the content.
The advantage, IMO, is that everything that is included is clearly set out and can then be used as a basis for discussion with individual clients.
The art is to set the price at an attractive level but make the service(s) provided basic. Thus you are attracting people with an affordable honest basic offering, while giving yourself the chance to upsell and add bolt-on value.
If a client has been hooked, then it's down to the designer to keep them anyway, and if they can't keep clients then they have bigger problems than packages...
I can't remember the last time I sold one of the standard packages, yet it's all that I offer (publicly).
I have found that website or webpage packages are accepted form of advertising on the web for small business enterprises who cannot afford a huge sum for this purpose.
They generally need to display some static information about their product/services and with a few photographs. They are generally happy with a standard design package.
The SEO is what is important for them. They need good hits to thier webpage (package designed). Thus, you should concentrate on promoting their webpages/websites in such a way that a good number of hits are logged to thier websites!
One website which I have seen doing this is indiabusinessonline.com.
They also have a directory which presumably logs a good number of hits and consequently, these small business enterprises advertise a lot on this site.
With a package deal, you should target small businesses who want quick returns on the money invested (even for a package with no special customisation)
Check it out!
Bye!
while giving yourself the chance to upsell and add bolt-on value.
Stever:
What type of upsell components do you offer and what types of bolt ons do you offer? I can package basic designs, but when you start offering database driven components some of those with a few exceptions are no longer what I would call "bolt on" because they start requiring a large amount of customization which many clients start shying away from.
Now your point may be that is where you want them so you can get that extra amount of fees from them, but I was thinking you were actually referring to more boiler plate type of add ons.
Also what types of fees do you charge for these basic packages and add on features?
Fortune Hunter
Translation of site into other languages
Regular web marketing report (with recommendations)
Photo gallery
Shopping cart
Adwords management
Graphic work (such as interactive map)
CMS
etc., etc.
In general, I would class my attitude as "pro-active" - in other words, I will suggest an improvement to a client's site which is designed to increase traffic and/or expand the reach. When they see that something like that works once, they are mostly receptive in the future.
Fees are irrelevant outside repeating what I said above: "an affordable honest basic offering". You don't live where I live, your expenses may be higher or lower than my expenses, your market and its expectations are different from mine.
I see your point, I am offering a couple of those namely the web report with recommendations. What I need to do is sit down and make a list of potential add ons and then start figuring out prices for those features. Thanks
Fortune Hunter
