Selling productized services as a freelancer
So, you’ve been in the freelancing game for some time now.
Quotes, after quotes for services tailored to the needs of your customer… that specific customer.
But, did you know that, sometimes, your customers know exactly what they are searching for?
For those cases, you can offer productized services.
And what strange sorcery is this?
You can simply look at Fiverr to understand it.
To put it in words, it’s a set of standard services that you offer, at a fixed price, with clear project scope and range, deliverables and dates.
The process is always the same, regardless of client A or B.
Think of a wedding photographer.
It’s there all day, taking photos for the same price, regardless of the number of photos.
The only variables that can change are hours or equipment needed, but the process is always the same.
In general, the process is always the same and can be performed by you or someone else.
Advantages and disadvantages of productized services by freelancers
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to using these in your freelancing offers.
Advantages of productized services
Of course there will be upsides to doing this.
Let’s check out the top 4 advantages
1. Makes it easier for clients to buy from you.
Decision fatigue is a reality.
Whether in private or professional life, the number of decisions we have to make increases every day.
And this happens with your prospects, as well.
By the time they find your freelancing profile, your prospects have already run through many portfolios, trying to find out how their skills match their current needs.
A productized service goes straight to the point and helps you connect with them, on a deeper level.
Picture yourself as a streaming user.
You don’t connect with Netflix, you connect with the content available on Netflix and how it makes you feel.
It’s the same logic with your prospects.
By showcasing your services and how your prospects can benefit from them, they will feel understood and, most likely, will connect with you.
2. No more hassling with quotes
Negotiating rates is a waste of time.
If you go to a retail store, you’re expected to pay the amount on the price tag for that product.
So why would you expect to pay anything other than that, by bargaining on it?
By having a clear rate on your offers, you’re putting your pricing front and center, so your prospect is well aware of this, before reaching out to you.
3. Manage expectations
Managing your customer’s expectations is a crucial aspect of your relationship with them.
Imagine this: a client asks you to make small changes to a small project.
You can see that these small changes are nothing but little tweaks and adjustments. Something that takes you little time to do, so you accept the job.
But suddenly, on top of this, your client requests a few last-minute changes that weren’t in the initial briefing.
And worst of all, it will double the time on this project.
After this, here comes that awkward moment when you have to have that conversation to adjust your rates, in order to accommodate the additional time.
How many times has this happened to you?
And how many times do you wish it didn’t?
Well, productized services will reduce the number of times this can happen, just by selling a packaged service, like any product to be taken off the shelf
If you make your listing very specific, defining a strict and clear goal for the service you’re providing, you are able to setup your customer’s expectations, on your terms.
And upon this, your clients will receive a standard set of deliverables, at a fixed price, without any further variables, to be quoted and invoiced after that.
4. Create a repeatable and recurring service…and income
More than creating a service, you’re creating a process.
Process is defined as a series of things that are done in order to achieve a particular result, according to the Oxford Dictionary
A streamlined process will, not only, allow you to take the uncertainty of custom services out of the equation, but as well as allow you set the bases to scale up your business.
The downside of productized services
They solve many of the disadvantages of custom projects.
However, when creating a “right off the shelf” service, you’ll also be creating a repetitive process.
Working on the same kind of project every day, with the same steps, regardless of who the customer is, can become very boring.
A good challenge is what keeps life interesting and helps you grow as a professional.
Also, you may risk alienating a part of your audience.
This may happen because some prospects don’t have a specific goal, and if, your services don’t align with them, they won’t start a conversation with you.
Who can create a productized service?
Almost every freelancer under the sun.
If you can set a concrete service span and build a process around it, you can create a productized service.
For instance, think of social media audits.
It’s an important part to achieve your Social Media Goals.
However, it is a task that can be performed according to a set of rules, and thus, have a standardized process.
How to create productized services?
There’s no magic way to create your own productized services.
But here’s a 3 step formula that some of our Vettted professionals have been using:
- Find the task you most enjoy doing and its value proposition
- Calculate how long it takes you to deliver it and your hourly rate
- Compare with other similar offers and adjust as you see fit
Of course, this is based on personal opinions.
Some freelancers like to draw Venn diagrams, with the best selling services, and the most profitable ones.
Others follow trends, while others follow their hearts.
Either way, productized services are the best way to kick-start your career as a freelancer, by removing the uncertainty of fully customized projects.
And what about you?
What technique will you be using?
