Packaging Your Services: Create Multiple Streams of Small Business Income

One of the ways you - as an owner of service businesses - can increase your profits is to create muliple streams of small business income. And the place to start is by designing informational products. The products could be based your knowledge - things like CDs, e-books, booklets, teleseminars, and articles. You know -- these are the very things you've been watching me develop over the years. And if you're a US resident who has taken one of my TeleSeminars, you may have received one of my "test" CDs in the mail! They include an ebook and audio of the class. And you can create such products, too.

Another way to boost your income is to develop products that will help your ideal clients. And it's easier then you think IF you really, really, really listen to your clients. For example, my clients complained that they had lots of ideas and that I was also giving them even more terrific marketing ideas, some of which could be used "later." Many of the ideas they'd been keeping were written on many bit of paper. (Can you relate?)

What I heard was that they wanted a SIMPLE way to organize their ideas for future use that did not include rewriting (or retyping them) in a software program. So, I created SIMPLE IDEAS Folders.

What are other ways to create a variety of packages and products for your service business?

-- Take a service you offer and package it with different products, different services, different lengths of time (if applicable).

-- Many business owners place a pricing structure on their websites. Using the industry name, plus the word "rate" or "fees" or "quote," you can find those sites on the Internet.

-- Always consider the client and customer service when pricing your services, too. If what you sell requires training for your customers, you can offer a block of training hours included in the initial price, with additional training charged separately at an hourly rate of ___. The training hours can be in person, over the phone, or via email.

-- Some people do advertise their prices; others don't. Some people charge by the hour; others charge by the project (which is perceived to be more professional).

-- If you list your prices - be specific. List what is included, for how many hours and/or for how many people. You might want to include a form for potential clients to complete so prices can be calculated.

-- Consider charging a licensing fee. When you create a document for use by your clients, it might be a product they want to share with their clients. If so, create a licensing fee policy for that document, ebook, ereport, program, etc.

?2005 Maria Marsala, former Wall Street Trader. We help women CEOs and Presidents run more effective and efficient businesses while positioning themselves to achieve financial/personal success. Join "SIMPLE Solutions Ezine" to receive an audio and 2 reports. http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com#BREAK#

Packaging makes a world of difference. It could be the same product, but with a different packaging and consumers go wild! Freelance Graphic Designer and Writer who normally strategizes such branding and packaging designs finds herself a victim of her own trade.

?It?s the same old tissue, honey, it doesn?t make a difference, ok? It?s still going to work the same way?, my exasperated husband hissed into my ear as I grabbed cartons after cartons of some ?designer? tissue.

DESIGNER TISSUE!

Hah, can you even hear me say that? I can?t believe I actually wrote ?designer tissue?. So, yes, for a graphic designer and writer who knows all about the kind of effort one puts into packaging and branding products, I sure fell for it. All the hoopla. The shenanigans. The ?suck ?em in with good copy and fab color combo?. Hey, I am still a consumer, remember that. I am entitled to fall for nice packaging, I have a prevailing right to be human. 

But they are so pretty?the packaging. I swear!

They have the ?nature lover? packaging, the ?fruity? packaging, the ?woman on the go? packaging, and then they have the ?kids? packaging. I grabbed 4 of each design packages and made a run for the counter with them with my screaming kids and exasperated husband running after me in slow motion. It was definitely a ?die-hard? moment. You know, when the hero is running away from a bunch of wild bad men with machine guns, and they?re shooting at your feet or something?and there?s an explosion behind you?and everything happens in ssslllloooowwwww mmmmooooottttttiiiioooonnnnn. 

Well, in this case, I was running for checkout with boxes of tissue paper with fancy packaging designs on them. If I didn?t like the packaging designs so much, I would find it comical enough. But I am dead serious. In fact, I loved the packaging designs so much, after using up all the tissues in the boxes, I would cut out the designs and place it into my ?must keep for reference? clear folder. I don?t keep a lot of stuff in there because I am pretty selective about the designs that I like, but these packaging designs made the cut. They definitely did. 

You see, this is the kind of thing that happens when you put some effort into making your packaging design. Yeah, we all have this in the back of our heads?. ?Hey, it?s PACKAGING! It?s what?s INSIDE that count. They?re going to THROW the PACKAGING away. So, why spend so much money on the packaging?? Maybe you?re also thinking that the money should go towards developing better quality products?for faster shipment options?or maybe the money should go towards spending potential clients to expensive dinners in Italian restaurants. It?s your call, really. 

But this is what I have to tell you, as a graphic designer and consumer. The more effort you put into designing your packaging, more customers will stop and take a look at your packaging or what?s inside the packaging. Now, does it make sense for me to say now that when they stop and take notice of your packaging, your chance of getting them to buy your product increases? Exactly. 

You see, the role of packaging is to grab the consumer?s attention. And without an electrifying packaging, consumers are going to walk past the heaps and heaps of other competitor products?and yours?without even knowing you?re there! Your product is sitting there on a shelf, for goodness sake, and the only weapon you have is to have a nice packaging. Once they stop and take a look, you?ve won the first round. 

Think about it!

Marsha Maung is a freelance work at home graphic designer and copy writer. She focused on below-the-line advertising and marketing. More information can be found at http://www.marshamaung.com and http://www.creativejooz.com