How to Package Your Web Design Services
Having an online presence has become essential–especially when it comes to establishing a brand, selling products or services, and building trust. Businesses have different goals, meaning their websites may require variations of the design, features, and customization services you provide.
This is where website design packages come into play. Packages make it clear what you offer, who your ideal client is, and what deliverables you can provide for each project. By correctly setting up packages, you can effectively manage and land projects that excite you.
The benefits of packaging your web design services
Before diving into how to create a web design package, it’s important to understand why you may want to package your services in the first place.
The following are some reasons website packages can differentiate you from the competition:
Make the abstract concrete
Web design services can feel very abstract, especially to first-time business owners or those who are new to marketing their brand. Without seeing everything laid out in pre-built packages, clients may find it difficult to know what you do and don’t offer.
Providing packages gives clients something tangible and concrete that they can wrap their minds around. Even just having two or three packages gives them options that they can compare side by side, giving them a frame of reference for making their selection.
Practically, it affords potential clients the opportunity to point to a specific package and say, “I want that!”
Tell a story
Packages matter because they are part of the story you tell. When structured well and meaningfully, your packages can identify your client’s problem (i.e., their business need or goal) and position you as the go-to problem solver.
Through a package, you can:
Highlight your expertise
Target and attract ideal clients
Appeal to your target clients’ pain points and specific goals
Show clients how your service offering is essential to meeting their business goals
It’s about options
People tend to love options. When you offer several packages, you give your potential clients the ability to choose what’s most suitable for them and their business goals. The clearer the package, the more straightforward it is for clients to take action to work with you.
How to create the web design packages
To scale your web design services, start by creating packages that deliver value to your potential clients’ goals. For instance, if your target clients are ecommerce businesses, you’ll want to package your services around products and store setup. Or if your ideal clients are consultants, your packages will instead focus on building pages and sophisticated design.
Consider the following when creating packages:
Psychology and packages
Optimize your package mix and help potential clients avoid decision fatigue by offering three tiers of packages. You can always adjust over time.
More often than not, clients purchase the middle tier package. With that in mind, the packages you offer should be created with the goal of consistently landing bookings for the middle package.
When it comes time to build your packages, start by designing the middle package. Then, remove a service or two to create the smaller package, and add a service or two to create the larger package.
Naming conventions matter
Use phrases like starter, standard, premium, or comprehensive to differentiate between packages. Also, identify ideal client categories, such as consultant, healthcare practitioner, blogger, ecommerce, startup, and so on, to highlight who can benefit from each package.
When you package your service with a name like “the Premium Ecommerce Launch Package” or “the Pro Startup Launch Package,” they can reference something that connects more deeply to their goal.
Lean on naming conventions that your ideal client will identify with and think, “This is exactly what I was looking for.”
Expand with add-ons
With two or three solid packages in place, you can also offer upsells or add-ons to a client who needs services beyond the scope of their initial package.
Consider offering the following add-ons:
Acuity Scheduling
Set up full online appointment management with Acuity Scheduling.
Email Campaigns
Create campaigns, including automated emails, and templates for your client’s newsletters using Email Campaigns.
Ecommerce features
Set up premium features like advanced shipping options, abandon cart emails, and more for clients who sell products or services.
Member Sites
Build pages, add content, and design email templates for your client’s members-only area.
Copywriting
Increase your value by adding copywriting to your suite of services.
Graphic design
Offer extra design support, such as developing print marketing materials.
SEO services
Optimizing your client’s site for search is a powerful way to ensure it can be indexed by search engines.
The essentials
When promoting packages, include the following elements for each on your website:
Package name
Description and ideal audience
Deliverables
Price
Directions for choosing a package
Value versus cost
There is a difference between value and cost. While the cost is what your client will pay, the value is ultimately what they will get from working with you.
As you begin defining each package, focus on outlining the value instead of the cost.
Consider these points of value for each package:
Solutions-oriented
When you solve a problem, you provide value. Make it clear the problem(s) each package addresses and solves for clients.
Simplification
Turn an abstract service into something comprehensible by highlighting clear deliverables.
Distinction
When offering a range of packages, ensure your descriptions differentiate, distinguish, and clarify services from one another.
Draw boundaries
Sometimes clients want everything, but their budget only allows for a few services. Packages give them the opportunity to really think about and identify what is essential versus what is nice-to-have.
Upsells
Preemptively sharing what is and isn’t included in your packages can be beneficial when you offer upsells to clients who have unique requests later on.
Choices
Every client is different, so give them multiple options to choose from to best meet their needs and budget.
Sample packages
The below are examples of packages you can offer to clients at your preferred rate.
Example 1
Package name: Launch Website Package
Description: This package is perfect for new businesses, entrepreneurs, and anyone launching a brand new Squarespace website.
Deliverables:
Build up to five website pages
Up to two rounds of revisions
Defining brand fonts and colors
Live training session – 30 minutes
Turnaround of three weeks
Post-launch support for 30 days
Example 2
Package name: Professional Website Rebuild
Description: This package will take all your current content and modernize it with a simple and fresh redesign.
Deliverables:
Build up to eight website pages
Up to two rounds of revisions
Refreshing brand fonts and colors
Live training session – 30 minutes
Turnaround of three weeks
Post-launch support for 30 days
Example 3
Package name: Ecommerce Website Build
Description: This package will launch your new ecommerce experience with a robust backend and a beautiful, modern user experience designed to convert visitors into customers.
Deliverables:
Build up to eight website pages
Advanced ecommerce setup
Up to 20 products added
Up to two rounds of revisions
Refreshing brand fonts and colors
Live training session – 30 minutes
Turnaround of three weeks
Post-launch support for 30 days
In addition to enticing prospective clients, packaging your services has the potential to streamline your workflow and increase your efficiency as a web designer. If you’re not sure where to start, you can look to past projects for inspiration. Then, focus on promoting and selling one package, iterating on its offerings, description, and pricing until you’re ready to add another.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional web designers, developers, digital entrepreneurs, and creatives. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from all across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
