Packaging Services for Solo Work (Without Overpromising)

Packaging is how you turn “I do consulting” into something a buyer can understand, compare, and say yes to.

The goal is not to invent a fancy name. The goal is clarity:

• What outcome do you deliver?
• What’s included (and what isn’t)?
• How long does it take?
• What does it cost?

Step 1: Pick One Core Outcome

Avoid “I do strategy + ops + marketing + sales.” Pick a single transformation you can deliver reliably.

Examples (hypothetical):

• “Go-to-market clarity for seed-stage teams”
• “A repeatable onboarding flow for a local service business”
• “A lightweight reporting and planning cadence for a fractional leader”

Step 2: Define the Inputs You Need

Most scope creep is missing inputs. Write down what you require:

• access to analytics and tools
• stakeholder availability
• existing assets (copy, brand, data)
• decision-maker time for reviews

If inputs aren’t available, either adjust scope or adjust timeline.

Step 3: Create 3 Tiers (So Buyers Can Self-Select)

Three tiers is enough:

1. Starter (clarity): audit + recommendations
2. Standard (implementation): build the key asset/system
3. Premium (hands-on): implement + support + iteration

Keep the differences obvious: scope, support level, and speed - not “more buzzwords.”

Step 4: Price With Boundaries

Your price needs to cover:

• delivery time
• discovery and communication overhead
• revisions and risk

If you’re unsure, start with a pilot or a narrower package and expand once you have repeatable delivery.

Step 5: Write a One-Page Offer

Include:

• who it’s for
• the outcome
• what’s included
• timeline and milestones
• what you need from the client
• change process (what happens when scope changes)

If you can’t fit it on one page, it’s probably not packaged yet.

Step 6: Turn “Custom Requests” Into a Process

When someone asks for extras:

“That’s outside the current scope. We can either treat it as a change with an updated timeline/price, or we can park it for Phase 2.”

This keeps you helpful without silently expanding the work.

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