This is the first blog in a series of five agency hacks to transform your agency into a content creation powerhouse that your clients can depend on for quality content.
Growing your agency means growing your sales, and selling content packages is a prime way to do it. Content packages make it easy to not only sell without friction but also deliver with precision.
- You know exactly what’s in each package, so you have all the writers, designers, and other elements in place to create it.
- The client knows exactly what’s in each package and how much it costs, so there are no surprises, confusion, or pesky project scope creep.
Content packages can be an exciting and highly effective way to get a big boost in sales. But you don’t want to just start throwing content options together willy-nilly.
Check out several factors to consider when crafting a package to help ensure you construct a best seller.
Set the Foundation
Start with a brainstorming session to review what you do, and what you do best.
- What packages are you going to create?
- Why are you the best agency to create them?
Know Your Audience
While you want packages that highlight your best services, you also want to make sure they are also your most in-demand services.
- Roll out packages that make sense for your clients.
- What are the most common services clients are consistently asking for?
- What do they want, even when they ask for something else?
- What are their biggest struggles, pains, and fears related to content marketing?
- How can you solve those issues with the perfect package?
- Not sure? Talk with your clients to learn what they want and need.
Be Clear with the Details
Not every package is going to be a great fit with every client. Instead of trying to create a one-size-fits-all package that could vaguely apply to everyone, focus on creating packages that precisely apply to certain types of clients.
Be clear on who those clients are, along with everything that’s included – or not.
- Who makes a great fit for the package?
- Who makes a not-so-great fit?
- What’s included and not included in the package?
- How much does it cost?
- What add-ons will you offer if clients want extra services?
Content Package Structure
When it comes to structuring your packages, you can take them in any direction you want. Not sure which way to go? Try basing your package on either a central theme or primary focus.
Central Theme
Consider creating packages based on a central theme, such as:
- Asset types
- Industry
- Monthly deliverables
Asset Types
Asset types can include short or long-form blog posts, social media posts, white papers, and e-books. Here you could have a blog post package, with a combination of short-form and long-form posts, or a social media post package with X number of social media posts.
Industry Expertise
An ideal choice if you specialize in specific industries, you can create packages geared toward certain clients, such as the dental practice package or the dog trainer package. Here you can list topics for each industry and allow clients to choose the topics they want to cover. When they end up liking more than the number of topics included in the package, you get an automatic upsell with add-ons.
Monthly Deliverables
This is a common package structure in the world of content marketing, based on a set number of assets and services delivered each month, typically blog and social media posts. You could also expand it to quarterly or annual deliverables so you can include white papers and e-books in the mix.
Example of Monthly Social Media Package
Here is an example of the monthly social media packages from Local Social Selling:
Example of Monthly Blog Package
Here is an example of the monthly blog packages from SocialCali:
Primary Focus
Another way to structure packages is by the primary focus, which lets you go narrow, deep, or wide.
- Go narrow
- Go deep
- Go wide
Go Narrow
Here you focus on a single service, including all the elements of that service as part of the package deal.
Example: Website Audit Package
Includes things like:
- Pre-audit questionnaire
- All research and elements of the audit for X number of web pages
- Post-audit content suggestions
Going narrow is often a good choice for prospects you’ve never worked with before. It lets them get to know you and see what you can do.
Go Deep
Going deep focuses on a single core outcome, including all the tasks and elements that go into creating that core outcome.
Example: Stress-Free Business Launch
Includes things like:
- Website content for X pages
- Social media profile setup on three accounts
- Content strategy
- Content calendar covering three months of blog posts and social posts for the three social media accounts
Go Wide
Here you focus on one piece of a big picture, combining services from different parts of the big picture to see how you can help your client ace that particular piece of the puzzle.
Example: Blog Strategy Package
Includes things like:
- One 60-minute blog strategy session
- Content calendar covering one weekly blog post for three months
- 12 blog posts (500 words each)
Add-ons:
- Social media posts to promote the blog posts
- Images to include in the blog posts
- Other services clients may want
Example of Content Marketing Plan Package
Here is an example of the content marketing plan package from Aiden Marketing:
Streamlined Doesn’t Mean Cookie-Cutter
Having a lineup of packages available can certainly streamline your workflow. But it doesn’t mean you’ll be creating cookie-cutter content inside of each package you deliver.
Your packages outline the framework for what you’ll be delivering, but the content still needs to be customized for each client.
Don’t fall into the trap of having readymade content written for all clients in a certain industry, only swapping out the name of the company and the location. Bland, generic content is content at its worst.
Publishing cookie-cutter pages or posts is also a prime way to get flagged for duplicate content.
You instead want to create pieces that resonate with each client’s brand personality, writing style, and target audience. Customized content can be streamlined with all the right pieces in place, and one of the top priorities is making sure you have the freelance writers and other content creators that can produce the caliber and amount of work you need.
One more tip? Remember you’re creating packages to make things easier for both you and your client.
- Don’t overthink them.
- Don’t overcomplicate them.
Make sure it’s crystal clear what clients are getting, written in a way they can completely understand. and Then make sure you have all the pieces in place so you can start creating and delivering them as fast as the orders come in.
Find just the right freelance content creators to produce your packages at WriterAccess. Start your free trial now.
