{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "description": "A 'packaged service' is a done-for-you offering with a predefined scope, deliverables, timeline, and price — no proposal required, like an oil change for consulting.",
  "path": "/articles/packaged-services/",
  "publishedAt": "2017-11-30T17:08:22.000Z",
  "site": "at://did:plc:jznynyzgerlqmdbbj33o7wfs/site.standard.publication/3mnll3icujb2z",
  "tags": [
    "Positioning and Pricing"
  ],
  "textContent": "When I say “Productized Service” to you, what do you think of?\n\nA product, like a book or video course, based off of a consulting service\nA service with a pre-defined scope of work\n\nIt could very well be either, honestly. Let’s, instead, talk about ‘Packaged Services.’\n\nPackaged Services\n\nPackaged services are service offerings that you create that have a predefined scope of work attached to them. Essentially, it’s a service offering you sell where you’ve decided on and published:\n\nThe scope of work\nThe deliverables\nThe timeframe\nThe price (optionally)\n\nWith a packaged service, you’re eliminating the proposal from the equation. You are defining a packaged offering that you are making available to prospects at a predetermined price.\n\nEver take your car in for an oil change? That’s a great example of a packaged service. You know:\n\nThe scope of work (change my oil)\nThe deliverables (new oil, report on car\nThe timeframe (Pick the car up in 2 hours)\nThe price ($30)\n\nHourly rate doesn’t factor into it. The price is set ahead of time.\n\nHow is this different from a productized service?\n\nSo, the term Productized Consulting is used to refer to two different things:\n\nTurning your knowledge from consulting into a book, course, or other type of product\nStandardizing your offerings and selling them as a prepackaged service similar to an educational product (Draft Revise, Website Rescues, etc.)\n\nPackaged services as defined service offerings\n\nWhen you package up your service offering, you’re defining what the client will receive in terms of deliverables. You’re defining what you’ll do, what the price will be, and what the scope of work will be.\n\nYou’re selling a package. Like buying a Disney Vacation or a cruise, the client doesn’t need to negotiate every detail, they can just say “That one sounds like what we need.” and purchase it. No proposal needed.\n\nWhy the distinction?\n\nMultiple times, freelancers and consultants have asked me about ‘productizing their consulting’ and it wasn’t clear if we were going to talk about:\n\nTurning their consulting knowledge into a product that they sell and deliver\nDefining and selling a standardized package for a new consulting service\n\nWhich is it? There’s a need for two different terms to refer to these two different concepts.\n\nPackaged Services\n\nI think the concept of productizing a service makes excellent sense for taking your service offering and turning it into a ‘do it yourself’ product for prospects and clients to buy.\n\nBut when we talk about selling a no-proposal service where we’ve defined:\n\nThe scope of work\nThe deliverables\nThe timeframe\nThe price (optionally)\n\nI think it’s better to talk about packaged services.\n\nYou’ve defined a package and you’re making it available for sale. Separately, you may have a productized service, where you’ve turned the service into a ‘Do It Yourself’ product.\n\nWith a productized service, you’re creating a product - book, training, software, etc. - based off of the service.\n\nWith a packaged service, you’re defining a white-glove, done-for-you, no-proposal service for your clients.",
  "title": "Packaged Services"
}