If you’re a service-based one woman shop, you likely run into the problem of a project never feeling complete. You’ve been working long and hard, communicating back and forth with your client over days or weeks and then all of a sudden, it’s done.
Just sending your client the final invoice with note that says “Thanks!” feels really abrupt.
You’ve created a relationship (hopefully) with your client, and ending it with an invoice feels icky.
You want them to feel supported, appreciated, and like more than just a paycheck for you. You want them to know that just because the project is complete, you aren’t just taking their money and moving on to the next client on your roster.
To create a smooth project transition between working together and well, no longer working together, (or better, working together again on a NEW project) I recommend providing clients with what I like to call a “Goodbye” Package.
This is so important to a full client process it has it’s own full lesson in my course, Stress Less & Impress.
Now, you don’t need to call it a “Goodbye” Package to your client. Depending on what you include and what service you provide, you can change up the wording as you wish. For my web design clients I like to call it a “Launch Package.” If you’re a copywriter, you could call it “Final Documents” (or something more creative because you’re clearly better than me with words).
This can be a PDF, a Google folder with multiple files, or a video. The options depend only on your imagination.
Here are a few reasons providing a Goodbye Package will help you and your clients:
1. Make it clear the project is over
No matter how much work and revisions you’ve put into a project, and how clear your contract is, there always seems to be one last thing a client needs from you.
A “Goodbye” Package helps make it clear to your client that this project is complete, and that anything further will be considered a separate project.
Not only does the concept of a “Goodbye” Package, in general, make it clear, but you can also mention what that means exactly in the package itself. For example, in my “Goodbye” Package, I tell the client what is included in my 30 days of post-website-launch support and I also clearly state that any additional training, tweaks or work will be billed at my hourly rate, or on a per-project basis depending on the type of work needed.
No more feeling guilty not making one more tweak, or feeling resentful because you accept the additional work and don’t charge for it in order to please your client.
2. Entice them to work with you again
Why put so much effort into bringing in new clients when you can get more business from the ones you’ve already got?
Your current clients have already fallen in love with you. You’ve done great work and they trust that you can give them the results they need. This means you’ve already got them past the hardest part of getting someone to hire you: trusting you can deliver on their needs.
When you’ve wrapped up one project, you can use your “Goodbye” Package to introduce them to other things you can help them with.
For example, when I complete a new website for a client, they are excited about their new brand and online presence. This gives them the inspiration and motivation to go pro in every aspect of their business.
If they create videos for their blog, I’ll tell them about how we can bring their new brand into their videos with a custom video intro. If they have an outdated opt-in lead magnet, I’ll tell share with them my PDF design service so we can make their lead magnets match their new brand. This all goes in my “Goodbye” package PDF, which is a non-salesy way to show them that our work together doesn’t have to end with this one website project.
3. Give them resources that will help them go forward without you
Referral business is the best business. Having great testimonials on your website makes potential new clients much more willing to hire you.
The best way to get referral business and great testimonials is to delight your clients beyond the actual project deliverables.
The “Goodbye” Package is a great place to give your clients extra help and support, even after your work is complete.
A few ideas for resources you can add:
- Links to past blog posts you’ve published to help your client implement what you’ve created for them
- Links to other people’s content that will help them improve on your work in a related way
- A tutorial video on how to use what you’ve created (ex: as a web designer, I provide a custom video tutorial on how to use their website)
- A list of people you recommend for related services they might need that you don’t provide
- A bonus worksheet or guide (ex: a sales page copywriter could give a PDF on creating personality-filled social media posts)
Take action
Do you have a “Goodbye” Package? If not, it’s time to get to work! Remember, this can be an ever-changing and evolving document. I have a template I use for my main PDF, that I customize because all my clients are different. If you can use the same one, without customizing for every client, even better. But it can be something you create as a base, and update and change as your business and services evolve.
If you do have a “Goodbye” Package, does it address all the areas I mentioned above? If not, maybe it’s time to revisit and add to it!
And if you're looking for even more guidance, I cover this -- and other ways to streamline your business to make more money in less time -- in my course, Stress Less & Impress.
We are affiliates of and may receive commission from sales of Stress Less & Impress. As always, we only promote products and services that we love and/or think you might benefit from!
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- Why You Need a “Goodbye” Package For Your Clients - December 9, 2015
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