There are a variety of different aspects involved in pricing your services as a professional organizer. We will cover a few of these here, but as always, you’ll want to consider the information you gathered when putting together the foundation of your business. Who you target, your niche, and the specific services you offer will obviously impact how you price your services. Pricing is unique to each organizer, and you’ll find a variety of different opinions when it comes to the best way to price your services. It’s best to invest the time into determining what is the best fit to you and your clients.
A few areas to consider when pricing your services include:
– Charging for the Consultation
– Hourly vs. Package Pricing
– Add on Services
Consultation
There seems to be much debate on whether to charge for the consultation or not, with three primary options, each with its own merit. Here, we will outline the options so you can make the best decision for your business.
Not Charging for the Consultation
You may decide that you don’t want to charge for consultations. This could potentially be more appealing to potential clients, particularly if your competitors do charge. The downside to not charging for consultations, is that potential clients may be less inclined to honor your schedule or your time as they may be more interested in “kicking the tires”, rather than legitimately interested in purchasing your services.
Charging for the Consultation
Many organizers choose to charge for consultations, largely because it (1) reduces the chances of the client standing you up if they’ve already paid for your time and (2) ensures that you’re investing your time and energy into potential clients who are serious about utilizing your services and learning about what you can offer.
Charging for the Consult, but deducting the cost from services
A third option (and my personal favorite) is to charge for the consultation, and then deduct the cost of the consult from the cost of any services the client purchases. For example, if Susan schedules a consult with you and pays the $30 consult fee, and then decides she’d like to sign up for your $150 package, then the $30 would be deducted from the $150. If Susan decides not to sign up for services, then you still get paid the $30. As part of this option, their is generally a clause stating the time frame the client has to purchase your services and have the consult fee deducted (generally 30 days).
Hourly vs. Package Pricing
Another hot topic amongst organizers, whether to charge by the hour, or package your services. There is no right or wrong answer, and each option has its pros and cons. By charging hourly, you ensure that you’re paid for exactly the time you work and keep pricing fairly straightforward. Package pricing, generally still involves a certain number of hours, but can also include other add on services, which we’ll discuss further below. There are typically two different ways that package pricing in professional organizing.
The packages are tiered by the number of hours included. For example:
- Package A – 3 hours for $240
- Package B – 6 hours for $420
- Package C – 9 hours for $540
As you can see, the average hourly rate decreases with the number of hours the client purchases. So the client saves money by hopefully signing up for a larger package.
The other option is a value tiered package. This method focuses more on adding value with each package, while generally maintaining the same average hourly rate (although not always). For example:
- Package A – 3 hours of organizing, 1 hour of shopping, and up to ten customized cricut labels for $240
- Package B – 6 hours of organizing, 2 hours of shopping, up to 20 customized cricut labels, and one hour long follow up maintenance visit for $560
- Package C – 9 hours of organizing, 3 hours of shopping, up to 30 customized cricut labels, two – one hour long maintenance visits, and three follow up video calls for $800
As you can see, the first option allows you to provide a reduced hourly rate, based on the client purchasing a larger package; whereas the second option adds additional value with each package.
Add on Services
Add on services can make a big difference to your bottom line as a business owner. Regardless of your niche or client base, there are always additional services you can offer to provide your clients with value. What these services are will often greatly depend on your specific business, but below are a few common ones that I’ve seen:
– Speaking engagements (library’s, Lunch and Learns, schools, etc)
– Coaching
– Filing Services
– Family/Life Binder set up and compilation
– Reselling/consignment services
– Transporting items for resale at an additional cost.
– Photo scanning/scrapbook creation
The list is endless. Consider your ideal client and your niche, and consider what problems you can offer solutions to. And don’t be afraid to say “I can do that” when you recognize a need your client has. Just because you don’t officially offer it as a service, doesn’t mean you can’t do it and apply a rate to it.
If you’re struggling with how to price your services, feel free to join us in the private Facebook group, as we’d be happy to help.
Once you’ve determined how to price your services, you’ll want to start considering building your online presence, such as your website and social media.