Seven Ways to Streamline Your Service Menu to Boost Conversions

It's time to put your services page on a diet. Or, to use another metaphor, it's time to Konmari the heck out of what you're offering.

Simplifying your service menu allows you to streamline your own business, saving you time, energy, and stress. It also makes it much easier for your client to understand what you offer, leading to that magical word: conversions!

"But Bonnie," you say. "I want to offer MORE to my clients, not less! I don't want clients to forget about all of the wonderful things I can do for them."

Yes, I'll counter. You're a rockstar at what you do, and you can do so much for your clients. That being said, if your service menu is cluttered or long-winded, potential clients will be confused. You don't want to confuse your client - they'll leave your webpage and go elsewhere. You want to make it super simple for your target client to understand HOW you can help them.

Let's talk services!

Stop calling it a price list.

"Price List" makes people think about the money that's leaving their pocket. It turns your services into a dollar sign. "Service Menu" is my preferred term. Why? It puts your value right in the title - you're not just providing wedding photos or a massage - you're providing a service. The word "menu" also gives the client autonomy - it reaffirms that they have the control to choose what they want.

Think about yourself.

What do you LIKE doing in your business? In the words of Marie Kondo, what sparks joy? Are you offering services that you really enjoy? When I started my business, I did a lot of social media management. I quickly learned that I really hated doing this work, except for a few choice clients - 99% of the time, it definitely didn't spark joy. It sparked dread. I took it off my service menu and focused more on things I really liked doing, like copywriting and brand design. Look at your your services list and eliminate the crap services you kinda hate doing, and only focus on the ones you like that can make you money. You're not in business to do something you hate - so build your business around the things you enjoy. If you're doing something you hate, you might as well be back in a 9-5 job.

Strategize.

You may be able to do a zillion things, but if you list them all in a zillion bullet points, your client will be confused. Maybe you eliminate the things that are really low-paying, or you bundle them into a package with a higher paying thing. Maybe you have a base package and an upsell package. For example - let's say you're a web designer who does SEO and brand design. Don't list every single web design thing you can do, then every single SEO thing you can do, then all the brand design things you can do, then expect the client to cobble together their own package from that. Do a lower priced package, a higher priced package, and a streamlined a la carte list. BOOM. Now you've made it easy!

Talk about your value.

You should have great copy that talks about WHY customers should go with you. What makes your business different? What are all the great things they're getting in this package that they won't find anywhere else? Before you hit them with the price point, tell them how awesome you are, so that the price seems like a great value.

Don't call it "price."

I use the word "investment" instead - because when people work with me, they're investing in their business. When people work with you, whether you work with businesses or not, they're investing in you. You're giving them gorgeous photos, or a beautiful website, or something that's worth what you're charging. Think to yourself - what are my clients investing in when they work with me? That answer will help you with your copy AND with streamlining your services.

Reduce the add-ons.

When you start throwing in a bunch of add-ons and extras, it confuses clients even more. Bundle those things into larger packages, or separate them into an a la carte menu instead.

Choose no more than three similar packages.

If you're offering similar services, do 2-3 price points, elevating the services with each one. This is where you can throw in those add ins.

Let's do my favorite thing: case studies!

Let's say you're a photographer. You offer a bunch of services: Family sessions for the holidays. Family sessions for not-the-holidays. Kid portraits. You have a ton of add-ons and extras. Before you know it, your service menu is looking disjointed and cluttered. A client looks at it and thinks, "Which do I choose? Holiday family session? Regular family session? Family session with extra photos?" You gotta streamline it, baby! In this case, I'd advise a client to do a few packages.

For example:

Family Mini Session - $400. One hour. Group shots. Held at your studio. They can choose three photos.

Family Extended Session: $800. Two hours. Group shots and individual portraits of each kid. They get 10 photos. Held at client's home or location of their choosing within 10 miles of your studio. If you can build it into your pricing, I'd say even throw in 50 free Christmas cards if it's around the holidays.

See? Even without sales copy, a client sees that they're getting a ton of value for the second package. You make it easy for them to choose, instead of asking them to figure out what they want from a zillion add-ons.

Let's say you're a wedding planner. You offer day-of coordination. You offer full-service wedding planning. You offer month-of coordination. All of these package lists are really long, and you have a trillion add-ons because you feel like you're expanding your reach with the more you offer. Your bride looks at your service list and thinks, "Huh?" She's not sure what she wants and can't really make sense of all your services.

In this case, I'd recommend thinning out those services a little. Do you REALLY want to do all those things, or do you just keep adding things you can do instead of things you want to do? Are all of those services actually making you money? I'd say bundle your highest-paying, most valuable services into three tiered packages based on price: a lower priced one, a mid-tier one, and a full-service package.