Digital agencies typically provide service packages to cover a variety of marketing and communications needs for businesses, with many of their clients utilizing two or more of their services. A smaller number of agencies offer à la carte services and allow clients to mix and match them to create their own, customized marketing campaigns.
Giving clients à la carte options can be invaluable for setting the scene to turn their one-off project into a more in-depth campaign strategy or larger account later on. Here, nine experts from Forbes Agency Council discuss how agencies can successfully turn their à la carte offerings into gateways for more business.
1. Focus On Showing Value
Showing value is always key, especially for à la carte offerings. By measuring the impact that a 30-second video with carefully crafted copy has on attracting leads, a client can see the value of engaging in a long-term relationship with an agency to make it their vendor of choice. The goal is to make the client think: “If they can do this so well once, I want them to do it again and again.” – Matthew Clyde, Ideas Collide
2. Show How It Improves Results
Be honest. If you want to serve a client with multiple services, then you should let them know and demonstrate how that improves results. If it doesn’t improve results, then it’s a moot point. – Michael McFadden, eAccountable
3. Target A Specific Problem
Target problems with solutions. You don’t have to deliver every service to make an impact. Deliver on just one with real tangible results, and clients will want to get more. Trust is a big part of our chemical makeup: We ensure that clients know they can trust us, and this means delivering what we say we will, on time, every time. The rest comes naturally thereafter, with little need for hard selling. – Lee-Ann Johnstone, AffiliateINSIDER
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4. Solve A Small Issue For A Nominal Fee
One of the most effective ways to turn a one-time project into a long-term account is to offer to solve a small problem for a nominal fee. Something as simple as claiming or correcting a client’s Google My Business profile builds trust in your company while demonstrating tangible results. This opens the door to upsell larger, retainer-based services, such as SEO and PPC. – Adam Binder, Creative Click Media
5. Offer A Free Trial
Offering new customers a free trial for seven days or one month is a powerful way to entice consumers to try your services. One-day “access passes” work well at winning prospects, while a satisfaction-guarantee offering a refund to consumers who don’t love your services builds consumer trust. – Sophie Bowman, Business Owner Society
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6. Implement An Introduction Rate
Offering services at an introduction rate can allow an agency to showcase its level of service, “wow” the client and lead to future business on a larger scale. A well-executed campaign can also lead to word-of-mouth advertising, which is an incredibly effective tool for growing a business. Essentially, if an agency executes the first campaign well, the future opportunities are endless. – Skye Suttenfield, Seen Media Group
7. Show Them What They’re Missing
The best way to offer other services is by demonstrating the opportunities the client has been missing on the other fronts. For instance, if you are hired for SEO, then show them what they are missing out on in social or on the paid front. – Mandeep Singh, SEO Discovery Pvt Ltd.
8. Lead With A Service Mindset
There has to be a true desire to serve the client in the best way that you can at that moment, regardless of whether it’s a one-off or a comprehensive contract. When they see the integrity you bring to working with them, the relationship will naturally grow and develop. I never focus on how big a contract I want to develop. I focus on service and benefiting the client. Growth naturally comes from that. – Lynne Golodner, Your People LLC
9. Promote An Integrated Approach
One way to build trust through à la carte options is to make sure the offering can be executed through an integrated approach. Sure, you can offer an à la carte “influencer program” carried by your PR/social team. But bringing in other disciplines to optimize can help with its execution and reporting, which can lead to other multidisciplinary tactics to support the original offering. – Russ Williams, Archer Malmo
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Author: Expert Panel®, Forbes Councils Member