How to package & price your service

Once you’ve chosen a problem worth solving, you need to package it into a clear, easy-to-buy offer. This is where most designers get stuck. They think clients want flexibility, so they keep their services open-ended. They write vague proposals that say, "Let’s discuss your needs and I’ll tailor a solution for you."

That’s a mistake. Clients don’t want to figure out what they need, you have to tell them.

A great productized service is packaged like a product. It has a clear scope, timeline, and price. Clients should immediately understand what they’re getting, how long it will take, and what outcome to expect. The more friction you remove from the buying process, the easier it is for them to say yes.

The four parts of a strong productized service

1. A Specific Outcome: what is the result? Instead of “UX improvements,” say “Reduce sign-up drop-offs by fixing onboarding friction.”
   
   

2. A Clear Process: what are the steps? Instead of “custom UX strategy,” say “A 3-day UX audit with a report of 10 actionable fixes.”
   
   

3. A Fixed Scope: what’s included and what’s not? Define clear boundaries so clients don’t expect endless revisions.
   
   

4. A Set Price: no hourly rates, no negotiations—just a clear investment amount.

If you define these four elements well, you eliminate confusion. Clients don’t have to wonder, “Is this right for me?” They’ll see your offer and instantly know.

How to price your service

Most designers undercharge because they think in terms of time spent, not value delivered. If you price by the hour, you punish yourself for working efficiently. If you price based on value, you earn more while doing less.

Let’s break down the three main ways to price a productized service:

1. Flat-Fee Pricing: a one-time payment for a fixed deliverable.
   Example: “3-Day UX Audit: $1,500 for a detailed teardown and report.” “Custom Icon Set: $800 for 10 icons delivered in a week.”
   
   

2. Tiered Pricing: offering different levels of service at increasing price points.
   Example: Basic UX Audit ($1,500) → Deep Audit + Wireframes ($3,000) → Full Redesign ($6,000).
   
   This works well if clients have different budgets but still want your expertise.
   
   

3. Subscription Pricing: recurring payments for ongoing support.
   Example: “UX Optimization Subscription: $1,500/month for continuous UX improvements and testing.”
   
   Best for businesses that need long-term, iterative work rather than one-off projects.

Each model has its place, but the key is not charging by the hour. Your price should reflect the business impact of your work.

An example of pricing for value

Imagine you’re a conversion-focused landing page designer. A SaaS company hires you to improve their landing page. Their current page converts at 2%. With your redesign, they hit 4%.

If their traffic is 50,000 visitors per month, that extra 2% means 1,000 more sign-ups every month. If each user is worth $50, that’s $50,000 in extra revenue, every month.

Are you still going to charge $50/hour? Or would $5,000 for a high-impact landing page make more sense?

Making it easy to say yes

Price your service in a way that highlights the return on investment. Instead of making clients wonder, “Is this too expensive?”, make them think, “This will pay for itself.”

In the next chapter, we’ll cover how to craft an offer page that makes your service irresistible.