Launching a High-End Service

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

What if I told you that *THE KEY* to growing your business and multiplying your income was creating, developing, launching, and selling high-end services and programs?

Well, it is.

In my Mastery Marketing Program this is all we focus on. In the past few months, my group members have successfully developed and sold many high-end services by following the plan below.

Two of our members got clients worth over $1 Million each. Many others are gearing up to market and sell high-end programs in the next few months. Others are having the best months ever in their businesses.

But it doesn't happen by itself. It takes a plan and very consistent follow-through. Let me share the basics of this plan.

High-End Service/Program Launch Plan

1. Create and Develop a New High-End Service or Program

This may be the hardest part. This is the equivalent of product development. You need to know your ideal clients, their needs, the results you can deliver and the structure of your service or program. It can't be another "me too" program.

Ideally you want to develop what I call an "HEOB" - High End, Outcome-Based Program. These programs offer much more value and tend to require a larger commitment from the client. They are also more expensive, but they pay for themselves many times over. Could you offer such a service or program?

2. Write a "Marketing Letter" for Your Service.

You can't just let people know, "Here's my new service, are you interested?" You need to build a solid case for it by writing an in-depth letter for it. This includes the purpose and benefits of this service, with a detailed outline of the deliverables and structure.

Usually this letter will be online on a web page. Don't think people will read a long letter? They will, if it communicates true value, not hype. You need to tell a complete story to convey the value.

3. Pre-launch Your Service/Program

Utilize email announcements, social media, teleclasses, intro workshops, and talks. You want to generate interest in what you're offering before you actually launch the service or program.

For instance, let those on your current list and your existing clients know about this new service. Direct them to a web page where they can sign up to join a list to learn more. Give them value just for checking out this service, such as a complimentary teleclass or intro workshop.

4. Launch the Service/Program on a Pre-announced Day

Let people know that there is limited space in your service or program (because there is). And if you offer a high-end program, have people apply for it, not sign up for it.

If you have dozens, or perhaps hundreds of people anticipating the launch of your program, you'll create both excitement and urgency. Many more people will want to learn about the details of this program they've been hearing so much about.

5. Conduct Strategy Sessions

If your program is $2,500 or more, have prospective participants apply and offer them a "Strategy Session" to explore whether or not the program is for them. In this session you'll discuss their goals, challenges, and opportunities, and explain exactly how your service/program works to produce results.

This is the exact opposite of high-pressure selling (which you hate to do anyway). Instead, you put a high value on your services and have low-key conversations with those who have self-selected.

Of course all of these steps need to be customized for your particular audience. But the basic approach can be used to offer high-end services to everyone from solo-preneurs to multi-milllion dollar enterprises.

I don't want to pretend that putting these five steps into action is easy; it's not. But if you really want to take your business to a whole new level, you can't keep marketing your services as you have in the past.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Marketing and selling high-end services or programs takes more than jacking up your prices, it's positioning your services to not only appear more valuable, but actually delivering more value. In hard economic times, one strategy is to lower value and prices. But this is not a long-term sustainable practice for your business.

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What's your plan to launch high-end services this coming year? Please share on the More Clients Blog. Just click on the Comments link below.

Comments

[WordsmithBob]

My business partner and I are planning to update a program she created on public relations with social media marketing and offer it as a high-end program. She never had any success marketing it but never really pursued it. The first thing I did was buy the URL based on the name of the program and then built a website with a blog and forum built in. We are also looking at using a membership option for the highest end. We are going to be offering free seminars to CofCs, and people can go to the website to download the PPT for free simply by filling out a five question questionnaire that reviews our presentation. (We can use the reviews for marketing the program.) They also get a bonus ebook for their trouble. And they can get another free ebook if they sign up for our newsletter. We'll be offering four different levels of programs with a range of prices and put together an up-selling program for each. Whew!

[Luiz Antonio]

Hi, I liked very much your report about HE Services. I'm trying obtain info on how to concept the architecture of these programs. For instance, I knew that they started to be used in earlier 1990, but despite this fact there are no topics publicized in forums and so on. So would you like give me some directions where I can learn about? Thank you. Best regards. Luiz Antonio

[ann lee]

Thanks to your marketingball game, I've tried and tested the reaction of my clients when I suggest a strategy session... it really makes a difference to the whole selling approach, especially for our premium product.
Just first steps but the learning curve is advancing!

[Bob Hodder]

I echo the previous comments. I was in need of an approach and this is helpful. I've was going through our customers over the last 9 years for professional services for a get re-acquainted campaign. List is only 500 but the sales are 70% over $1,000 and from that I want to develop more like the 10% that are over $25,000. SO I need to create a campaign to move a number over from 70% column into the higher 10%. I am also looking at the "selling strategy sessions" recording to develop the materials for this. Just a low key email notice that we'd moved office location to the first 100 started a renewed dialogue with a dozen and 3 promised referrals. I think this was a timely subject. Thanks
Bob

[Nina Lewis]

It is so funny, I was planning to do exactly everything you said in your article. I am planning on doing an Internet Marketing Done For You Program for 2010. However, I am still trying to build a name for myself. And I am not too sure if offering a program with 10 people would be feasible. I am still trying to build credibility. But my intuition keeps telling me to create the program anyway. I even started to draft an application and a letter of agreement.

[Aamer Iqbal]

Just in time advice for me; thank you. I wonder if one can charge for the strategy session?! I am using this method to charge the best price I can get in a low income economy for my products while developing new ones!!