What to Do With Existing Clients When You Eliminate Part of Their Service
Episode 635: Show Notes
Aside from our wonderful clients in the incubator, our DMs have been popping and we have so many great insights into the hurdles that service-based businesses are facing! One particular issue that continues to pop up, especially as we help people define a high-touch signature service or ultimately focus on a more primary offering (instead of having what we’ve lovingly called the Cheesecake Factory menu of offers), is the need to eliminate other services. Many people we’ve run into are open to the idea but have active clients utilizing those very services and don’t know how to make that transition. The question arises of how to pivot and how to communicate the changes, but the main risk factor that people dwell on is losing the income from those active clients. Well, in this episode, you’ll find out how to gently ease out of specific services with a transition plan, as well as how to inform your clients that you’re eliminating part of their service and raising their price. Tune in to hear why there is no question that you shouldn’t only offer the services you want to and how to get to a point where you’re billing ethically and creating space for rest and creativity!
Listen on your favorite podcast player
The Transition Plan You Can Use When Eliminating a Service
If there is a service you wish to eliminate, you can simply remove it as an offer and stop booking new clients for that particular service, but we advise that you have a transition plan! Start by only showcasing the kind of work you want to be doing. That doesn’t mean you have to abruptly stop offering other expected services, but it allows you to change the narrative of your brand while you ease out of offering unwanted services. When it comes to making that transition with current clients, a phase-out process is generally what is required. You need to consider how recently they bought the particular package and whether you’re truly ready to discontinue it. You also need to look at contracts and decide whether you’re going to fulfill your promise or adjust the contract. If you have clients on retainer, this may just be the opportunity you needed to readdress the original terms and conditions of your contracts!
How To Communicate Service Elimination and Price Raises to Your Clients
So often, we find ourselves working and billing according to old contracts. People and businesses will rarely address the lack of price-hike voluntarily, but you can be sure that they’re aware of it! You have every right to call a meeting and readdress the terms of conditions of your contracts and reestablish your rates. In terms of pairing a price raise with the elimination of a service, you need to come into the conversation prepared to show your clients how it will add to the value of their results. Also remember that, if you eliminate a service, you don’t necessarily have to replace it with something else! There are infinite benefits to pricing ethically and offering ethical value, for both you and your clients.
QuoteThis
The #1 Cause of Feast or Famine and How To Get Out of It
Often, when it comes to making the transition, service-based business owners are crippled by the indecision of which clients to let go of and which can fit into the new version of their business. If you look at the hard truth and the numbers, you’ll see that one client doesn’t necessarily need to be replaced with another. The whole philosophy of what we do is to guide our clients away from feeling like they need to cram every moment with billable hours. Once you’ve priced appropriately, you’ll have more creative liberty, and slowly but surely put that scarcity mindset to rest. The root of the feast or famine mindset is under-charging and over-delivering. It is possible to work with a quarter of the clients you’re currently working with and earn double!
Take the leap with us inside The Incubator, so we can help you see the results in your business that you’ve been striving for. Just apply here right now, then reach out to us via DMs on Instagram @bossproject, so we can bump you to the front of the queue!
Quote This
The reason feast or famine exists is almost always a root of under-charging and over-delivering.
Highlights
The Transition Plan You Can Use When Eliminating a Service. [0:15:23]
How To Communicate Service Elimination and Price Raises to Your Clients. [0:24:53]
The #1 Cause of Feast or Famine and How To Get Out of It. [0:32:08]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Service-based business, Eliminating services, Feast or famine, Scarcity mindset, Ethical billing, Time management, Raising your prices
