A landscaping company complained to a reporter that instead

of carefully defining their needs, interested prospects say,

"Send us a proposal."

"That's like saying, 'Go buy a car,'" objected the owner.

"We need to get people to think about what they want."

Not necessarily. They can set up new customers well in

less time by offering a line-up of package deals. Packages

of services or products provide a combination of options

at a set price, instead of forcing people to identify

the ideal mixture for their needs.

Barbara Leff, founder of Legal Web Works, created special

packages for her target market, law firms with up to five

attorneys. "Some are behind the technology curve," she

says, "and they prefer to spend their time practicing law

and adding billable hours."

Leff's all-inclusive Web site package deals greatly

simplify lawyers' design decisions and ensure that

they're not sucked into a black hole of unlimited charges.

They can mix and match design elements freely, and add

extras to the package for an extra fee.

"For lawyers who are tempted to say, 'I need a Web site,'

I demystify the process," Leff says. "The package deals

make getting small law firms onto the Web as painless and

as cost-effective as can be."

Package deals involve additional dynamics that marketers

can take advantage of. While package deals often involve

discounted prices, the opposite can work too. When the

combination of items is exciting enough and includes at least

one product or service that's not usually available, people

may become willing to pay much more than they ordinarily

would.

For instance, suppose you own a vacation lodge and you

recently hosted best-selling mystery writer John Grisham,

who signed ten books while there on a fishing trip.

Autographed books can't easily be bought on the open market,

and for fans, they have a powerful appeal. You could thus

create a "Grisham weekend" and give away a book to each of

ten guests signing up for a three-day package including

lodging, food, boat and equipment rental and a couple more

luxuries or gifts the ordinary patron wouldn't spring for

a la carte.

Even without a scarce or package-deal-only item, you can

increase the appeal of your special deal by giving it a

tantalizing name. The name might indicate a special purpose

that plants ideas in the minds of people who don't

ordinarily buy from you, as in the "Treat Your Spouse"

weekend at a city hotel, aimed at local residents.

For an auto repair shop, you might call your package "The

Midwinter Tuneup," including a rationale for maintenance

services that most car owners don't usually think of

bringing their car in for that time of year. A publisher

might likewise create a Valentine's Special -- four romantic

books that a woman might love to receive from her man, who

might otherwise buy just one, or none at all, in favor of

that old standby, roses.

The above is adapted from "Secrets of Mouthwatering

Marketing Copy" by Marcia Yudkin, available from

http://www.yudkin.com/mouthwatering.htm . Marcia Yudkin

is the author of 11 books, including

Persuading on Paper and Internet Marketing for Less than

$500/Year.