I suggest creating mini-packages based on the services you provide and with a separate monthly management fee at 2 to 4 levels (project management, account management, analytics management all together fee–the analytics management assumes you provide insights vs. information from the analytics). I would try to stay away from strictly hourly, but my fee schedule would likely be based around a loose version of what I thought I was worth so that if a client asked me, I could provide an estimate.
Likely small business verticals:
Real estate
Lawyers
Recruiters
Financial services
Consultants (Speakers, Trainers, Consultants, etc…)
Creatives/Marketers
Wedding Photographers/Wedding Vertical
Each has a separate strategy that seems to apply to it. I would obviously try to focus on the 2 or 3 that made the most sense from a strategy and passion perspective.
Version 1:
Content Strategy
Online PR/Blogger Relations
Content Creation
Listening strategy (including analytics)
Version 2:
Landing page to list-bait and/or Sale page that converts
Email content (aka autoresponder)
Listening strategy (including analytics and CRM)
Version 3: More options
Training/Educational programs (WordPress, online copywriting, community building, Linked In, B2B strategies, collaboration & productivity, time management, video, podcasting, linkbait strategies, etc..)
Social media for internal communications and other functions
Other online marketing functions & integration with offline campaigns
I think charging one fee doesn’t quite make sense unless you speak to a specific industry you are serving, because thats when you can really understand what the specific value proposition & ROI is.
Benchmarking versus firms can be helpful, but a solo practitioner is really providing a different service is 95% of cases intellectual capital wise. Although its certainly nice to be able to say that these five small business firms charge X, while I charge Y–suggesting to potential clients that the alternatives are more expensive.
