Maintenance & Support Package Builder
Turn one-time $15K projects into $15K + $1K/month recurring revenue.
What This Skill Does
Input: Software delivered Output: 3-tier maintenance packages with pricing, what's included, support SLAs
Standard Package Tiers
Basic Support - $500/month
✅ Bug fixes (4-hour response time) ✅ 2 hours/month of updates or changes ✅ Email support (M-F, 9-5) ✅ Monthly backup verification ✅ Security updates
Who it's for: Clients who want peace of mind, minimal ongoing changes
Professional Support - $1,000/month
✅ Everything in Basic, PLUS: ✅ Priority bug fixes (2-hour response time) ✅ 5 hours/month of feature updates ✅ Phone + email support ✅ Quarterly strategy call ✅ Performance monitoring
Who it's for: Growing businesses that need ongoing improvements
Premium Support - $2,000/month
✅ Everything in Professional, PLUS: ✅ Critical bug fixes (1-hour response time) ✅ 10 hours/month of development time ✅ Dedicated Slack channel ✅ Monthly feature planning sessions ✅ Priority feature development
Who it's for: Mission-critical systems, high-growth companies
How to Present Packages
After delivery, during training:
"The software is built and working great. Here's what I recommend for ongoing support...
You have three options:
Option 1: No Support Package
- You can email me if something breaks, I'll fix it on a project basis
- Typically $150/hour for fixes or updates
- Unpredictable costs, slower response times
Option 2: Basic Support ($500/month)
- I fix any bugs within 4 hours
- Includes 2 hours/month for small updates
- Predictable monthly cost
Option 3: Professional Support ($1,000/month) - MOST POPULAR
- Priority support, 5 hours/month of updates
- Perfect for businesses that want to keep improving the software
Most of my clients go with Professional. It's like having a developer on retainer without the $75K salary."
What to Include
Bug Fixes: Always included (it should work as promised) Feature Requests: Bill hourly or include monthly quota Hosting Costs: Pass through to client or bundle into package Updates/Security: Include in all packages (protects your work)
Pricing Strategy
Formula: Monthly package = 5-10% of original project cost
- $15K project → $750-$1,500/month packages
- $30K project → $1,500-$3,000/month packages
Why Clients Buy Maintenance Packages
✅ Peace of mind - Someone to call when things break ✅ Predictable costs - $1K/month vs uncertain hourly bills ✅ Continuous improvement - Software gets better over time ✅ Priority access - Their requests don't wait in line
Why YOU Want Recurring Revenue
✅ Predictable income - $5K/month recurring = financial stability ✅ Easier than new clients - Existing clients already trust you ✅ Compound growth - Each project adds recurring revenue ✅ Higher business valuation - Recurring revenue = 5-10x annual value
Math:
- 5 clients × $1K/month = $5K/month = $60K/year recurring
- 10 clients × $1K/month = $10K/month = $120K/year recurring
- That's a real business, not project-to-project hustle
How to Upsell Support Packages
Timing: 30 days after delivery (once they're using it daily)
Email: "Hi [Client],
It's been a month since we launched [Software]. How's it going?
I wanted to follow up about ongoing support. Right now, if something breaks or you need changes, it's billed hourly at $150/hour.
Many of my clients prefer a support package instead - predictable monthly cost, faster response times, and included development hours for improvements.
I have three tiers: Basic ($500/mo), Professional ($1K/mo), and Premium ($2K/mo).
Want to hop on a 15-min call to discuss what makes sense for you?"
Conversion Rate: 30-50% of clients will buy some level of support
Remember
One-time projects = unpredictable income, constant hustle for new clients
Recurring revenue = stability, compounding growth, real business
Offer support packages to every client. Even if only 3 out of 10 buy, that's $3K/month recurring revenue.