Understanding Packages in Proposals

Summary #

Packages are the pricing structure within your proposals. They allow you to offer clients multiple options (like “Basic,” “Premium,” and “Deluxe”) so they can choose the level of service that fits their needs and budget. Each package contains products (your services), optional discounts, and automatically calculates the total price.

This guide explains how to create packages, add products and discounts, use advanced features like offer stacks and travel fees, and structure your packages for maximum bookings.

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What Are Packages? #

The Basics #

A package is a pricing option within a proposal. Think of it as a bundle of services at a specific price point.

Example Proposal Structure:

Proposal: "Sarah's Wedding - June 15th"
├── Package 1: "Ceremony Music Only" ($500)
├── Package 2: "Ceremony + Cocktail Hour" ($900)
└── Package 3: "Full Reception Package" ($1,800)

Each package contains:

• Products – The actual services you’ll provide (e.g., “Solo Ceremony Performance”)
• Discounts (optional) – Reductions from the regular price
• Pricing – Automatically calculated based on products and discounts
• Offer Items (optional) – Marketing items showing perceived value

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Why Offer Multiple Packages? #

Benefits of Multiple Package Options #

1. Increases Booking Rate

• Gives clients choice instead of a take-it-or-leave-it price
• Clients are more likely to say “yes” to one of three options

2. Captures Different Budgets

• Budget-conscious clients can pick the basic package
• Clients willing to splurge can choose premium

3. Anchoring Effect

• The premium package makes the middle option look more reasonable
• Most clients choose the middle package when presented with three

4. Upselling Opportunity

• Clients often upgrade from their initial budget
• Clear value differences encourage higher spending

5. Professional Presentation

• Shows you’ve thought about their needs
• Demonstrates flexibility and expertise

Common Package Structures #

Good / Better / Best (Recommended):

• Basic Package: Essential services only, lowest price
• Standard Package: Most popular, includes extras
• Premium Package: Everything included, highest price

Single Service + Add-ons:

• Base Package: Core service
• Add-on Packages: Additional services clients can stack

Event-Specific:

• Ceremony Only
• Ceremony + Cocktail Hour
• Full Day Coverage

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Creating Your First Package #

Prerequisites #

Before creating packages, you need:

• ✅ A proposal already created (see “How to Create and Send a Proposal to a Client”)
• ✅ An idea of what services you’ll offer

Step-by-Step: Create a Package #

1. Navigate to Your Proposal

• Go to Clients → Click your client → Click the proposal
• You’ll see the proposal builder page

2. Click “Add Package”

• The Create Package dialog opens
• You’ll see two tabs

3. Choose Package Creation Method

You have two options:

Option A: Use Existing Package Template #

This is faster if you have Products already created in your group.

1. Click the “Use Existing Package” tab
2. Select a product from the dropdown
3. The system will pre-fill with: Name, Price, Description, Any offer items from the template
4. You can customize the name for this specific proposal
5. Click “Add”

What happens: The package is created and automatically includes the product from your template. You can add more products or modify pricing afterward.

Option B: Create Custom Package #

Build a package from scratch.

1. Click the “Create Custom Package” tab
2. Enter a package name (Examples: “Premium Wedding Package”, “Cocktail Hour Duo”, “Full Reception Entertainment”)
3. Click “Add”

What happens: An empty package is created. You’ll need to add products to it next.

💡 Tip: Use descriptive names that communicate value. “Full Wedding Experience” sounds better than “Package 3.”

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Adding Products to Packages #

Once you have a package created, you need to add products (the actual services).

What Are Products? #

Products are the individual service items within a package. Each product has:

• Name – What the service is (e.g., “Solo Ceremony Performance”)
• Price – How much this service costs
• Musician Count – How many musicians for this service

Example Package Breakdown:

Premium Wedding Package
├── Solo Ceremony Performance ($400, 1 musician)
├── Duo Cocktail Hour ($600, 2 musicians)
└── Travel fee ($45, 2 musicians)
───────────────────────────
Total: $1,045

Step-by-Step: Add a Product #

1. Open Your Package

• From the proposal page, click on the package name
• You’ll see the package editor page

2. Click “Add Product”

• A dialog opens

3. Fill in Product Details

• Name: Be specific (e.g., “2-Hour Reception Entertainment”)
• Price: The price for this service (in dollars)
• Musician Count: How many musicians are performing
• Optional: Cost: Your internal cost (for profit tracking)

Examples:

Name: Solo Ceremony Performance
Price: $400
Musician Count: 1
Cost: $300

Name: String Quartet Reception (4 hours)
Price: $2,400
Musician Count: 4
Cost: $1,600

4. Click “Add”

What happens: The product is added to the package, the package total automatically recalculates, and you can add more products, edit, or delete products.

Editing Products #

Inline Editing: Click on any product’s name, price, or musician count to edit it directly.

1. Click the field you want to edit
2. Make your changes
3. Click the checkmark to save
4. The total recalculates automatically

Deleting Products: Click the trash icon next to any product to remove it.

💡 Tip: Be specific with product names. “Solo Violin – 30 minute Ceremony” is clearer than just “Music.”

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Working with Discounts #

Discounts allow you to reduce the package price for special offers, early booking deals, or package discounts.

Types of Discounts #

1. Fixed Amount Discount

• Subtracts a specific dollar amount
• Example: $100 Early Booking Discount
• Good for: Consistent offers across all package sizes

2. Percentage Discount

• Subtracts a percentage of the package total
• Example: 10% Package Deal Discount
• Good for: Scaling discounts (bigger packages = bigger savings)

Step-by-Step: Add a Discount #

1. From Package Editor Page

• Scroll to the discounts section

2. Click “Add Discount”

• A dialog opens

3. Choose Discount Type

• Toggle between “Fixed Amount” and “Percentage”

4. Fill in Details

For Fixed Amount:

Name: Early Booking Discount
Amount: $100

For Percentage:

Name: 10% Package Discount
Percentage: 10%

5. Click “Add”

What happens: The discount is applied to the package, total price recalculates automatically, and the discount shows in the breakdown.

How Discounts Calculate #

Calculation Order:

1. Add up all product prices = Subtotal
2. Apply all discounts to subtotal
3. Final price = Subtotal – Discounts

Example:

Products:
  Solo Ceremony: $400
  Duo Cocktail Hour: $600
  ───────────────
  Subtotal: $1,000

Discounts:
  Early Booking: -$100
  10% Package Deal: -$100 (10% of $1,000)
  ───────────────────────
  Total Discounts: -$200

FINAL PRICE: $800

Multiple Discounts: You can apply multiple discounts. They all stack (add together).

Editing and Deleting Discounts #

Edit: Click on the discount name or amount to edit inline.

Delete: Click the trash icon to remove a discount.

💡 Tip: Name your discounts clearly so clients understand the value. “Early Booking – Book by 12/1” is better than “Special Offer.”

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Using the Offer Stack Feature #

What Is an Offer Stack? #

An Offer Stack (also called “Value Stack”) is a marketing technique that shows clients the perceived value of what they’re receiving, even if some items are already included in your standard service.

Example:

Premium DJ Package - $1,500

Includes:
✓ 4-Hour DJ Service ($800)
  ⭐ Professional Sound System ($500 value)
  ⭐ Wireless Microphones ($200 value)
  ⭐ Uplighting Package ($400 value)
✓ MC Services ($300)
───────────────────────────────
$2,200 value → Only $1,500!

The client sees they’re getting $2,200 worth of services for $1,500, making the price feel like a great deal.

When to Use Offer Stacks #

Good Use Cases:

• ✅ You include equipment/services that competitors charge extra for
• ✅ You want to differentiate your premium package
• ✅ The perceived value is genuinely higher than your price
• ✅ You’re competing on value, not just price

Avoid If:

• ❌ The “value” is inflated or fake
• ❌ You can’t justify the value claims
• ❌ Your pricing is already very competitive
• ❌ You prefer straightforward pricing

Step-by-Step: Add Offer Items #

1. Navigate to Package Editor

• Click on your package to edit it

2. Find the Product to Add Value To

• Locate the product in the table

3. Click the Star Icon

• If no offer items exist, you’ll see a gold star icon
• Click it to add your first offer item

4. Add Offer Item Dialog Opens

• Name: What the item is (e.g., “Professional PA System”)
• Value: The perceived value in dollars (e.g., $500)

5. Click “Add”

What happens: The offer item is added under the product, displays with a star icon, and if “Show Offer Stack” is enabled, clients will see it.

Multiple Offer Items #

You can add multiple offer items to each product:

String Quartet Performance - $2,000
⭐ Professional Sound Reinforcement ($500 value)
⭐ Wireless Microphones ($200 value)
⭐ Sheet Music Licensing ($300 value)

Recommendation: Keep it to 2-3 items per product. Too many can feel overwhelming or gimmicky.

Toggling Offer Stack Display #

Control Visibility:

1. In the package editor sidebar, find “Marketing Options”
2. Toggle “Show Offer Stack on Proposal”
   • ON: Clients see the offer items and value calculations
   • OFF: Offer items are hidden (for internal reference only)

Why toggle it off?

• Test different presentations
• Turn off for clients who prefer simple pricing
• Disable for budget-focused proposals

💡 Tip: Be honest with your value claims. Clients can sense inflated numbers, which can backfire.

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Calculating Travel Fees #

BookLive can automatically calculate travel fees based on the distance to your event location.

How Travel Calculation Works #

The System:

1. Uses your group’s address as the starting point
2. Uses the proposal’s venue or city/state as destination
3. Calculates distance via Google Distance API
4. Applies your group’s mileage rate
5. Multiplies by the number of musicians
6. Creates a travel fee product automatically

Formula:

Distance (round trip in miles) × Mileage Rate × Musician Count = Travel Fee

Example:
45 miles × $0.50/mile × 2 musicians = $45 travel fee

Prerequisites #

Before you can calculate travel:

• ✅ Your group must have an address set (city, state)
• ✅ The proposal must have a venue OR city/state set
• ✅ You need at least one product in the package (to determine musician count)

Step-by-Step: Calculate Travel #

1. Set Venue on Proposal First

• Go back to the proposal page
• Set the venue or enter city/state
• (See “Setting Venue and Location in Proposals” for details)

2. Open Your Package Editor

3. Click “Calculate Travel”

• Located in the Summary sidebar

4. System Calculates Automatically

• Determines distance
• Finds highest musician count from your products
• Applies mileage rate
• Creates travel fee product

What happens:

• If under 30 miles: Creates a $0 travel fee product (noting “under 30 miles”)
• If over 30 miles: Creates a paid travel fee product with calculated amount

Example Results:

Under 30 miles:
"Travel fee (2 musicians traveling 22 miles)" - $0

Over 30 miles:
"Travel fee (2 musicians traveling 65 miles)" - $65

Important Travel Fee Notes #

One Per Package:

• You can only add a travel fee ONCE per package
• To recalculate, delete the existing travel product first

Musician Count:

• System uses the HIGHEST musician count from any product
• Example: If you have a solo ($400) and quartet ($1,200), it uses 4 musicians for travel

Mileage Rate:

• Set in your group settings
• Default: $0.50 per mile
• Typical range: $0.40 – $0.75 per mile
• Check with your accountant for IRS standard mileage rates

💡 Tip: For nearby events (under 30 miles), the $0 travel fee shows you’re local and saves them money. For far events, the automatic calculation ensures you’re compensated fairly.

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Package Strategies for Higher Bookings #

The Good / Better / Best Structure #

Why It Works:

• Gives clients a sense of control
• Avoids “too expensive” rejections
• Most clients choose the middle option
• Premium package makes middle look reasonable

How to Structure:

Basic Package (Good):

• Bare minimum to serve their needs
• Price to win budget shoppers
• 20-30% of clients choose this

Standard Package (Better) – THE SWEET SPOT:

• Everything most clients actually want
• Price for your ideal profit margin
• Include your most popular services
• 50-60% of clients choose this

Premium Package (Best):

• All the bells and whistles
• Price 50-100% higher than Standard
• Makes Standard look like a great value
• 10-20% of clients choose this

Example: Wedding Packages

Ceremony Music Only - $500
├── Solo musician
├── 30 minutes of music
└── Basic PA system

Ceremony + Cocktail Hour - $900 ⭐ MOST POPULAR
├── Solo musician for ceremony
├── Duo for cocktail hour
├── Professional PA system
├── Wireless microphones
└── 2 hours total

Full Wedding Experience - $1,800
├── Solo ceremony performance
├── Quartet cocktail hour
├── DJ for reception (4 hours)
├── Professional sound and lighting
├── MC services
└── Custom song requests

Pricing Strategy:

• Basic: $500 (just ceremony)
• Standard: $900 (80% price increase, 3x the value)
• Premium: $1,800 (100% increase, everything included)

Product Naming Best Practices #

✅ Good Product Names:

• “Solo Violin – Ceremony Processional” (specific)
• “String Quartet – 1 Hour Cocktail Reception” (duration included)
• “DJ Services – 4 Hour Reception” (clear scope)

❌ Bad Product Names:

• “Music” (too vague)
• “Package 2” (no meaning)
• “Standard Service” (boring, generic)

Why It Matters:

• Clients understand exactly what they’re getting
• Reduces back-and-forth questions
• Shows professionalism and attention to detail

Discount Strategy #

Early Booking Discounts:

Book by [Date]: Save $100
Book 6+ months in advance: 10% off

Why: Incentivizes quick decisions, helps you book further out.

Package Deal Discounts:

Bundle Ceremony + Reception: Save $200

Why: Increases average sale, encourages buying more services.

Seasonal Discounts:

Winter Weddings: 15% off (November-March)

Why: Fills slow seasons, rewards flexible clients.

Referral Discounts:

Referred by past client: $50 off

Why: Encourages word-of-mouth marketing.

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What Clients See #

When you send a proposal, clients view a beautiful, professional page with your packages.

Client View Breakdown #

Hero Section:

• Your group’s cover photo (background)
• Proposal name (headline)
• “Presented by [Your Group Name]”
• Venue/location (if you set it)

Packages Section:

• “Choose Your Package” heading
• Each package displayed as a card with:
  • Package name
  • Products with checkmarks
  • Pricing breakdown
  • Discounts shown (if any)
  • Offer items with stars (if enabled)
  • Total price (prominent)
  • “Accept Package” button

Example Client View:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Ceremony + Cocktail Hour Package  │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ✓ Solo Ceremony Performance  $400  │
│   ⭐ Pro PA System ($300 value)     │
│ ✓ Duo Cocktail Hour          $600  │
│ ❌ Early Booking Discount    -$100  │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ $1,300 value                        │
│ Total: $900                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│        [Accept Package]             │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

What Happens When Client Accepts #

Immediate Actions:

1. Package is marked as “Accepted”
2. Proposal is closed (no other packages can be accepted)
3. Performance (gig) is created automatically
   • Scheduled 1 month from acceptance by default
   • Status: “Confirmed”
   • Timing marked “To Be Determined”
4. Contract is generated from your template
   • Pre-filled with package details
   • 50% deposit typically required
   • Balance due 2 weeks out (default)
5. You receive a notification email

Next Steps for You:

• Review the generated contract
• Finalize event date/time with client
• Send contract for signature
• Collect deposit
• Assign musicians
• Update performance details

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Common Questions & Troubleshooting #

❓ Can I create more than 3 packages? #

Yes! There’s no limit to the number of packages per proposal.

However: Best practice is 2-3 packages. Too many options can overwhelm clients and reduce conversions. Keep it simple.

❓ Can I edit a package after sending the proposal? #

Yes, but with caution.

What you can do:

• Edit product names, prices, and counts
• Add/remove products
• Add/remove discounts
• Changes save immediately

What clients see:

• If they haven’t viewed the proposal yet: They see your updates
• If they’ve already viewed it: They see the updated version on refresh

Best practice: Try to finalize packages before sending. If you must edit after sending, communicate changes to the client.

❓ Can a client accept multiple packages? #

No. Once any package is accepted, the proposal closes.

Why: One proposal = one booking. If clients want multiple services at different times, create separate proposals.

❓ How do I delete a package? #

From the package editor: Click the delete button (usually in the sidebar or top menu)

Restrictions:

• ❌ Cannot delete if the package has been accepted
• ❌ Cannot delete if it’s the only package in the proposal

Alternative: If you can’t delete, create a new proposal instead.

❓ Why isn’t my travel fee calculating? #

Common Issues:

1. No venue/location set

• Go to proposal page
• Set venue or enter city/state
• Then return to package and try again

2. No products in package yet

• Add at least one product first
• System needs to know musician count

3. No group address

• Check your group settings
• Ensure city and state are filled in
• This is your “starting point”

4. Already calculated once

• Check if a travel fee product already exists
• Delete it first if you want to recalculate

❓ How does profit tracking work? #

Internal Feature: Profit tracking is visible only to you (not clients).

How it calculates:

Profit = Package Price - Package Cost
Profit Margin % = ((Price / Cost) - 1) × 100

Setting Product Costs:

• When you add a product, you can set both price and cost
• Cost = what it costs you to provide the service
• Price = what you charge the client

Example:

Product: String Quartet (4 hours)
Cost: $1,200 ($300/musician × 4)
Price: $2,000
Profit: $800
Profit Margin: 66.7%

Why track this?

• Ensure you’re profitable
• Compare package profitability
• Make data-driven pricing decisions
• Know your margins before accepting jobs

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Tips for Professional Packages #

📝 Writing Tips #

Package Names:

• Use aspirational language: “Premium,” “Luxury,” “Ultimate”
• Or be descriptive: “Full Day Wedding Coverage”
• Avoid: “Option 2,” “Medium Package”

Product Names:

• Be specific about what’s included
• Include duration when relevant
• Use client-friendly language (not industry jargon)

Discount Names:

• Make the value clear: “10% Early Booking Discount – Save $150”
• Include deadlines: “Book by December 1st – $100 Off”
• Be specific: “Multi-Event Package Deal”

💰 Pricing Psychology #

Price Anchoring:

• Your premium package makes the middle package look affordable
• Even if few buy it, it serves a purpose

Price Gaps:

• $300-500 increments work well for most events
• Make the upgrade feel worth it
• Too small a gap → no perceived value
• Too large → feels out of reach

Bundle Pricing:

• Bundle pricing feels like a deal
• “$1,200 for ceremony + cocktail hour” vs. “$600 each = $1,200”
• The bundle feels intentional and valuable

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Next Steps #

Now that you understand packages, explore these related features:

Related Articles:

• 📦 How to Create and Send a Proposal to a Client
• 💰 Adding and Managing Products in BookLive
• 🚗 Understanding Travel Fees and Mileage Rates
• 🎯 Proposal Best Practices for Higher Acceptance Rates
• 👀 What Clients See When They Receive a Proposal
• ✅ What Happens When a Client Accepts Your Proposal
• 📊 Tracking Proposal Performance

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Need Help? #

If you have questions or run into issues:

• 📧 Email: support@booklive.com
• 📞 Phone: 414-253-2504 (Mon-Fri, 9 AM – 5 PM MST)
• 💬 Live Chat: Click the chat icon in the bottom right of your dashboard

Last Updated: October 30, 2025
Article ID: BL-PACKAGES-001
Category: Proposals & Quotes