Here’s the truth no one tells you when you start your consulting business: more offers do not equal more clients.
In fact, having too many offers is one of the fastest ways to stall your growth. It splits your focus. It confuses your clients. And it drains your energy trying to explain the difference between all of them.
What you really need is one premium offer that’s flexible enough to serve every type of client — without sending you back to the drawing board. This is what we call an Accordion Offer.
Built right, it can stretch or shrink depending on your client’s needs: expand for clients who want the full, end-to-end transformation, contract for clients who want a fast, focused win, or extend for ongoing support through a retainer.
Simple for you. Clear for them. Scalable for your business. And the best part? It’s the same offer, every time — no scramble, no reinvention, no overwhelm.
How many offers should a consultant have?
When you build a consulting offer properly, you’re not creating separate services for every client request. You’re creating one structured journey — and scaling it up or down based on what your client needs. That’s the magic of the Accordion Offer.
Maxi-Offer (fully expanded)
This is your full, premium, end-to-end offer. It includes strategy, execution, tools, implementation, optimization, and measurable results. Ideal for clients who want to go all-in and get deeply involved with you from start to finish. High investment, high return.
Pro tip: this offer is perfect for clients with big goals and tight timelines who want you to lead the charge.
Midi-Offer (mid-sized engagement)
This is your mid-level engagement for clients who want depth but don’t need full-scale implementation. It includes assessment, strategy, and a clear execution plan, and skips the heavy lifting of implementation and optimization — ideal if they have internal teams ready to execute your plan.
Pro tip: the Midi-Offer often becomes a “step one” toward your Maxi-Offer. Clients see your brilliance here and often want to upgrade for deeper support.
Mini-Offer (entry point)
A bite-sized version of your offer focused on delivering a fast win. It focuses only on Milestone #1 — a VIP Day, assessment, or strategic plan — and creates immediate value and momentum, which naturally leads to higher levels of engagement.
Pro tip: use the Mini-Offer as your lead generator for bigger engagements. This is your lowest-risk offer to convert hesitant buyers into full-solution clients.
Retainer offer (ongoing oversight or coaching)
This is how you keep great clients coming back for more. It provides ongoing advisory, coaching, or progress monitoring — weekly calls, monthly retainers, quarterly check-ins, or VIP days to map out the next 90-day plan.
Pro tip: the Retainer Offer is often your most profitable offer over time — your work is lighter, the value is ongoing, and the client sees you as an essential partner.
No matter which version you sell, remember: it’s all built on ONE offer. Your Accordion Offer flexes to meet your clients where they are — making it easier to sell, simpler to deliver, and faster to grow.
How do you package one consulting offer four ways?
The biggest unlock in your consulting business isn’t having more offers. It’s having one offer that works harder for you.
With an Accordion Offer, you simplify your sales, streamline your delivery, and remove the guesswork from your marketing. No more juggling offers or second-guessing your pitch — you’re confidently selling the same powerful offer, every time, in the size that fits your client best.
- Maxi for clients who want the full journey.
- Midi for those who need the plan but have their own team to execute.
- Mini for fast-action clients who want to test the waters.
- Retainer to extend lifetime value and stay in the client’s corner.
This is how you build consistency. This is how you build profitability. This is how you build unstoppable momentum.
And remember — you were made to thrive.
Want the whole framework, not just the summary?
Join the Start Your Consulting Business Masterclass and learn how to build a consulting business that replaces your income and buys back your time.
