Jan
22
Screw Overtime (or How to Make More Money Without Having A Breakdown)
This is a guest post from Dave Navarro.
If you’re providing a service of any kind, you’re in trouble. Not the garden variety “Oh crap, my business is going to collapse” kind of trouble – I’m talking the “Oh, crap, I’m going to collapse” variety of pain and suffering. Because if you’re like a lot of Ittybizes, the primary thing you’re selling is you. And there’s only so much you to go around.
Why Success Can Suck For Service Providers
If your business model revolves around you billing your time out, personally, then you’re eventually going to hit a wall with how much you can earn. If you can work 40 hours a week, you get to earn whatever it is you charge times 40. If your expenses surpass that (or you’re just wanting to make more money), you’re screwed.
Sure, if you’re still hustling to fill your dance card with clients, the idea of 40 billable hours seems pretty sweet. And when you actually get that dance card full, it is sweet … until it hits you that there’s no way in hell you can do the things that grow your business without putting in overtime.
Overtime sounds easy, but it isn’t. Think of how hard it is to keep up with what’s going on right now, and then imagine what it will be like when every working minute you have is filled with servicing clients. (Ahem. Yes, that was comment bait.)
Bottom line is this: If your service business takes off, you’re going to have to either a) turn away clients so you can do more business-growth things, or b) begin the slippery slope of working overtime. Choosing between “saying no to money you need” and “saying no to enjoying life” is not an easy thing to have to do – either way, there’s pain.
And of course there’s c), which is “raise your rates already,” but even then you’re going to hit a wall with what you can provide. You’re never going to get off the treadmill until you separate the act of being present with the act of getting paid.
How To Say No To Clients And Still Get Paid
If you want to start banishing overtime so you can focus on the strategic things that will help your Ittybiz get less Itty, then you need to be able to serve clients without serving them personally. I’m talking about products here – if you don’t have them, you need to start making them. And if you do have them, you need to make more or get better at moving the ones you have.
Here’s why products are so useful. Let’s say you’re Selene Bowlby, and you’re in the business of designing custom websites. And then because you’re being linked to on Ittybiz, you suddenly have 10 people asking you for a custom blog theme at once.
Even if you’re Selene, that’s too much work to handle at the same time, and you probably can’t outsource your magic if they’re wanting your personal touch. So Selene takes 2 clients, and has to turn the other 8 away
But let’s rewind this, and imagine that Selene has just released a set of really killer premium blog themes. Now she still has to turn 8 potential clients away, but 3 of those people buy the premium themes (they’ll customize it themselves).
Now Selene’s making some money that she doesn’t have to be present for, and she can either take a well-deserved breather or do some marketing magic (or better yet, make more premium themes).
Your Ittybiz Needs Some Well-Paying Places to Say “No”
Take a little time today to look at your business and imagine what kinds of things you can begin to turn into products. And don’t say “There’s nothing I can do,” because there’s something you can do, somewhere. There’s something you can productize.
The trick is to step back and ask yourself, “What if I had no time to help a client but they had no other people to go to, and they just needed something to help them take a step forward. What could I offer them?” For web designer Selene, it may be premium blog themes. For productivity coach Charlie Gilkey, it’s an ebook about how to tame your inbox. For blog tech guy Johnny Truant, it’s DIY-tech stuff.
There’s something you can productize – and soon – and if you don’t do it, you’re going to have to face that treadmill every day (and it only gets faster as you become more successful).
Let Me Give You Some Quick Help (If You Spread The Word)
If you’re stuck on product ideas, I’ll see if I can help you come up with one to run with. Here’s what I want you to do:
- Tweet this article’s link (and add the #ittybiz hashtag so I know you did it)
- Come back and leave a comment asking for help and telling me exactly what you do (and if you provide multiple services, please list as many as possible)
- Do it today — Friday — because after that, I’ve got to get back to my other stuff. :-)
(I will do my damnedest to get to everyone who does this today, but please understand that if 100 people ask for help, I might run out of brain).
And bookmark this post – who knows if the ideas I give others will apply to you too – you don’t want to leave money on the table.
That is all,
Dave
Dave Navarro is a product launch manager at The Launch Coach, and much like Naomi teaches you how to get people to buy more of what you’re selling. After you leave your comment, drop by and learn some good stuff.
Yay Dave!
I’ve been up at 3 am several mornings in the last few weeks doing just this — ideas that people need, information I can provide, but how do I turn them into products?
I don’t know that I have a specific request of you today, because I’m already past the “OMG I don’t have any more hours to sell” stage and am working on Stage 2.
Now to find time to do it in between servicing the clients. ;-)
Carol
Pay attention to your next few client calls. What questions do you ask them and what direction do you give them … and how can that be turned into a mini-workbook?
I see on your page “We create strong marketing and PR campaigns to attract traffic and sales to your site.” Makes me think:
“DIY Marketing: 7 Steps To Creating A Strong PR Campaign”
$27, 30-minute audio with workbook.
Just sayin’.
Hi Dave,
Just wanted to say great post as always. By the end of this year I hope to have just a few clients and a lot of products. I know it’s the right way to go, no doubt, no diggity.
I don’t need help thinking of ideas, just another dozen or so hours in between sunup and sundown, but that’s an awesome offer and extremely kind.
I’m off to tweet the post!
Thanks Sean. You rock.
I’m currently struggling with this quite a bit. I started to subcontract a small amount of work with some success, but overall my desire is to commoditize my services. I’m a Ruby on Rails web developer in Boston, MA. I have a few product ideas, but haven’t found the time to properly test them out.
What I find challenging is the sales cycle. It’s time consuming to generate leads and close a sale, so combining that with a full docket of existing contracts can get really taxing.
Dan –
Your site says “We’ll identify how we can differentiate you from your competitors on the web. We’ll help get your site search engine friendly.”
I also see a “Seven Steps” product in here, or take your entire consultation part where you ask questions and turn it into a workbook.
Include an hour of consultation with it, and then charge 150% of your rate for the workbook + consult time.
Hi Dave,
I’m a nutrition and lifestyle counselor for women. I do have a small continuity program, so I’ve thought about this before, but I don’t have a product, product yet.
Some of the ideas I have are around creating series of videos with easy recipes w/ handbooks explaining the health impact of introducing the new foods… Like the breakfast series or the cooking w/ seaweed series or the grain-free baking series…
I’ve thought about something like a proprietary system, but that sounds like too big of a project.
One of the things that stops me — besides the natural dose of procrastination — is the fact that breakthroughs happen during sessions and that the little things that really make the difference are individual. I know there’s a place for everything — individual counseling as well as introductory products… I guess I’m curious about your thoughts on creating a product that delivers what individual counseling does. Is this possible? Good idea?
Thank you!
PS: I love the flip camera YOU help me buy :-)
Andrea –
Hope you get a lot of good mileage out of that Flip camera.
If you document the individual solutions you give people you’ll soon have a library of ideas. Eventually you’ll have “Nourish Me: 25 Strategies For Women To Eat Smarter And Feel Better Everyday” (or something much better titled than that).
Hell, that could be a popular print book. Say something nice about me in the foreword if it is. :-)
Another idea – survey your list/blog for #1 “hardest part about eating right” and then make a guide to quick / easy food prep.
OMG! I love your idea! It totally sounds doable… not like the whole system thing, that just by thinking about it makes me feel like going back to bed :-).
I have documented all my clients progress. After almost 5 years, there’s a lot of juice in those folders!
I WILL do this by the summer! Committing right now!
I’m a violin teacher wondering if there is any way to productize my services. It seems that it may be too specific and hands on to create a product, but I would like to be able to do something once my schedule fills up.
Mary –
Since your business is so hands-on I’d suggest searching for “online violin lessons” and seeing what turns up – there may be products with bonus items you could duplicate (like guides on how to care for a violin, tips to help you move from beginner to intermediate, a violin buying guide, etc).
If I were in the market for a violin, I’d imagine they’d be expensive. I once paid $17 for a furniture buying guide that taught me how to tell poorly built furniture from good stuff, and couches are EXPENSIVE.
I’m thinking a simple guide on how to make a good buying decision could be a great $10 guide with a $10 upsell to the tips for care of violin and posture / playing tips (I’m making that last part up. I play piano. Poorly).
Hope that helps,
Dave
Hi Dave,
This is wonderful, actionable advice and a very generous offer. I have made the shift to products with a new business I am starting, for many of the reasons you write about. Primarily, I like to spend time with my family :)
I don’t need any help, but I’m happy to pass the word on Twitter for those that do. There are many!
Thanks, Ian. You rock!
Hi Dave,
This is a great idea – thanks for your help.
I am a Life Coach for a niche I call ‘Young Professional Men.’ (YPM) What I do:
- help YPM’s determine a vision for their career as well as an action plan to move towards it
- help YPM’s manage poor thinking or time management skills
- help YPM’s develop better relationships and get into better shape
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Andrew Parkes
Andrew –
Take a look at your coaching clients and look at one thing you’ve helped them through lately, and build that into a small workbook.
I see you have “How to get over a rough past” – that could be a quick 30-60 minute audio and a workbook right there.
Keep a notebook with you during calls and take notes on each thing you help people with and think – “Can I turn that into a product”? If it’s substantial, then go for it.
If it’s small, document it anyway and bundle a bunch of small solutions together. You could build a whole workshop that way.
OMG! I love your idea! It totally sounds doable… not like the whole system thing, that just by thinking about it makes me feel like going back to bed :-).
I have documented all my clients progress. After almost 5 years, there’s a lot of juice in those folders!
I WILL do this by the summer! Committing right now!
Hi Dave,
I’ve been trying to find the answer to this dilemma as well. This is what I do:
- write copy for sales pages and squeeze pages
- diagnose a blog and make recommendations to optimize it for search engines and conversion
- diagnose a client’s marketing system to see where they’re leaving money on the table, what simple things they can be doing to increase traffic, build their lists and sell more stuff
- create promotional materials for affiliates and motivate them to use them
- communicate with clients’ affiliates to address their needs
- give marketing advice, depending on clients’ needs
Well, you get the idea (I hope). Looking forward to your suggestions, because I am near the point where I won’t be able to take any more retainer clients.
Thanks in advance, Dave!
Lexi
Lexi –
Looking at your page, you’re ripe for so many products – think small and work your way up.
Record your client calls and note all the solutions you offer, then turn those into workbooks and audios.
What do people who are absolute beginners come to you for? Pick the lowest-hanging fruit first.
First thing that comes to mind (as being easiest to do) from your page is that you do this service:
“diagnose a blog and make recommendations to optimize it for search engines and conversion”
Ok – go to 20 websites and privately make notes on how you’d optimize each of them. You’ll probably end up with 50 tips and strategies.
Now you have the basis for a $47 PDF/video and workbook.
I can’t believe you’ve done this, Dave. What an awesome gift!
I’ve taken note of your suggestions and will get to work. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thank you very much!
Dave,
Great post, thanks. Would like help!
Our business model is 99% service. We help homeowners understand what is in their home (personal property) so they can make the correct and necessary insurance and financial planning decisions. Our service is literally documenting and valuing the assets in your home. We have expertise in various subject matter and know the proper and effective way to make sure you know what you own.
Thanks,
GE
Gerald,
Get a audio recorder and notebook and step out of your front door, then step back in and pretend you’re with a client. Walk through your own house going through your process and sharing that hard-earned-expertise that most people wouldn’t know about.
Then you have the basis for a DIY kit that you can sell online. A PDF/video, a set of worksheets and an “insider guide” with all your expertise.
Dave,
Thanks! What if the one’s current service/biz was not one we wanted to use but rather something different. I realize you need to follow your interest, knowledge and passion but what if we wanted to discover and explore new niches where we could learn and become an expert? Would you recommend first finding out what people are looking for, searching, rabid fans- first? If so what would be your approach?
Thank you.
Find popular blogs on the subject and look at the most popular posts. See what these “competitors” customers are clamoring for and create that.
Hey Dave,
Thanks for this.
I’ve been a Zen based psychotherapist for 29 years, and am at the “shift” stage. I’ve been seeing clients, and have authored several books, have a large website that makes little money but gets me clients. We’re now getting ready to move (likely Costa Rica) to lead retreats, etc. We’d love our site to shift with us – better book promotion, etc.
Our plans are here:
http://www.phoenixcentre.com/blog/plans/
My little brain is starting to implode, as I’ve never been “virtual” before!
Thanks in advance, for any help!
Wayne –
Read some of the above replies – document what you’re doing with clients and turn some of the process into a worksheet form to help people get clearer on the things you help them through.
Pick one issue – the one you can talk most easily about – and start there.
THANK YOU for the great mention, Dave! :D
You are absolutely right as far as how important it is to have product (or ten) in addition to your regular service offerings. You’re not the only one telling me I should get going on developing some premium WordPress themes already… and this illustrates exactly why!
Kick in the pants taken! [Scurries off to start planning theme design ideas...] :)
Kick kick kick :-)
I like to call it getting hit with a “clue-by-four”
:)
Dude, kick in the pants for me too! I don’t need Dave to brainstorm what I should do, because I already know. Slinking off now to just GO DO IT, DAMMIT.
Selene, if you like I can remind you, just kick me in the pants too. :D
I am sitting on no less than 4 info-products 80-95% DONE. What the heck is holding me back???
(oh I know, the fear they might not be good enough for release, that’s it…)
I think I have a handle on it, but I write tutorials for WordPress MU, the version of WP that allows you to have multiple blogs, and is now being merged into WP and will be coming in 3.0.
That’s over at wpmututorials.com. I like writing tutorials, see above where I mentioned info products.
My clients, and the things I/we do are:
- build custom sites, some large, some small (not my fave)
- my partner writes a custom plugin, I handle the client end
- consultation calls where heavy users of the software can pick my brain about issues or questions they have (love this, don’t do it enough, easy compared to building the site for them)
- sell a small amount of plugins that do very specific things, just for multiple blogs.
oh, and my marketing sucks. :D We’ve continuously raised our rates and are consistently booked solid. In fact, we are usually overbooked. And both of us have sore butts from the amount of time we spend sitting in office chairs. (no lie, our sciatic nerves tingle). The amount of billable hours we have compared to time put in (we donate a lot of time to the project & the community at large) is kind of.. pathetic really. :D
Kick me in the butt Dave! I’m gonna guess anything you tell me, I will probably already know, I just haven’t done it yet. Cuz I’m tired.
Andrea –
You KNOW I’m going to tell you to finish those four products and get them out there!
What’s standing in the way?
Um, me probably. :D
“Then pick one & launch it!” says Dave.
will do Dave. I will carve out the time. :)
This is great advice. I get faint when I think about mentioning the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” because it ends up being about real estate, and real estate makes me vomit blood… but the principle in there was such an “A-ha!” (not the 80s band) when I first heard it.
A product doesn’t require much, if any, of your effort, time, or involvement once it’s completed.
Passive income, baby.
(P.S: I don’t need product ideas right now; I’m just commenting because it’s a good post.)
Rock it, bro – thanks for dropping by :-)
I’ll take you up on your offer. Running into the “maxed out but need new clients just in case someone cuts back” situation. I’m an independent contractor 30 hrs a week for a state chamber of commerce, then have smaller association clients periodically (just 1 addl client now). I travel 3 days/month for the 30 hour/week client and dread the thought of adding a new client that I would need to travel for. I’m hired for my ability to manipulate, analyze and process data for improved response rates/retention/CRM. Also do extensive staff training, some staff management for clients, process improvements, etc. Bottom line, hands on consulting with some work I subcontract out (charging little or no premium on their services). Would LOVE to have a product but have no ideas whatsoever.
Looks like your “Customer segmentation and analysis” is a promising first choice.
Pretend a client is in front of you. Walk them through the process and turn it into a workbook (or since you’re targeting bigger fish, a video workshop with workbooks).
Time debt. Every time you take money it’s converted into time debt, till it isn’t.
I don’t like time debt because that’s as burdening as MoneyDebt to most of us. Timedebt sucks.
So–if you can, sell stuff that creates minimal timedebt. Some people can dig on timedebt.
Well said, Chris.
Thank you for the generous offer!
My hardworking husband is a house painter, who paints interiors only. He often turns down clients because he’s booked and NEEDS to work fewer hours. Any thoughts?
If he’s booked that solid he should definitely consider raising rates and getting someone trustworthy to refer overflow to (for a well-deserved percentage).
One possible product here is a how-to video on best ways to paint interiors (technique, color choice, etc). Or perhaps “How to get customers for your painting business” – that could be a good draw for an online product.
Thanks for the great ideas, Dave!
Teresa,
Speaking as someone who loves painting my own house, but struggles with some of the challenges and not knowing how, or what equipment I need – I’d say right now I’d pay for a short e-book or e-book plus video on the things I wrestle with!
For instance …
- How do I deal with really high ceilings? Is there a way to get up there and paint without needing all kinds of wacko equipment? And if I DO need equipment, what’s the minimum, and are there recommendations about rentals?
- When I tape off the woodwork, I often end up with paint oozing under the tape and getting on the trim anyway. What are the five “hot tips” for taping effectively? How and when do I remove the tape so as not to ruin the paint?
- Many people say that it’s okay to water paint, others say never do it. What’s the real answer?
- What are five “pro” tips that amateurs need to know?
- How can I tell what’s high-quality paint without just plunking down my money for whatever’s most expensive (and is price an indicator?)?
I had another one, but it’s escaping me… The high ceiling question is my real hot issue right now, though! :)
Oooh, I just remembered. It’s about painting exterior doors. How can I get the paint to dry so it doesn’t stick to the weatherstripping and peel off?
OMG, can I have this one too? I’m sitting in a house with half it’s rooms plastered and waiting for paint, only now they’ve been waiting for 2 years, so I’m going to have to re-prep everything.
We can’t afford to pay someone to do it, but I could afford an ebook that would make it feel less overwhelming! I can put paint on pretty well, but all the prep work is offputting. I never know where to start.
Wow! Thanks Grace and KaraJ for your wonderful suggestions and feedback!
You’re welcome – it was fun to brainstorm! And, uh, what I’m wondering now is, how will I know when you come out with this? ;)
(BTW, not meaning to promote myself on someone else’s site, but … helping people write this kind of thing is my kind of thing. Just sayin’. And, Naomi – if that was inappropriate of me to post, please feel free to delete this parenthetical comment!)
Dave, I’m so glad you did a guest post today. Earlier this morning I put up a post on my own site regarding How to Launch the **** out of your Ebook and spoke to the amount of raw information there is in your words (and Naomi’s for that matter).
Just reading your post has given me some great pearls to run with. Like some of the previous comments, I’m moving into a state of my business where expansion needs to equal less of my time but more money in my pocket.
I’m totally sold that information sells and I need to leverage that to the nines. Here’s my situation:
I’m a virtual assistant who is moving to a multi-VA practice and bringing in graphic designers, web designers, copywriters, bookkeepers, etc. Our list of services is long but MY niche is centered around RapidSites (wordpress website creation on a budget and tight turnarounds), social media, and internet marketing.
I’m preparing to create an ebook on using social media as well as creating mini-books on how to use some of the popular services (Facebook, Aweber, Mailchimp, etc).
I’d imagine a “beginner” product on social media could sell well there. Tons of people just getting started. Think of what you usually help clients with right off the bat and build a workbook / video out of that.
Or a step-by-step checklist on how to DIY a RapidSite, along with tips and templates?
This is exactly what I need to do right now. I just read your post about drinking a beer and creating an info product in a short amount of time, and it was very motivating (Sonia Simone linked to it in her marketing blueprint).
I really need to jump on the passive income bandwagon. For now, I have enough regular clients to keep me going without having to market for new work, but I feel overworked and burnt out.
I work as a web copywriter and offer the following services:
Website Copy
SEO Copywriting
Landing page copy
Blog posts
SEO Press Releases
Currently, I work mostly with clients who are well versed in online marketing, but I would like to work with more newbies. Ideally, I would educate them about the basics of online marketing, evaluate their websites, and give them specific advice about what they could do to increase sales and conversions.
I have some product ideas brewing, but the part that freaks me out the most is promotion. Establishing “authority” seems like a long and hard journey. Social media hasn’t been a part of my business, but I know have to start using it if I want to sell products.
Thank you very much for your generous offer. I look forward to hearing your insights!
Kathleen –
You can build authority by rocking out a slew of mini-products (that’s a great way to showcase that you know your stuff).
Think of the services you offer above. If someone scheduled you a 1-hour consult to teach them how to start doing it themselves, what would you tell them?
SEO copywriting sounds like an easy one to start with, because selling the ROI is straightforward. What would you teach someone in an hour?
Hi Dave,
Thank you very much for your advice. I like the idea of starting out with a slew of mini-products. How much do mini-products sell for? Around $10? And around how many pages do they have? Anyone know?
I just wonder if teaching people who want to hire a writer how to write is counter-productive. Many small business owners who have contacted me in the past have trouble with writing and well, hate it. Maybe some products can be aimed at those who want a DIY tutorial, and others can be aimed at those who want to learn how the whole online marketing thing works but hire me to do the writing part.
Thanks again, Dave! I appreciate you taking the time out to provide some feedback.
Glad to help.
Re: pricing, price on value, not competition.
If you can make a case for why your product is worth $x, then do it.
Some people sell $7 e-books, I sell $97 ones. But I can do that because I can make a case for my ebook helping you make thousands.
Figure out how valuable your info is, quantify it, and then you can find the price from there.
Awesome, awesome post!
And I must confess, I’m only commenting so I don’t miss any of the advice in the comments…
OK, I’m open to any fresh ideas. I dye yarn to sell to knitters and crocheters, write knitting patterns for other yarn companies, books, and magazines, write my own knitting patterns to sell direct to the public.
Whatd’ya think?
First off, if you can sell knitting patterns to magazines, you should be able to build a library of your own, right? :-)
The other thing you can do is create simple videos – the first time knitter/crocheter – what do they need to know?
There’s a huge market in “I don’t know where to start” in any niche. Try some basic how-tos as if you were teaching a newbie the ropes.
Excellent! I’m actually working on building my own pattern catalog and just launched enrollment for my first online class. You have provided sweet, sweet validation that I’m on the right track. The one thing I needed a kick in the butt on was the newbie classes. I tend to overthink class materials and think they need to be more complex than necessary.
Thanks, Dave!
Oh, forgot, I tweeted this article under the handle @kitchensinkdye.
Hey Dave,
In short, I want to help martial art instructors build digital dojos.
In more than short, I want to do this by:
Teaching how to dominate Drupal as a blog, website, etc.
Enlighten them on Twitter
Helping them use YouTube
Improving their Facebook Kung-fu.
Domo arigato gozaimasu
Your niche is so tight that you can simply start building out how-tos for the items you just mentioned:
“Social Media for Martial Arts Instructors: Everything You Need To Know To Build A Customer Base Online”
I know that sounds simplistic, but it’s targeted. It’s 90% how to use social media and 10% tweaks to optimize it for your audience.
Dave,
I’m a graphic designer (but NOT a programmer, so WP themes are out), illustrator, and fine artist – all ittybiz options that require one-of-a-kind creations on an individual basis, alas. Any thoughts?
How about button images, tiling backgrounds and headers, Amy?
Or you could work with a coder… there are services now that turn your PSD into a fully-coded HTML or WordPress theme for about $100. Their turnaround is excellent: you could make lots of pretty designs and only pay to convert them if someone buys.
I’ve been thinking about some illustration or site-widget packs, actually. Though some of that stuff is a lot more work than it looks like, I suppose it’s a good way to hone skills even if the packs never sell enough for a decent ROI.
So you have two simple products here:
#1 – Graphics pack you can create
#2 – Tutorials – How to do _________ (Whatever it is you do to create those graphics).
Think brand new beginner coming in. Types “Photoshop Tutorials” and is overwhelmed by the millions of garish sites. A million how-tos, none organized in a way that helps the complete beginner.
Then you can come along with a clean set of packaged tutorials, and maybe the graphic pack is a bonus, some templates to work with.
I felt this way when I decided to learn Flash and 3DStudio Max. The free stuff online was horrible and disjointed. I got a monthly subscription to Lynda.com because they had it all organized, with example files to work from.
What example files and tutorials could you come up with? Think of what you’ve done for the last few clients and tutorialize how it works.
I’ll probably try the Graphics Pack — I’m unlikely to ever go the Info Products route. I am really bad at teaching people things, and do not enjoy it, so it seems like, you know, just a bad idea all around. I know it makes me weird on the internet, but really, I’m used to that. ;)
Thanks for doing this, Dave, it was really good to sit down and think things through. Now to eke out a few ergs of energy to create some things outside the client roster!
I have just started an on location natural light photography biz. This is just the post I needed because I have been trying to come up with some possible products to offer to people as well.
Not sure what products could be offered to go along with the family photography aspect. I can’t just clone myself to get out there and shoot more families.
I’ve thought about setting up an etsy shop with some of my other work – creating life prints or sets of notecards, but again that doesn’t help my main goal of running a successful family photography centered biz.
I’d love to hear your suggestions on possible product offerings.
First thing that comes to mind is creating a tutorial on how to do the specialized photo work you do, targeting it to other photographers around the world.
You can’t clone you, but you can sure as heck sell to the people who also do what you do, and create greater authority for what it is that you do.
Dave, from my earliest days as a coach, I’ve differentiated my services by emphasizing their “bespoke” nature. By contrast, most other practitioners of my trade offer “cookie-cutter” bundles. I kinda run down this approach in my sales copy.
And thus I’ve painted myself into a corner with respect to the issues you raise in your post.
How might I extract myself?
Thanks in advance.
Certainly there are patterns among your clients – couldn’t you begin cataloging what to do for specific situations and create a kind of “If you’re like X than do Y” type of guide.
It could be “The Ultimate Runner’s Guide To Getting Faster” and still retain a custom feel because it offers multiple solutions based on what people self-identify with.
And while I’m here, what’s the next product I should make? It must include the word “Awesome” in the title, obviously. :)
I just have to say that “Be Awesome” is my motto this year, so I’m gonna go sub to your blog purely on that reason alone. :D
That’s great. Let’s be awesome together! :)
Take your $97 coaching package and turn it into a $27 workbook that guides people through what you would guide them through.
That way you can still catch the people who can’t afford / don’t want to pay for the more expensive stuff.
Good idea, and I think it’s led to a Great Idea. Must continue mind-mapping.
Thanks, Dave!
Hey, I know you! Whatever happened to the badges? :)
Hi Tiara!
They’re still going as a fun hobby/business. Makes me about $500 each year. :)
Catherine
Thanks so much Dave! :)
So…
This is a new biz for me:
I offer consulting/coaching services to help creatives escape their soul-sucking day jobs.
I have an eBook waiting to be formatted called “Five things to do before you kick your day job’s ass to the curb.” Don’t know what’s holding me back, but I’m gonna finish it up this weekend.
My main “process” is: help them find their vision, create an escape plan & support ‘em through it.
I’m also touching on marketing, money issues, creative blocks, and creating a support system.
Why aren’t you selling a 60-minute coaching package?
You could totally take your ebook, add step-by-step worksheets to it, and sell it with a consulting package.
People buy the ebook, fill out the worksheets, send them to you, you get on the phone and save their day with advice.
Awesome. I was thinking about that. It’s good to have confirmation.
Thanks Dave :)
I’m a unix systems administrator by trade, still pulling the 9-5 grind. I also do a fair amount of moon-lighting providing freelance tech support. Usually working on folks Windows machines, occasionally fixing unix-based email and web servers and setting up networks.
I would absolutely love to learn how to turn this into a product or two that could eventually help me step away from both those “jobs.”
–John
… ignore this … just wanted to check the “Notify me of followup comments via e-mail” option that I missed the first time around. Thanks, Dave!
–John
Lowest hanging-fruit would be to maybe sell follow-on products to these customers?
As in, set up their unix mail server, but also upsell them to a “How to manage your mail server” so they have a guide they can buy for the person who works full time for them who’s going to get stuck managing it. Fill it full of troubleshooting tips and best practices :-)
Dave “sudo make me a sandwich” Navarro
(google that if you haven’t heard it before)
My tweet was under the username “driftingfocus”.
I have quite a variety of skills, but I have never really been able to figure out how to market them, so this sort of thing is exactly what I need. I do a lot of random work, so I tend to just say my job is being a jack of all trades, and thus it’s easier for me to just list my skills than to try and figure out a way to explain what I do for a living.
Here’s my list of skills:
Photography: portraiture, travel, nature, pets, you name it, though I tend to avoid weddings. My college degree is in journalism/photojournalism, so my style is along those lines.
Writing: again, my degree is in journalism, so…yeah. I trust you to be able to understand this one.
ESL teaching: I’m a certified ESL instructor, and taught English in Korea for a year.
Travel stuff: I have been to 48 of the 50 states, most of Europe, and Korea. I spent a year living pretty much out of a few bins in the back of my truck, wandering around the US. I’m really good at arranging travel, knowing how to get deals, where to go, etc. I feel like I would be good as a travel adviser on a one-on-one basis, but don’t know how to turn that into a product.
Lifestyle Design: Most people who know me are generally impressed with the way I lead my life, but I have not had the tangible, monetary-type success that many in the LD community have, so I worry about being able to convince folks that my advice is worth listening to. I’m happy, busy with projects, and successful in a personal sense (just not financially), but I’m still skeptical that thats enough.
Animal Behavior: I work part time for a pet care company right now, taking care of people’s animals while they’re out of town, in their own homes, and I have training in animal behavior. I also have a lot of personal experience with dogs and dog training.
Web Design: I’m a beginner at this, but I have a good sense of design, and a lot of patience.
So, there you have it! Thanks in advance for your advice!
I’ve also been blogging for almost 10 years, and am pretty well established in social media, etc, fwiw.
I bet there’s a lifestyle design ebook in you:
“Lifestyle Design Without A Big Budget: How To Be Happy Without Needing to Make A Fortune”
What impresses people about how you do it? Write on that.
That’s actually a really great suggestion! Thanks!
Not only is this a great post – but it’s begging me to comment spam away by listing everything I do! I do search engine optimization for small businesses. My services include working on: Metadata, Alt Tags, the .htaccess file, the robots.txt file, H1 through H6 tags, Link Sculpting, Web Site Design Flow, Web Site Analytics, Copywriting, Graphics Content and Engagement Objects, Backlink Development, Blog Setups, Web Site Conversion Forms, Social Media Profile Setups, Directory Submission (top tier only) and Press Releases.
Wow, and thank you.
Another Dave
“Rank Higher In Google In X Days: 30 SEO Tactics You Can Start Using Now.”
Just wanted to say GREAT post Dave :) I really like your stuff and this is top of the line, it helps me focus on what I need to do that makes the most… just like the 80/20 principle says.
Cheers to your success!
How rude of me! I hit enter before I could thank you profusely and tell you I tweeted under the name dkferm.]]
Thanks
Debbie Ferm
Good Lord, now my first comment didn’t post.
OK, first of all, Thank you very much for this!
I have a very new site focusing on traveling with teens/tweens. I don’t offer any services related to it, although I wouldn’t be opposed to it.
Ultimately I would like to offer some useful products, but can’t come up with any great ideas.
Thank you again:)
Debbie Ferm
Hi Dave,
Thank you for writing this terrific post.
I do a wide variety of things, most of the time:
Web development: front end – javascript, html, css as well as back end work with php (symfony framework), ruby on rails
I often end up being a catch all guy who helps get a wide range of web issues resolved (config & fixing of hosting, dns, mail servers, wordpress, drupal, website styling, etc)
Pretty much can handle the entire technical side of setting up any kind of website (static, blog, ecommerce, data driven application, etc)
also do:
system administration on linux servers:
installing / configuring databases (mysql, postgres), webservers (apache), drupal, wordpress, plesk
debugging mystery server issues
I learn technical “how to” stuff very quickly.
Thanks again!
I guess I also have some success with freelancing – I’ve worked from home for the past 2 years working a little over 20 hours per week on average (of billable stuff)
I also juggle pretty well and am decent at hand balancing (I get lots of comments/msgs of people asking for help from my youtube page)
I can also find almost anything on google with very little effort and filter out irrelevant stuff fast (almost feel like I shouldn’t include this as all the good programmers I know do this too)
Haha, OH DAVE. I’ve tweeted the link and thought this was a great article. Am I even allowed to ask haha? It’s 10:25pm!!!!
Okay, I do coaching and consulting for handmade sellers as you know! I am mainly focusing on wholesale and also am doing services like custom wholesale marketing plans, research and branding… I would love to hear your personal thoughts on products that would help me steer potential clients who either a) can’t afford my services or b) I don’t have time to work with!
Not Dave, but have you checked out The Bakery? http://thinkbakery.com . They do pretty similar stuff to you :)
Hey Tiara,
Thanks for your reply! It’s funny, I did a guest post for them a few months back… They do indeed do similar stuff, I will ponder that one. Thanks!!
Is it still Friday where you are? ;)
As someone said above, my stuff is 99% service. I help out with creative productions and performers – stage managing, merch & tickets (hence the name), research, popcorn popping, etc. All the odd fiddly jobs that need doing but the director/producer’s too busy to do it themselves. I’ve recently been hired by a performance artist here to assist her with her book projects, doing admin, etc – she finally realised that she couldn’t do it on her own and that having someone like me do the tedious admin stuff left her free to be creative. That’s what I’m there for.
I did have some ideas for more product-y type things – however, I’m having a hard time getting feedback for them. My blog readers (http://blog.themerchgirl.net) are loyal, but not loud – they mainly respond via Tumblr reposts or contact me personally. I tried a survey, a Kickstarter project, some callouts…not much going. They prefer the one-on-one approach. Also, most of the people that find value in my services can hardly afford to pay me – the performance artist I mention above is paying a really token amount, but it’s not super-busy and her expertise & name makes up for it. But that’s her.
What can I do that will get people responding but won’t get cries of “OMG I’M A POOR ARTIST”?
Hi Dave, I only got note of this in my inbox this morning, but on the offchance that you’ll add me to the list of people to help, I’ll set my stall out anyway (I’ve tweeted the link). I run a freelance web content writing business (ebooks, articles, article marketing, content for web pages, press releases, etc) and this post was timely because I woke up this morning thinking about how I was going to manage all the work I had. Sometimes I outsource, but I agree that long term I need a product. I’ve had a couple of ideas, but not produced an income generating one yet (just a couple of free ones to test the waters).
I love this blog post. It reminds me of that scene in Imitation of Life where the customer tells the cook he can make her a million dollars if he gets some free pancakes. She agrees and his advice is simply “Box it”. Turn the pancake restaurant service into a pancake mix and get rich.
The principle is the inverse for people who already have a successful product. They can grow by creating a service, especially one with continuity built in.
Hey Dave,
Is saturday the new friday? post tweeted! *grin*
I just got your post in my inbox this morning, so I’m hoping it’s not too late to add my own “challenges”.
Basically I’m trying to promote myself as a “Web Services Plumber”. I can work with and understand both aspects of a web site from not only the programming code that displays your lovely websites, but also the backend hardware / network components.
Perhaps you’ve got web applications that you want to spruce up, or you’ve got a list of things that are too small to hire for but at the same time cost YOU time.
I guess I’m just stuck a bit in trying to properly advertise, and/or figure out what kind of products I can focus on…ebooks? template packages?
anyways, no worries if it’s “too late”.
I tweeted as Cluttercubed! ^_^
I wish awesome posts like this had been around a few years ago! I recently closed my main business, and one of the reasons was because it wasn’t as sustainable as it could/should have been as I had a terrible time thinking up more passive income streams for it.
Right now, I install/set-up WordPress (or other CMS/blogs), install/set-up ZenCart (or other shopping carts), though I can’t design or draw to save my life. I sew costume pieces for people, and sew plushies. I used to write some basic tutorials, but I sort of let that drop because I’d get discouraged at the number of tutorials already out there.
Hi Dave, thanks!
I am a massage therapist, that’s my service. I also have developed a new line of products (tagline: “lotions and potions for mixed up emotions”) — body cremes smell great, with therapeutic effect on different emotional states.
I don’t want to coach people, but I do love to help people make connections between their inner emotional stucknesses and their body pain. Oh, and I write too.
Would love your ideas!
Insurance broker – insurance is my expertise. How do I turn that into an ebook that I can make money off of?
Fantastic reading, just sorry I missed it yesterday. I could do with the help. The information given is fantastic and it’s so good of you for sharing.
But nothing try, nothing done, so here goes: SEO writer and Indexer.
Thanks, Dave.
ok dave….. its saturday (i missed this post because i was brain dead at the end of a long day seeing clients!) so i am NOT going to ask for your help, but rather, let you know what i have come up with on my own from reading everything up there….
i help together, open, honest, good mothers, with a sense of beauty and warm vibrant natures, who live in a culture overwhelmed by information, fear, confusion and waaaaay too much advice stop tripping up, TRUST THEMSELVES, and celebrate birth and motherhood.
the product i already have started is called:
the little Potty Primer:
Potty Whispering for mother’s who aren’t hippies and don’t have time to read a big long book…. in simple clear and brief language……
OR…..Potty Fuss….how bonding with my baby saved me thousands of dollars, honored the earth’s precious resources, and deepened my spiritual practice……
it is just started….. and i am declaring right here right now that it will be complete by….. um……. February 1 for review and editing!
ok so, in reading the above posts i am thinking about how i can make a workbook to get people started in the process i use – that is pretty contact intensive….. maybe just the tip of the iceburg, but somehow enough to help them connect with how powerful it all is…. hmm how about:
5-ish things you can do to start mending your Mama Myth today (with a better title, but this would be the essential idea)….
10, or whatever, things you can do to create family harmony
5 things you can do to to access the wisdom of your body and the story of you in which you are most certainly the heroine
A Calendar of Seasonal Celebrations, and how to find/create just the right traditions for your family……
Clean House / Messy House (inspired by the rich dad / poor dad reference)…… or how to know which is more important, clean windows or….. your sanity…….
ok so there are a few ideas….. after potty whispering, i think i;ll tackle….. um….. the family harmony one…..
thanks so much dave for creating a little space for me (and us all) to get some clarity about what to do next – instead of doing nothing cz i feel so overwhelmed and intimidated…
hi naomi……
krista
Hi. This is where I blush and finally admit publicly that I have no idea how to use Twitter. I just got this email this morning, but I see that you have Friday on your post. I guess I might be too late.
If you’re still helping people, I’m a face painter here in New Zealand. An ebook is the obvious idea, but there are SO many facepainting books out there already that I am stumped for a niche.
Facepainting for beginners, many many offerings.
Facepainting for kids, ditto,
Facepainting (subcategory of your choice, monsters, animals, butterflies, cats, princesses, superheroes, holiday themes)
Do I just re-do what other people have done? :(
I tweeted from @elaineshannon
Ok so here is the deal…I love organizing time, space, e-mails, systems OMG organize anything and everything for Biz owners so they can get to the thing that they opened up shop for in the first place. Most businesses close because of the carnage they leave behind…I am referring the that state of their offices, inbox, calendar,to-do lists…you know what I mean here. I am a master at helping people to let go Take Charge and get rid of what is holding them back.
Yes I realize in the past few years that if I keep up the pace I am at with my BIZ and count in the time I want to spent with my hubby and 3 kids I will be dead by the time I hit 45…which is this year.
I currently have a line of Home Organizing Videos…all biz people do have a home even though they may not see it much.
I have a business manual that is collecting dust because it it not quite finished.
Help…before the carnage catches up with me.
Oh and do you need some Office Organizing help….I would hate for you to not get something out of this.
Cheers Elaine
Ok Tweeted. But only because it’s Mr Navarro.
I do travel tips for budget backpackers.
Crowded Niche (same as everybody) and everybody SEO’s.
Real problem: Backpackers rarely want to spend money online when there’s so much for free.
Plus, the lonely planet (and rough guide) have a stronghold on the book market, that the idea seems slightly redundant.
Thanks in advance.
Shoot.
OK, first the disclaimer: I’m not Dave Navarro.
That said, why not angle your ebook toward what budget backpackers can teach the rest of us travelers? Ain’t no way I’m backpacking across any country, but darn right I’d like to know some of their sneaky secret ways to save money.
Nothing in the world of publishing is redundant. If that were so we’d only have one book on every topic. And that book would probably be the Bible…
Aha! Finally I learn why it is important to try and make custom WP themes and XHTML/CSS templates. At first I was thinking that it might not be so cost-effective when there are a sea of these out there. But the point is right — when you have 8 clients in the queue and can only service 2 at once (or almost that), then it would be nice to capture some of those other 6 if possible by referring them to something canned like a WP theme or XHTML/CSS template you built. It’s better than $0 on those other 6 clients.
The other thing is that it’s a great use of time, much like an eBook is a great use of time. If you bring up several blogs and forums, you can use the registration system for the subscriber list opt-in, and then use that as a sales funnel for offering these templates, eBooks, and other items that could help those subscribers and yet give the developer (or designer) a side-income. And take for instance the downtime a freelance dev/designer has when s/he sends off ad copy for advertising and is waiting on client requests to come in, or has sent off client proposals and is waiting on those responses back. If a freelancer has downtime, it’s a good use of time to create something — even if to just improve skills if nothing else. It’s better than sitting on one’s hands waiting for the phone to ring.
So, this was a good blog post.
Dave,
As always, it is actually *you* who rock. You did a beautiful thing here in the comments.
Just that. Nothing else. Naomi got a real winner when this post whizzed into her inbox, the lucky lady. :)
Regards,
Kelly
Skimming all of these comments and it occured to me: why not partner with others and take a cut? There are plenty of people that can’t be customers today, but if you can help another fellow freelancer/etc, why not deliberately build a referral network?
Hypnotherapy, college professor in clinical psych, volunteer extraordinaire, middle school teacher of learning disabled and autistic students. I guess first step would be a website that’s not Isagenix and could mind itself.
Caren-
I read through all of these posts and yours was the only one I felt compelled to respond to. In 2008, I sold a 23-yr-old business where I helped small business owners with their marketing strategies. I am now retired and writing professionally.
Our son, who is now 29, has ADHD, bi-polar disorder and some kind of un-figured-out perceptional problem. School was misery and he dropped out in the 10th grade. Talk about being bullied! He is still struggling. What I wanted, what I needed so desperately, was to know my rights as a parent with a special needs child in the public school system. I needed someone to define all the “educational” buzz words. I needed someone to say – “It’s your right to be a part of your child’s education plan!”
Please write a reference book for parents covering medical- and educational-speak and how best to help your child not only survive but thrive in a system where everyone is supposed to color their apples red! (Mine colored his purple and was chastised by his teacher.) You will be helping so many broken-hearted parents, beat down by the system, so they can help their kids.
I am blown away by this post, Dave’s suggestions, and the general awesomeness in the comments. What amazing energy there is here! Love everyone’s projects and the ideas that are flowing.
OK, must quit being a starry-eyed hippie before Naomi gets back and takes a swing at me.
I’m blown away too – by how many commenters Ittybiz has! I’m going to have to come back later and answer everyone’s questions … :-)
(Or as many as I can …)
How did I miss this? And why is everything on ittybiz always just what I need? It’s like Naomi only ever hangs out with other superheroes.
Anyhow, thanks, Dave – this is just what I’m going through at the moment and just the advice I needed. You’re a star.