Are you finding it hard to monetise your skills, knowledge, and experience so you can create a profitable and sustainable service-based business?

Or are you starting to second-guess or doubt yourself regarding packaging and pricing your services?

Well, you’re definitely not alone!

Figuring out how to monetise your skills and design your services is a common challenge when you’re starting a new business.

In fact, it was probably one of the hardest things I think I had to do when I first started!

So, you may be wondering…

What type of services can you sell to start attracting clients and earning money for your service business?

Well, there are several ways to turn your skills, knowledge, and experience into services that you can sell in your service business.

And I’ve provided examples of ten of these ways below:

1. Coaching, Mentoring, or Consulting Sessions

Providing 1:1 coaching, mentoring, or consulting sessions is one of the fastest ways to sell your expertise and earn money in your new business.

Because typically, you don’t need to spend much time beforehand preparing for working with clients.

All you need is a way to take bookings and payments and a place to meet in person or online.

But it’s not just once-off or individual sessions or appointments that you can sell 1:1.

When I started my business, I put together a 1:1 coaching program, Business Breakthrough, and this is still my most popular service today.

You can also offer several sessions as part of a package, usually at a discounted rate.

This is an approach I have taken in my service business with my 3-session series of Mentoring Sessions.

To avoid being compared on an hourly rate basis, you could also combine your sessions with other services (such as the ones below) to enhance your package or program offering.

I talk about this more in my blog: 15 Things you need to create an irresistible service offering

Not sure where to start when it comes to finding clients for your service-based small business? That’s where I can help. Get started by downloading my free Ultimate Business Building Checklist by clicking the button below: 

2. Create an Online Course or Workshop

Another common way to monetise your skills is to create and launch an online course or workshop.

There are several online course platforms that you can use, which makes the delivery and payment processes quite simple.

Keep in mind that you can find an online course on just about any topic these days.

So, before you jump in and start creating your course, be sure to do your research and validate your idea against your competition first.

RELATED: 10 Simple ways to research your target market

3. Design Swipe Files or Resources

As you build your business and work with more clients, you’ll likely develop your own templates, resources, and spreadsheets.

And these types of resources can become a great way to earn additional revenue in your business, as they can add value and save your clients time.

So, as you grow, consider what templates or swipe files you could sell to your clients (which could include email templates or copy you’ve written that others could use).

4. Become a Paid Speaker or Presenter

If you have skills, knowledge, and experience in a specialist area, you could position and promote yourself as a paid speaker or presenter on that topic.

I recommend developing one or two keynote presentations or speeches and letting people know what specialist topics you can speak on.

Also, add ‘Speaker’ to your job title, website, and email signature to let others know you provide this service.

You could also reach out directly to conference organisers, retreat hosts, membership organisations and the like directly to find out what speaking opportunities you can pitch for.

5. Become a Facilitator or Host/MC

If you’re comfortable speaking in front of large audiences, you may want to offer your services to host/MC or facilitate meetings, events, and conferences.

When negotiating your rate, you’ll want to cover your costs for preparing and hosting the event and any travel expenses you may incur.

It’s not just large events where you can earn money from facilitating.

If you’re good at organising, strategising, and planning, you could also provide services to facilitate meetings, strategy sessions, or small team events.

6. Launch a Group Program or Membership

Your capacity can cap your earning potential when you’re a coach, consultant, or service-based business owner.

So, if you’re looking to grow and scale your business or reduce your hours but not your earnings, then introducing a group program or membership may be suitable.

When I introduced the My Client Strategy Academy to my service offering, it meant I could shift from working with clients 1:1 to working with multiple clients simultaneously.

When designing your group program, the length of time will depend on the transformation you’re helping people achieve.

And the number of participants that you can realistically support at once will depend on the level of support they will require to get there.

Memberships can be more scalable, as you can serve many clients together. However, they require much more ongoing support.

And memberships need to be focused on a topic that requires continual or ongoing support to retain clients.

Not sure where to start when it comes to finding clients for your service-based small business? That’s where I can help. Get started by downloading my free Ultimate Business Building Checklist by clicking the button below: 

7. Host a Mastermind

Masterminds are another popular way to monetise your skills and sell your expertise.

However, rather than completely looking to you for your skills, knowledge, and experience, the participants within a mastermind group will also support each other.

Your role as the mastermind host is to bring together the right type of people or business owners who will work well together.

And to provide the environment and structured framework that will support them to achieve their goals.

Another spin on this is to include a mini-mastermind within a membership or program, as I’ve done in the My Client Strategy Academy membership.

8. Write a Book or eBook

Service business owners are often large content producers because it’s a great way to build authority and position yourself as an expert in your niche.

So much content that it becomes enough to fill a book!

While you can make money from writing a book, many authors have told me that the book doesn’t make you much money.

However, it’s a great way to raise awareness, build authority, and get in front of the right people, leading to many other business opportunities to make money.

9. Provide Email or Messaging Support

This service is provided similarly to 1:1 coaching, consulting, or mentoring.

But rather than meeting for a specific time, you charge clients a retainer or fee to be available to answer questions via email or a messaging platform such as Voxer or Telegram.

I’ve included email support in my 1:1 coaching program, Business Breakthrough, and my clients will email me from time to time between sessions to ask questions or get feedback.

If you decide to offer this type of service, it’s important to set client boundaries and expectations to ensure your clients don’t expect you to be replying to them 24/7.

I do this by letting my clients know that I’ll respond during business hours, within 24 hours of receiving their email.

10. Offer a Done-for-you Service

Lastly, you can monetise your skills by providing a done-for-you service.

If you’re a website developer, a photographer, a bookkeeper, or any other type of professional service provider, then it’s likely that this is the way you’ll earn money in your service business.

Alternatively, if you’re a consultant, you may also manage or implement the work for the project you’ve been consulting on.

I recommend pricing your services on a project or package basis where you can.

This approach helps you avoid hourly rates that can devalue your services and make it easier for your potential clients to compare your price to your competition.

A project rate can also help you to set boundaries and avoid scope creep because it’s documented in your proposal what your clients will get and how much it will cost.

Then, any services over and above this are charged accordingly.

So, there are ten ways to monetise your skills and sell your expertise when you’re starting a service business.

I recommend choosing the service types you feel most comfortable selling and those similar to your competitors’ services.

And, remember, you don’t need to offer all these services in your business at once.

But I recommend having two or three ways for people to work with you, so you don’t limit your earning potential.

Tired of trying to figure out what you’re missing when it comes to finding clients and making sales in your service business?

Break through the barriers that are holding you back with the support of an MBA-qualified Marketing Coach and Business Mentor who will tailor a 1:1 program specifically for you.

BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGH is my signature 6-month 1:1 Coaching Program for service-based business owners who want to develop the strategy, systems, and structure they need to find clients and make sales, so they can stop feeling stuck and start gaining massive momentum in their business.

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