Productising Your Expertise: How to Turn Services into Scalable Products

Productising Yourself: Turning Your Expertise into Scalable Products

So, I had a chat the other day with Rachel, a listener who runs a consultancy business. She’s been pondering how to productise her services, and it got me thinking. It’s a topic that’s close to my heart, and I reckon it’s something that could benefit a fair few of you out there.

You see, if you’ve built up a wealth of knowledge and expertise in your field, there’s a way to scale your business without spreading yourself too thin. And that’s by turning your services into products. Not only does it allow you to help more people, but it also makes your business more scalable and, dare I say, a bit more passive.

Take my situation, for instance. With KeywordsPeopleUse.com, I wanted to share my philosophy on keyword research—focusing on the questions people are asking in your niche. Now, I could’ve offered that as a one-on-one service, trudging through manual processes for each client. But let’s be honest, that doesn’t scale well, does it?

Instead, I created a platform where folks can self-serve. They can sign up, follow the process, do the research, and utilise the tools to optimise their content. It’s a product that can scale beyond the number of hours I have in a day. Plus, it’s more cost-effective for them, and I get to help heaps more people than if I were doing one-on-one consultations.

So, how do you go about productising your consultancy or freelance services? Here’s a few thoughts.

Standardise Your Services into Packages

First off, think about how you can standardise your offerings. What are the core services you provide? Can you create packages that are based on deliverables rather than just time? For example, you might offer a basic strategy session—a one-hour consulting call with a follow-up action plan. It’s a tangible product that clients can easily purchase.

The key here is to focus on outcomes, not just hours billed. Clients are more interested in the value they receive than the time you spend. By selling outcomes—like a marketing audit or a strategy report—you decouple your earnings from the hours in the day.

Turn Your Expertise into Digital Products

Next up, consider how you can transform your knowledge into digital products. Ebooks, guides, online courses, webinars, workshops—the possibilities are plenty. These products allow you to help people at scale, without being tied down to one-on-one sessions.

Courses are brilliant for teaching clients how to solve specific problems or develop new skills. Webinars and workshops can be live or recorded, giving you the flexibility to reach a wider audience. And ebooks or guides? They can serve as both standalone products or as marketing tools to attract potential clients.

Create a Subscription Model

If you’re looking for recurring revenue (and who isn’t?), a subscription model might be the way to go. Offering ongoing access—whether it’s to exclusive content, group coaching sessions, or tools like software as a service—can provide steady income while delivering continuous value to your clients.

For instance, with KeywordsPeopleUse.com, users subscribe to access the tools and resources they need for their SEO efforts. It’s a win-win—they get the support they need, and I have a scalable product that doesn’t require me to trade time for money.

Build a Value Ladder

Now, let’s talk about the concept of a value ladder. Think of it as a way to guide clients through different levels of engagement with you. You start with a low-cost or even free offering to attract interest—like an ebook or a tip sheet. This helps you initiate contact and start building a relationship.

From there, you offer progressively higher-value products or services. Maybe after they’ve downloaded your ebook, they sign up for a paid course. Then perhaps they join a group coaching programme, and so on. The idea is to provide increasing levels of value, allowing clients to engage with you at the level that suits them best.

Not everyone will climb to the top of your ladder, and that’s absolutely fine. Some might just want the ebook, others might go all the way to your premium consulting services. The ladder helps you cater to different needs while maximising the potential of your offerings.

Just Get Started

Here’s the bit where many people stumble—don’t try to plan everything out perfectly before you begin. You don’t need to have all your products and services fully developed from the get-go. Start with the simplest product you can offer and get it out there.

When I began this journey after selling Broadband.co.uk, I didn’t have everything figured out. I knew I wanted to do something different, something that could scale and offer value beyond one-on-one consultancy. So, I started with what I knew and built from there.

By launching your initial product, you can start attracting clients, gathering feedback, and refining your offerings. It’s an iterative process. You can add more products and services as you go, building up your value ladder and expanding your reach.

Final Thoughts

Productising your services isn’t just about making more money—though that’s a nice bonus. It’s about leveraging your expertise to help more people and creating a business model that doesn’t rely solely on trading time for money.

Whether you’re a consultant, freelancer, or any kind of service provider, there’s potential to package what you do into products that can scale. It might take a bit of creativity and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone, but the rewards can be well worth it.

So, have a think about what you offer, how you can standardise it, and what products you could create. And most importantly, don’t wait for everything to be perfect—just get cracking with that first step.