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Here's a really interesting idea that I've been thinking about a lot lately:
As a creator or business, you need to "sell your sawdust".
Let me explain.
As a creator or business, you need to "sell your sawdust".
Let me explain.
If you're a service-based business like a landscaper, graphic designer, or even a school teacher, the model is the same:
You provide a service and sell it to the client.
You provide a service and sell it to the client.
This isn't a bad thing: If you think about it, we all provide services in some way or another.
The more that we provide our services, the better that we get it.
The limitations, however, are time and the slightly different offerings between each client.
The more that we provide our services, the better that we get it.
The limitations, however, are time and the slightly different offerings between each client.
Whenever you provide a service, you create by-products:
- If you create financial plans for someone, you produce spreadsheets.
- If you're creating a table for someone, you produce sawdust.
Look closely at what service you're providing and you'll see by-products.
- If you create financial plans for someone, you produce spreadsheets.
- If you're creating a table for someone, you produce sawdust.
Look closely at what service you're providing and you'll see by-products.
Ford understood this.
In the 1920s, they realized they were creating lots of waste from the wood used in the Model Ts.
They put that waste to work and created Kingsford Charcoal.
In the 1920s, they realized they were creating lots of waste from the wood used in the Model Ts.
They put that waste to work and created Kingsford Charcoal.
Now think about it: every job produces a by-product.
It may be a physical thing or it may be a workflow that you've refined from one client to the next.
It may be a physical thing or it may be a workflow that you've refined from one client to the next.
What do we normally do?
At best, a designer will save graphics to a folder for use in the next project.
At worst, we trash them completely.
At best, a designer will save graphics to a folder for use in the next project.
At worst, we trash them completely.
Packaging up your by-products into a new product means that you can take the best of what you've done and get some new value out of it.
A few examples:
- Have a weightloss competition spreadsheet? Use it as a lead magnet on your fitness blog.
- Presentation you worked hard on? Re-present it on YouTube.
- Landscaping operating procedures? Sell as course for other landscapers.
- Have a weightloss competition spreadsheet? Use it as a lead magnet on your fitness blog.
- Presentation you worked hard on? Re-present it on YouTube.
- Landscaping operating procedures? Sell as course for other landscapers.
By creating a new product from your by-products you leverage an idea that @jackbutcher calls "Build once, sell twice."
You've created an asset from leftovers that can expand your business to an entirely new market.
You've created an asset from leftovers that can expand your business to an entirely new market.
Was this helpful? I'm currently starting @heythunderbird with this principle at its core: service + products.
I'd love for you to follow along on my startup journey via the Hey Thunderbird newsletter: http://heythunderbird.com
I'd love for you to follow along on my startup journey via the Hey Thunderbird newsletter: http://heythunderbird.com
Special thanks to @jackbutcher for introducing me to this idea, and to @jasonfried for his foundational article on the topic here: https://signalvnoise.com/posts/1620-sell-your-by-products
