A couple of things have happened recently. One is that I’m working with a pro bono client on a new service that I’ve never offered before. The second is that LinkedIn published a list of skills on the rise.

Both of these had me thinking about how I decide to add a new service to what I do and what kinds of skills may need to go into that. Providing lots of different services is always a good thing, so you can diversify and be ready for market shifts. But it also comes with a lot of different challenges.

So let’s look at what it takes to add a new service to your roster.

Client asks for a new service

This was my absolute way I added a new service. I had a potential client contact me with a very particular problem: They had a social media person they wanted to invest in to get her working at the level they needed. How great is that? They saw her potential and wanted to get her there. So I created a coaching program based on their ask.

And then I thought about it as I was piloting it with them: Other companies might be having this same problem. So I added it to my list of services I provide and had some people purchase it. Unsurprisingly, I had more people interested and ended up getting several clients that way.

It was a fun way to work with people who otherwise would not have brought me in, and I ended up getting some new relationships that have gotten me other work. And I was able to introduce a smaller version of it for organizations with smaller budgets. I am so thankful that client brought the idea to me, but the fact is that this is pretty unusual. So how else do you get to the point where you can add a service?

Pro bono work

The short answer to the question is that you just add it. But the long, more correct version of it is that you need to get some data to show that you are good at it. Pro bono work is a great way to do that.

Like I said above, I piloted my coaching services before offering them to others. This is that same kind of concept. Test it out and collect data on the results and whether how you want to do it actually works in a client-consultant relationship. This can prevent a lot of bumpy roads when you are actually getting paid for the service.

Does this mean that you just barge into a nonprofit and say that you are doing this for them? Absolutely not. Most nonprofits are understaffed and overwhelmed, so don’t be another problem on their plate. Show how you can take problems off of their plate.

Put together a proposal just like you would for a paying client and demonstrate why this is the right solution for one of their problems. Make sure you do your research to really know their problems and their audience. Treat them like you would any paying client. And whatever you do, email this to them or call them so you get to the correct person. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a client get requests like this through social media and that means it has to go through many more people to get to the right person. It has become many more people’s problem, which defeats the purpose of taking a problem off of the nonprofit’s plate.

And I would be more likely to do this for project work rather than on-going work. Why? Because it requires that I keep up a level of service that I’m not going to get paid for. So if you do this for on-going work, make sure you can maintain that level of service or that you have an exit strategy that will keep that work going. But once again, just make sure you’re not creating more problems for anyone on staff when you do this.

Do the service for yourself

One story that has stuck with me over the years is from a communicator like myself. I regret that I have forgotten his name and the particulars. But the generalities provide enough.

This person needed some work done on his website. So after an exhaustive search, he settled on a website person to do the work for him. And then this website person completely ghosted him. Like he was ready to sign the contract and get going, but there were no replies to his emails anymore. He thought about going back to one of the discarded website people, but that just sounded tiring, especially after all the time he wasted on the one he settled on. So he through a lot of trial and error, he taught himself how to do it. And he realized he enjoyed the work, so he added it to his services. Boy, did it sell to his clients and prospective clients. So he made a post about it, thanking the website guy for flaking on him.

Hopefully you don’t end up in this kind of situation, but if you do, decide whether you like the work and whether you should offer it to your clients.

On the other hand, if you know there is some kind of service you would like to offer and you don’t have any takers for it, demonstrate how it works with your company’s own communication plan. Be super open about results and how you could implement it within another organization. Unlike with clients, you can really get into the nitty gritty of it all, which will be helpful.

Someone who is looking to hire you is going to be going through your marketing materials. Seeing a creative solution to a problem that they are having is going to be tempting. But seeing it implemented with the results published is going to get them to commit.

Keep adding services regularly

The thing is that the market is always changing. Just when you think you have the needs of your clients and potential clients figured out, the wind changes and you have to start relearning those needs. The best thing you can do is to keep learning and keep trying new things. Not only will that keep you responsive to your clients, but it will get you new services to offer to keep your company going long into the future.

What new services have you offered lately? How did you decide to offer them?