Be warned! Now that you have 23 solid ideas to create recurring revenue as a service provider – whether you’re a consultant, expert, coach, creative, trainer or freelancer – it’ll be harder to pretend that you don’t know how to do this.
I hope it’s also be far harder to convince yourself that it’s impossible in your sector, with your business model, and your target market, in this economy!
Remember, you don’t have to do what everyone else in your industry is doing – you can borrow ideas from other industries, or combine different ideas to create something unique. There are many many business just like yours who are evolving how they deliver value. It’s not always easy, but it starts by deciding.
- Mastermind groups – Monthly peer coaching with facilitation, structure, accountability and support. (I have two! Audacious for owners who are further ahead with their business, and Momentum for owners who want to better prioritise launches, marketing campaigns and promotions.)
- In-person local events – Create a subscription for regular meetups or immersions (we have one Sydney and online immersion every quarter inside of Momentum mastermind).
- Annual planning retreats – Take your one payment and spread this across a monthly automated payment plan.
- Accountability Pods – Offer small-group accountability with regular check-ins (we do this inside both my Audacious mastermind as well as my Momentum mastermind).
- Office Hours Access – Clients can access live drop-in sessions to seek feedback or get their questions answered (we do this inside my Momentum mastermind. The Audacious crew can seek feedback from me anytime they wish).
- Online or IRL Membership Community – Bring together a niche group who are either from the same sector, or have a shared goal, with regular interaction.
- Group coaching programs – Either you can offer an automated payment plan on your set fee, or you can charge monthly for ongoing live coaching in a group setting.
- Retainers – Ongoing coaching or consulting for an ongoing monthly fee, for a minimum amount of time (for example, six months commitment or twelve months commitment). This is what I offered way back when I began, in 2008.
- VIP Days and Recurring Intensives – Turn one-off VIP Days into Recurring Intensives, either weekly, monthly, or quarterly. These are similar to retainers, but are far more structured, with tight boundaries.
- Licensed curriculum – Let other practitioners use your course or workshop materials for a monthly or annual fee.
- Certification programs – Certify people in your proprietary method, with annual renewal fees.
- White-Label solutions – Provide done-for-you packages other service providers can brand as their own.
- Paid newsletters – Offer exclusive insights, training, or behind-the-scenes for a monthly fee (have you seen? I have a Substack – free, not paid).
- Template library – Create editable templates (emails, spreadsheets, designs) for clients to subscribe to.
- Toolkits & resource hubs – Bundle your favourite tools, checklists, or swipe files into a subscription.
- Premium content membership – Videos, guides, masterclasses, and recordings gated behind a paywall. (Think Masterclass.com.)
- Microlearning subscription – Bite-sized lessons or videos delivered weekly/monthly on a specific topic (this could be combined with the paid newsletters).
- Website care packages or tech maintenance plans – Offer ongoing support, updates, and backups.
- Content management services – Upload, format, publish, and schedule content monthly (could be combined with retainers or recurring intensives).
- Virtual Assistant or OBM packages – Monthly admin, inbox, calendar, or launch support.
- Ongoing strategy reviews – Quarterly or monthly performance reviews and advice.
- Priority access subscriptions – Offer clients guaranteed priority support for a fee.
- Affiliate membership programs – Curate tools or products with affiliate links and a recurring commission, and gate access via a paid hub.
Creating recurring revenue in your business starts with asking for commitment from clients, defining your offer well, and powerfully communicating its value so that clients can’t help but buy.
