As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to overlook the value of our own expertise. You’ve probably spent years (if not decades) developing skills, knowledge, and insights in your field. That expertise isn’t just valuable to your clients; it’s also an asset you can package, sell, and scale.
Many business owners already monetise their expertise by offering services. But if you’re a solo entrepreneur, there’s often a ceiling on how much you can earn without building a team. This is especially true if your income is tied to the traditional time-for-money model (billing by the hour or project). While this can work well in the short term, it creates limitations. You can only take on so many clients, and your earnings are capped by the number of hours you can personally work.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re on a constant hamster wheel where you are finding clients, delivering services, and then starting all over again then you’re not alone. It can be exhausting and it leaves your business vulnerable if you ever need to step away due to illness, family commitments, or unexpected events (remember the pandemic?). When your only source of income is you delivering services, your revenue can dry up quickly.
The solution?
Diversify your income streams and create ways to monetise your expertise that don’t rely on you being present every hour of the day. Thanks to the digital age, there are more opportunities than ever to do just that. Here are five proven ideas to get you started.
Below are 5 ways to monetise your expertise online:
1. Become an Affiliate
Affiliate marketing allows you to earn a commission by promoting products or services you genuinely use and recommend. This can work in two ways:
- Affiliate for tools or services you use – If a tool is essential in your business, check whether it offers an affiliate program. Many will pay you in cash or credit for each referral. Only promote products you believe in and have personally used (integrity matters!).
- Create your own affiliate program – If you sell a course or program, invite your past students to promote it for a commission. They’re your biggest cheerleaders and can provide authentic, first-hand testimonials that attract new customers.
2. Create a Membership
Membership sites offer recurring revenue in exchange for ongoing value. This could be:
- A library of design templates for business owners.
- Monthly fitness and nutrition plans for health-conscious clients.
- Exclusive training and resources for a specific niche.
The beauty of memberships is that one member leaving doesn’t impact your income significantly because it’s a volume-based model. Keep the price point attractive and the value high, and you can grow a loyal, engaged community.
Check out Sell Your Brilliance Online Membership for inspiration and how to get started.
3. Sell a Video Series
If you regularly create “how-to” videos or tutorials, consider packaging them into a paid video series. For example, a set of training videos teaching a skill, process, or strategy can become a standalone digital product. Once created, it can be sold repeatedly with little extra effort, giving you true leverage.
4. Sell Templates and Digital Resources
Marketplaces like Etsy and Creative Market make it easy to sell templates, workbooks, planners, and other digital downloads. If you’ve created resources for your own business that others could benefit from, consider selling them online. These platforms already have built-in audiences, making it easier to get in front of buyers without starting from scratch.
5. Create an Online Course
Online courses are one of the most effective ways to package your expertise. If you can teach someone a skill, process, or transformation, you can create a course. Once built, it becomes a scalable asset you can sell repeatedly.
Courses not only generate passive revenue but also give you a fallback if client work slows down. You can promote them through your website, social media, or email marketing, ensuring your income isn’t entirely dependent on service delivery.
The Key: Mindset Shift
Shifting from a purely service-based business to one that includes products requires a change in mindset. Instead of only thinking in terms of trading time for money, start viewing your expertise as something you can package and sell on repeat. The more diverse your revenue streams, the more resilient your business becomes.
By building assets that work for you (even when you’re not “on the clock”) you’ll gain more freedom, more stability, and more opportunities to grow.
If you’re ready to explore creating your first online product, start small, pick one idea from this list, and take action.
Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.
Want help getting started?
My digital product, the Passive Profit Plan, walks you through this process step-by-step – ideal if you’re ready to turn your expertise into a digital product that sells on autopilot. Click here to access.
And if you haven’t listened to the full podcast episode yet, head over to Online Business Uncovered podcast and tune into: “The 5-Step Roadmap to Creating Passive Income in Your Business”.
Related Articles
Online Course Planner – Launch Your Course the Easy Way!
Are you ready to turn your expertise into a profitable online course but feel completely overwhelmed by all the moving parts? I get it... I’ve been there which is why I created the Online Course Planner – Notion Template. I designed it for coaches, educators,...
3 Simple Strategies to Create More Time in Your Business
In this blog, I want to share with you 3 very simple but powerful strategies to help you create more time in your business. But first, let me ask you a question… What would it feel like to have more time in your business? And I don’t mean more time to do more work. I...
How to Automate Your Online Business
If you’re juggling client work, content creation, inbox overload, and still trying to launch new offers — it’s no wonder you’re feeling stretched. The good news? Business automation can be your secret weapon for building momentum without burning out. Automation isn’t...
ABOUT
As a passionate advocate for creative entrepreneurs, I'm here to help you unlock the full potential of your business online. With training, resources, and templates, I provide the tools you need to kickstart your journey to freedom.
