Finding Your Product Sweet Spot: Too Few or Too Many?
Hey there, fabulous business owners!
Ever caught yourself thinking, "I'm stuck with just one service" or alternatively, "What exactly does my business do again?" You're not alone.
In our recent Sip n Share’s, we dove into a challenge that affects nearly every woman entrepreneur in Nillumbik and Banyule—finding the right balance in your product offerings.
The Two Product Camps
Most of us fall into one of two camps:
Camp 1: The One-Product Wonder
You've got one solid service or product. Maybe you're a hairdresser who "just cuts hair" or a massage therapist with a signature treatment. It's clear, it's focused, but it might also feel limiting.
Camp 2: The Multi-Offer Maverick
You've got so many different services that when someone asks what you do, you struggle to answer concisely. Your creativity leads to multiple expressions of your talents, but potential clients might be confused about your core offering.
Sound familiar? Let's explore the challenges and opportunities of both positions.
The Limitations of Having Just One Product
If you're in the one-product camp, you might be experiencing:
Boredom: Doing the same thing repeatedly can get monotonous for creative entrepreneurs
Growth ceiling: Without additional offerings, your income is capped by the hours you can work
Limited client value: There's no ecosystem for clients to experience more of what you offer
Perspective limitations: You might struggle to see what else you could possibly offer
But here's the truth: these limitations often come from a limited perspective rather than actual market constraints.
The Confusion of Having Too Many Products
On the flip side, if you're in the multi-product camp, you might be facing:
Brand confusion: Potential clients aren't sure what you really do best
Energy depletion: Maintaining multiple offers can drain your resources
Diluted marketing: Your message gets scattered across too many offerings
Overwhelm: You're constantly juggling different service types and client needs
This is where the power of focus and alignment becomes crucial.
Finding Your Product Sweet Spot Through Purpose
Whether you need to expand or refine your offerings, the compass that should guide you is your purpose. This was beautifully illustrated when Mira shared a personal example from last year:
She was presented with an exciting collaboration opportunity that aligned with her purpose but ultimately decided to decline because it would distract from refining her existing products and building sustainable processes in her business.
As she explained, "I needed to really refine that perspective and make sure that I could start to build a strong brand to be known for what I really do—that core contribution, core purpose in the world."
Real-Life Product Transformation
One of our members, Jess from Little Mouse Tea House, went through this exact journey. After 7-8 years in business, she found herself:
Time-poor and energy-depleted
Feeling pulled between business and family
Offering too many different catering options
Through working with our women's business group, she evaluated her offerings through the lens of purpose and profit, asking:
Which services align with my purpose?
Which ones are actually profitable?
Which ones give me joy?
The result? She began saying "no" to jobs that didn't align with her purpose or weren't profitable—even selling her original tea house caravan (which felt like "breaking up with a boyfriend you're still in love with").
This wasn't easy, but it created space for more aligned opportunities, gave her time back, and conserved her energy for work she truly wanted to do.
How to Find Your Own Product Balance
If You're in the One-Product Camp:
Explore complementary offerings: What natural extensions of your service would benefit your clients?
Consider collaborations: As we discussed in our "People" Sip n Share, who could you partner with to expand your ecosystem without doing it all yourself?
Analyse client needs: What else do your clients need before, during, or after working with you?
Start small: Test one new offering before expanding further
If You're in the Multi-Product Camp:
Evaluate through purpose: Which offerings truly align with your core mission?
Analyse profitability: Which products actually make money versus just keeping you busy?
Consider energy expenditure: Which offerings drain you versus energise you?
Create a client journey: How can your offerings work together as a cohesive experience?
Your North Star: Purpose-Aligned Products
Whether you're expanding or refining, remember that your purpose is your North Star. As we often discuss in our local networking events for women entrepreneurs, people follow people first—they connect with your vision and purpose before they connect with your brand.
When your products clearly express your purpose, everything else falls into place: your marketing becomes clearer, your energy aligns with your work, and your clients understand exactly how you can help them.
Join Us for More Small Business Support
Looking for more insights like this? Our women's business group provides marketing support for women-owned businesses across Nillumbik and Banyule through regular events, co-working sessions, and mentoring.
Ready to find your product sweet spot? Comment below with which camp you're in and one action you'll take this week to move toward better balance!
