TCFBO #058: The Products & Services Matrix

Read Time: 2.5 minutes

Are some of your products and services an absolute joy to deliver but some are just a real pain?

If so, the chances are there’s a mismatch between where you and your business are now and some of the products and services you provide.

Here’s a simple way to figure out which products and services are most in alignment with you and your business. 

The matrix above has two axis.

The horizontal axis is your ability to deliver the product or service.

The vertical axis is the level of attraction you and your team have towards the product or service.

For simplicity, from here on we’re just going to talk about services but you can apply the same principle to your products.

Start off by listing out the services you sell and giving them each a unique reference (1,2,3,4,5 etc is fine…no need to overcomplicate it).

If you have a lot of services, you can use groupings if necessary.

Now look at each service you sell in turn and think about where they sit in the matrix.

How well are you able to deliver that service?

Be honest with yourself.

Maybe you developed a service when you only had a handful of clients but now your client base has expanded you’re unable to deliver the service to the same level you used to be able to.

Maybe a team member used to deliver the service, but since they’ve left you’ve not been able to find a replacement with the same level of expertise.

Or maybe the service is the absolute core of your business and you and your team excel at delivering it.

How attractive is the service to you?

Is there a good profit margin for the service?

Is the service easy to sell or does it need a complex sales process?

Is it enjoyable to deliver or does your heart sink every time you think about delivering it?

Once you’ve thought about your ability to deliver the service vs how attractive the service is to you, write the service’s number in the appropriate part of the matrix.

If there is a strong attraction to offering the service and your ability to deliver is high, you’ll plot the number somewhere in the top right quadrant.

If you dislike the service you offer and your ability to deliver it is low, you’ll plot the number somewhere in the bottom left quadrant.

If you love the service you offer but your ability to deliver it is low, you’ll plot the number in the top left quadrant.

And if you have a great ability deliver the service but you really would prefer not to, then you’ll plot the number in the bottom right quadrant.

When you’ve plotted out all your services you should have something that looks like this.

Next you’re going to add two curved lines.

If there are services below the lower line then think about whether you need to stop offering them altogether.

Your focus as a business needs to be on investing in the services in that top right quadrant and looking at what you can do to move services in between those two lines into that top right quadrant.

Because offering services that are best matched to you and your business means less pain and more enjoyment which, typically, results in more profits.

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

Whenever you’re ready, there are three ways we can help you:

1. Grab a copy of Paul’s book “Backwards Planning - A Simple Method to Move You and Your Business Forward” and discover how to reverse engineer a life and business you truly love.

2. Book a facilitated “Life Vision Session” today and start creating a life and business that are fully aligned with your heart’s desires. We’ll arrange a pre-session call with you to say “Hi”, explain how the Life Vision Session works and answer any questions you may have.

3. Apply to join “The Clear Focus Business Academy” and ensure your business is the most effective it can be at providing the money and lifestyle you desire. Simply drop us an email or contact us here to tell us you’re interested and we’ll send you more info.