Turn Your Business By-products Into Growth Potentials

When you think of by-products, you would normally picture tangible items from the production line that have gone through processes in a factory. A by-product is usually defined as a product with monetary value which is produced as part of  the manufacture proess of another product, where the newly acquired economic importance of a by-product will make it a main product prospectively.

But did you know that by-products can be found in any business?  And they don’t necessarily have to be something that is core to your business (for instance, a dairy factory that produces butter may typically have a by-product in the form of buttermilk, or if it produces cream, the by-product may be skim milk). In simple terms, a by-product is any secondary product or result that is unintended but inevitably produced in doing or producing something else. In a non-manufacturing setting, there are a number of these by-products that can be turned into a business or growth potential, if you know how.

Here are ten ways that you can do to make your by-products a source of potential earnings.

A by-product is any secondary product or result that is unintended but inevitably produced in doing or producing something else.

Make use of data

If your company has a huge amount of data available or to which you have access, then you can consider re-using these to come up with other valuable data in the form infographics that are relevant and can be shared with people, especially your stakeholders. With just some rearranging and filtering to protect any sensitive details, you can turn your data into another meaningful form to provide interesting and valuable information.

Open that code

Be open to sharing components of your source codes for the benefit of the technical and digital community. When you open source your software, you make it accessible to the public for review, modification, or improvement. Adopting this suggestion will help the tech community in developing new ways and ideas that will, in turn, redound to your business.

Recycle those photos

If you ever find keep in your stock various file photos and collections that have no more use, you may want to consider selling them to photography websites such as Istock or Getty, or simply giving them for free.

The purpose – where I start – is the idea of use. It is not recycling, it’s reuse.” – Issey Miyake

Video transcription

You may have videos whose contents may be turned into SEO-friendly transcripts. If you do this, you may be able to help drive traffic to your website. There are video services in the market that can help you professionalize the look and feel of your video transcriptions, or hire a person to do it for you.

Re-think your distribution strategy

There are simply so many opportunities for you to improve the traffic and leads of your business based on the information or content that you are already using. The channels are wide in the digital world, and you can easily make use of a certain post or blog in your site or account, for example, and apply it suitably across different mediums. Another example would be pulling a relevant quote or sharing images from an article from one site and onto another.

Adopt a “maker” mentality

If you have a “maker” mindset, then you would always tend to see possibilities in things around you. For instance, if you ever find that you have items and materials that are already passé or unused (examples would be furniture, old devices), don’t just allow them to rot away but think of creative ways to recycle them. By doing so, you could discover an idea, a new solution, resource, or perhaps a potential earning venture.

Don’t waste office space

Should you have more than enough office space, consider generating some extra income by renting out the unused space. The arrangement may be for a longer period or a one-time thing like events, depending on how much space you could spare. Either way, the objective is to maximize what you have for that additional income. You may even go to the extent of renting out your unused furniture or equipment, with or without the extra office space.

Share what you know

Be generous in sharing your expertise because it is a good way of increasing your network and ultimately earnings for your business. You may opt to write an ebook about your success hacks or perhaps create a YouTube video if you feel more comfortable doing this. Some opt to make “SlideShare” presentations which they share on the internet which may not generate cash but can drive traffic to your business.

Reward your customers

Without spending much on marketing materials, look for extra supplies or items in your company that you can transform into customer giveaways or “thank you” messages. It is a way to make your loyal customers feel highly appreciated while at the same time promote your products or services.

Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we’ve been ignorant of their value.” –                   R. Buckminster Fuller

Reduce and reuse

Here, the list may be endless. You need to have an open and creative mind to know what items in your office can be put to better use. A couple of suggestions would be making shredded paper into packaging protection or turning cardboard boxes into furniture or office accessories. Do you have a habit of ordering food and not finishing them at all? Fresh leftovers can go to a good cause by donating them to a homeless shelter. Whatever it is that you can save and recycle, try to think of ways on how you can make a difference.

You need to look at ways on how you can help create growth opportunities for your business. And with these suggestions we’ve just shown, you would surely benefit from adopting even one or two, depending on the available resources that you have right now.