Should I offer new services based on client feedback or trends?

Ah, the classic dilemma—balancing your current expertise with evolving client needs and market trends. This is something every freelancer or entrepreneur faces at some point. The decision to offer new services should be a blend of responding to client feedback and keeping an eye on market trends, but with a strong foundation in your own skills and passions.

Client Feedback: When clients suggest new services, they’re giving you direct insight into unmet needs or additional value they’d like from you. Analyze the feedback to see if it aligns with your strengths or if there are recurring themes. This doesn’t mean you need to jump on every suggestion, but if multiple clients are asking for the same thing, it’s worth considering.

Market Trends: These can give you a broader perspective on where your industry is heading. Sometimes trends highlight gaps you didn’t realize existed. However, it’s essential to differentiate between fads and sustainable changes. Ask yourself if a trend aligns with your values and long-term vision.

Now, let’s talk about the messy middle—because let’s be real, that's where most of us live. I remember adding web development to my services early on because I saw a rising trend and had clients asking about it. But, it turned out, I wasn’t as passionate about it as I thought, and delivering those projects felt more like a grind than a groove. I had to pivot and refine my offering again to focus on what genuinely drove me.

Here’s a practical approach you can take, drawing from my Capture, Develop, Expose framework, though not exclusively:

1. Capture: Document client feedback and trends you notice. Keep track of ideas and evaluate them based on frequency and alignment with your values and skills.

2. Develop: Experiment with one or two new services in a low-risk way. Maybe that means offering it to a current client at a discounted rate or testing it internally. This phase is about development, refinement, and seeing how it feels to deliver this new offering.

3. Expose: Show the world your new service, but not as a full-blown launch. Think soft openings—share it with select clients or audience segments to gather more feedback.

Ultimately, redefining success on your terms means knowing when to step forward—and equally, when to step back. Your career trajectory will zig and zag, but staying anchored in your core values and strengths will guide those choices.