Understand Your Buyer > How To Convert > Sawdust Product

 

What is it?

A Sawdust Product is a by-product of your main work – something you create as a natural part of doing business, but usually discard or overlook. The name comes from carpenters who realised the sawdust they swept up every day could be repackaged and sold. In a modern business, sawdust products might be unused content, templates, tools, or processes that can be repurposed and sold as standalone offers.

Why does it work?

It works because the hardest part – creating the raw material – is already done. You’ve already spent time building it, writing it, or documenting it, so turning it into a product costs very little in time or effort. These by-products often solve real problems for people who aren’t ready or able to buy your main offer. By repackaging something that would otherwise go to waste, you create new revenue with minimal additional work.

How can you use it?

Look at what you create every day but don’t sell – like checklists, scripts, training materials, frameworks, or behind-the-scenes tools. For example, a consultant might turn client onboarding documents into a digital toolkit. A content creator could turn unused video clips into a mini-course. Even physical businesses can do this – a coffee roaster could bag up leftover chaff as garden mulch, or a fashion brand could turn offcuts into accessories. Package these sawdust items into useful, standalone offers and sell them to people who aren’t yet ready for your full service.

 

Digital Sawdust Product Ideas

• Checklists – Internal QA, onboarding, or delivery checklists packaged as useful templates
• Swipe files – Collections of past email copy, ad headlines, or sales messages
• Templates – Proposal documents, pitch decks, client briefing forms, or design layouts
• Scripts – Phone scripts, webinar intros, sales conversations, or objection handling guides
• SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) – Internal how-to guides turned into toolkits for others
• Behind-the-scenes recordings – Project walk-throughs, coaching calls, or team training sessions
• Worksheets – Planning sheets, pricing calculators, or reflection prompts used with clients
• Unused content – Blog drafts, video snippets, research notes, or slide decks not yet published
• Process maps or flowcharts – Internal workflows turned into visual resources for others
• Audio clips – Unused podcast segments or voice notes repurposed into content
• Resource libraries – Curated toolkits, reading lists, or software recommendations
• Mini-courses – A repackaged module or section of a larger training course
• Email sequences – Nurture emails or launch sequences turned into plug-and-play templates
• Case studies – Repurposed into story-based sales material or teaching content
• Data insights – Industry trends or anonymised internal performance data packaged into reports
• Branding elements – Icon sets, style guides, unused logo concepts offered as design packs

 

Physical Sawdust Product Ideas

• Fabric offcuts – Turned into patchwork items, scrunchies, or DIY kits
• Misprints or samples – Sold as discounted, exclusive, or one-of-a-kind items
• Packaging materials – Repurposed into branded stationery, notebooks, or filler for shipping
• Wood shavings or sawdust – Sold for compost, pet bedding, or eco-packaging
• Coffee chaff – Sold as compost or garden mulch by roasters
• Food scraps – Used for pickles, stocks, broths, or freeze-dried snack products
• Leftover ingredients – Turned into limited-run seasonal items or sampler packs
• Prototype products – Sold at discount or turned into collector’s editions
• Workshop materials – Test prints, offcuts, or practice pieces turned into creative bundles
• Display items – Event signage or booth setups sold or reused in smaller formats
• Training tools – Practice kits or demo items sold to beginners or hobbyists

 

Example

Chicken McNuggets are a prime example of this in action.

Made from offcuts and “bits” ground together into shapes, McDonalds have created a popular product from what would otherwise be classed as “waste”.. (This video shows you how)

 

See Also

• The Parts Effect

 

 

 

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