Charge Clients Your True Value
It may come easy to you, but it’s worth investing in for them.
“You’re weak in [insert thing here], so focus on improving.”
I’m sure you’ve heard these words in school, during a job interview or at your annual review.
My greatest weakness is any math beyond basic algebra. My college acceptance letter said, “Due to your low math scores, you must pass basic math freshman year.” The first “work style” assessment I took on the job stated, “Math is a foreign language to Stephanie.”
I can solve for X so these haters need to back off!
The long hours pouring over math problems and being lectured about “trying harder” to improve?! What a waste of my time! I haven’t used anything beyond the basics once in my career.
And as the internet shifts how we relate and work together, it’s proving my point in spades.
Long ago, the world functioned because of skilled business people. The town blacksmith, who was a master of his craft, took on an apprentice to teach all that he knew about his skill. Same with the tailor, the baker and so on.
Look around and you’ll see we are moving back towards strengths in skill as a viable business model. And on a more global scale than ever before.
Show strength as a young musician or athlete?
Your parent’s first instinct is to hire the best teachers to develop your abilities. They don’t care about your math grades. Why don’t we treat skills like fashion design, storytelling or building PCs the same?
I was telling stories playing with my barbie dolls or running around the farm with my cousins from a young age. Words and pictures come to me. I don’t have to hunt them down like a solution to a math problem. Seeing the final result in my head and bringing it into reality? No problem.
I’m in my 40s and own a business that utilizes my strengths. Every year, I work hard to develop and hone them because I enjoy the work. I’ve never looked back and said, “Oh, if only I was stronger at Algebra I’d be so much better at writing or brand and website design.”
Trying to build up our weaknesses prevents us from reaching the full potential of our individual strengths. Those natural talents in life that come so easy for us.
We must embrace our strengths!
We must own them as special to us and build successful businesses around them. Not good at math and budgets like me? Hire someone who is. Chances are they love it. My father-in-law is one of them.
Every day can be a grand adventure in the work you enjoy.
There is tremendous value in your mastery.
One that clients who need it most will see. We are not “buying” services from you. We are investing in you because of our weakness. It’s a point to bring to every sales conversation you have with a potential client.
You hire me to tell your stories with words and pictures. I do this by using my strengths at the intersection of humanity, design and technology.
I see you. I use words to convey emotion and connection about you. I use imagery and design to reinforce them for you. And you thought you were hiring me to build a brand + website!
I never expect you to arrive with all the answers ready for me to execute. That’s not your strength, it’s mine. If it was yours, you wouldn’t need me.
Realizing this freedom to embrace my strengths, I’ve created a new mantra in my business.
What comes easy to me is not lacking value. It is where I can be the strength you need.
Consider this next time you’re pricing services or speaking with a potential client. This is not easy for them. They need your strengths where they are weak. And that creates tremendous return value they’re happy to invest in.