It’s a year from now…
It’s a year from now. We’re having coffee together and you’re happy. What has happened in your business in that year for you to be happy? I’d love to know. 🙂
It’s a year from now… (cont.)
Next time you’re on a sales conversation with a prospect, ask them this: “It’s a year from now. We’re having coffee together and you’re happy. What has happened in your business in that year for you to be happy?” [Now you don’t say a word. Embrace silence. Bite your tongue if you need to. :)] This question will push them to think. And you need to give them space to do that. If you talk, you take it away from them. When they talk, they’ll give you A TON of valuable information to start seeing…
10 years from now
What do you see yourself still talking and interested in in 10 years from now? How many of the current things you do/research/write/publish/work on are in that spectrum? Think it’d be worth going on one of them deep enough to experiment and build new offerings/products/services? That’s a quick way to see if what you’re working on is aligned with what you see in a (not-so-distant?) future. 10 years can pass quickly. And 10 years can also be long enough to figure out if what you’re currently…
Involution
When moving prices up little by little, it’s all about the seller (you). About their costs, their margins, their “compensation” on inflation, etc. It has nothing to do with the customer. It’s involution. Because it focuses more and more to the inside. The short term. The survival of today.
Pop Quiz
Can you charge different prices for the (very exact) same thing? For services. For productized services. For products. Let me know. 🙂
Low prices are the right message
Price is the representation of your promise. If you have a high price, the implied promise is that it’s of high value. It’s the right message. If you have a low price, you’re also sending the right message: of low value. The understanding of it is like a force of nature: it just happens. And fast. The question is: do you intend to send the message of low value or of high value? Either is ok. There’s a market for everyone. Are you making the right message?
Orders, orders, orders.
More often than not, there is a big focus on revenue as the thing to measure (success, growth, improvement). All of this nonsense of “Orders. Orders. Orders.” The thing is, to someone new into a business or sales, this misbelief is misleading. Instead of seeing revenue as a proof of concept and an enabler of cash flow, they see it as the end. And then fail. On top of that “Orders, orders, orders.” hides something unintendedly: you get to be an order-taker. Taking orders. Following orders….
Choosing revenue
Choosing revenue means choosing vanity. It means that what’s important is what goes into the business. The today, rather than the long game. It dilutes the way you make decisions, because it’s revenue over all. It dilutes your power to say no. It pushes you to comply with what your customer demands. And when revenue is not hitting the mark, you stench of desperation. So you get pushed down. To what they say. In fear. Revenue is not all.
You’re not a brand
The price you set is not a reflection of you. The price you set is not a reflection of your worth. It’s not a reflection of your effort. It’s not a reflection of your passion. It’s not a reflection of yourself. You’re not your price. You’re not a brand.
Defend your price
By agreeing with the objections. “It’s too expensive.” It is. “The price is ridiculous.” It might be. “Why so expensive?” That’s the price. “But it’s SO simple.” You’re right. It’s not your job to convince anyone —or to talk anyone into buying. Your job is to qualify early and bring those objections yourself at the beginning. The best way to defend your price is by making peace with your price. If you think it’s too expensive, they will too.