There was a time when I thought everyone could write. Of course, most people can actually write, but not commercially and that’s where my value lies; I understand what the customer is looking for and how they process information.
However, this isn’t about how good I am – but about you. Do you know your own value?
If you’ve ever thought ‘am I charging too much?’ or ‘should I drop my prices to be more competitive?’ you probably don’t understand how valuable you are. The truth is that most people don’t buy on price – and if they do they often live to regret it. Low prices usually mean low quality and most people will pay a bit more (sometimes a lot more) for really good quality. This is especially true when the quality of their suppliers affects the quality of their own business.
For example, if you send out a badly written marketing letter there are two outcomes:
- People who are fussy about English see you as ‘not very good’ or ‘poor attention to detail’ if there are spelling, punctuation or grammar errors
- It doesn’t work, because the message isn’t right for the audience.
If you buy cheap stationery people who are given your business card or receive a letter see you as low quality. It was interesting that when I worked for a company that used very expensive paper for their stationery people actually commented on how nice the paper was!
So where is your value?
What do you do for people that is exceptional, unique, more than the low-cost providers in your industry?
What do people say about what you do? Have you asked them what kind of outcomes your product or service has produced?
Why do people buy you and your products or services and not purchase from someone else in the same business?
If you exchange time for money are you achieving the hourly rate that will deliver the income you really want? If not, what would you have to charge to do that?
Knowing your value is the first step on the ladder to serious success.
