What Are People Paying You To Do?

Let’s talk for a moment about business model.

With shipping companies, we all understand that if we want something here tomorrow, we’re going to pay a premium for it, right? If I’m not in as big a rush, I’ll pay less. Until someone invents a different model, that’s the baseline of our understanding of the shipping business. In shipping, customer pay for speed.

What are people paying you to do? Are you leveraging that skill when it comes to your pricing?

Consider my business partner Rex’s video production company, SunPop Studios. They produce extraordinarily authentic, unusual video snapshots of people and companies. They are very, very good at what they do. They charge accordingly.

For a set price, you fly to Austin (or Toronto or a growing list of locations) and you work with Rex and Jake and some others to do your video their way. Your finished product is extraordinary, and you get it quickly.

Unless you want to help.

If you want to offer your own creative input, that costs more.

That’s right. If you want them to do exactly what you hired them to do (and do it as well as anyone in the world), it actually costs less than if you want to help them do it.

Have they probably lost some business as a result? Sure. Do you think they’re infinitely happier with the clients they’ve pre-qualified through this “helper tax?” Sure.

It doesn’t just take talent and insight, though, does it?

It takes guts.

Remember – there’s a reason you sought them out.

Remember – there’s a reason people are seeking you out. Charge accordingly.