Pirate Proof Your Business
Transcript:
In 1770, a 14-year-old boy visited the Sistine Chapel in Rome and heard a hauntingly beautiful piece of music called, Miserere. Later in the day, the young lad wrote down the entire piece from memory. He returned the next Friday and made a few corrections as he heard it a second time. Three months later, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was famous for this work for three reasons:
The song had not been played outside of the particular services at the Sistine Chapel for 150 years and it was illegal to transcribe it and distribute it outside of the Chapel.
Mystery surrounded the song due to its exclusivity until Wolfgang unveiled it.
The mere fact that a 14-year-old boy memorized it and wrote it out after hearing it once.
Since Wolfgang, Miserere has been distributed throughout the world and is now one of the most popular a cappella choral works performed. You could say that Mozart pirated this song illegally.
Better Is Not Better
“Being different is critical. ”
Pirating is the copying or reproduction of an original often without permission. For our purposes, I want you to view pirate proofing your business as developing “The Who” of your business not just the do. Your "who” is what adds value, trust, and makes you noteworthy even if you’re one out of hundreds that does what you do (realtors, network marketers, etc.).
Remember this. BETTER IS NOT BETTER. DIFFERENT IS BETTER. Your business might be the same as others, but you as an individual and how you do business must be different to protect you from those who want to copy you.
What specific qualities do you possess as a person that makes you stand out? This question applies to you even if you product or service is very unique because, believe me, there’s a Wolfgang Mozart out there that might try to pirate you product or service and might even do it better. The only way to pirate-proof what you do is to focus your clients on WHO YOU ARE for them.
Let me give you some insight from Sally Hogshead, one of my favorite authors.
39 percent of business to business buying is based on the skills of the salesperson rather than the price, quality, or features. I.e. the ability of the salesperson to build rapport and truly connect with the client and his needs not just follow a script.
The higher the income of your client, you’re paid for who you are more than what you do.
Consumers would rather do business with a person they like and trust EVEN IF THAT PERSON OFFER A LOWER QUALITY PRODUCT OR SERVICE.
As an individual, you have specific combined cluster of skill sets, characteristics, and gifting that no one else has making YOU AS A PERSON NON-PIRATABLE even if what you do can be or already is. Your clients don’t want the same-o same-o. Your clients don’t want to be another name or number on your list. Your clients want and need (even if they don’t realize it) the unique value you offer.
How To Know If You're Adding Value
Sally gives 4 ways to know if you’re adding value. Let me phrase it as 4 ways to become PIRATE PROOF.
You’re admired for a NOTEWORTHY ability to contribute a specific benefit like deep knowledge, specialized, service, etc.
You’re worth more than you’re being paid.
You deliver more than what’s normally expected in one specific way.
You’re the preferred option even if more expensive or less convenient meaning people have to wait longer to see you or travel farther.
Now let me briefly discuss 2 and 3 because they are interrelated. I’ll share with you how I implement 2 and 3 in my business and didn’t even realize what I was doing until I learned about these 4 ways from Sally’s book, “How People See You.”
How I Deliver
When I started my first business in 1998, my grandpa told me to always go the extra mile, which is basically 2 and 3. So I always attempt to deliver TREMENDOUS VALUE to my clients that goes beyond what they paid me to do, and I do it in two specific ways and then in non-specific ways.
The two specific ways are 1) in-depth personality style strategies for each owner and/or manager and his or her staff. I basically break down how each person thinks, greatest fears, greatest motivations, how to communicate with them, any potential problems, and any areas of potential conflict within the team. If my clients don’t have a staff, I then give them strategy on how to communicate with other personalities in a way that builds trust and rapport. And 2) I provide a minimum of 3 months of follow up once a month for an hour to make sure my training has been implemented, troubleshoot and strategize, and hear the successes and positive changes experienced from their training.
“Make success an intentional and controlled act.”
Here’s how I non-specifically deliver more and create more worth than I’m paid: most of the two specifics I just shared goes way beyond an hour like in the follow up and the in-depth study of the personalities takes me hours but they are never charged for it.
On top of that I develop a very strong relationship with my clients because I truly care about them and want their businesses to succeed as if they were my own. And I am able to solve problems with confidence. My fascination advantages are POWER and TRUST meaning I’m an authority with answers and I’m reliable and genuine. My clients don’t worry about surprises from me.
I shared this so I could frame our discussion in real-life examples to get your creative juices flowing on how you can develop WHO YOU ARE in your business in a way that makes you pirate proof.
Here’s what I want you to do: take a moment and think about what value you add as a person for your clients. Are you compassionate and relational? Do you possess a unique skill or deep knowledge? Do you have an ability to promote discussion and understanding among individuals? Are you strategic and insightful? Try to think of at least 3 things up to 12 things that makes WHO YOU ARE unpiratable!