3 Mindsets for Creating More Value

Caffeine with David

“What are the levers that I can pull that are going to help me create more value?”

Say you want to charge more, be more known, get better testimonials, get more respect from others… the simplest pathway is to expand the value you create for others.

Value creation is often thought of as a skillset, but what if how you think about value shifts your potential for creating more of it?

Here are some ways I think about creating more value…

1. Make Their Vision Bigger

When I meet with a client for the first time, my gut reaction is often to ask,

“Are they thinking too small?”

They might say they want to launch in one market, and I’ll ask,

“What would it look like to launch in five markets this year?”

Thinking bigger increases excitement for projects. You want to increase excitement only to the point of slight impossibility so that the discomfort isn’t too strong.

We’re not here to merely make happen what is expected, we’re here to help make the unexpected occur. In teams, 2+2 = 4, or 6 or beyond. That is the beauty of working with others.

Each person adds new capability, new insight, or possibility. Even if you’re an employee, thinking this way can expand the value you bring to whoever you work with. You’re not always going to follow through on every huge idea you propose, but at least you’re expanding the potential reality you can help create.

You want to move beyond assumed value or possibility for how well things can go, and contribute your part to create a greater whole.

2. Multiply Value by Overdelivering

People say, “Charge what you’re worth.”

I say: “Overdeliver on the project significantly beyond what you charge.”

Whenever possible, you want to add to the “multiple” of value someone receives when working with you. In an ideal world, customers should get 2x-5x+ of the value that they’ve paid. Skewing value in the favor of your customer creates an abundance loop.

Ask yourself, “How can I overdeliver on this project?”

It might be sending your clients extra resources or even something as simple as remembering birthdays and sending a quick message.

Some examples…

• Send monthly progress recaps, highlight new opportunities that weren’t previously seen.
• Offer bonus calls to brainstorm and problem-solve.
• Connect your customer to people you know who can also help them.
• Share mini “toolkits” of templates, how-to guides, etc. with clients.

3. Stay Focused on Transformative Change

Great products create transformative change. They transcend beyond what someone “wants” and explore and expand into what someone needs, dreams of, and has never considered before.

If you do only what your customer wants you to do, you are creating products based on a view of the world with limited knowledge. The benefit of expertise and mastery is your ability to see significantly more than others in a particular area or subject.

It’s hard to say “no” to someone. Doing so, though, create the ability to guide and lead someone through a process that they might not have been able to previously imagine or understand.

When you hire a travel agent, you don’t want to just tell them what to do and have them book it for you. You want them to think of what you never thought of, make decisions you might not immediately understand, and recommend what you would never find yourself.

Steve Jobs knew, simply, that people wanted to buy the latest CD player, and yet he said no so that he could create something much greater with his iPod.

Creating more value isn’t about just having the skills to do so – it’s often understanding what’s possible, having and building confidence to deliver, and being willing to explore unknown territories that may feel uncomfortable at first but help you expand what’s possible for yourself and others.

What mindset helps you stay focused on creating more value for others? Or what have you done as a habit that has helped you?