Should you show effort?
Should you show effort?
A locksmith turns up to a house where the owner has locked themselves out. After only a few minutes, the locksmith unlocks the door, turns to the relieved owner and says “That will be $200”.
“$200!", the home owner splutters. “It only took you 2 minutes!”
“2 minutes to open your door, but 10 years to know how to do it so quickly!”, replies the locksmith.
This story, or versions of it featuring a mechanic, carpenter or other trade, makes the point that people often equate time with worth.
Known as the labour illusion, customers feel better about paying when they feel like effort has been put in.
This can be an issue, because most of us want to be valued by our ability to solve the problem, not by how long it takes us.
When talking to customers about your value, this means you shouldn’t underplay what it’s taken (or will take) to deliver the solution.
How?
- Itemise your invoices, spelling out parts of your process.
- Slow down. Consider delaying your response so they perceive you’ve taken time to mull over the details.
- Include process maps that step out stages like research and testing.
- Credential yourself up front, explaining you are able to resolve things faster because you have a depth of experience that others can’t offer.
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