I'm doing it anyway

[Andy Black]

In my mind there's a sliding scale of perceived value:


1) Pay me to show you what to do.

• DIY courses and other info-products.

2) Pay me to help you do it.

• Coaching, consulting, etc.

3) Pay me to do it for you.

• DFY services.

4) I'm doing it anyway.

• I'm not waiting round for clients or customers to "approve" and pay me.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• I'll create a progress thread and log what I'm doing.
  I'll drop it if it doesn't work out.
  I don't care if people see me go down cul-de-sac's and dead-ends.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• Some clients could benefit from YouTube campaigns.
  I'm not going to ask if we can create a demo video ad for them.
  I'm doing it anyway.

5) I've already done it.

• Hey Mr Customer.
  I've built XYZ.
  D'you want it or not?
  
  OR
  
  
• Hey Mr Client.
  Here's a demo YouTube video ad.
  Do you want us to run it for you?

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[PapaGang]

In my mind there's a sliding scale of perceived value:

Pay me to show you what to do.

• DIY courses and other info-products.

Pay me to help you do it.

• Coaching, consulting, etc.

Pay me to do it for you.

• DFY services.

I'm doing it anyway.

• I'm not waiting round for clients or customers to "approve" and pay me.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• I'll also just create a progress thread and log what I'm doing.
  I'll drop it at any time too if it doesn't work out.
  I don't care if people see me go down cul-de-sac's and dead-ends.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• Clients need YouTube campaigns.
  They need video ads for those campaigns.
  I'm not going to ask them if we can create a demo video ad for them.
  I'm doing it anyway.

I've already done it.

• Hey Mr Customer.
  I've built XYZ.
  D'you want it or not?
  
  OR
  
  
• Hey Mr Client.
  Here's a demo YouTube video ad.
  Do you want us to run it for you?

Yeah! This is spot on. I feel like this is more than just perceived value. There is something deeper going on here. It's more like the graduated matrix of service, or are you just really outlining the lifecycle progression from service to product? This is valuable.

 

[Andy Black]

Yeah! This is spot on. I feel like this is more than just perceived value. There is something deeper going on here. It's more like the graduated matrix of service, or are you just really outlining the lifecycle progression from service to product? This is valuable.

Yeah, this is constantly on my mind as I move my business from service based to product based.

Bear in mind that the DIY folks want products too, so it's not cut and dried.


It’s also my attitude/mindset.

People often ask why you’re doing it this way instead of that way. Yet other people give advice from the ringside. It can all be well meaning.

Mostly I just smile and nod, and think “I’m doing it anyway”.

 

[PapaGang]

Yeah, this is constantly on my mind as I move my business from service based to product based.

Bear in mind that the DIY folks want products too, so it's not cut and dried.


It’s also my attitude/mindset.

People often ask why you’re doing it this way instead of that way. Yet other people give advice from the ringside. It can all be well meaning.

Mostly I just smile and nod, and think “I’m doing it anyway”.

That's a good place to be.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Jonathan Hoch]

"Built to Sell" is a book that talks about a very similar "progression of business," that you're referring to, @Andy Black

It's a fictional story, that is done well enough to forget that you're reading a business book.

The story focuses on a business owner of a graphic design company that wants to sell his business. Immediately, he is told that his business is basically worthless without him.

There is a lesson in each chapter, taught by a mentor of the main character. And each lesson is presented as action items for the main character to accomplish in order to transform his business into a desirable and valuable asset.

It is a very interesting take on clients vs customers, and I recommend it to everyone. The audible version can be difficult to get through, because the narrator is really F*cking annoying with his strange voice inflections. (Although he does seem to annoy himself for about 6 or 7 chapters, and reads like a normal human.)

The initial goal, was to sell the business, as it became a soul sucking job that he couldn't quit.

Without spoiling it, the main character changed just as much as the business did throughout the book.

This concept of going from service-based to product-based is the very thing that I am currently exploring with my copywriting business!

I hope that I didn't "totally" thread jack. This was a response to your comment after the OP.

-Jonathan

 

[Andy Black]

"Built to Sell" is a book that talks about a very similar "progression of business," that you're referring to, @Andy Black

It's a fictional story, that is done well enough to forget that you're reading a business book.

The story focuses on a business owner of a graphic design company that wants to sell his business. Immediately, he is told that his business is basically worthless without him.

There is a lesson in each chapter, taught by a mentor of the main character. And each lesson is presented as action items for the main character to accomplish in order to transform his business into a desirable and valuable asset.

It is a very interesting take on clients vs customers, and I recommend it to everyone. The audible version can be difficult to get through, because the narrator is really F*cking annoying with his strange voice inflections. (Although he does seem to annoy himself for about 6 or 7 chapters, and reads like a normal human.)

The initial goal, was to sell the business, as it became a soul sucking job that he couldn't quit.

Without spoiling it, the main character changed just as much as the business did throughout the book.

This concept of going from service-based to product-based is the very thing that I am currently exploring with my copywriting business!

I hope that I didn't "totally" thread jack. This was a response to your comment after the OP.

-Jonathan

Great minds think alike! Yeah, that narrator turned me off the book on Audible. I read and love the book though.

I even did a post on it:

• You're selling the wrong product (4 mins)

 

[MaxKhalus]

In my mind there's a sliding scale of perceived value:


Pay me to show you what to do.

• DIY courses and other info-products.

Pay me to help you do it.

• Coaching, consulting, etc.

Pay me to do it for you.

• DFY services.

I'm doing it anyway.

• I'm not waiting round for clients or customers to "approve" and pay me.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• I'll also just create a progress thread and log what I'm doing.
  I'll drop it if it doesn't work out.
  I don't care if people see me go down cul-de-sac's and dead-ends.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• Clients need YouTube campaigns.
  They need video ads for those campaigns.
  I'm not going to ask them if we can create a demo video ad for them.
  I'm doing it anyway.

I've already done it.

• Hey Mr Customer.
  I've built XYZ.
  D'you want it or not?
  
  OR
  
  
• Hey Mr Client.
  Here's a demo YouTube video ad.
  Do you want us to run it for you?

original. I always try to stay between the last two levels.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Brewmacker]

In my mind there's a sliding scale of perceived value:


Pay me to show you what to do.

• DIY courses and other info-products.

Pay me to help you do it.

• Coaching, consulting, etc.

Pay me to do it for you.

• DFY services.

I'm doing it anyway.

• I'm not waiting round for clients or customers to "approve" and pay me.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• I'll also just create a progress thread and log what I'm doing.
  I'll drop it if it doesn't work out.
  I don't care if people see me go down cul-de-sac's and dead-ends.
  I'm doing it anyway.
  
  OR
  
  
• Clients need YouTube campaigns.
  They need video ads for those campaigns.
  I'm not going to ask them if we can create a demo video ad for them.
  I'm doing it anyway.

I've already done it.

• Hey Mr Customer.
  I've built XYZ.
  D'you want it or not?
  
  OR
  
  
• Hey Mr Client.
  Here's a demo YouTube video ad.
  Do you want us to run it for you?

Ah Andy, it would be so nice to be in your position. It seems that this freedom and boldness to applying such a strategy is a testament to how you have mastered your business. Do you apply a criteria to size up a potential customer (with a certain level of confidence) thus minimizing your own risk and maximizing impact for generating new business (both directly and/or indirectly)?

I think this approach, if applied in a family, or 9-5 sidewalk job outside your normal tasks would still yield desirable benefits for everyone involved.

 

[Andy Black]

Ah Andy, it would be so nice to be in your position. It seems that this freedom and boldness to applying such a strategy is a testament to how you have mastered your business. Do you apply a criteria to size up a potential customer (with a certain level of confidence) thus minimizing your own risk and maximizing impact for generating new business (both directly and/or indirectly)?

I think this approach, if applied in a family, or 9-5 sidewalk job outside your normal tasks would still yield desirable benefits for everyone involved.

Ha. Just to be clear - it's a work in progress! I think it helps me be on an equal footing with clients, rather than at their beck and call.

I think it helps even if you don't think you're in a position to act that way.

 

[Brewmacker]

Ha. Just to be clear - it's a work in progress! I think it helps me be on an equal footing with clients, rather than at their beck and call.

I think it helps even if you don't think you're in a position to act that way.

Oh so you are training to be proactive rather than reactive? if that make sense.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Andy Black]

Oh so you are training to be proactive rather than reactive? if that make sense.

I’m moving along the sliding scale (kinda ... I’m creating courses too but I don’t think that’s a regression).

I just have “I’m doing it anyway” as my internal motto.

Have a look at @Lex DeVille ‘s threads and progress threads. People sometimes give advice or make suggestions. Lex hears them but often decides to do it his way anyway, unapologetically.

 

[Brewmacker]

I’m moving along the sliding scale (kinda ... I’m creating courses too).

I just have “I’m doing it anyway” as my internal motto to remind me to do things the way I want to and ignore what others think or say.

Have a look at @Lex DeVille ‘s threads and progress threads. People sometimes give advice or suggestions. Lex hears them but often decides to do it his way anyway.

Ah thanks for explaining. Sounds like a mini FTE Andy haha? Just kidding.

I have experienced this phenomenon recently over Christmas at home in Belfast whilst very proudly showing my (rather big) family what I had developed. 6 months work. Everyone had great advice, and yet all advice was differing and conflicting with each other. That sent me into a complete spin out. I hoped for constructive criticism, yet all that was received was de-constructive criticism (in the nicest possible way). After many redesigns everyone still had their impressions and ideas. I lost traction for the whole project and buggered off to Curacao for a week to get some peace and quiet, also from my computer. The product will be only one aspect of the total business and all the rest is still ahead, so;

Without applying your "I'm doing it anyway" method (at least for the greater part), I am sure this product will never reach the larger population, never mind be built. I think you and Lex have a very valid point.

 

[brewster]

I believe that's the journey to being a successful/happy/fulfilled entrepreneur ...

Ultimately, you've gotta trust yourself and do things your way.

Not to say you don't listen to outside reason and take on new perspectives.

Only to say that, above all else, you stay true to yourself and follow where that internal voice is leading you ... if you can hear and listen to it.

The only roadblock of course is that it's hard. It means taking responsibility for yourself and stepping into the unknown, not knowing where it'll lead you.

It means not following what everyone else says you should do, not having the comfort of a predetermined path setup all nice and neatly.

It's a lot messier which is why many won't make the effort.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Andy Black]

Sounds like a mini FTE Andy haha?

Very astute of you. I have mini FTM’s all the time although I’ve had this sliding scale in my mind for a few years.

 

[BellaPippin]

One of my ever flowing biz ideas (this one was more of a side hustle to increase income) was to create a product for an underserved market (do it anyway) and go around selling it B2B. It wasn't FULLY a product because it would need my installation. It kinda made sense, and at the same time I shied away from it because, how do I put it... the market doesn't want to admit they need the solution. So I thought it was gonna be too much of a tough sell.

 

[Andy Black]

It means ... stepping into the unknown, not knowing where it'll lead you.

That’s the fun part! That’s why I think progress threads are the best threads in the forum.

I fire up progress threads with no clue where they’ll lead. Most fizzle out, but I still learn from them. Some take me to unexpected places.

I’ve vowed to stop taking other people’s courses or to follow other people’s blueprints. I need to be free to follow my nose.

For me, the path to unscripted isn’t following someone else’s script.

 

Don't like ads? Remove them while supporting the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Nicoknowsbest]

Great stuff @Andy Black!

You have to do it your way.

There's no other option.

Nobody can advise you.

The truth lies within you.