Today I have a vitally important principle to share with you. Watch this video first then read the rest of the article:
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You may recall the story I told you about how I conceived of The Perfect Biz Finder.
It all started with me coming out of retirement (sort of) and helping a few friends start a great business. Then a few more friends asked me to do the same; then a few more; then friends of friends; and pretty soon I was booked practically around the clock helping others create successful lives and businesses.
Before long, a multitude of people clamored for me to publish my ’secret success system’ so they too could benefit from my decades of business building experience. Once I decided to do it, I invested months getting clear about what people really wanted and how they wanted to get it. I conducted interviews with individuals, conducted focus groups, hosted teleconferences, published surveys and attended dozens of workshops speaking to other attenders to find out what information they felt would be helpful.
The result is a truly one of a kind program, The Perfect Biz Finder. If I hadn’t thought about HOW to offer the value like I did, there is no way in the world that you’d be getting the kind of information you’re getting now. I spent nearly 4 decades gathering experience and learning all of the “secret methods,” and techniques I could. The common mistake that most people make when starting a business out of a wealth of knowledge like I am, is expecting people to just BELIEVE that they know what they are talking about and charge money for it right from the beginning.
The truth is, you’re here to find out if I REALLY know what I’m talking about and if I can REALLY help you create the wildly successful business you desire. That’s why I am giving you the value FIRST. You won’t be surprised to find out that I follow my own principles in my business as well. I know they work for me because I’ve used throughout nearly 40 years of business building success to make myself a millionaire several times over.
I know they work for others because I’ve helped hundreds of other people build amazingly successful businesses with the same methods. I know that, as you read my articles, you’ll begin to realize that I will be the person who will take you to that next step. And when you do, I’ll have the privilege of seeing you in the The Perfect Biz Finder Program and I’ll help your business boom and grow as much as you want to see it grow.
Before I created the Program, I did what might seem to everyone else as “A Lot Of Extra Work”. But what most people DON’T see is that I did this so I could get the ‘business concept’ for the The Perfect Biz Finder Program “right” the first time. And I continue to monitor, survey and inquire of program participants. It’s the only way I know of providing you the value you expect. And of course, My constant goal is to exceed those expectations in every way I can.
I provide the best value that I believe money can buy and as you just learned, providing ‘value’ is the only way to guarantee the success in business.
Reflect on the business concepts and ideas you have been forming.
Evaluate them from the perspective of the value you’ll be providing.
First, what value are your products providing?
Who are you providing it to?
In what ways are your products unique and differentiated in the market?
Then, relative to your strengths and the other factors you’ve considered through the lessons thus far, what value are you individually contributing to the creation of your perfect business.
In other words, what unique value are you personally providing?
If your business is a turnkey system like an MLM or a franchise, in what ways are you going to provide an incremental value-ad to the existing system?
Share your answers or any questions you might have in the comments section below.
Then consider this….
How can you verify whether or not the proposed recipient of that value will find it as valuable as you think it is?
It might be worth testing right?
How can you begin providing that value right now?
I am looking forward to reading your comments.
I’m standing for all that’s possible for you in life and business.
Sincerely,
Steve
PS – This is why I believe you should own the one of a kind The Perfect Biz Finder Program right now. Let me help you get your business “right” the first time:
The Perfect Biz Finder Program
Don’t take my word for. Check out what others are saying:
“Hi Steve,
I have been working online for a few years now and I have to tell you that you are providing one of the best services I have ever seen. I will be directing as many people as I can to your service simply because it is so outstanding! Congratulations on a job well done and I definitely look forward to what’s next….thanks to you.”
- Nichole
“Steve has the unique ability to communicate deep and complex truths in such a meaningful and relevant way that they really stay with me. Since working with Steve I’ve built a business that aligns with my passions. My life has become more enjoyable and my new business outrageously successful.
Thank you Steve!”
- Michael
Steve – fantastic information. Entrepreneurs and business owners have to understand that they cannot just “peddle” products and services. They must put value into the marketplace in order to stand apart from the pack, and make real money. Thanks for the great lesson!
I really liked how you made the importance of having an increased value would increase your income… i never really thought about it that way. gives me something to further think about while choosing the field i want to go into. thinking about it makes me want to already be there
Hi Steve, While considering my perfect business I will definately ask myself “What value do I sense a person would be getting from my product?” Then my next step will be, how can I add more value? I would do this to increase my return. This is a simple yet, not often considered formula for additional success. Thank you for the insight!!!Terri
Steve, What is so insightful about this approach is the idea of responsibility. It is not my job to “peddle” my companies products (to use a term Steve used). It is really my responsibility to add value to those products personally. Future buyers shoud not just buy my product, they should buy it from me, beacuse I add more value than anyone else in the company to the people I am targeting. This is extrememly valuable regardless of your current position. You could be part of an MLM, an hourly earner, or 5 years into your Perfect Business. This is a vitally important principle. It creates loyalty, referrals, and shorter sales cycles – the things we all dream about.Even more, understanding and using this principle will help us keep our comapny fresh and energized. There are always new ways to add value. Thanks for sharing.
My comment has to do with value and perceived value. I could be sharing tremendous value but according to whose perspective? Value has to be real and perceived by the customer. Geeting feedback and constantly working on the benefits of your product or service will hopefully provide the necessary “need” or interest in establishing a trusting relationship. Your comment about value and who are you providing it to, really got my attention…very meaningful information. Thank you!
One of the ways you can be assured you are providing the value you feel you are providing is to request from your clients, customers, Companies people you have dealt with, to respond to a survey, and where you feel your are providing value, ask them what they think in responding to various questions that you create that allow you to feel you are definitely providing the value you believe people are receiving. Example, I have had to call DELL re computer problems, they are always curtious, and know how to help you in whatever area you have problems with and after succeeding at making your system work, they request if it is alright to send you a survey. I like these because I get a feeling of what the owner of DELL wants from his Technicians and how we feel about the service we have received. I am sure this works for the Company and I am also sure it is not hidden from the Technicians, they know what is expected of them and want us to be happy with the service they have provided.
I do not know how I got your email, but I have found your lectures interesting. I am currently working full time at a public school system as a Budget Coordinator. I desire to own a business, in fact, I have an idea I have been working forward obtaining a patent. I am not certain if this program is premature for me right now, but I am uncertain how to move from forward, especially with the risk of the encomony. It sounds like the concept of value can be applied to many things, even as an employee; however, when profit is not the goal and “just doing what you are told is all that is expected, value seems to not to matter much. Look forward to your response.
Steve, You are right on target with the value principal. So many times we forget why we are in business, because we focus too much on running the business and making profits. Once in awhile it’s good to step back and reflect on whether or not the product or service we are providing is of value to others. If we aren’t adding value to the customer or client, then what are we providing? Thanks for the reminder and the value-added lesson. Mariano at http://jaucoandassociates.com
Hi Steve, Thanks for the info on the value principle. Your point is on target, but the put into action part generates a challenge. For those who have customers and a team it may require a little more application of service, skills and training. But what does a person do when he/she has floundered in the MLM industry for some years and is inconsistant with sale of product and now have no team? I see the value in this principle and like a little jump start to put it into action.
Steve, you have the smoothest delivery of anyone on the net or even in broadcasting. How did you get your confidence for public speaking? I guess success just breeds more success which increases confidence. Your videos are as you say “The value principle”. Which relates to; what you give in value the more you will receive in value. Laws of attraction, recipication, and the fundamentals, what you sow so shall you reap.
thanks Steveyoure absolutely correct in the added value compared with the standard “here it is”we stand apart as we are naturally following our wayTo do contrary to what you believe is unnatural or requires a change of beliefBe well big fellaChi
Hi Steve Very interesting not a concept I had thought of but one that I will be thinking about for a couple of days to see how it works in my mind
Hi Everyone, I have missed a couple of days due to my schedule; however, I am back! So I’ll try to catch up a little bit. I have two main thoughts about this subject, which, in my case relates more to SERVICE than PRODUCT. (1) I consider adequate value has been obtained if my customers come back for more; or better yet, they add on more at time of delivery. (2) I also consider adquate value has been delivered if my customers refer their friends and family to me. These are the two best rewards one can get in business, in my opinion. I know a great deal of it should be about the money and the bottom line. I fail here many times over! But for me, it’s all about how it makes me sleep at night knowing I did the right thing even at the cost of any or all my profit in the project. It is all about going home at night and tucking in with “warm fuzzies” of integrity first. However, on the other hand, I am the first to admit, this is one of the pitfalls of being a proprietor OR entrepreneur! It is all up to you! The buck stops there – with the decision maker – so you are always faced with that decision. I fear I shall never accumulate wealth of any significance because I am sometimes a push over when it comes to things of integrity. Even in times when I’m not 100% sure the customer is right, I still give them the benefit of the doubt and 90% of the time, I take the hit rather than lose a customer. Having been on both sides of the workforce, I sometimes think I’d make a better employ than a proprietor. Any comments on this? : ) Mary
Hi Mary – Interesting perspective. Some of the members of my PerfectBizBuilder Membership Community are probably smiliing right now because they know what I am going to day. =0)). It usually starts with the words, “I’m going to challenge you a little.” LOL I mean this to be an offer of sound advice and coaching….Here’s the thing. When you say, “I fear I shall never accumulate wealth of any significance because I am sometimes a push over when it comes to things of integrity. Even in times when I’m not 100% sure the customer is right, I still give them the benefit of the doubt and 90% of the time, I take the hit rather than lose a customer.”I see a couple of really important distinctions for you to consider. Here they are:’Fear’ is an interesting choice of words when used in this sense. I suspect you mean you are uncertain or perhaps don’t really believe that you will become wealthy (this way). While the word ‘fear’ is indeed a colloquialism for these other meanings, in the context of the remainder that you offer, I wonder if there isn’t a subconscious saboteur lurking beneath your use of that particular expression. Our experience in life, in particular work and business, is literally governed by our subconscious beliefs. In other words, if it is in your experience than somewhere in your subconscious there is a belief that says it should be that way. Change that belief and you change your experience. These are some of the things we reveal within the The Perfect Biz Builder Membership Community. I’ll be publishing an new lesson soon that helps you deal with these subconscious thieves. In the mean time, just consider the possibility that there maybe something more than meets the eye so to speak.’Integrity’ is one of those words that is commonly used to imply ‘forth-rightness’ or perhaps ‘honesty’. It is intersting to note that the word itself is really more about ’soundness’ and ‘being true to yourself and your word’. Similar concepts indeed. BUT consider this: If your customers are taking advantage of you and you allow them to, this really means that, while they may be dishonest, you are out of integrity with them. So, in order for you to retain integrity, you cannot give in. In fact, you might say that giving in to the unreasonable demands of customer is actually doing a disservice to all customers, including that one, while also undermining your integrity with yourself and others. Interesting perspective no? Lastly, with these two perspective as a backdrop I want to, in an encouraging way, challenge the expression, “I take the hit rather than lose the customer”It seems to me that while the customer may believe in the moment that they are getting what they want, in the end, for all the reasons stated above, it does not serve you, your business, this customer, nor any other customer to give in to unreasonable demands and ‘take a hit’. First off all, everyone ends up out of integrity…the complaining customer with you, your with him, all your other customers with the complaining customer AND you, and you with all of them….Secondly it clearly undermines the financial soundness (integrity) of the business, In the end this will not even serve the complaining customer. They won’t have you to push around any more.With all of that, the business can’t develop to be healthy, vibrant and abundant and deliver the life you want. It clearly cannot be your perfect business that way. Right?I appreciate your contribution and hope this dialogue is useful and instructional to all.Thanks again for being here.I AM standing for all that is possible for you in life and business.Steve
John A – I could not really tell if your question: “But what does a person do when he/she has floundered in the MLM industry for some years and is inconsistant with sale of product and now have no team?” was rhetorical or not…..Here’s what came to mind though. You are exactly right. This principle does give you a rebuilding point. What ever business you are in….it must be in service of something bigger than yourself. We delve into this quite deeply within ThePerfectBizFinder Program itself. But for now, suffice it to say that long before you choose a product or business model, you determine what value you are going to contribute to others.The product and business model you choose are then formed in service of that value.Most people approach this the other way around though, don’t they. They start with a business concept, model, or program….like an mlm. Then they try to squeeze value into it…..The problem is, in some cases the value you have to contribute does not fit into the business model you chose.A simple illustration might be: If, what I am up to in life is to help others develop healthy, fit bodies, then I might be a fitness trainer, a nutritionist, a herbalist, and so forth, or perhaps I ‘add-value’ a nutritional mlm product. What ever it is, my principle value contribution will be about improving the life quality of others….not about selling a product.But what if, what I am up-to in life is not about helping others improve health, wellness or vitality. What if I have been blessed with an extraordinary technical talent of some sort and with a passion for helping small business owners deal with really messy technical challenges. I may be wrong but I do not know how this ‘purpose’ could be squeezed into a nutritional or vacation mlm program.I know these illustrations may seem ‘out there’, but the point is, that is it not just about the value of the product or service your business offers. It is about the value YOU offer.It must align with who you are.Thank you for your excellent observations JohnA.Steve
Doris – You are absolutely right. Value ‘trumps’ (excuse the punn) all. Steve
Hmmmmmm . . . I’m going to have to do some sole searching here in order to respond to your post, Steve. Definitely, my conscious is at impass with my subconscious saboteur and stirring up lots of things I have not dealt with before, at least not openly. One of the main ones has been lack of self-confidence. I have battled with some issues like this all my life – and mostly do a “fake it until you make it” approach to the “uncomfortable zones” until it becomes a more comfortable place for me to be. Perhaps that’s where the words “fear” and “doubt” and “uncertainty” and “fail” , etc. come from. And perhaps this is my way of “sugar coating” the reality to make it more tolerable? I’m not sure here. Perhaps this is NOT the perfect business for me . . . then again, isn’t part of “success” facing and challenging your fears? I am going to reread this entire post a few more times and see if I can find some better explanations to share with you. Perhaps, you can add some more insight, too? Thanks, Mary
Dear Steve, This lesson sparked a lot of thought on my part. My father and I started a construction company in a small niche last year. We’re leveraging 40 + years of experience and contacts in our industry. We are the only ones in our region who specialize in our niche. Our “competition” only dabbles in our niche, doesn’t truly understand it, and typically loses money because of this. So far, our company has been profitable, but not winning too many bids. I think we need to do a better job understanding, appreciating, and then conveying the value we bring to the table to our prospects before the bid. As I said, our competition doesn’t understand what it takes to do what we do. But General Contractor’s have a “nasty” habit of chasing the lowest price. So our uneducated competition is getting the lion’s share of the jobs. I’ll set my mind to work, but any insight you might have would be great. Respectfully,Denny LaVePS I have a hard time applying a lot of what I get online (typically targetted to retailers and small ticket service providers) to our business. although we are a niche player, our bids range from $10K to $800K + so far. There’s only so many out there so testing is slow and … well you get the point. D
Hello Steve, Really a very nice video, which teaches the basic clearly. Most people forget this idea very easily.Even thought it seems to be a small idea but it definitely has an powerful impact. I am inline among one of the suggestions that, the idea can not only be used in business but can also be used in any trade. Thanks for providing such a poweful information.
Hi Steve, Hello and how are you? I increase my value by recruiting new employees and business. This is done through business cards and phone calls to the office. All this increases our client base.Thanks,Damon
I think that value is the king factor. The most important step towards success for me would be to find it first in my self. Steve I am so fortunate our bits and bytes crossed ways in the online world. It is such a delight to experience your fine tuned mind.
Well, this was new for me, to think as it. Value! I´ve got 25 years in water and waste water industry, former as consultant, resent years in municipalities. Water is since some years a thing related to the human being, in our country, Sweden, witch ought to mean value.
WOW very informative video! i am 16 years old i am getting started in this industry, http://www.pro8blogger.blogspot.com is there a product i can buy from the creater of this video?
Steve,Excellent presentation. This is a very basic issue, but lack of it defines a scam. How many people want something for nothing. I just got an email from a lady in the UK tell me that I had just won 900,00. euro dollars. I did not know this lady and the value added issue was where this fell apart. I had done nothing to warrant the email.Trying to get around this principal ideas behind lotteries and gambling.Good job. I have started lopoking forward to you email listing your next topic. Keep it up as long as you can.Don
I have witnessed the general concept of ‘Value’ progressively obscuring [if not eroding] over time as consumer appreciation and reasonable expectations continue to diminish through pervasive business practices – particularly those that are predicated upon short-term profits [focused upon current financial performance] as opposed to long-term customer loyalty [focused upon long-term viability through delivery of quality, justifying relationships based upon trustworthiness and by operating in a manner that is consistent with an intention of exceeding customer expectations].I mention this because the concept of Value, thus described, whether by intent or by default, extends to every aspect of our conduct of businesses. We can choose to understand our customers’ thoughts, wants and needs – designing and implementing our strategies accordingly – or choose to focus upon ‘ourselves,’ from a perspective of familiarity, to thus suit our own relative comfort. One leads to potential for an ever expanding base of competencies within designated markets, whereas the other leads to a prospect of unintentionally increasing the divide between ourselves and our prospects/customers.The more ‘in tune’ we are with our customers - the more we understand their wants, needs and expectations – the higher is the likelihood of our creating viable premises upon which to base our unique value propositions [UVP]. This of course requires reasonably clear understanding of our target market [including the definition of 'who' our 'customer' is] and, once our UVP is clear, we may then contemplate opportunities to leverage existing competencies through our existing business model . . . albeit with modifications to accommodate the leveraged value-add(s).*** I have long now been engaged in a pre-business planning ’survey’ process in which I am evaluating strategies and techniques in my chosen field of interest. I do not have the platform by which to answer the questions you have posed; however, I do recognize the need to establish a clear competitive advantage to differentiate my eventual choice of Value for promotion to the market. As for my personal contribution of Value to the business, thus far this has been to evaluate options for implementing low risk, high return opportunities for each class of stakeholder of the enterprise. Once a clear election is made, this Value will be further evidenced through creation of a sound business plan to serve justification for giving birth to one or more entities through which to implement the elected option(s). Initially, of necessity, I will be a ‘Proprietor,’ wearing all the hats, so to speak. My B-Plan will incorporate those milestone provisions that I am able to anticipate so as to grow into an Entrepreneurial venture as soon as is practical. While I shall remain at the helm of the enterprise for a period of time thereafter, my ego requires no ‘feeding,’ nor shall it stand in the way of me handing over the reigns when it becomes appropriate to do so. To me, that day shall represent ‘a job well-done’ and evidence of arguably my greatest Value contribution . . . having spawned and nurtured an enterprise that warrants [and is best served by] professional management to optimize desirable returns [not solely financial] for all stakeholders. In the fashion of a serial entrpreneur, this may also prove to be time for me to repeat the process.Steve, I appreciate your invitations to catalyze this manner of thinking and interaction. It remains an interesting exchange. Thank you again.Glenn B in Cleveland, OH
Dear Steve,I have been watching all your videos with great interest. I have also taken the test to find out what sort of profession would be suitable for me and I’m glad to report that according to your test, I am in the right profession. I am a therapist, practicing in Greece. Now concerning value I have to say that there is no doubt in my mind that I am in a profession that definitely offers value. Therapy can save a person’s life in more ways than one!!! I have been practicing now for about 12 years, and I have to tell you that clients don’t realize this fact. Once they get over the issue that has been bothering them, they usually leave with the feeling that you did nothing for them. Partly this is due to the fact that in order to empower people, therapists tend to place the locus of control within the patient/client, giving them the impression that THEY have done it all. We don’t do this job to receive gratitude, but we do rely on it in the form of referrals. I have had some appreciative clients, but most of them are not, because most of them want to leave the dark period of their life behind them as soon as they have the power to do so, and along with that the therapist is forgotten along with all the rest. I would be interested in some feedback from you in improving my marketing strategies, if you have the time. I have recently built a website with the hope that I could reach more people both internationally (through email counseling) and at the local level. I have seen some results. but not the kind that would really make a big difference in my income. I am experimenting with providing new material, in different ways, I have a lot to learn, and I am certainly not discouraged by the small results so far, and your video about providing value is very thought-provoking in that I just have to think of new ways to attract more people and be more persuasive about the value that therapy can offer in their lives.
Hi Ismini
Congratulations and thank you for your dedication and commitment to helping others live the lives they want. In at least that way we have similar interests.
There are a number of quick and easy things you can do.
Now I imagine that I don’t need to tell you that your experience is really nothing more than a reflection of your inner beliefs – be they conscious or not. So I would begin with the question, if your experience is determined by your beliefs, then what must you believe such that your experience of you clients is what it is?
For instance the statement: “they usually leave with the feeling that you did nothing for them” clearly communicate a belief….a belief formed by the way you interpret what you observe indeed, but nothing more than that. I could suggest a different interpretation that may suggest a completely different experience: “they usually leave feeling completely empowered and able to take on all areas of their lives and I often do not hear from them again”
Do you see the difference?
Once you see what you experience suggests is you belief, you can ask yourself is it really true.
Ok, the specifics of this next part I will leave with you for the time being but in general terms think, once you eliminate the limiting beliefs you have about the relationship that “must be” with your clients, think of creative ways you can have the conversation about referrals more frequently.
It does not have to be sophisticated or elaborate….maybe just a little sign o the counter or table where they sign in or meet with you. Maybe just a new little expression you adopt when they leave.
Maybe you ‘design in’ an end of service review appointment or some such activity in which you look them in the eye and ask them if you provided value….and if so, would they be willing to offer a testimonial or refer a friend.
Maybe you come up with a referral incentive of some sort…one free session for every 3 referral or something.
The point is that there is no ‘magic marketing message’. You just need to find a way to have that conversation.
For instance, my question for you is going to be: “Based on all the information and training I have provided you in this free video blog, do you see any reason you would not purchase ThePerfectBizFinder Program?”
Hope this helps.
I’m standing for all that is possible for you in life and business.
Steve
Hi Steve, I am new to your Perfect Biz Finder training. I am in the early stages of creating my online business. It has been a big learning curve for me….!! I do not have a lot of cash so I have had to learn just about all this skills needed for building an online business. From the technical stuff like, website creation, website hosting, providing downloads, Zip files, PDF creation, video creation and editing with music, lead generation, adcopy and creating customer value too. I am not that academic either academia is NOT my strong point it sabotages me a lot and is really where I lose my confidence in what I am creating. When my confidence seems to be lacking I have to take time out to build myself back up again. But stage by stage I am eliminating that lack of confidence permanetly. I would say it is the main area of my life that wants to keep me down, It is my saboture. But I am determined to have a successful business online. I am and will continue to develope myself with all that it takes to provide value through my busines to my customers. Best regardsAndrew Chamberswww.The RatRaceMovie.com
Hi Andrew –
Thank you for your comment. It sounds like you are very talented and with all the learning you’ve done I would have to contend with the “belief” that (learning) is not your strong point. To the contrary, it seems that it is. I’ve been building business for a long time comparatively and I do not know any of what you know. Perhaps it is not learning but rather ’school’ that is challenging. Here is a great video for you to watch;
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
It may help you release the belief that you have to be good in school to be successful (which is absolutely categorically not true – I am living proof of that) Something to consider.
That said I want you to know that you are focused in EXACTLY the right place when you say you will continue to develop yourself. In the end, that is all that really matters and everything else is automatic.
Thank you again for your comment. I am standing for you Andrew.
Sincerely,
Steve
Love the concept Steve and very well put. If we just provide the same product or service as everyone else we’ll just get the same rewards as everyone else. The value we add isn’t just about doing more or doing it cheaper. We need to do something that makes our customers feel great and that isn’t necessarily anything to do with the deal we do with them. How can we make them feel great? Focus on them, their thoughts and feelings. Yes, we need to provide a great product or service, but that’s just the beginning of making them feel great. The value we can add is leaving the customer feeling great regardless of the business deal we have done. If we want to earn a million dollars, we have to make people feel like a million dollars. You’re a wonderful person Steve, you’re doing a great job sharing great insights. Now imagine that cheeky smile on my face – I’m thinking about putting a smile on your face! Feel that wave of love. Now I have to practice what I preach and put a smile on the faces of the people I’d like to do business with! That’s the value I’d like to add.
this is an old idea but as you can tell needs to be retold a lot lol. very good reminder ,helped me to refocus on the importance of value as it purtains to the topicin your video.
Good points. The trick is what you alluded to briefly, how do you TEST it with your customers? How do you know what THEY perceive as value? Obviously, one good way is to ask them, if that’s possible. I hope you’ll be discussing this more thoroughly soon.Onward,Greg
Dear Steve,I have been a carpenter for Over 40 years.Extremely talented{Norm Abram}don’t intimidate me.Starting up again at 60 is tough customers for all this time but never making big money.Integrity don’t pay bills you sleep good,any pointers Edgar
Hi Steve, Thank you for responding to my comments and the link to the Ken Robinson video. I loved it…. It was right up my street.!! Very funny too. It is the first time I have ever seen ken Robinson speak… Yes I failed in the schooling SYSTEM and I suppose I have been trying to prove to myself that I am NO DUMMY. My wife made the comment that I am probably holding the scars of my failed schooling subconsciously so in some crazy way I still feel like I need to constantly prove myself… Creating a successful online business will be a great achievement for me and I am strongly moving in the right direction for directing SUCCESS in my direction… It’s like redirecting water from a lake to YOUR field for irrigation and crop growing, Wow I just thought of that, with that analogy it’s quite simple really.!! Thanks Best Regards Andrew http://www.TheRatRaceMovie.com
Hi Mary, I hear you! I’ve done that so many times myself, and self-talked myself into thinking it was the right thing to do. But Steve’s right, it lacks integrity to do it. Discovering self-worth is a great challenge, but never lose sight of it!
Hi Steve,Yet again a brilliant video that gives us all insights into what we should already be doing!I run a health store & my value (as I see it) has always been to provide information rather than products. Unfortunately, I’m finding that more & more people are coming for the information & then buying products elsewhere (the internet doesn’t help here!).Whilst I believe that what I’m doing is the right thing, I’m not sure how to combat this without compromising the quality of the products I sell. I don’t believe that joining the “look at me – I’m cheap” brigade is in my customers best interest, but am unsure how to tackle this any other way.Regards,Frustrated Steve
Hi Steve –
Thank you again for you kind encouragement, acknowledgment and support.
This may sound a bit odd, but it sounds to me like you are on exactly the right track. What I hear you saying is that, through your generous and giving spirit, you have earned a reputation for knowing what you are talking about. People come to you for answers. Sort of like a (dare I say) guru.
I understand that it can be very frustrating to openly give so much value with little $$ return, but when you consider that it is the giving of value that you are all about, you have a rewarding opportunity each and every day. That is something to be grateful for, right? I am sure the people you are helping do not realize that they are ‘robbing’ from you by not buying products from you.
What if rather than ‘fighting’ this trend, you found a way to capitalize on it. Use your creative genius and explore ways you can leverage you expertise. Here’s one idea:
How about collecting the top 10 questions or topics and then do a short Saturday afternoon seminar on ‘how to form’ good nutritional habits or something. Maybe do the first one for free but in the context of your presentation point out that this expertise comes from years of study and learning and ask for a donation at the end….after you’ve delivered value. Whatever they want to give. Be sure to tell them when the next one is and perhaps give them a 10% off coupon for purchases in your store if they bring a guest to the next one.
Who knows where it go from there. Maybe you’ll speaking in my town some day. =0))
I think you get the idea.
Let me know what happens. Good luck.
Steve
Hello Steve,
I find this concept very interesting. Not so much because it is a new concept, but rather because it is being presented in a business format. That is, we get what we sow. Old concept. But refreshing in a commercial setting.
I believe this is especially important now that the economy is in dire straights. When we look at the failures that have brought the economy to its present state, we see multiple examples of greed run amok, with little thought of giving value. Obviously that had worked for a while, but was ultimately the seed of the demise of those businesses.
The struggle is to discover how to find ways to provide more value in the business. Loving, compassionate business principles do produce greater financial rewards — every time!
Sharon
Hi Sharon -
I’m glad you brought this up.
I have a different take on ‘the economy’ and this thing we call a crisis. Before the ‘crisis’ the US economy was running at about $1.9 trillion. This is sort of a basic measure of the ‘flow’ of money. Now in the midst of what the press has people convinced is a crisis, it is running at about $1.8997 trillion.
That represents less than a 15/100ths of a percent decrease and approximately $300M. A fair amount of money for an individual to be sure but not even a rounding error for a fortune 50 company let alone an entire economy.
So why the lay-offs and all this ‘the sky is falling’ talk? The same amount of money is flowing, so what is the problem?
The problem is that the money is flowing different places then it was flowing. Think of it like a river that changed course. The big ole businesses that are parked on the old river bank are stuck there, waiting helplessly for the river to flow again (think the US auto makers), yet the river is flowing a different place and will never return.
The good news is that those of you who find where the business is flowing can place yourselves in front of it and generate astonishing levels of success. This by the way is the way every one of the most successful people in industry accomplished what they have accomplished.
Don’t make the mistake of waiting for the economy to ‘recover’. Don’t think for a single second that the Government can do anything to change things back. And don’t blame those ‘greedy son of guns’ for doing anything wrong. The irony of ironies is that they created this opportunity for you.
The ‘economy’ will not return to the way it was. But I don’t want it to anyway. So why lament?
Instead it has charted a new course. The ONLY path to ‘recovery’ is entrepreneurial growth and success. Always has been, always will be.
If you want to win, you must meet the opportunity where it is.
From this perspective, I say, “Crisis, what crisis? This is the biggest opportunity I have ever seen in my lifetime and I’ve seen a bunch of them”.
Go for it!
Steve
When I was a rnon-prior service ecruiter for the USAF, I saw this principle in action. Many of my fellow recruiters focused simply on numbers, turning leads into applicants. They all worked high school lists and relied on walk in traffic. I elected to cultivate a different market. I did not overtly recruit so much as respond to what intersted my listeners. I spoke about my rich experiences living in Spain and traveling in Europe (making the Air Force aspect almost incidental). I did not so much recruit as to model what a rich experience Air Force can provide. This disarmed the listener and allowed them to drop their defenses a bit and listen with an open mind. I brought value to them. I recruited many musicians and other skilled professionals into the Air Force because of the value I brought to them.Of course the concept is more complex than that, but I have shared a short-hand version of one way of bringing value to the business. I was quite successful as a recruiter (moved on to do health-professions recruiting). Thanks for what you are doing Steve…Life is good…”Ginn”In Sunny Santa Fe
Hi Steve,Thanks for responding to my comments. What you suggest has certainly sparked off ideas.Like Mary I’m an introverted innovator so, having thought it through, I’ve decided the best approach would be to invite a biochemist from one of the companies I deal with to hold a series of seminars on particular topics (e.g., arthritis, the menopause, etc.,). I know it’s a bit cowardly as I hate public speaking, but I feel,again, that because of that this is in my customer’s best interests.I’ve sounded out a few folks and they’re all for it. It’ll take a bit of organising, but I’ll let yopu know how I get on.Thanks again & keep up the great work!Regards,Steve.
Hi Steve –
It’s not at all ‘cowardly’. It’s SMART. If public speaking is what’s needed but is not a strength, get somebody else to do it. GREAT CALL!
How “innovative” of you!
Congratulations!
Go for it!
Steve
Here’s “value added”: A yoga teacher realized many of her students were rock climbers, as she was herself. She decided to offer a DVD of stretches and workouts specifically for rock climbers. During the 5-day testing of AdWords ads along with a website, she collected e-mails; sent them a “10 Top Tips” piece, and asked for what they wanted in the DVD. No one was offering what she was considering, so already she was “value added” for rock climbers/yoga practitioners.And then your link to Ted’s video had me in tears: For the girl who’s mother said, “Oh, you don’t want to be an artist: they never make any money” (at a once-in-a-lifetime $18,000 per annum, I wonder what she thought I would reach otherwise); for the former brother-in-law who’s art degree led him to be district manager for J.C.Penney floor/window displays; and for the possible writer whose university student-teacher in English gave a D because “It’s a good discussion, but I wasn’t taught to see that in this novel.” So I practice art in the colors and textures of quilts and yarn, while making $18,000 per annum, or more likely less, in the black-and-white of newspapers and printing.If our hearts are involved, will we know what value to add?
I’m not earning the income I want and I know it’s because I need to sell more insurance policies. You said that ones’ income increases by being more valuable to the company since they pay me a commission. I have believed that I needed to provide my prospects with valuable information so they could make the decision to do business with me. I need help! I have a small workshop set up for 3/13/09 and I’m now trying to rework my presentation to give only very general information up front. I will only be able to judge my sucess by the number of appointments I schedule after that lead to sales.
Steve,As a newcomer to this program, I am not sure I am qualified to give you input on this subject yet. However, being in the Real Estate sales area, I recognize the need to give value to my clients because they are client for life and know I will have the opportunity to service their needs in the future. My value will be gaged by their return for assistance the second and third time around. I attempt to increase my value by giving the client more service than they expect and ask them for referrals to their friends and neighbors.Jim Body
This video–and discussion–have been the best yet! Much to think about as I work toward my goal of “quitting my day job”! Thank your for all your insight. Your comments to Steve…and his comments as well…were especially helpful. I also liked what you said to Sharon regarding the economy.
Great info Steve…I think this simple aspect of giving value over and above your product is why most network marketers fail. Not because they don’t want to add value, they don’t know how. Or they do the same thing everyone else does and it just becomes the same old thing just another flavor. I am really enjoying your value…Thanks Steve
Hi Steve! I completely agree. In fact, I think we should always try to add value in all areas of our lives. Thank you for putting this together–you are certainly adding value:-)
I find “Perception” is everything when evaluating a Value fit.
A point worth underlining, is the review of value fit. That is, ensuring that the level of Value perception, is targeted to those that can give you the Return you wish on your own Value Offering. This will always vary, if one already has knowledge of what you have to offer. There are times when what you seemingly have to offer, is a secondary product of another asset or value that is on the table and required by the “spender”.
Appreciate this point being made and the manner in which you have made it.
Thanks, that is a great video, clear and to the point. I think the value that I can add to my online business is personalised guidance and support for the customers, especially when they are new and still have their training wheels on. I can do this by phone and email and even offer to meet with them personally if they are close enough geographically. Then later, to help celebrate their successes and to direct them to other learning tools that I have found useful myself. Then, once they are up to speed, to maintain contact simply by sharing our stories, so that we grow together and also to offer support whenever it is needed.
A terrific delivery of useful information for developing or increasing business growth. Your stellar understanding of life principles (value) are well presented Steve. Thanks
Steve, your videos are excellent. Speaking of value, that’s certainly what you’re delivering here. Thanks so much. The reason why I started my home business and decided on the direct sales company I’m with is because I believe we do deliver superior value vs. the competition. However, since I’m relatively new to this industry, my challenge is getting up to speed fast enough so that I can truly deliver the value that I want to. I guess It takes time to get that “experience” under your belt. But I hear your message….please keep these videos coming. Best,Joe
Hi Joe,
Thank you for your comment.
I just want to clarify something that can often trip direct sales business owners up. The ’superior value vs the competition’ is the companies value add, not the distributors.
Yes it is wonderful to be representing a product you believe in. No doubt. But keep in mind that your income will derived by the value you ADD to the superior value the company offers the market.
Don’t fall into the trap that other do in just blindly following the mantra about ‘plugging in to the system’.
You will need to determine your purpose and derive your own unique value proposition around the product you are so excited to represent.
This is the very reason ThePerfectBizFinder Program is so vital to your success.
People do not fail for lack of skill, training, desire or effort
They struggle because they don’t command the necessary key inner
resources to reach their goals.
ThePerfectBizFinder Program gives you that command.
Hope this provides some additional clarity.
Thank you again for your comment.
Steve
Hi Steve, thank you for all the video updates. After 15 yrs of trying literally everyone elses programs and products[I call it being a program junky] I too, am starting over. This particiular video hits home, because it’s not just the value you offer to your consumer but the value place on yourself. By not focusing ‘value’ on ourself, we diminish the value we attempt to offer others. I’m currently in the middle of writing a book titled ‘the sucker syndrome’ Don’t laugh too hard, but it’s a reality I had to face when I began to think about ‘the value’ I could offer others. I was so divided in my efforts that I wasn’t being true to anyone or thing. I’m also leaning from scatch, to build a website presence over at. Your information is Excellent and I hope to learn more from you. Keep up the great work. Sharon
I always thought of it as “going the extra mile” rather than value added. By looking at it as value added I can see that it broadens the principle of “going the extra mile” and raises the bar for overall value which in turn creates an exciting challenge for improvement on a continuous basis. I always feel I have to keep it fresh !Fredrick
Thanks Steve. One concept that had escaped my conscious mind was the concept of value. I’m glad I read your message because it helped to enlighten me once again.Clarence
Great Video Steve,The Value one brings to the marketplace is certainly key to long term success. I especially appreciate how you practice what you preach by offering such good value as the information in these videos. The comments that you provoke are evidence of that and also demonstrate your “testing” methods!
All I can say is “awesome video”. I have gone back and re-evaluated my position some time ago, as when I have come back to this market, the ideas and concept have changed. I have been trying my best to get up to speed with things and these videos are a way to help me just slow down and think. Make sure I got my priorities right . The value idea is one that I personally have forgotten in time past but not as of recently. The amount of value a rep needs to deliver has to be of somewhat greater value than what the company is delivering, at least that is the way that I see it. Thank you again for the videos.
Hi SteveWords fail to put together the greatness of your program…I look forwards to your emails and feel like it’s Christmas when i get the next one… I never know what I get to unwrap and the hours of fun playing with what I have heard.Thank You so much for you keep it simple stupid method……you help on sooooooooooooooooo many levels of my skills and talents and tell me it’s always possible to have your dreams….when changing the way my business has always run has been proving interesting …you have come along, just to make it soooooooo much easier. Thank you and God Bless you heaps as you bless others.Sandy
Hi Steve,Thanks for this lesson. It has me thinking even more. As I’ve said, I think in the last three years that I lost my real reason for joining my current mlm company. I’ve shared with others what I see as the value I provide over other distributors. I’ve been toying with the idea of a survey to my customer base, asking what they see as the value I provide and what they’d like me to provide. It also has me thinking that all of this might lead to me doing something different, away from product. I want to provide value to other parents and business owners. Not sure yet which way I really want to go.An idea for D., in the construction business, is to visit area BNI chapters to educate others about how their company provides added value. Most will have realtors and mortgage lenders and others in home services.
Hi Steve, Value, is one reason my site is not officially online. Sure I’ve got 5 sales pages written but I’m waiting to upload a free covered eBook for people who sign up to my list and receive a free newsletter each month. Also they’ll receive 5 eBooks every week. I’m still setting this up. It will be ready to go 1-2 months. I have all the eBooks and newsletters just working on the delivery system. I’m also adding an affiliate page and a discount eBook page. Best Regards, Jeff Smith
Value PrincipalHi SteveMy products are giving the prospect a better health condition by containing all the vitamens & minerals needed to rebuild plus relpace millions of healthy cells that the our body needs every day,to maintain a healthy lasting life.My product is unique as there is no product in comparison. It is the food that fish and whales lived on for the last three million years,and live from 70 to 200 years,with LOVE life to the very end. have not found anything better have you ?Healthy people are happy people and I want as many happy people that I can possably attain.I am providing financialy and healthy long lasting life.This is a MLM+direct sales business and by introducing my products to prospects that are looking for a healthy,wealthy long lasting livelyhood its number Uno.I can verify this by being their model as a 89+ year person on vacation today in Mexico livung at the MAYAN PALACE escaping the minus 29 degrees at the homestead ,I walk on my own,still drive mycar,injoying sports,visiting old and new freinds,and having fun in the sun .BE MY GUESTHerbert
Well Steve you did it again. saying perfectly what is on my mind. I have been in the customer service industry for 25 years as a regular job. I want to turn that experience to the internet. I have a site that is turn key but the problem I see is unless you are a little bit computer savvy you will not make it. There are thousands of people like me (older, baby boomers, want to change) who want to do something. If I can offer not one but several solutions to their problem I feel that is value no matter what they end up doing. Not everyone will do what I want to do but if they want to make it work I am going to offer solutions no one else has done. I call the KISS syndrome. Keep it simple solution. no one likes complicated systems. thanks steve
Hey Steve,I am in AWE once more of your strength and convictions. To start out with “The Value Principle” is what I believe most every business minded person should also begin with and never loose sight of. I believe this principle which you covered so well, is the truest form of integrity.What we all see happening in Marketing in all areas of selling a product, promise or written word, can sometimes be formed on lies and innuendos. We as future leaders, especially if our choice of business begins on the Internet. We must not loose sight of this fact, just because we do not look into the eyes of our customers. They still deserve value, respect, and truth. The Marketing methods of any business should not be based on such schemes and unfortunate scams that are rising so fast online and in our World. As I read through some of the comments here on these pages I do see you are dealing with all types of business and i understood that from the get-go. However greed and the people that take advantage of an opportunity to meet, greet, and serve any client or consumer could learn a great deal from this principle alone, play by the rules, and still prosper. We must however understand the good with the bad and I believe that good deeds would go unpunished, if more good deeds were done.You seem to me to be a very knowledgeable business man. You are a true Blessing as I see it so far.
Hello Steve, I think the best value I good give would be to deliver the best training that i know about, learning new traning that can be pass on to my network marketing downline that would intern pass value to the network marking company that we are asssciated with.Thank YouGerald Goodwin
Steve,I agree 100%. I have found that in the highly competitive network marketing industry, one gets absolutely nowhere until you start to provide “value” up front. This is especially true in the current economic climate and even more so if your product is discretionary. People buy from people they like and trust and in a competitive market, that like and trust needs to be built and earned before people will buy. You need to give away REAL “value” and a lot of value up front. This value is in the form of education, motivation, related information, etc You explain this very well.Thanks and RegardsIan
I need to hear this video a few more times, Steve, because of the value of getting my thoughts capturing more. However, I will try and define my thoughts now.I think I am hesitant in taking risks. The value of the products I am providing are a health necessity. I test as much as I can and others have even commented on the results. Due to the lack of real personal advice in the medical world, the products are unique because of the organic value which has become more or less lost in the market today.I am not contributing enough value in comparison with my own experiences and convictions. I feel barrier that I may not be “taken for full” (German saying!), or I think I will be pushing others into a certain form. Of course, new things entering the market also make me unsure as to what I now have will still have the value say, in a year or so because of the increase in knowledge of the products. It is a matter of progress from one to the other. I have experienced it myself how the product which had results today, is taken over by new thoughts and experiments of tomorrow.This vast area of improvement of products gives me the feeling of being overpowered. In other words, yesterday this was THE product, today, this is THE product.The other side is that I sometimes cannot sleep for ideas that I have to get things rolling, I wake up with them, I write them down, dream about them. When in conversation with someone concerning my experiences, I get excited inwardly….see great visions of possibilities that could open up…and??? Hit a barrier.The products I promote are of great value. I know this because I have tried them out.It is before my eyes every day that they are needed. Walking around on two legs (sometimes on 4…)I hear it through conversations, read of them in magazines, see it on TV, and get even more convinced when receiving medical advice. It’s an open field. What I do not get over is this barrier and I cannot define it.I enjoy finding out about everything, do my best to write about it and am comfortable in explaining to others that they need to change their life style, but when it comes to driving it into a business, or making it concrete, I am unsure how to go about it.I thank you for your help, also that the comments are open for us to read. Enjoyed the video of Sir Ken. Gave a real nice end to a busy day. I experienced this with one of my sons especially. It took me a long time to understand him, and they wanted to do all sorts of things with him … but I just said “No”. He has found his way and is real good at it. He does things I never thought would develop. Life with kids is real interesting. Glad to have them.Have a great day and greetings to your family. Nanette
This is a very good point. Most people never think about this aspect. A few years ago I was a business broker. I would go and list businesses for sale and market them to potential buyers. One of my mentors in the business would always tell me, that you can sell the numbers all day long, that is what accountants do, but the hardest thing to sell is the owners “magic”, his reason for his success. This is a very dynamic point and explained to me why most of the owners would grill my potential buyers when they would look at the opportunity. For me this lesson is all about that. What “magic” are we bringing to the table. It is different for everybody. I watched as my clients would take over the businesses, and the ones that found their own “magic” became great successes, and the others that merely looked at it as a way to make money instead of creating their “magic” would comeback to me at a later time asking my help to fix the problems or sell. Great lesson!! Matt
Dear Mr. Little, Dear Steve, Sir! I applause you on how you present your knowledge. You do it in such a brilliant way, that I can immediately find the needed trust to follow it further. After browsing “online offers” for weeks, I knew immediately that what you are providing is a real key to business success. After running a small business since 1993 with medium success, and after hearing thousands of oppinions and driving through lots of situations that teached me many things “the hard way”, I am really happy that I found your contact and this opportunity. What I have learned from this “give value first” message is completely turning my way of thinking around. Especially after being influenced by the “european” way of thinking about business and profit. The answer to your last open question in the video is easy to find, and I am sure that everybody who is listening carefully will also know what to do “now”. Greetings from Vienna, Austria, Robert Redl
Dear Steve, I took a mentoring program, and I have had my own website for about a year now. At this point I have hidden it due to lack of sales, time consuming family circumstances, and it seemed like a wall everytime I attempted to take a step forward in business related items (a trip to see my dropshipper that fell through because of my car, one lawyer went blind and referred me to a lawyer who set my company up incorrectly, and one bad accountant.) I have since straightened those issues. While I was fixing things, I tried to immerse myself in learning all I could via the internet (and there is so much out there!) I need to give you more backround information. I ran a daycare for 20 years, and when I burnt out from that, my original idea was not to own a website, but to teach reading to preschoolers, which I found I had a talent and for which I had a passion. I had advertising ideas, made up pamphlets and business cards, and was ready to go when my daughter almost died giving birth to her own daughter two months early. This is around when I started with the mentoring program I mentioned, and opened my website. When she went back to work at the daycare (not mine), the baby was not allowed due to risk of illness. So I ended up watching her for the first year she was around. She is now 2 1/2, and my daughter has since had a set of twins. She no longer works, but I am still called upon once or twice a week. I had become discouraged and lost my passion and momentum, and even though I am still learning alot, since I hid all my pages I haven’t been able to get back on track.This is why I am telling you my story–YOUR ARTICLE HAS GIVEN ME NEW HOPE! The way you made me look at The Value Principle, reminded me about my true passion and how valuable it could be, teaching preschoolers how to read. Since my grandaughter is at the right age, I am going to record us as I teach her how to read and turn it into a marketable product. I have also decided to try writing an e-book on the same subject. I have a blog that I have never written in, called The Crazy Sane Parent (Bet you can’t figure out where I came up with the name). Now I have a direction to go concerning subject matter on that too. My husband’s job has him speaking in Hawaii, and I am going with for a two week stay. I will be doing the Simpleology 101 course, along with a blogging course (since I’m having a little trouble with this) also offered on the Simpleology website. I recently ran into the Spiritualpeneur website, which also offers a free program I will be doing while “vacationing”. I am even envisioning myself doing some speaking someday. This all came about only since this morning, after reading your article. I can’t tell you how thankful to you I am for reminding me that I had something of value to offer. I feel sure God has a plan. Aren’t you honored to be be used as a catalyst by such a High Power? I know this was a little lengthy, and if I don’t see it in the comments area, it’s OK. Your probably looking for more businesslike items to post, but I thought you should know how much of an impact your words had on me, and how I am hoping it was a life altering experience. Unless God’s teasing me again. It seems like it’s what He/She likes to do. Susie
Steve, Your lessons are so valuable to each of us. I am sure that you are familiar with Jim Rohn who stresses that one must bring “Value to the Marketplace” in order to share in the rewards. Success magazine is featuring a tribute to Jim Rohn with a video presentation on the web. I am a great believer that we should continue our education forever and learn from many sources. I am so glad that you came into the picture for me. Thank you so much.
I saw the tribut to Jim Rohn 2 days ago and it was very, very moving. I just happened to receive the Success Magazine through ACN and I completely agree that the learning should never end. Online business ventures are so new to so many of us, there are going to be many growing pains, pitfalls, setbacks and equally, triumphs through baby steps, learning and mentors such as yourself Steve. Thank you!
Terri, I, too, get the magazine from ACN, but I also got a subscription for my pastor, my youngest son, and my neighbor next door took out a subscription after looking at some of my copies. Great to see you on this site as well.
Listening to this a second time has given me more insight.Man oh man….I am afraid of jumping over my shadow. I never realised due to the fact that trying things out myself and being noticed in my community that there are changes is actually making value. Others have written it, I have proved it….others see the diff. Great. Now I just need to share it without being afraid I do not know enough. Share what I do know!It has now clicked. Thanks Steve.
Dear Steve, Creating additional values, yes, I have always considered this. As to verifying how much value I have contributed, I suppose evaluating system is not always easy. I cannot help mentioning van Gogh, whose painting is now obviously far more valuable than any average person can easily reach, but never brought the author monetary reimburse while he was alive. By the way, I changed my career from an English teaching job to legal job. While teaching English, I used to make it a rule to deliver as high quality of class as possible. The result was I was highly appreciated by only a handful of serious students but I was never appreciated by most of the students who rather wanted to go easy than to learn anything to improve themselves. Since school get paid by tuition, classes or teachers are evaluated by numbers of students enrolled rather than quality of the class. Eventually situation forced me to change the career to legal professional (solicitoy )from an English teacher. I am still in the middle of finding a way to contribute additional values to the society as a solicitor. Overall, my tentative conclusion for now is, as far as legal profession concerns, the contribution value is measured by how much positive influence a solicitor created to the community he/she serves. I hope legal job doesn’t have to wait as long as some artist like van Gogh had to before its real contribution is appreciated. sincerely,Edel
hello steve.your video was very good in explaining the worth of adding value to the system and maybe the product.it expounds very well the principle that the value-added tax rides on, and tells how a businessman or entrepreneur can make use of the principle to add income for himself.one little thing though: it never explained what exactly is that value under discussion. no definitions, no examples.so i at least got a little confused about how value is applied in the illustrations you provided, looking from a totally neophyte-to-business point of view. of course i know about value, valuing and value adding like most people (who probably do not realize it well), and your video explained very well how it works, except, as i said for that little thing.(or maybe i jut didn’t catch it?)thanks, steve.
It makes sense. Now I have to figure out how to deliver value and then collect the money… I think I always deliver the value without a means of collection. Urrgh.
Hey Steve. Great post! Real value is the key to the success of any business – we must provide real soultions to peoples problems if we want to last and be profitable. That really is the basis of all trade and is the essence of this quote from Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want!” A possible way to test the market to see if we really have created value would be through Adwords. The internet is great because it allows us to reach so many people and get feedback quicker and cheaper.
Hi Steve and ALL~Thank you for sharing this video and all of your thoughts and reflections on it. I think that the value principle is the key to success in bussiness but ALSO the key to living a truly fulfilling life! Typically in life and business we find ourself asking either consciously or otherwise “What’s in it for me?” when in reality the question that would bring real fulfillment for all is “what’s in me for it?” or in other words, “what have I got to offer?” or “what value can I add or provide?” This is true for relationships, business, and just life in general. Something amazing happens when your focus goes to what you are contributing. In addition to this bringing out the very best you have to offer, you also lose your fear! When we are afraid of doing something, it often has to do with our fear of rejection, criticism, or failure. But when we do something with the intent of contributing, we stop caring about these things, and we find ourselves truly successful when we see our contribution or the value we have added. The reward we recieve is secondary although inevitable! Give it a try! This question: ”What’s in me for it?” has literally changed my whole life. Thanks again Steve for bringing this great principle to light! With respect and gratitude,Linda (http://www.powerinwe.org)
Thank you for your insightful video and comments. I particularly enjoyed your perspective on the economy, a view that I share but haven’t been able to articulate.I loved your response to Mary. So often it is our unconscious beliefs and limiting emotions that get us “off-course”. Mary might find NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) or EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) helpful in reframing her thoughts. (A complimentary guide to EFT can be found at http://www.emofree.com.)As a mother of five and grandmother of four I can relate to Susie’s challenge. I’m so impressed Steve by the way in which you’ve provided a forum for folks from pretty diverse backgrounds and the ways in which your knowledge is helping them get clarity.
Hi Steve,Value for money is one of those systemic success issues that defines the overall, short and long term success of any business. In my former workout practice one of the first areas that I would evaluate was the value proposition.In successful business turnarounds, I have always focused on the percieved value for money as a lifejacket because it is what gets the consumers attention. The issue is rarely price but rather what is offered and subsequently delivered that makes all the difference. The concept of delivering more than was expected is how you build a loyal customer and referral base that is hard to compete with.Cheers,Owen
These lessons are superb value up front, in my search for the informational tools that will allow me to create the successful cash flow machine and be consistent with my awareness.Robert F. Carlson
This lesson has been the most powerful for me. I appreciate the value you are giving.
Hi Steve, I got a lot out of this video. It’s given me the idea to do some market research. What would be the best way to do this? Thanks again.
Hi Steave,
Thanks for Sharing this Idea in a very Simple & Lucid manner. I have think on it lot and I have find out 2 points which I can add to show Value Addition in my Profession.
I am a ERP Implementer. To Deiffernetiate My service with other this perticular tought has given me great insight.
Thanks for sharing this.
Hirendra
Steve, I find your information in these small increments immensely helpful. And frankly the value and the uniqueness are what I’ve been struggling with for a number of months. What do I do that’s different? And what online marketing system is based primarily on a product that provides value to its clients? I want to get into something that is based on a product/service that is concrete and holds meaning to me and my clients.
P.S. You are one good looking Business Guru! Your wife is a lucky woman!
“Hi Darlene,
Thank you for your encouraging comment and the kind compliment. I cannot think of a better illustration of that old saying ‘behind every good man is a great woman’ than with my wife Kimberly. I am most definitely the fortunate one.
I understand your concern/question.
Here is an excerpt from ThePerfectBizFinder Program Manual that might help you:
“If you are like most people the most common mistake you could make is to begin the search for the right business looking ‘out there’ at the infinite array of possibilities that exist and try to choose, in an almost random fashion, something that might appeal to you.
“The fundamental flaw with this random or chance approach is that it fails to account for the most critical aspects of the decision – the ones that make the experience of success possible – and replaces them with the relatively poor judgment of blind intuition and subconscious emotions; something I believe we will show to be just slightly less reliable than the worst odds in a Las Vegas casino.”
“The unfortunate result of this flawed method is that there is an extremely small likelihood that you will actually find the right business for you and will more likely lose a lot of money that you cannot afford to lose.”
“What makes a particular business perfect for you and what guarantees your astonishing success is how well it aligns with you, your purpose, your passions, and your true inner-most commitments and desires.
In ThePerfectBizFinder Program I am offering you a proven methodology for finding your perfect business which begins with the exploration and discovery of the internal factors that actually determine your success experience. ”
Thank you again for your comment and compliment. I look forward to helping you get what you want.
Sincerely,
Steve”
Dear Steve,Like one person’s comment above, I’m not sure how I got to be on you mailing list, but I’m enjoying reading what you are distributing.I am a medical practitioner in Cape Town, South Africa, where we are also experiencing tight financial times. In the midst of all this, at the ripe old age of 60, I have been forced to make a quantum leap from a self-employed hospital based surgeons’s assistant, to starting up my own practice. Not easy, especially as I want to pursue my passion which is patient education – something which is not lucrative at all in this part of the world, for a number of reasons. Your advice has given me much food for thought, just as it has for so many others who have responded. I thank you for your input, encouragement, and willingness to share your ideas. Kind regards, Anna.
Thanks, Steve I really enjoyed and appreciated this video on value.Best to you,Anne
Guess I’m not understanding something here. I always give what I consider the most value, more than others give, but no one appreciates. Been in Food Service and Healthcare. But just doing a good job doesn’t mean a thing. I take extra care to be certain the product or the care is extra good and related to the customer, but really no one cares. Guess I just don’t have anything of value to give or maybe what I think is valuable isn’t.
Thanks for this great video. How obvious … it should have been. Value is what I have always been about, but I never thought of it in that sense or tried to get paid for it before. As a teacher for a lifetime, I responded to each challenge my learners experienced by creating something — a game, a workbook, an activity, a motivator — that would directly address their particular stumbling blocks, raise their self esteem, or spark their creativity. I did these things without monetary compensation because it was what it took to do my job well. Some of them have been incredibly effective, especially in working with children with learning differences. All the creations of my career that are moldering away in my closet could be of great value in the hands of teachers, parents, students, home schoolers, curriculum developers, and who knows who else. I have spent the last few years since retirement trying to start every other kind of business under the sun trying to stay afloat financially, failing at everything, and leaving my passion moldering in that closet. Now I am 71, in dire financial straits. With your inspiration giving me confidence, I have finally had the courage to ditch the last non-passion and am going to devote my attention to that closet where happiness lies. I always knew that is what I wanted to be doing, but I didn’t know I could make it happen. I already know that what I have is of value because I have used it all personally and have seen the results. I know what worked for my students and what didn’t. But every learner is different. How will I test for value? I plan to give a portion of what I create free up front so that the customer can judge whether it is of value in their particular situation. I want to have a feedback section where the customers tell me what did and did not work for them and where they tell me their particular problems or requests so that I can create the things that they need (more value). That is what I am best at doing and what never feels like work. I also would like to provide insights into what they can accomplish with these materials, and also whatever information I can find on helpful topics in the form of videos, articles, websites, etc (more value). And this time I hope to get paid for value so that I can live long and prosper. One last comment. I am so impressed with the responses of all the people who have signed on with you. So much intelligence, creativity, integrity. So many helpful insights from everyone out there — I read every one — which is why it is now 3:15 AM. This forum is a huge value.Thank you so much, Steve, for making this possible.
My wife and I are expanding our real estate investment business. It looks like we are about to buy some duplexes in an all-duplex subdivision. There are about 30 duplexes in the subdivision, and there are only 2 different plans of buildings. How can we deliver more value than the owners of the other duplexes, while still realizing good cash flow? Well, we have in mind planting trees in the yards, building privacy walls between the units on the back patios, and maybe painting a room or two in non-vanilla colors. We want our tenants to have pride in their units, so we want our units to be a cut above all the others!
Apologies if these have already been answered: I’d like to know – how ‘international’ is ‘The Biz Finder’? And – does it help to build a ‘money making mindset’? (I can readily do the managing side. The looking for ventures with the high probability of creating good returns for the time, effort, money invested is very unfamiliar, though.)And – does it cover the phase of business that best suits? I do well at renewal, transition, and start up where the self-discipline is high and improvising is needed, yet I’m gloomed out by the ‘maintenance’ phase.Thanks.And I’m enjoying your provocations, context shifts, and practical information. Thanks very much for those.
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for your comment.
I believe you will find the information within ThePerfectBizFinder Program to be equally relevant regardless of nation. A significant portion of the program is dedicated to teaching you methods and techniques for developing a powerful success mindset.
People do not fail for lack of skill, talent, knowledge or effort. They struggle because they lack the key inner resources necessary to generate the success they desire.
I show you how to master these and apply these powerful success principles to building a business that delivers the lifestyle and financial rewards you expect…without the gloom of mediocrity or boredom.
I look forward to helping you get what you want.
Sincerely,
Steve
Hello:I have not been able to hear your videos, although I did hear the first one.What am I doing wrong.Cheers,Lindaoutdooradventuregear.ca
This is a very bottom line principle of any exchange process. With no intention to demean anything or anyone, I am looking for a higher level of business guidancethan fundamentals and i hope the spirit here is to service a broad marketplace, with more sophisticated business models to come.
Hey.. Just wanted to let you know that your link for the last email sent out ” do you hate sales people” was not clickable. http://www.theperfectbizfinder.com/prog4 It was not highlighted. I don’t want anybody to miss out on your GREAT information.
Thank you for letting me know Scotty, AND for the encouraging compliment. I believe this has now been fixed.
I appreciate you letting me know about the difficulty you had. It is a very complex system with a number of places for quirks like this to hide.
Having people point them out is truly very helpful.
Thank you!!!
Sincerely
Steve
Hello Steve- I am really enjoying your talks and they are truly inspiring, very concise. The delivery gentle,the effect. explosive.While working /training as an Architect ,very naturally, I have always been serious about the cost per m2 and the ROI for my clients/ owners. But until today I thought my main focus of building in “soft” values like wellbeing (and joy, quite frankly) in to the space and investing my own time developing and researching smarter,effective (digital building) processes to be ..well… me being naive. Now these ideals are strengths and my new focus is to explain, show and market these values. They are after all, why I became an Architect.Thank you for sharing !-)
Steve, I may have partially formed an answer to this question already, but I’m running a test of my own – and perhaps playing a little devil’s advocate. If I’m a simple retailer (I happen to be a custom jeweler) and I buy an item at wholesale for $5 and then sell it at retail for $10 (with perhaps some training/ education, instruction on use, or a life-enriching experience), aren’t I providing value in two directions? One to the wholesaler I purchased from, and one to the consumer who purchased the item from me?Am I missing something? Am I ahead of the game by providing “double” value?Thanks!
Hi Steve – Thanks for putting it so clearly. It is a message that one has to be confronted with daily. In fact I think that the value principle is not only applicable to business, but is a principle that you could (and should) apply to everything you do in life – Give and you will receive – Expect to receive before you give and you will be disappointed.
Thanks again, Steve. As a general rule, it is difficult to argue with exchanging compensation for providing value. Kind of a dictionary definition of micro-economics, I suppose. But my mind wanders into boundaries that are fuzzy to me, value being such a seminal issue. For one, there may be a gap between perceived and real value — though admittedly real value itself is a fuzzy term. Food prices in Japan are arguably artificially high (too-great compensation for lesser value), in part because price supports certain power-interests. Food prices in the US are arguably artificially low (lesser compensation for overrated value) in part because price is subsidized by bleeding long term environmental and human-health capital. If you or the reader has problems with the illustration, others could be provided, and the illustration may suffice if the point is elucidated. Among examples provided by your viewers above, one issue seems to be persuading customers that a given product or service is actually beneficial or valuable to them. This further illustrates a condition in which there may be a gap between perceived and real value.Secondly, there are cases in which entrepreneurs may find reduction of the gap feasible (like selling your stuff), and others in which social, legal, or company personality barriers (one’s own included) make closing of the gap very difficult. Compensation may not fairly correspond with value provided. Of course, a gap may not prohibit business from occurring either. Reactions to the gap would seem to involve our emotions and motivations, a topic you may touch on in future lessons — even if stemming more from your simple definition (compensation-for-value) than from its break-down. But a break-down would seem common enough to warrant comment, don’t you think?
Hello, Steve
Thanks for another great video. You have the rare ability to take the top essence of the well known principals and present them in a new, crystal clear way.
But for some reason I got confused: I still do not know what is the perfect business for me, and suddenly I have to think about value a provide to my customers…
I tried to close this gap by guessing if I should define from my strength the best value I can create, combine it with the insights I got from the previous videos, and try to think of the best business opportunity for me (and I totally agree with Peter about the elusive nature of “value”)?
Liat
That was good I wanted to get on the phone half way through the video and contact this guy I’ve been working with on a project. It’s huge I’ve been helping him for a couple of months without pay, I was kind of feeling slighted, but after listening to that it helped my attitude. I know what your saying, its a principle, you will reap what you sow. Thanks alot for the reminder.
Thanks for the reminder of the importance of providing the client with a sense of wellbeing and satisfaction, of trust in my service whether I am selling wood planks or works of art or MLM. I understand my own unique value to be my enthusiasm, my integrity and my willingness to serve the client in the best way possible. In my own business, I think verification of value will be through increased sales, of customers coming back for more, word of mouth advertising.
Steve,Just want to say, as I am often “informationed out” from the heavy load of Self HELP gurus who through piggy backing onto others mailing lists, I scroll through quickly and delete after a brief screening. I ALMOST did that to your regular mailings. But …just in case, I did listen to the first one and then the next – I am on my third video. I feel that YOU offer real food for thought. While I don’t know the what of what I have to offer, your segments make a LOT of sense and ring true. So for the value you have provided, I am leaving my feedback in gratitude with the hope you will feel encouraged and appreciated. My only other feedback as a former associate producer in television is you may be a tad too far away from your audience. TV/video is a close up medium. Maybe it’s just that you are sitting behind a desk. Just a suggestion, what about sitting on the desk at a corner? Not too close up but a little closer without a barrier between you and your audience?Thanks for your emails.Fran
Wonderful…… Altimately the value priciple helps to grow the business….. Great….. But some people who change the value principle when they find some difficulties on the market and start going down towards the end of the business. But those who never changed the value principle even though they are in difficult situation due to global resession they could with stand and later they can grow. Thank youE.Murugan
Wow! – great stuff to mull over, Steve. The videos are informative. I’m learning lots. Thanks for your clear, straight-forward advice.
This is an excellent lesson of a principle that is spoken of often but seldom completely realized. It is easy to miss the concept that the rewards often come after an individual does the work even when he or she is uncertain of the final outcome. (The sewing of the seeds) I hear daily how bad the economy is and how hard it is to earn a living. When I listen to the persons making the comments and watch the manner in which they pursue their work, I almost always see persons glossing over their contribution to the difficulties they are having. Most blame their shoddy or lackluster performance on management policies when they could make a huge difference in the way customers see the value offered by their respective companies. Often management policies do make it harder for the worker to offer added value but it is also true that the worker does not provide considered feedback to their managers. Many assume that the boss does not want to hear certain information if it reflects badly on customer service or value so the boss does not receive valuable feedback from the one person who is in direct contact with the customer. Many younger managers act in ways that cause the worker to perceive conditions this way. In larger companies (Wal-mart, Staples, CVS, Walgreen, etc.) there is an epidemic of a disease some persons often refer to as the “Bean Counter” mentality where management is delegated to the accountants and individual functions are micromanaged from afar by persons who are totally disconected from local conditions. The individual who has the title of manager is in reality only an administrator who carries out directions from a remote management office that is not in touch with the customer. All of the decisions are measured in only one way, immediate contribution to the bottom line without consideration of retaining the customer for life. As to the employer/employee relationship, how often have we heard an employer say how hard it is to find good labor or an employee say I will do the work when they raise my pay. Neither seems to realize that they are both in the business of satisfying the customer by providing exceptional value in the eyes of the customer not in their own eyes.
Thanks Steve for the clear concise teaching on adding value. I’m sure that a person of your caliber has read John C. Maxwell books extensively, as have I. I am and have been for a long impressed and convinced that adding value to others must begin by adding value to myself on a daily basis. I have been on the journey for a number of years, and have a dream for starting a particular business. The timing for starting it is just around the corner, and when I do, the “value” principle will be a foundational one that has already begun with adding value to myself. Thanks again Steve
I like your video’s they give encourgement and insite. I am currently on unemployment. And I have this side job where I get paid on commision.Ihave been at this for a while and I’m getting discouraged at this job because I’m not makeing any money.What should I do?
I always been business for my self, I never lied to my customers I had return cusomers buy beings honest.
I really had to think about this concept – and will think about it some more. However, I want to share something about a fairly recent experience. I found myself in the position of needing to make some money for a short period of time before I moved on to another location. Having developed a wide variety of skills over the years, I decided to ask my neighbors if they would help me out by letting me be the ‘odd jobs lady.’ It turned out that they were quite willing to HIRE me to do work that they would never have let me GIVE them! I discovered that it was of great value to them to feel that they were helping somebody in need. It was also of great value to them to feel they knew and could trust their ‘day worker.’ And when they referred me to their friends, they said that I was not only fast and did good work, but that I had added an element of love and caring to the ‘work’ relationship.These are some examples of value that have made it unnecessary for me to justify my fees – although my customers could probably have found others who asked less.
Hi Steve,It’s not the first time i heard about the concept of adding or creating values. But with yours own way you explanate it, i understand well. But it is not easy for a beginner in business like me to apply it. Thanks for yours explanations for this powerfull concept.
Dear Steve, I have two problems, Number one, I do not speak, read and understand 100% English, and that is because I am from Mexico, so some times perhaps I do not understand exactly what you are telling me in your videos, I mean I may misunderstand some concepts. That is why did not decide yet if I must buy your Program.And the other problem is that in this precise moment I am having trouble to earn money from my busyness that has lost a lot of sales because my client (costumers) have not money either.So I am in a trap.
Steve. Thank you for the lesson in commonsenseI am looking forward to more.
Thanks Steve,It really makes sense. I am still at the initial stage of business wherein I need to work a lot on establishing it. Ofcourse, with your value principle, i can be better off taking into consideration at the initial stage.Thanks heaps,
Steve, my book Purposeful Intent: Motivating Your Mind From Within came out on Amazon this last March well before I knew you. ALL of the concepts I have heard from you are fundamentals in my book. You cannot become a success at anything until you learn with your purposeful intent is that is the method. Next, you learn The Triad Performance Improvement System of the 3 Secret Skills of Top Performers. The hypothesis of my work is VALUE. I define this concept as V=R/E where V is the value and R is the % of perceived reward divided by the % of perceived effort. Valued information goes through the pre frontal cortex and that which is meaningful and relevant in the mind of the learner has greater value. Consequently, that information is compressed into bit maps and stored directly on the brain’s desktop for immediate retrieval at will on demand when it matters the most. No top performer can operate at full bore 100% of the time. But certainly Michael Jordan or any top performing athlete recognizes when the raise their level of performance up a notch or two for given moments in time. THIS is what separates top performers in what they value from the average performers who have not defined their value. I am sending you a copy of my book. Check out the VALUE diagram on page 28.Of all the people I have read or listened to more recently, YOU are on the right track. If you get a moment, click on Inside the Book menu button on my website http://www.drpeteandersen.com Sincerely,Pete (Dr. Pete) Andersen, Ph.D.
Hi, It is not just business,even in employement you have add value to be growing.
As I search for a business to buy or to start I will ask myself if I would enjoy adding value to that business or what ways could I see myself adding value. And I will ask myself if that value added will be received. This principle is why we advance and the corner stone to being successful owning or working for someone. You put it well, I desire to put it into practice in a business where I am responsible, I look forward to the next post.
Hi Steve, great reminder of a basic element of great customer service. It certainly should get lots of our attention…. we should never assume we are doing enough.
I am a chiropractor and up until now have been only seeing ways to increase the value I provide by digging in and working more hours to see more patients. I have heard others talk about finding ways to automate a business and what not not but until now I never thought of it in terms of a way to serve more by finding a way to do in a different delivery system. As I listened to this video it dawned on me that I provide much more service to my patients then just adjustments, I offer health recommendations, train them in exercise programs that many don’t want to spend the time doing in the office, and I am constantly repeating myself with nutritional and ergonomic suggestions…etc, etc,Listen to this video it dawn on me I need to start recording this information so I can provide it to the patients to use at home for those that don’t want to spend the time in the office which also will free me up and give them more value that they want. Second, I reccomend wellness care packages that some people want but others don’t see the need and want to get free info to do at home before committing. If I take the time to put this information together I can offer it as an incentive for signing up for the wellness programs and make it available for a reasonable fee for those that do not. I can even have levels of training and even still offer additional services in the office for additional fees for those that want more.Amazing how hearing this has taken me to a knew level of thinking.Thanks Steve,Jeff
I really never even thought about my role or lets say the value that I would have to take in bussiness. After listening to your video I realize that I must reach out to perform this action I just don’t know where to start I have to do some soul searching to find the answer and continue to look at me.
It is absolutely marvellous. We get paid for the value we provide to our service or product. It is the actual fact. The point is what net addtional value we are giving as an affiliate.
Hi, Steve, I really enjoyed this “value added” video. Oddly enough, it actually got me thinking about my value and what I have done over the years that has been valued by others. I feel so out of my depth on this site because so many people either have a business or a good idea o what they want to do. I’m 61 years old and still teaching preschool (a job I love, but still a job). The one thing I have done in almost every job I’ve had over the years is organize something. As a college student, I organized a file system for one of my teachers. I was overseas four years with my husband, and when I came back to school, the file system I’d set up had changed only in that some classes had been dropped and others added! So, in listening to your videao and thinking of value added, not money, it came to me that there really is something of value that I do, besides teaching preschoolers, which is pretty valuable!
My self-esteem has gone up a few notches in the past 15 minutes. Thank you. By the way, this evaluation of the value I add is in line with the survey I did! Sally
Hi Steve.
I think that the information you are suppling is paramount to any business, as
the value benefits everyone who received, and used these unique products.
Do we want to reduce road accidents? What is our biggest problem on the roads?
Are 30 million roads users being considered? Why has congestion caused strangulation? Is the lack of attention and concentration, because?
all the distracting street furniture that is misplaced, dirty, unreadable, damaged, confusing or obstructive even in good weather?. Is the driving test inadequate?
Does new ideas and technology get proper recognition? Is the miracle of engineering and today’s technology being ignored? Is design at the forefront with the manufacturers? Are the methods being used good or bad leaders? Can the complexity at locations be simplified? Does self interest destroy unique results?
Are the black spots being created through an improvement at one location, without the thought of what will be the outcome at another? Are some solutions being buried?
Is street furniture in tune with today’s volume of traffic or are they many years behind what can be achieved? Is this furniture at worst the cause of most accidents?
Street furniture is very costly and environmentally unfriendly. Do they make a contribution to road safety or are they adding to all the complexity everywhere? Conventional street furniture dose not relay information of what is going on around the next corner, or over the next hill, when other road users are approaching during the day or night, so drivers have to rely on seeing them before any action is taken, these are simple methods that are overcome with the right vision, imagination, desire, action of a constructive nature, faith, will power, design and skills of very strong mental attitude. The creative power of today’s inventions and desire will solve all these problems. Street lighting can be cut to 1/3 with the use of REFLECTIVITY.
Roads that were built for the horse and cart are still the same now as they were sixty years ago. The roads with the danger just sitting there, waiting for the next unfortunate disaster to occur, which ends up taking fatalities every year.
How to reduce or abolish road accidents? How can we overcome the carnage and congestion? How can we improve conditions? How do we solve the fear of night driving? How we can improve driver’s behaviour and concentration?
How we can create a superior service at less cost. How we can tackle most of the defects, and increase road safety. How to find the answers to these problems is quite easy. Even the head of management at the department of transport have said any authority who wants to trial the use of roadlites they will authorise them to do so.
Roadlites relay more information than the latest cats-eyes at less than 1/10 of the cost.
Giving a superior service, and creating jobs, with excellent value for our money.
Saving lives, and reducing the massive energy consumption for all.
Roadlites web site can be seen, if you go on to the internet and at the top gray task bar of the screen (not in the google bar) type in this info. <ny125.com/roadlites>
With the tax of 46 billion pounds taken, don’t you think that we should be invincible?
The key to our problems can be solved by cooperation and a willingness to assist.
0ver thirty new ideas can be found at a web site that will tackle the situations of devil and zombie drivers, as well as those who think they are experts. <no-1-driver.com>
Are difficulties not understood because of complexity, whose fault is it? Is it the person that is receiving the information? Or is it the teachers who is ineffectual, because of old methods that have been unsuccessful are still in use today?
Yours safely Malcolm Manby. 01423 564758. 18 november 2009. <no-1-driver.com>
Hey Steve –
Just a quick note to say YOU HAVE GOT IT ALL GOIN’ ON! I love your site, love what you’re doing and am really impressed.
We’re just getting started, doing much the same thing you are — only not such a grand scale as yet.
You’re an inspiration!
Thanks so much!
Judi LaPoint
thank you so much for all your great info and help i`am looking to expand my bussiness and add several other bussiness off of my data base…. hoping to find the best way about it, thank you, mike
Hi Steve,
Your video has left me with an unexpected euphoric feeling. The principle of value was what I’d just decided to stake on as I set out into the business world – and then I turned you on and heard it from you! What a precious support I found! I had never heard anyone talk about this. I liked very much the distinction you made between the value of the product and your personal value; as well as the value to the company and the value to the market. And – drawing from one’s “key inner resources”, as you call them – that’s exactly what I needed to hear! On top of this all, I have to tell you that I just discovered Ken Robinson the day before yesterday and am still under the spell of that very video I now find you’re recommending in the blog! After all this I am peacefully inspired, confident and plainly happy. Thank YOU!
I am a translator. What value do I provide? A rare language pair as my ‘main thing’, along with seven other languages translated thus far in my career, and the ability to read and do research in a significant majority of the languages spoken in Europe. And a degree in music from one of the best schools in the world. This enables me to do program books for large international music festivals that require multiple languages.
I also have nearly 13 years of experience and use translation software to boost translation speed – probably by about 20%. Not to mention the benefits of translation memory if I have computer trouble while completing a job – I can reconstruct in 20 minutes what would have previously taken me the entire day to redo.
After over 10 years of working in my field, I finally found another musician with the right language abilities and have taken him on as a business partner. I am training so that he will know what our customers expect and be able to give them what they want. This is nice for the customers because it means they don’t have to look for and hire a proofreader – we just proof each other’s material.
It seems like the ideal business, and yet… I don’t love what I am doing. I’m tired and burnt out. I’m trading time for money. Being quite as unique in my field as I am severely limits the leverage I can command. And all the customer satisfaction and prestige in the world can’t compensate for what I am losing…
It’s probably not realistic to think in terms of leaving this business entirely. Not even fair to the customers. But I am doing what I can: limiting the amount of business I do so as not to make things worse, as well as taking on and training my business partner.
It is just now hitting me that I would do well to think about the price I am paying for being even as involved as I am in this business, and figure out what else I could be doing to at least mitigate this problem. Right now the only thing that comes to mind is trading forex…
Hi Steve,
Thanks for all this info. You are helping me clarify my aims in a fantastic way. Yes this lesson has given me a great deal to think about. I recently purchased a franchise. Right from the start I had a vision of where I wanted this to go and it wasn’t always as a franchisee. After I paid out the money, I realised that is many ways I didn’t need the franchise, but I did need help in other ways which the franchisor is not really providing, because they haven’t the knowledge either. I now need to grow and get out of the contract.
This lesson has given me ideas of how I can use my knowledge and expertise to offer value to the business which in turn will offer more value to existing customers and will also bring in new customers.
Thank you
Hi, Steve. Thanks for your videos and thought-provoking questions. I have missed out on a lot because my mother was very ill; terminal cancer. Anyway, I am back. I am now ready to throw myself into finding my perfect business and learning from you. When I think about value creation, I think of the many doctors and nurses I dealt with as my mother battled against her cancer. In the hospital, the nurse attendants gave no value to me or my mother whatsoever. One in particular was very nasty and treated my mother and me as though we were just distractions in her day. In the nursing home/hospice, the doctors and nurses were very valuable to my mother and me because they never failed to answer a query or provide my mother with what she needed until her last breath. Because of their value, I was able to write a glowing letter of thanks and appreciation to the doctor, his staff, and their facility and will recommend to others when their loved one has to be placed in such a place. That’s my take. Thanks and God bless! Beatrice
One of our big customers was recently bought up by an even bigger oil and gas lift
company. Now my customer of many years tells me they have to go out for three
bids on the parts we provide. Although I knew that we perform an additional step
with these parts that saves them hours of labor, I now know that I must remind them
of the ‘value added’ we provide. If the parts we manufacture reached our customer without one area finished, it will cost them hours of labor. They are not set up to perform this function and it is basically a trade secret how we do this function.
Along with our bid, I will remind them of the “Value Added” function we have been preforming for them at no additional cost. A cheaper part will cost their company more than double in labor trying to do the function we perform at no cost to them.
It could also have quite a few oil wells or gas lift well shut down because they can get the parts to work. Thanks Steve to telling me how to handle this situation.
Donna (the girl that knows more about carbide than a girl should know).
Steve:
Well presented, thought provoking and a great conversation catalyst.
Creating value and/or adding value drives business growth, increases a person’s income, and brings in greater profit. But, while it may seem to be a fine point, I think it is important to distinguish between “adding value” and “creating value” because doing so creates greater opportunities for business owners to stand out as unique, to be paid for their wisdom, and to make a bigger difference in the world.
From my perspective, adding value usually means delivering an existing product or service more quickly, with more features, and with greater expertise. It means adding to what already exists.
In some cases, a competitive market can drive business owners to add value in order to make their products and services more appealing than those of their competition. In the worst cases, value adding goes too far, to the point where profit margins suffer and the business becomes unsustainable. This is often the case when the clients think you are selling something that is a commodity and readily available elsewhere.
Creating value on the other hand, is all about creating new value, something that can stand alone and is not attached to the sale of a product or service. Steve, your example of creating training and motivational programs for MLM organizations is a classic value added strategy tied to the sale of more product. But, what if the person who develops and delivers sales training to the distributors in their downstream were to offer the training as a stand alone program for any MLM distributor in any MLM organization? That would be value creation and it would create an entirely new stream of income, independent from the sale of products.
I think Donna Digman’s case is a perfect example of where “value creation” is mistaken for, or undersold/undervalued as, “value add”. As it stands, her company has acquired wisdom that it is “added” as value to the sale of the parts she distributes. If this wisdom is truly a trade secret and is not available elsewhere, it is intellectual property that has value in and of itself.
If Donna and her colleagues are committed to being as successful as possible, they must make the distinction between value added and value creation. The first step is to package what they have been doing. “Reminding” the client of the added value may not be enough. Think about it a second… what if Donna where to package the process they use to complete the delivery of the parts and then sell that process to her competition. If that sounds crazy… well, perhaps it is. But at the very least, if Donna packages the process, she creates the opportunity to sell it separately from the parts, the commodity her client is now seeking bids on.
Sorry if this is a rant and too long.
Curtis Verstraete
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Wow, it’s pretty rare to see someone put things into perspective the way you just did. I wish that other bloggers and people that post content to the web would take a page from your book! Do you have any other sites that I could visit or could you possibly make a recommendation as to where I might be able to find some more information? Either way, thanks for an excellent resource and I look forward to being a repeat reader!
I need to know what MLM is, as I am unfamiliar with the terminology of the business world! I am also having a little difficulty fully understanding the contents of the video, as I have never traded or provided a service, so the value lesson is not something I am comfortable commenting on. I look forward to more information, as I genuinely need it!
Hey, Steve–
The Professional “Chiller” here. I’ve been sitting on an incredible “value creation” biz model for YEARS and don’t have the slightest clue how to get it out to the marketplace. If you might recall from a prior blog I left you: you share the same name as my phenomenal accountant of over 10 years. It is solely because of his advice throughout the years as to HOW I’m able to live the life I am.
My biz model…For YEARS I have been trying to SHOW people how I’ve successfully and very LEGALLY been paying a 1.75% (vs. the standardized 37%) tax bracket. To boot, I even have a formula, of sorts, that is of MY creation–showing people how to ACCELERATE their FICO to an 800 within two years. There’s actually MUCH more to both, but everything is extremely EASY to set up and ANYONE can do it on ANY income level.
I figured this is the kind of info that anyone over the age of 18 would be interested in…but not one person has ever stepped up and asked “how do you do it”? It’s quite frustrating to know that I possess info that has the power to put “the average joe” in ultimate control of their finances–by utilizing SIMPLE tools that put you ahead of the game against the two biggest “agencies” that govern every aspect of our lives.
Look, I don’t consider myself a savior, a martyr, or self-righteous…that’s why I give ALL the credit to my accountant. I would just love for this info to get out to the marketplace, that’s all.
Steve, This is a concept that can be applied to any business activity as you stated. Internet marketing has been a place that people try to find a way to increase their value to the market and many fail because they do not add value to what is going on. I am beginning to realize that if I want to earn more I need to provide value in new ways to the market. I am not yet sure of the direction that will take but now that I am more aware I will find a way.
Hi Steve,
I have seen 2 of your videos and I am totally blown away by what you share. I have been to many, many self developments seminars and left feeing motivated but unimpressed. Since the beginning of this year, when I made a commitment to myself, that I would change my life results, truly inspiring people have been entering my life, altering my mental state. Two people shine like a beacon, Lesley Hoseholder and her Jackrabbit Factor and now yourself with The perfect Bizfinder Program. For both of you, your integrity is blindingly bright. The way you speak and what you say conveys a genuine desire to change the way people live rather that it being a vehicle/product to make yourself rich/richer.
This is what the internet promised. We are passing through the commercialisation phase and entering a sharing of information stage.
I will take up your program. I have an idea for a business and till now I didn’t quite know how to make it happen. Now I KNOW you will help me, support me and stand for my success.
Looking forward to meeting you and Lesley in person in the not too distant future.
John
Melbourne, Australia
hello steve for give me not so good at typing and spelling but here we go any way well i have bin kind of an idea man i remember i was 8 years old and seeing my first TV remote and saying what if ..meaning what if i could put this idea into my toy gun and lights and sound would go off to tell you had hit some one later on thay did do it lazer tag i have bin doing this most of my life every time i see somthing or think of somthing i gat the what if thay did this ..well never realy being good at school i never thought i could do it my self so watch every one els do it ..well one day insted of saying what if thy i said what if i did so i started to make my first invention and you just know it was good so i went to one of those placess that help you get this going and rep you ideas to others and spent every thing i had on i and other peoples mony as well well 2 and half years later the compeny i chose were shut down and 40 thousand later becouse of fale repusentation of me and alot of others i ame now in a 61 million doller class action suit and we won but won see mybe a quarter of the mony i invested now broke but dont want to quit just need to find trust again the right person that might mentor me through this i have pages of ideas and conseps and dont know enough about who to trust i have one patent pending but stuck ther for 2 years now guess theres somthing about you i trust so spilling my guts to you well i now that more than 10 minets of rambling and most lose intrest in what you are saying so i say thanks for your time steve hope for a responce truly Shannon Hubbell god bless
Steve, Strongly agree with your value added statement and if this is lacking, it would also explain for the majority of the time why your income is also lacking. I would like your opinion based upon my personal profile, the medical field was highly suggested and also happens to be my vocation. After ten years, I feel it just does not give me the gratification as I would like. I know some of the reasons for this and have tried to correct them, however, I feel it may be time to move on into other areas. I’m really looking for some imput here, do have any suggestion for me? thank you, Dan.
Hi Steve,
This might not be the kind of comments you are use to receiving but here goes. I am new to your program and so far find your information useful. However, I created a company that did have value both to me and my customers but was swooped out from under me by unscrupulous partners while I was working my tail off to grow the company. Obviously I missed a turn somewhere right? I am now in the process of redirecting my energies to move forward in a direction that supports the deepest parts of myself as well as building a service that does provide value and assist others. I am still a little gun shy from my previous experience that was my life for 7 years, any other suggestions on how to create success a 2nd time around?
Thanks
Christiana
I believe that if you want to add value to your business and the products and services you provide to your customers then I believe that what you are providing must be of great value to yourself personally so that you are motivated,enthused and driven by this idea to add value and it is meaniful and purposeful. Its purpose is to benefit all. The company,you and the customers ,but especially the customer.
Many thanks Steve, I truly enjoy the way you expressed what you were saying. Let me add that I still feel that it has to be a value within each individual to succeed in their career or great for a business idea’s or am I looking at it the wrong way ? I had always given my assistance and idea’s away to other’s continually assisting just like what you are saying now only didn’t realise my selfworth Makes a big difference . Now I need to slowerly get back to what I was focused on to help many more ,
This has been one of the best lessons. Here are some thoughts of mine: an employee should generate benefits to the company at least equivalent to his annual total compensation within the very first 3 months of the year… there after every thing s/he is doing, is creating value and not cost. Any company should generate from 5 to 10 times in value, the price their customer pay for their products and services. Nevertheless, my concern is how can we demostrante that a service is actualy generating vaule to the market/customer to assure that the market/customer decides to buy from you and not from the competition?
I found this lesson of great value. You have given me something to think about in building my online business.
Some time ago, I did need to buy a building for my corporation but I didn’t earn enough cash and could not purchase something. Thank goodness my mate adviced to get the loan from reliable creditors. Hence, I acted so and used to be happy with my small business loan.
Steve; I can understand the other poster’s comment of “taking the hit,” in the form of a customer who doesn’t want to pay. I was a business owner for 16 years and had people attempt to pay less than their full invoice. Always the question, “Do I make a future ‘non-customer’, or get the lawyer out, or take the hit?” Usually if a person flat out refused to pay their bill, it wasn’t worth getting an attorney to collect (sad but true, they usually end up costing more than the invoice, and the non-paying customer seems to know this…we even had an attorney tell us that this is the new way of doing business) so we ended up collecting less than the full amount of the invoice. Repeats weren’t a major percentage of our volume, (subcontracting specailty construction services) our reputation for quality and service drove our customer base, so we were more likely to let that invoice go and know never to do business with that person again should the situation so present itself. However, I liked your answer as to how “taking the hit,” reduced the integrity of everyone involved in the transaction, and even the community overall. Finding tactful ways to express this to a non-paying customer will be a helpful tool to elicit payment from some of these “customers.”
I appreciate your demonstration of “added value.” Your lesson has provided me with additional food for thought. I look forward to hearing everything else you have to tell us.
Hi Steve,
Great value-added content for your prospective customers/members. It does seem like a lot of work on your part, but I do believe it certainly pays off for you at some point. I appreciate this value-added concept as well. I once had an employer ask me why I worked so hard at my job. I explained that I try to live by the principle that we should do our best at whatever we are doing. Colossians 3:23, states it best: “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to God, and not to men.” Can’t go wrong with that advice. While I have not yet committed to joining The Perfect Biz Finder program, I hope to do so soon. Please keep in mind that there are many reasons that prospective customers might seem to procrastinate about purchasing a product or joining a particular program. However, if those prospective customers continue to subscribe to your emails and/or videos, you can be fairly certain that they will eventually come through for you–provided they believe they are receiving something of real value. I happen to feel that you offer much value. Again, our motive should be to do what we can for others first, and the rest will follow, just as you have implied. Thanks for your efforts.-Kathy