I heard a story years ago about a handyman named Smith that was called to a home to check on a homeowner's furnace. Apparently it wasn't putting out any heat, which is a big deal in the midst of a brutally cold winter. Smith arrived at the house and was led by Johnson, the homeowner, into the basement where the furnace was located. Smith studied the furnace for a few moments, then took out a monkey wrench from his toolbox and proceeded to tap the main housing unit in a specific location for about two to three minutes. About a minute after Smith stopped his tapping, the furnace kicked into gear and immediately started pumping out heat, and before long the entire house was toasty warm.
Johnson was overjoyed, happy, ecstatic beyond words, and most grateful for Smith being able to solve the problem. Johnson's gratitude was short lived however, when he saw the numbers on the bill as the Smith packed up his tools. He was livid, to say the very least. "TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS..!!!?? I can't believe it...this is highway robbery!" Johnson roared. "How can you justify charging me such an outrageous amount of money for just a couple of minutes of tapping on my furnace..??" Smith paused for a moment, smiled and calmly replied:
"Twenty dollars to tap...One hundred eighty dollars...KNOW WHERE TO TAP..."
Moral of the story:
What is in your heart gets you in the door,
But it's what you know that they're paying for...
People pay for knowledge, for expertise. No more, no less. It's as simple as that. If you know something other people don't know, and they have an interest in what you know, they see your knowledge as valuable and they'll find a way to compensate you for it.
You may have heard it said that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. That is indeed true, but once people know that you care, you had better believe they care about what you know. When I coached youth baseball and soccer years ago I had great relationships with many of the kids I coached, as well as their parents. But there's no way those relationships would have been nearly as solid as they were if any of the kids, or their parents, felt for even a second that I had no idea what I was talking about. I was able to share lessons I had learned over the years about baseball and soccer with the kids and their parents, and was held in high esteem as a result. Many times I had parents, especially the dads, asking me, "Where did you learn about all this?" Simply put, I had their attention (and their admiration) because I knew something about baseball and soccer that they didn't know, and not only that, I was willing to share what I knew.
If this holds true from a volunteer standpoint, how much more crucial is this to understand when people are paying for your services? You must understand this: when you are being compensated for what you do, people are saying they appreciate the value you bring to their lives. And the more valuable your skills, your knowledge, your expertise, the more willing they are to show appreciation for what you have brought to them to make their lives easier. The father of professional baseball Harry Wright once said, "If we make the games worth watching, no one will find fault with the price." ("Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns, First Inning: Our Game, 1994) This notion does not only apply to sports but also to every area of life where a product is bought or sold, or a service delivered. Bring value to the table, over and above what is expected, and you'll never have a problem finding someone who wants what you have to offer, even if they have to chase you down to get it. They'll be the moth, you'll be the flame.
That's all I have for now. I trust this has been helpful. Please feel free to share any feedback, as I know I'm not perfect, and there's plenty of room for me to improve, just like anyone else.
So until me meet again, make it a great day and remember:
Keep it simple....See ya!
Moral of the story:
What is in your heart gets you in the door,
But it's what you know that they're paying for...
People pay for knowledge, for expertise. No more, no less. It's as simple as that. If you know something other people don't know, and they have an interest in what you know, they see your knowledge as valuable and they'll find a way to compensate you for it.
You may have heard it said that people don't care what you know until they know that you care. That is indeed true, but once people know that you care, you had better believe they care about what you know. When I coached youth baseball and soccer years ago I had great relationships with many of the kids I coached, as well as their parents. But there's no way those relationships would have been nearly as solid as they were if any of the kids, or their parents, felt for even a second that I had no idea what I was talking about. I was able to share lessons I had learned over the years about baseball and soccer with the kids and their parents, and was held in high esteem as a result. Many times I had parents, especially the dads, asking me, "Where did you learn about all this?" Simply put, I had their attention (and their admiration) because I knew something about baseball and soccer that they didn't know, and not only that, I was willing to share what I knew.
If this holds true from a volunteer standpoint, how much more crucial is this to understand when people are paying for your services? You must understand this: when you are being compensated for what you do, people are saying they appreciate the value you bring to their lives. And the more valuable your skills, your knowledge, your expertise, the more willing they are to show appreciation for what you have brought to them to make their lives easier. The father of professional baseball Harry Wright once said, "If we make the games worth watching, no one will find fault with the price." ("Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns, First Inning: Our Game, 1994) This notion does not only apply to sports but also to every area of life where a product is bought or sold, or a service delivered. Bring value to the table, over and above what is expected, and you'll never have a problem finding someone who wants what you have to offer, even if they have to chase you down to get it. They'll be the moth, you'll be the flame.
That's all I have for now. I trust this has been helpful. Please feel free to share any feedback, as I know I'm not perfect, and there's plenty of room for me to improve, just like anyone else.
So until me meet again, make it a great day and remember:
Keep it simple....See ya!
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