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Value Is Like a Bank Account

December 19, 2022 by John Ray

Value is like a bank account
North Fulton Studio
Value Is Like a Bank Account
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Value is like a bank account

Value Is Like a Bank Account

Whether working with a client or engaging with a prospect, value is like a bank account. The value you deliver is a deposit, and you can take away value–make withdrawals–on the relationship as well.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:01] Hello. I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. I read a post recently about relationships being like bank accounts. We can make deposits that enhance and deepen the relationship. Conversely, we can make withdrawals through actions which chip away or destroy a relationship. The account balance, if you will, varies over time based on our actions and those of the other person, too, of course.

John Ray: [00:00:34] Value is the same way, is it not? We have a value balance, you might say, with every client and prospect. As professional services providers, when we help a client better understand their business or lessen their anxiety about a coming change they might be dreading, we’re making deposits in the value account with that particular client. When we resist the urge to pitch a prospect and instead ask thoughtful questions and listen, we add to the value balance for that person.

John Ray: [00:01:12] On the other hand, we make withdrawals at those stages in a client relationship where when an inevitable mistake occurs, we don’t own up to our part of the goof up. We decrease the value balance with a prospect when we’re taking their business on when we know down deep that they aren’t a great fit.

John Ray: [00:01:34] No value balance stays static for long. It rises or falls based on the value we add or the value we take away. So, what part of client service or business development do you excel at when it comes to adding to the value balance? What parts need some work? The answers to these questions are vital to our businesses as they determine both ability to price and the length and tenure and the quality of our client relationships.

John Ray: [00:02:09] I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of the series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com. And I would be honored if you would subscribe to this series on your favorite podcast app. If you’d like to be in touch with me directly, you can do so by emailing john@johnray.co. And, hey, big news for 2023, I have a book coming out. So, if you’d like to know more about that, feel free to send me a note. Thank you for joining me.

 

 

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Coming in 2023:  A New Book!

John’s working on a book that will be released in 2023. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. For more information, contact John below.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: bank account, client, John Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, Relationship, solopreneurs, value, value pricing

“It’s Too Expensive”

December 16, 2022 by John Ray

"It's Too Expensive"
North Fulton Studio
"It's Too Expensive"
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"It's Too Expensive"

“It’s Too Expensive”

When a prospect tells you “it’s too expensive,” they’ve done you a favor:  they’re telling you that you haven’t had an effective value conversation.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello again. I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. “It’s too expensive.” How do you react when a prospect says this?

John Ray: [00:00:11] All of us are human, and the normal reactions might be to give up, get angry, get defensive. And, of course, let that imposter syndrome rear its ugly head. Don’t give in to any of these impulses. Instead, you should mentally thank that prospect for their response. They’ve given you valuable feedback, which prospects don’t always do. Often they’re too polite to tell you that.

John Ray: [00:00:42] Further, though, and more important, if you get this reaction, it’s almost always your fault. Well, why is that? It’s because you haven’t had an adequate value conversation. A conversation which helps you determine what the client values, what they hold dear. Because you don’t understand the client’s perception of value, you’ve been in the dark as you prepared your proposal.

John Ray: [00:01:07] And here’s another reason why if a client says you’re too expensive it might be your fault. You’re only offering one option. You haven’t taken advantage of what many professional services providers are able to do. Offer three options, optimally, which are crafted to respond to the client perception of value as revealed in that great value conversation that you should have had.

John Ray: [00:01:32] Offering only one option creates a fill or kill situation, one in which you are more likely to get a too expensive response. Or just as bad, the prospect immediately accepts your proposal quietly thinking that they can’t believe you’re offering so much for the stated services at the low price that you’re offering. Effective value conversations invariably help you avoid the “too expensive” response.

John Ray: [00:02:06] I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of this series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com or on your favorite podcast app. And if you’re not already a subscriber, I’d be honored if you would do that. You can also email me directly, john@johnray.co. And big news, I’ve got a book coming in 2023, and I would love to tell you more about that if you’d like to be in touch. Thank you.

 

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Coming in 2023:  A New Book!

John’s working on a book that will be released in 2023. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. For more information, contact John below.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: client perception, expensive, John Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, prospect, solopreneurs, value, value conversation, value pricing

Prospects Send Signals…Believe Them

December 14, 2022 by John Ray

Prospects Send Signals Believe Them
North Fulton Studio
Prospects Send Signals…Believe Them
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Prospects Send Signals...Believe Them

Prospects Send Signals…Believe Them

Pay attention: prospects send signals when they’re not a great fit for your business. Ignore these signals at your business peril.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello. I’m John Ray on the Price and Value Journey. Recently, I was chatting with an attorney friend of mine about clients, the signals that they send, and how they tell us who they are if we’ll just pay attention. It reminded me of a client I’d been referred to quite a few years ago now, early on in my journey. I was able to get an appointment with her, but that took an abnormal amount of time to do despite her acknowledgment that she desperately needed to get her house in order.

When I got there several minutes early, I had to wait quite a while for her. Once the meeting finally started, it took only about 10 minutes to realize that her practice was a complete mess. Her books looked like the work product you’d see if Charlie Brown’s friend, Pigpen, was the bookkeeper. Any talk about KPIs or how we could use the numbers to improve her business was meaningless. She seemed to thrive on all the chaos. Every few minutes we were interrupted by her assistant with questions which were not urgent, but which she insisted on taking and answering.

And as I sit there, letting the debris of all this situation wash over me, I fell victim to the thought this can’t be as bad as it looks. Yep, I did it. I waited in where I shouldn’t have. Just like the well-meaning person who thinks they’ll reform their spouse after they get married. I quoted her a retainer to get started, and she wrote me a check. On the way back to my office, I drove by my bank and deposited the check. And that’s when the fun really started.

The next day, I got an email from my bank that the check had bounced. Almost immediately after getting that email, as if the clouds parted with a sign from above, my phone pinged with a text message. “Can you believe that guy went and deposited my check already?”, the text said. And then after a minute or two later, another text followed, “Sorry, meant that for my husband. Lol.” Yeah. Lots of laughs. There wasn’t any reason to be upset with her actually. That bounced check was the apex of a host of signals I should have paid attention to, but I ignored them or explain them away.

The message was there, but I was too hardheaded, determined or blind, take your pick, to pay attention. Clients will tell you with their actions that they’re not a fit for you and your practice. Believe them.

I’m John Ray on the Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of the series can be found on your favorite podcast app where you can subscribe if you’re not already. And if you are, thank you. You can also go to pricevaluejourney.com. Feel free to email me John@johnray.co. And hey, big news. I’ve got a book coming out in 2023. If you’d like more details, just let me know. Thank you for joining me.

 

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Coming in 2023:  A New Book!

John’s working on a book that will be released in 2023. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. For more information, connect with John below.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: good fit, John Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, prospects, signals, solopreneurs, value, value pricing

The Tale of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman

December 12, 2022 by John Ray

The Tale of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman
North Fulton Studio
The Tale of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman
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The Tale of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman

The Tale of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman

As a professional services provider, your pricing depends on the conversations you’re willing to have with prospective clients. This cautionary tale of the impatient garage door repairman illustrates the cost of not having a value conversation.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello. I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. The Tail of the Impatient Garage Door Repairman.

John Ray: [00:00:09] One morning several years ago, I woke up, sleepily took care of our morning potty time for our dogs. And then, when I brought in the last one and lowered the garage door, disaster struck. As the garage door lowered, it crinkled. And my wife couldn’t get out of the garage. Fortunately, though, I was parked outside and can take her to the school where she teaches.

John Ray: [00:00:35] On the drive over, she asked who I was going to call about our problem. I have no idea, I told her, but I’ll work it all out. Well, after I dropped her off, I went straight to my desk and started my work. I could deal with that garage door stuff later, right? Well, a few hours went by and my wife called me during her lunchtime planning period to check on how that garage door repair was going. I’m working on it, I told her. Well, Dr. Ray has a keen nose for bull. You need to know, she said, that I’m not spending the night in that house if that garage door is not fixed.

John Ray: [00:01:19] Well, my priorities, you might say, had suddenly been realigned. I had to get on the stick and make something happen. I didn’t have a contact among garage door installers, so I did what most people do in such circumstances, I went online. I looked for a garage door expert with what seemed to be satisfactory and legitimately honest reviews. I found a nearby provider who seemed pretty good and I gave him a call. I described the problem, gave him my addres, and texted him pictures of the door along with measurements of the door panels.

John Ray: [00:01:59] After a few minutes, he called me back, I’ve got the panels we need to replace the door, he said, are you open for me to come out there this afternoon? Yes, I said. And I was trying to damper my excitement when he said that. Well, normally, he said, I would charge $1,100 or so. But if you’ll pay cash, I’ll charge you $800. I immediately responded, “Get over here, man. I’m headed to the ATM.” So, I get a sizable discount for paying in cash and I’m not going to be in trouble with my wife, I felt like I was at the casino and three cherries had just come up on the slot machine.

John Ray: [00:02:37] I had no idea when I made the call what a garage door replacement like this should cost. I had visions of four figures dancing in my head before this conversation, so that’s what I was braced for. In his impatience to get this job and seemingly, also, to avoid taxes by receiving cash, my garage door repairman screwed up.

John Ray: [00:03:01] He was focused only on the job at hand, not the why of the job. He didn’t have a value conversation with me, his client. He never asked me any questions that would have revealed my sense of urgency and what I valued. He could have asked questions such as, “Well, what happened and when? Do you know why it happened? Was there anything unusual happening prior to the problem? What do you have in mind to replace the door? Any upcoming outside house painting or remodeling projects you have? When was the house built? Any issues with the garage door motor itself? How many cars are parked in the garage?”

John Ray: [00:03:47] You see the point? He could have then said after all that questioning, “Hey, my crews are pretty busy right now and we’re more than halfway through the day today, when did you need to have the work completed?” At some point in this conversation, I would have revealed the big problem, which had little to do with the garage door itself. It was important to my wife that this job be completed that day and, therefore, it was important to me.

John Ray: [00:04:17] I would have understood that I’m calling him in the middle of the day hoping he could get my replacement done by day’s end, if he told me that he had a rush charge, but that he could get out there that afternoon, I would have paid – I don’t know – $1,500, $2,000. I don’t know what I would have paid. But I felt like I’d drawn the get out of jail free card to only pay $800.

John Ray: [00:04:42] In the services business, home professional or otherwise, the price you ultimately receive is based in part on your willingness to have a value conversation which taps into the hopes, fears, dreams, and other emotions which are bubbling up inside of your client. But you won’t know those unless you ask.

John Ray: [00:05:04] And your impatience can cost you a lot of money like it did my garage door repairman. And you might be, like I imagine he could be, wondering why you’re working so hard for so little on the bottom line.

John Ray: [00:05:19] Thanks for joining me on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of this series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com or on your favorite podcast app. I’d be honored if you’d subscribe to the show, if you’re not already. And feel free to send me an email, john@johnray.co.

John Ray: [00:05:40] And, hey, some big news, in 2023, I’ll be releasing a book, so if you want more information on that, feel free to connect with me. You can send an email or connect with me on LinkedIn. johnray1 is my handle on LinkedIn. Thanks for joining me.

  

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Coming in 2023:  A New Book!

John’s working on a book that will be released in 2023. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. For more information, connect with John below.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: John Ray, professional services, professional services providers, solopreneurs, The Price and Value Journey, value, value conversation, value pricing

“I Can Do That” and the Mental Math of Outsourcing

December 8, 2022 by John Ray

“I Can Do That” and the Mental Math of Outsourcing
North Fulton Studio
“I Can Do That” and the Mental Math of Outsourcing
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“I Can Do That” and the Mental Math of Outsourcing“I Can Do That” and the Mental Math of Outsourcing

The mental math of outsourcing can work for you and your practice, or work against you if you say “I can do that” too many times.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

 

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Coming in 2023:  A New Book!

John’s working on a book which will be released in 2023. The book covers topics like value and adopting a mindset of value, pricing your services more effectively, proposals, and essential elements of growing your business. For more information, connect with John below.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: benefits of outsourcing, John Ray, outsourcing, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, solopreneurs, value, value pricing

Razor Blades, Discounts, and Your Practice

November 29, 2022 by John Ray

Razor Blades, Discounts, and Your Practice
North Fulton Studio
Razor Blades, Discounts, and Your Practice
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Razor Blades, Discounts, and Your PracticeRazor Blades, Discounts, and Your Practice

Even a single human hair can chip a razor blade, and that first chip leads to much greater damage as the blade is used. This imagery is a superb metaphor for how pricing discounts in a professional services practice can dull the business.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: discounting, discounts, John Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, razor blades, solopreneurs, value, value pricing

Gratitude as a Business Strategy

November 22, 2022 by John Ray

Gratitude as a Business Strategy
North Fulton Studio
Gratitude as a Business Strategy
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Gratitude as a Business Strategy

Gratitude as a Business Strategy

The benefits of actively practiced gratitude for an individual’s health and well-being are widely documented. What would happen in your business if you decided to make gratitude an actively practiced piece of your business strategy?

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello again. I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. The science behind the beneficial effects of gratitude gets deeper and more compelling as more research is published and updated. Most of the studies which have been published on the effects of gratitude support an association between gratitude and an individual’s well-being.

John Ray: [00:00:25] The head of the Division of Biologic Psychology at Duke University Medical Center says that, if gratitude were a drug, “it would be the world’s best selling product with a health maintenance indication for every major organ system.” The benefits, it seems, span an individual’s physical, psychological, and social wellbeing.

John Ray: [00:00:49] According to Robert Emmons, a leading researcher in gratitude studies, people who practice gratitude consistently report benefits across the physical, psychological, and social spectrums.

John Ray: [00:01:04] Well, let’s expand that idea beyond us as individuals. What would your business look like if you made gratitude part of your everyday operating strategy? What would happen if the conscious practice of gratitude was as natural a part of your business as opening the doors every day, or checking email, or bouncing the cash drawer, or making payroll?

John Ray: [00:01:29] I’m not just talking about sending thank you notes to clients, although that’s probably a good baseline to start if you’re not doing that. But gratitude is more than just thank you notes or client gifts. I’m referring to cultivating an attitude of thankfulness, which is deep in your core as a business owner.

John Ray: [00:01:52] Maybe it’s writing a thank you note to someone who has helped you with a suggestion they’ve made, one which seemed insignificant to them at the time. It could be keeping a gratitude journal for your business, making notes about people and events which have made an impact on you and your business. Maybe it’s spending daily time and conscious reflection or meditation on something you’ve learned that day. Or maybe an event you attended from which you gained something that helped you in your business. It could involve stopping and pausing in a moment of thankfulness before you turn the key in the door to open up in the morning or before you turn on your computer.

John Ray: [00:02:37] Some time ago, I received a note from a business friend of mine who puts this principle into practice in quite a beautiful way. She writes, “This is a busy, busy time. I am exhausted, but we are very grateful. We have had long days and worked all week, including today, Sunday. I appreciate you so much. You were the first one that welcomed me, made me feel at home, and started helping me right away. And for that, I am forever grateful.” Wow, what a note to receive.

John Ray: [00:03:12] But most importantly, this business owner really gets it. This note wasn’t written to me to get my business. Although I’m a client of hers, I’m a tiny fraction of the sales of her business. This note was written from a deep sense of gratitude for life enjoyed, even the hectic, tiring life of a small business owner. Despite the exhaustion, the headaches, dealing with employees who flake out, and having days where everything seems to just go wrong, this individual is centered enough to express an attitude of joy and meaning.

John Ray: [00:03:54] I encourage you, and myself, as I speak these words – I’m more a student than a teacher, for sure – I encourage all of us to use this Thanksgiving season to reflect on adopting a practice of gratitude not only in our personal lives, but in the life of your business, as a strategy in your business. You might tap into a deeper vein of satisfaction with your business than you ever thought possible. Happy Thanksgiving.

John Ray: [00:04:27] I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of this series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com. Or if you’d like to send me a note directly, feel free, my email is john@johnray.co. Thank you for joining me.

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: business strategy, gratitude, ohn Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, solopreneurs, thankfulness, value, value pricing

Pricing and Self-Limiting Beliefs

October 31, 2022 by John Ray

Pricing and Self-Limiting Beliefs
North Fulton Studio
Pricing and Self-Limiting Beliefs
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Pricing and Self-Limiting Beliefs

Pricing and Self-Limiting Beliefs

One of the biggest problems solo and small firm professional services providers have with their pricing is self-limiting beliefs. What’s the solution? Value pricing.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello, I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. In my work, I find that the problems low and small firm professional services providers have with their pricing often starts with the narratives that they carry around internally.

John Ray: [00:00:18] Pricing for services providers is a very personal thing. When the factory floor is essentially between the years, it gets personal. You’re not pricing a can of green beans. You’re pricing yourself whether you’re a web designer, an accountant, or a consultant. Pricing yourself by pricing the service you produce draws that more emotions than just what’s on the surface. Services providers can be affected by self-limiting beliefs that are a result of the narratives which have been poured into their head, sometimes all the way back to childhood.

John Ray: [00:00:56] Here’s one example, “I’m not good enough.” Maybe you heard that from a parent or a teacher or some other adult authority figure in your childhood, and it’s shouting at you today. Maybe you’re even hearing it today from a spouse or some other person in your life that you listen to more than you should. You’ve internalized that messaging and it feels like it’s deep in your bones, because it is.

John Ray: [00:01:25] Then, while you have enough confidence to go ahead and start your business, you do so with the notion that you need to discount to attract clients. You’ll be able to put up your prices later, you think, when you’re “established”. Well, that strategy doesn’t work out the way you thought it would, and the business stalls out. You end up attracting clients who aren’t the best fit and you don’t know what to do. Maybe it gets to the point where you start blaming yourself and reinforcing the negative self-talk that was there to begin with.

John Ray: [00:02:02] So, what’s the solution? Well, I think it starts with value pricing. Value pricing is setting your price to capture just a small piece of the value that clients recognize for themselves and are therefore willing to pay for. Understand that value pricing has nothing to do with what you believe your service is worth. It’s not about you or what you consciously or subconsciously think. It’s about the client and their perception of the value of the outcomes you deliver.

John Ray: [00:02:34] One way to think about value pricing is that it allows you to evade and cancel out whatever self-talk hold you back. Shifting instead toward a client-based perspective on the worth of your services. That shift takes you from what you do to what the client needs, hopes, dreams about for themselves in their business and their family.

John Ray: [00:03:01] And then, if you and that client work together and bring about that lasting change, what’s the value of that transformation? When you price to receive just a small piece of that perceived value the client has visualized and agreed to, then you’ll invariably end up with better pricing for your service’s business. And your confidence changes because you’ve shifted toward allowing clients to determine your value instead of the voices in your head.

John Ray: [00:03:33] I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of this series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com. And I’d be honored if you’d subscribe to the show, you can find it on all the major podcast platforms. You can also email me, john@johnray.co. Thank you for joining me.

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: John Ray, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, self-limiting beliefs, solopreneurs, value, value pricing

The Problem with Value Propositions

October 25, 2022 by John Ray

The Problem with Value Propositions
North Fulton Studio
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The Problem with Value Propositions

The Problem with Value Propositions

Value propositions can be helpful in your business if you craft them correctly, and there’s only one right way. It involves talking to clients . . . repeatedly.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

TRANSCRIPT

John Ray: [00:00:00] Hello, I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. The term value proposition is generally credited to two McKinsey consultants, Michael J. Lanning and Edward G. Michaels. And they used the term in a 1988 paper entitled A Business is a Valued Delivery System. In the paper summary, Lanning and Michaels wrote, “A business is a system for superior value delivery. Choosing a superior value proposition and echoing it through the business system by providing it and communicating it. And managing this delivery is top management’s primary job.”

John Ray: [00:00:44] Well, how do you come up with a superior value proposition? Well, you talk to a customer, rinse, and repeat. And just keep doing that. If your value proposition is the product of sitting in a room with a whiteboard without any client interaction, all you have is your own opinion. Your value proposition is what you think, not what you know, from actual conversations that you could have had. Lots of money has been lost in business by not understanding the difference between think and know.

John Ray: [00:01:23] In their paper, Lanning and Michaels illustrate the point by pointing to IBM, who, at that time, dominated the business computer market. IBM did so with products generally deemed less advanced than the competition, yet IBM charged premium prices. Competitors explained this advantage as “superior marketing” coupled with a slick sales force who could talk customers into buying inferior products.

John Ray: [00:01:53] What Lanning and Michaels point out in their paper is that IBM was meeting the needs of customers at that time who valued reliability over the latest technology. IBM understood what clients valued and what they were willing to pay for that value. IBM understood that the value and a value proposition is the client perception of value. It wasn’t their perception of value.

John Ray: [00:02:22] If you simply internalize and run your practice based on the following two principles, you’ll not only have an effective value proposition, but you’ll be able to work through a lot of problems, including your pricing in your practice. Those two principles are (1) clients determine value, (2) a business is a value delivery system.

John Ray: [00:02:49] I’m John Ray on The Price and Value Journey. Past episodes of the series can be found at pricevaluejourney.com or on your favorite podcast app. And I’d be honored if you subscribe, if you haven’t already. And if you’d like to connect with me directly, you can send me an email, john@johnray.co. Thank you for joining me.

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional services providers are on:  building a services practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire and trying to do all that at pricing which reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line as well as the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray The Price and Value Journey
John Ray, Host of “The Price and Value Journey”

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their “grey matter,” such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Studio Owner, Producer, and Show Host with Business RadioX®, and works with business owners who want to do their own podcast. As a veteran B2B services provider, John’s special sauce is coaching B2B professionals to use a podcast to build relationships in a non-salesy way which translate into revenue.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio, Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Radio, Alpharetta Tech Talk, and Business Leaders Radio. house shows which feature a wide range of business leaders and companies. John has hosted and/or produced over 1,600 podcast episodes.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®:  LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tagged With: clients, customers, John Ray, Price and Value Journey, pricing, professional services, professional services providers, solopreneurs, value, value pricing, value proposition

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