Do you ever wonder with all the free information available on line and other places, why on earth anyone would invest with you?
As an entrepreneur who makes their living off of your expertise, I understand how scary that can be.
After all, who can beat free?
I’d like to share a personal experience that will really drive home why free isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Recently at an event during open networking, I mentioned to a group of the attendees that I was looking for a referral for a very specialized service I needed in my business.
One of the attendees mentioned that for a small monthly fee, ($25) her business has an umbrella service and the specific service I needed would then be “absolutely free”.
Awesome right? Wrong! That was the last thing I wanted to hear.
I needed a specialist.
My business is international and it’s time for me to take my business to other locations, and countries in person, not just virtually. So I am starting the process of obtaining the necessary permits. I was looking for a referral for a specialized attorney.
In my corporate days when I was a VP of Human Resources, many of us would share stories, and I know what can go wrong when a work permit application is not properly done.
From being turned away at the border, to being permanently denied entry for life into a country, never mind potential for arrest, it can be pretty scary! Thankfully none of the applicants that I oversaw had those problems, because we used a specialized attorney .
So when I heard free, what I also heard was “Jail. Denied Entry. Banned for Life”. And yes I admit my thought process was a tad dramatic, however at the end of the day, this service that I need is a pivotal growth factor in my business. And in no way was I prepared to hand over my future, my business, my growth potential to something “Free”.
I thanked the lady who offered it, as she really was trying to be helpful, and explained what I really need is a specialist.
Free Can Be Scary
As great as free sounds, the truth is when we hear “free” we generally don’t tend to associate expert advice, or great quality, or new, or really anything of value. Sure it’s something that can fill a need, but from Wifi, to memberships, to expert advice, to all kinds of goods and services, if we get the “Free” version, there generally isn’t an expectation of quality, specialization, or attention to detail.
After all, what do you expect for ‘free’?
What about free online info?
There definitely is a lot of free information on line. And in my case, yes, all the information I need is likely found on a Google Search and a few hours. But, I’m still not an expert, and Google can’t execute it for me.
I need a specialist. However the good news is that with all the “free” information I have found so far on line, I now know a couple of things:
1. What can go wrong, and why I need a specialist
2. What exactly it is I need to look for when I hire a specialist.
It’s the same for your potential clients. They may poke around the internet looking for free information, however this usually is the start of their journey to solve their problem. And while they may find some initial answers, if it’s not a subject they are an expert in, most people aren’t able to fully solve their own problem.
So with what they find for “free”, they can educate themselves, on what they need, why they need it and what to look for, and what questions to ask. So in that way “free” information is actually quite helpful to you.
Learn to take advantage of free
I teach my clients how to provide enough “free” information to get people’s attention and to solve some of their problems but not all of them. I encourage you to do the same. This way you are able to show some value and build trust with potential clients who are in their initial stages of research. And when they are ready to move from “free” to “specialized help” you will be top of mind.
You get what you give
I always like to say that the opening you give through is the opening you will receive through. I encourage you to value expert services and to not look for “free”. As when you value the expertise in others, you will also value it in yourself.
And when you value it in yourself, you can position yourself to be a sought out expert and leader, and will be able to charge what you are worth, confidently, with ease and never have to worry about what is out there “for free”.
Nafissa Shireen
With 25 years' experience leading 6-figure to 9-figure companies, she strategically partners with entrepreneurs to help them focus on sustainable & scalable business growth, so they can create a highly profitable and luxurious business and life.
Passionate about helping women earn what they are worth and build their wealth, so that they can realize all of their dreams and desires. She brings together her vast business knowledge with the deep inner work needed to help entrepreneurs identify blocks, step out of fear and overwhelm, raise their wealth consciousness, and move forward towards their goals with measurable, tangible results.
She is a featured Expert and regular contributing author for Today’s Innovative Woman Magazine, and is profiled in Canada’s 2014/2015 Distinctive Women Magazine
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