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| What's Your Value-Add? (hint: everyone knows but you)
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| Tuesday, November 28, 2006 |
This is a trick question. Your value-add has little to do with how you think others value you. It has everything to do with how others actually do value you.
How do you determine your true value-add? Be fearless and ask people. I like to leave the word value out. So I say to colleagues and clients, "What can you always count on me for?" Their answer is my value-add.
Why is awareness of your value-add important?
My marketplace, branding and website design, is crammed full of competition. Because I understand my value-add, I have the opportunity to shine -- to stand apart from my competitors -- when meeting new clients. While my skill set is vital to gaining new work, my professional value-add is just as vital.
Toss the word strengths out the window. It is no longer interesting. If a new client says to you, "We're looking at several firms for this project. What's unique about yours?" You can answer powerfully by saying:
My clients can always count on me to:
- Take an idea and make it fully realized
- Craft originality and distinction
- Prioritize thoughtfully and make the right trade-offs
- Stay 12-18 months ahead of the trend curve
- Deliver on time
Make what is hidden realized
Ways in which colleagues and clients count on you is also sometimes hidden from you. This is because these traits are core, instinctive and often overlooked by the beholder. What people count on you for are your most compelling traits. Don't let them go unseen by yourself.
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Posted by Colleen |
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