What Does Money Mean In Your Business?

January 6th, 2010

Raise your hand if you get a little jittery when the subject of how much you charge comes up with a potential client.

Ah yes, if only we could give our services away for free and still magically earn a good living, everything would be so much easier, wouldn’t it?

But such is not to be and I’ll tell you why (WARNING: I’m going to get a little woo-woo right about now) – money is a metaphor both for value and for our connection with Spirit. And since your business is the best darn channel for personal growth known to man, this whole money thing can’t be glossed over.

The crux of the problem is, somewhere along the way we developed this crazy notion that money is a bad thing, and that because our natural passions and abilities come easy to us, it’s wrong to profit from them.

It’s no surprise in a culture that teaches us to separate making money from being a good and spiritual person, that we would have some schizophrenic tendencies when it comes time to value our gifts.

On a pragmatic level, that means we often feel uncomfortable, and do silly things (like avoiding the subject, hesitating over the amount or giving unnecessary discounts), when we talk with potential clients about hiring us.

I’ve got a client who used to get totally blown off track when someone would ask what she charged. The question always felt like a surprise (even though she knew it was coming) and usually got asked early on in the conversation, before she’d had a chance to establish value.

Because she felt awkward, her discomfort got communicated to her prospective client and the conversation often didn’t go the way she wanted it to.

Here’s a handy script I taught her, and you can use too when the situation arises:

PROSPECTIVE CLIENT: “So how much do you charge?”

CONFIDENT MARKETER (that’s you): “It’s a great question and I’m happy to share that. I’ll tell you though - I’ve found that before we talk about the investment, it’s important to determine what result you’re looking to achieve. So, may I ask you a few questions first?”

Your response acknowledges the merit of their question without letting it distract you from the proper sequence of this kind of conversation. It allows you to take the lead, and gives you the opportunity to explore their situation and uncover the value of working with you so they can put the investment price into an appropriate perspective.

Bottom Line, Money Is Just a Symbol

The Universe brought you here, with your particular gifts, talents and skills, to fulfill a purpose. The money you make is a measure of the transformation you’re bringing to the world. You can also see it as a measure of the strength of your relationship with Spirit.

Then talking about money becomes a joy!

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Entry Filed under: Articles, Heart-based Selling Tips