19. August 2020
What Sex Workers Teach Us About Value – von Tim Clark
Bei meinem Workshop „Businesschancen entdecken“ (ab Herbst am WIFI St.Pölten) wird es auch darum gehen, den Wert Ihres Angebots zu hinterfragen. Dass „Wertangebot“ nicht zwangsläufig mit der Leistung oder Aktivität ident ist, zeigt diese wunderbare Geschichte von Tim Clark, dem Founder von Business Model You – der Methode, mit der wir hauptsächlich arbeiten werden.
| „Here in Portland, Oregon (motto: “Keep Portland weird!”), we have plenty of kinky sex enthusiasts and professionals who serve them. And as it turns out, there’s a lot the sex industry can teach us about our value — the benefits we offer customers through our work. Before my wife gives me the evil eye, let me explain. A local publication once featured an interview with a professional sex worker who specializes in kinky encounters — let’s call her Joanne. What exactly do your customers pay for? the interviewer asked. Readers, let’s see a show of hands: How many of you immediately thought “kinky sex”? That seems logical enough. Kinky sex is clearly differentiated from, well, regular sex. So, is Joanne’s value proposition “kinky sex”? The answer is no. Joanne went on to explain that most people think her customers are strange, crazy, or even criminal. In short, most people consider them socially unacceptable. Consequently, says Joanne, her customers are often secretive and ashamed. But Joanne herself does not consider her customers strange, crazy, or criminal. She accepts them for who they are. “My customers don’t pay for sex,” she said. “They pay for acceptance.” Joanne’s insight into the benefit she provides clients highlights three key facts about value: |
| 1. Activity differs from Value Many of us mistake activity for value. That’s why we’re quick to describe kinky sex as value rather than as an activity. Activity creates value, but it is separate from value itself. Use the Personal Business Model Canvas to clarify the difference between the two in your own work. 2. Activity is tangible, value is not Activity can be seen — it’s tangible. But value is almost always intangible. That’s because value resides within the customer’s mind, in the form of an experience or memory or emotion. 3. Value is tough to identify Joanne shows us that a value proposition can be tough to identify — and usually is. Note how quickly we assumed that “kinky sex“ was her value proposition. But kinky sex is fundamentally different from acceptance. Identifying value is a challenging task that requires plenty of prospect and/or customer feedback. |
| You might wonder, Why should we be so nitpicky about value? Because as professionals, value defines specific benefits we provide customers through our work. And to sell a benefit, we must communicate it. To communicate it, we must define it. And to define it, we must identify and understand it. Joanne the sex worker understands the value she provides brilliantly. How well do we understand our own?„ |
Wenn auch Sie an Ihrem Wertangebot arbeiten wollen, haben Sie dazu zu folgenden Terminen Gelegenheit:
12.11. – 13.11.
12.12. – 13.12.
12.03. – 13.03.
10.06 -11.06.