I recently decided I’m not above bribing my clients.
A bribe is a kind of guarantee. And, like bribes, guarantees often introduce an element of distrust:
“If you don’t like it, I’ll give you your money back.”
It’s not terribly confidence-inspiring. Most consultants don’t have the luxury of offering money-back guarantees, anyway. So, they feel stymied by things like value-based pricing. How can you demonstrate value while inspiring clients to follow through on their end without a guarantee? Doesn’t the lack of a guarantee render the term “value” arbitrary and meaningless?
How do you reduce perceived risk while also protecting yourself?
Guarantees don’t have to require giving someone their money back.
They don’t even need to be guarantees at all, as long as they establish trust and reduce the client’s perceived risk—without putting you at too much risk.
Here’s one idea. What if we made guarantees positive, prize-winning events instead?
Instead of accepting total responsibility for your client’s business, why not give them a reason to take ownership and to follow through on their commitments—by giving them a nice bonus?
You do your work, client follows through on their end of the plan, and if they demonstrate consistent follow-through, they receive a fat cash prize.
It inspires them to believe in themselves. It makes you look good because you now have a success story. It makes giving them money a delight.
And it motivates them to really, really want to follow through. Yes, because they love their business and the people they serve and they truly want to make a contribution. But also for the cold, hard cash.
Now that’s a bribe I can believe in. You?
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18 Comments
How does that work? I’d like to learn more! I think this could be helpful with some of my clients.
Bridget´s last blog ..Find Bootsy
Bridget, that’s the part I’m still working out for my own business, as I had this epiphany over the weekend.
It’s all linked to this secret, one-on-one thing I want to do in exotic locations like Utah. That sounds bad, doesn’t it? Anyway, eventually I’ll announce it, and when I do, that’s when I’ll be able to tell you exactly how I worked through the details. Right now, it’s an idea I’m excited about. I thought I’d release it into the wild.
I like you, and I like exotic locations like Utah.
I like this! I can totally see how it would work, at least for something where there are actual things on their end that you can see are done. Not entirely sure how it would work for things where you can’t actually “see” the work they’ve done, but it’s still very intriguing to think about.
Elizabeth, that is intriguing. What happens if the work you do is extremely internal, and when each client is so different? Maybe their measurable action is just to write about feelings. Every time they write about how they’re feeling and what they’re noticing, they get points? Kind of like when I had to journal and my teacher never read it, just wanted to make sure I was doing it? Hmm, very interesting to think about. I, for one, would appreciate knowing I could just send you a rambling email about my feelings, and that was all included, and I’d actually get a REWARD. And you weren’t expected to respond. Some people love that stuff.
That idea feels both intriguing and brilliant at once! For the past several months, I’ve been feeling that I need to rethink one big part of my business. I’m totally adding “brainstorming ways I could apply this idea” to the list of things I want to consider – and I’ll do so after a good Shiva Nata session!
Josiane´s last blog ..Not totally random hair story
Oooh, let me know if you’re in SLC; I’ll buy you coffee or a drink!
Ooh I love this idea Kelly! It’s definitely something I can see working out in the health coaching world too… I mean, it’s hard enough taking action when we are trying to “not be bad” (for our health) so this seems like a logical way to bring people to a safe place to experiment and take action.
You = the smartnesses!
Nathalie Lussier´s last blog ..7 Tips for Eating Healthy On The Road (Or in the Air)
Hey Sweets!
I know you’re building something neato around this idea, so I’m not asking for hints before it’s born, but, uh, who the hell is giving away this cash-ola?! Not me, right?!
As a gal in kinda-sorta a similar position (not field) as you (owner/operator/1-on-1-er in a creative field where we can’t control what the client does with our training/output, etc.), I can imagine only a few ways your idea of rewarding the client’s behavior might work for me (on first glance):
a] Since I get paid in advance, I’d have them pay my fee AND a percentage over (which I hold in ‘escrow’), with a range to chose from with inspiring names/reason, like 10% over is the “Did It! Bonus” —
So that once they did all (or a set amount) of the Next Steps I gave them, they’re report back to me (I’d make a chart they’d track with) and upon verification (or trust, whatever) I’d send them back their 10% “Did It! Bonus.”
Maybe with a little cross-promo seasonal/otherwise appropriate treat from a partnering/sponsoring firm… like, say, a “Certificate for a *free 15 minute consult* with Copylicious for your copywriting needs” or whatever…
Just riffing, but maybe —
b] I build an informal team of, say, 12 clients who don’t know each other (my biz is strictly confidential) but they can opt in to be grouped with others on their level of goal, skill, dream, whatever —
and each of them antes up a fixed sum, like $20, held in ‘escrow’ –
and the first to prove they’ve reached the target goal that each client on that ‘team’ is after wins the pot (or shares it with the Silver and Bronze goal-getters… $240? Not bad! And inspires better efforts if they want to ante up and try again…
Hmmm… Hmmm…
I might just be a genius.
(For coming here to get inspired by YOU. Miss you, chica!)
Thanks Kelly…
(LOVE what Sarah and you have done with your site, just as great to look at and navigate as it is to read… how have I lived without an email sub to it?! Remedying ASAP!)
Your pal,
~GirlPie
@TheGirlPie´s last blog ..TheGirlPie: @blondechicken My new software biz: a compelling text link appears (tweet or site); clicked, a screen: "Offline Time~!" & drops connection!
Two thoughts:
I love long, rambling emails. So fun to read. Your idea is extremely helpful. I was thinking that if I ever decided to teach reiki, I want to do it in a way that lets people feel like they can keep coming back for questions and sessions as they need support for a while afterwards. Because that is what I needed. And maybe instead of money, I could offer sessions as a guarantee. Thank you! I am making a note of this.
But your post + @TheGirlPie’s comment reminded me of something sort of related. When I switched car insurance to amica, they had this thing where you could pay a certain percentage extra every month (might have been 10%) and then at the end of the year, you’d get money back. I can’t remember exactly how it worked, it might have been based on profits, but you wound up getting more than the amount you paid back. I didn’t sign up for some odd reason, and I have never signed up since because they’d have to send me new forms and I am lazy to request them, but I LOVED the idea. I think about it every time my contract comes up for renewal and get excited yet again about what a good idea it is and how much I love it. Anyway, I thought it was sort of an example, even if I would not exactly be doing steps to get the guarantee.
Love this idea because it is so steeped in the positive!
I have read more than my share of parenting books – because my kids completely baffle me – but it’s clear from research and my own slice of experience that humans are more apt to modify their behavior when they get positive reinforcement.
Negative consequences not only don’t work well, they infuse all of this negativity into your life/mind/feelings.
I can’t wait to read about what happens with this cash-bonus experiment!
Josiane, you could even add a special “shave your hair off” client bonus!
Beth! I forgot I knew someone in Utah! I’m absolutely calling you next time I go skiing. Would you be open to hot chocolate? Or maybe you’d be willing to sponsor me for something more adventurous.
Nathalie, this could totally work for you. Raw food with a prize inside. Let me know what happens!
GirlPie, as usual, riffing off into uncharted territories of brilliance. Escrow! But of course. So smart. And I love the certificate idea. Cross-promotions. Wow. Yes yes yes. And the informal team! This puts some (non-bite-y) teeth into the whole mastermind concept. Love it!
Elizabeth, wow, please let me know if you try this out and how it goes. I can’t imagine anyone who works with you NOT wanting to send you emails about their feelings. There’s this sense of trust about you, like I could email you anything, and you’d never make a judgment about it.
Jacquelyn, something about the image of what your kids must be doing to baffle you makes me smile. They’re so lucky to have you as their baffled yet curious mother.
I was raised on bribes…something about this concept that I really love. Trying to figure out the details in my mind (gears grinding, ideas flying)
You’re such a good inspiring rule-breaker Kelly. You’re my online breath of fresh air- will let you know what bribing might look like for my IntuitiveBody clients- inspiration always a really good thing when you’re dealing with trying to stop overeating.
Love and every blessing-
Lisa
http://www.IntuitiveBody.com
Breaking The Spell of Overeating
Go get the new ebook (f+r+e+e)
Another quick thought to share- Lately I have been rewarding my best clients with monthly gifts. I’ve bought copies of my favorite books to share, purchased sessions with healers that I love for them, and given my custom flower essence blends to support them during our work. None of these is crazy-expensive, but as acts of goodwill and love, they are always appreciated. I no longer do those big packages that include all the extras up front- would rather “reward” people at will to keep them connected and inspired. And it feels really good to be to be generous and give these kinds of gifts.
Not bribes, obviously, but rewards for being good clients and longevity, that come in unexpected ways. Am loving this practice and plan to continue as there is no downside.
xox
Lisa
http://www.IntuitiveBody.com
Breaking The Spell of Oveating
Plus really good gifts for beloved clients!
I like this very much indeed! It sounds to me like it could be totally positive for both you AND the client.
Plus, I love the new look for the site!
Lucy Viret´s last blog ..Why Doctor Who made me cry this week.
This bonus sounds like a discount to me. Why not do some risk reversal and guarantee your work/program?
Work until they are happy. Just offering to do that adds value immediately.
Jeremy Dent´s last blog ..Advancing the Story Social media insights for journalists
Lisa, monthly gifts are so cool. I’ve never worked with anyone who gave me personal monthly gifts; that would make me feel extraordinarily special and cared for, which is exactly the feeling you give them anyway.
Lucy, thanks indeed! It’s been up since January but I probably shouldn’t tell you that. You can have site launch amnesty, since I never actually announced it to anyone.
Jeremy, I think a lot about what it’s worth to me and to my clients to actually get results, and what I’ve realized is the work I do alone and for someone isn’t going to do nearly as much if they’re not taking the right steps, too. So, if results make them happy, and the way in which they get results is by taking action, it isn’t reassuring to either of us for me to work until they’re happy. Most people are actually afraid THEY or their team won’t follow through, that somewhere along the line they’ll get stuck. Also, if I can’t give back 10% or so of my fees to a client who’s doing it right, then my rates are too low.
Kelly Parkinson´s last blog ..A bribe you can believe in
Dude. I love the idea of changing up how guarantees work.
There’s a lot of smartness in giving your client some motivation to really make this thing work, instead of just saying it didn’t and asking for their moolah back.
That’s kind of a lose/lose deal.
You lose out on the moolah and your client also loses out on the awesome.
I feel some wheels turning here. Hmmm.
Fabeku Fatunmise´s last blog ..You are not their stories either
Fabeku, let the wheels turn and the drums drum. I could see the prize arriving in a special, ninja-inspired, top-secret, stealth envelope.
Kelly Parkinson´s last blog ..A bribe you can believe in