September 26, 2016
The Helicopter Option
Regrettably, it’s not uncommon for me to be faced with a particular problem:
“How should I get home from Boston?”
When I travel, I almost always fly out of my local airport in Providence but - air travel being what it is - every once in a while I end up returning to the Boston airport which is about 50 miles north of where I live.
When this happens, I need to figure out how to get home. The range of possible options that come to mind are the following:
- Walk (Free)
- Taxi ($250)
- Limo ($250)
- Bus ($25)
- Commuter Rail ($11.50)
- Express Train ($65)
- Helicopter ($2500)
So why don’t I just walk home? It’s the cheapest option, right?
Because it would suck, that’s why.
Each of these options provide a completely different experience, with different pros and cons, and prices that range from $0 to $2500.
For example:
- Some are luxurious, some are utilitarian.
- Some are shared with other passengers, some are not.
- Some seem safe, others not so much.
- Some are available around the clock, some are not.
- Some are available on demand, some are not.
- Some need to be scheduled far in advance, some do not.
- Some take hours, some take minutes.
- Some have a predictable duration, some do not.
- Some are offer door-to-door service, some do not.
My final choice in any given situation will depend on:
- The weather (raining, snowing, sunny)
- The time of day
- How much of a rush I’m in
- If I need to make a stop on the way
- My general mood
- etc…
What I’m getting at here is this:
Price is just one of many factors a buyer considers when making a buying decision.
All else being equal, a buyer will choose the option with the lowest price - but all else is never equal.
Software development is a high-touch, service oriented profession. We’re not exactly selling sneakers to the mass market.
There are dozens of factors that can come into play in a given professional relationship: experience, speed, quality, attitude, personality, communication style, world-view, and believe it or not, sometimes even race, religion, and politics.
Expose your clients to what makes you unique. This could be expertise in a particular skill, or it could be a background with a particular audience, or it could be your mission in life.
Whatever it is, let them know about it and you’ll start to attract ideal buyers who aren’t making a buying decision solely on price.
Yours,
—J
P.S. Have I mentioned that hourly billing is nuts lately? ;-)