The Three Levels of Value

My experience working with fast-growth companies has taught me that there are three levels of value that a company can provide:

Level one occurs when you provide people with the knowledge of ‘what’ needs to be done.

Level two occurs when you provide the knowledge of ‘how’ to do it.

Level three (execution) occurs when whatever needs to get done actually gets done.

Level one is all about diagnosis. Today, too many companies hold back level one value, fearing that if prospects know what needs to be done, they’ll go out an try to do it themselves or to do it cheaper. The reverse is actually true. Give the ‘what’ away. The more people know what to do, the more value your company’s knowledge of ‘how’ to do it becomes.

When prospects don’t know the 'what', they self diagnose; and when that happens, you are, and should be, just a commodity. So, stop “protecting’ your intellectual capital so fiercely. Start giving it away and fast growth is yours.