It's not a question I came up with.
It comes from Dean Jackson.
Says Dean:
[...]
[wait for it...]
[gotta tease it a bit more...]
[I hope you will appreciate the significance of this simple statement...]
"What would you do if you only got paid if your client gets a result?"
This does not mean I work or sell stuff on commission only.
(Though that can be a good model.)
Still, thinking about only getting paid on results has been incredibly sobering to me.
Am I selling something where I ultimately don't expect anybody to get real-world value from it? If so, why am I selling it?
And vicey versy.
If I have to take a bet on my customer or client succeeding, what all would I do to help them succeed?
Beyond that, who would I even entertain working with or selling to, because I have a good hunch they will succeed, with or without my help?
It's maybe worth asking yourself these questions when you start thinking of your next offer.
(Btw the "result" in Dean's question above doesn't have to be major, ultimate outcome in your customer's or client's life. Even a small, concrete win can be valuable.)