How would YOU solve my problem?

I was having an inspiring conversation with some collaborators earlier today and it made me think about a major issue with the concept of "creating proposals".

First, let me explain why I use the quotation marks above.

The Practice of Proposals

Now, creating a proposal is a common practice; to win new business, to secure funding, to launch/expand a project, to gain internal approval, etc. I won't pretend I haven't created my fair share in my time.

But there's something very sneaky lurking behind the scenes...a single question:

How would YOU solve my problem?

The question, by nature, is focused on OUTSOURCING.

On believing that, somehow, the answer lies OUTSIDE of you.

Entire business models have been based on this assumption. Consulting firms (yes, including the big ones). Trainers and Coaches. Legal and Accounting (and other areas with specific expertise which, yes, includes Marketers). Recruitment. IT services. Oh, and let's not forget the business process frameworks strutting around like they're the answer to every question (sorry, Agile). Online courses. Research & advisory. Template libraries. Licensing & franchising.

Yup...ALL of them centered around how YOU don't know what to do, but I do. So I'll just come in and do it for you.

It's the Amazon-midset again. You order it, and it gets delivered two days later.

A proposal? It's the manifestation of the answer to that question.

What I would do for you.

And it doesn't have anything to do with YOu doing something for you.

Or the other people in your organization.

But our internal process is to go looking for someone OUTSIDE to fix OUR problems...

See the misalignment here?

My proposal is MY way of fixing YOUR problems. Usually, problems I'm not very clear on, because you're asking me for a proposal without giving me any relevant data.

And we think that's going to lead to success?

Here's where I would like to offer a re-frame...

What WE Could Do

In the header image for this article, I use the phrase "co-creation" as the opposite of proposal.

Because it's not about MY ideas.

It's about OUR ideas.

It's about me coming in as an expert in what I'm an expert in.

And YOU coming in as an expert in YOUR business.

And the activity of creating something NEW. Something that never existed before.

Something that I NEVER could have put in a proposal.

Because it's from US. Not ME.

But we get so caught up in the process that we forget whether or not that process can even POSSIBLY deliver on what we need.

Your business. Your people. Your issues. Your industry. This time frame.

That combination? It's NEVER existed before.

No ONE person has the key to unlock it.

But WE do.

A Shift to Co-Creation

So, how can we start to include ourselves as meaningful pieces of the puzzle.

First; value YOUR contribution.

Let's use Marketing as an example, which is something I know more about than a lot of other people. I bring that knowledge to EVERY conversation I have; business or otherwise. I may not access it in all moments, but the knowledge is there—in my brain—at all times.

You have that too. Maybe in Marketing, maybe in something else.

But it's something valuable none-the-less.

Second; value MY contribution.

I've had clients that, while they hire me for my Marketing expertise, already "know" what they "need" to do for marketing, and are really just looking for someone to execute things.

Sorry, but that's NOT a demonstration of valuing my contribution.

That's you thinking you know better; which may meet the requirements of the first contribution, but will also be where collaboration goes to die.

Believe in the hidden value of US.

Now this one is really the key component.

You can value yourself, and me. But if you don't believe that WE can create something that's BETTER than either of us on our own, then we won't.

Not because it's not possible.

But because the belief is what turns on the value hose.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone where you—together—came up with a completely new idea? I know most of my Peeps have 😉

Usually, it's because we haven't put too much pressure on creating something.

And then...there it is. The answer. The solution. The way forward.

Not because we had already defined the definition.

But because we careted space for it to come into being 💖

A Note on Idea Ownership

When I worked in client services, it was always my goal to have my clients OWN an idea. Because when someone owns an idea, they bring a level of belief and commitment to it that doesn't exist when you're just doing what someone else told you to do.

My ideas? When presented to a client?

Just someone else's idea.

But OUR idea? Owned by the client?

Now that's the foundation on which someone can meaningfully act.

When we collaborate, neither of us individually own the idea.

WE own the idea.

And WE can then go and do things. And more meaningful things at that.

I think in our day and age of trademarks and patents, people got so concerned about one person—or company—owning an idea that our ideation ability died. And we stopped going to do things that were meaningful. For our people and for the business.

But truly new ideas come from a collision of existing ideas, shared in a new way. With energy.

A combustion of sorts.

It's a FEELING that's only generated in collaboration.

And that proposal? It's not doing 👆THAT 👆

So What?

So, sure. You can go get a bunch of strangers, who you don't care about at all, to create a proposal for you. And you can assess them, and choose the cheapest one.

OR...

What if, you could find your people, get into a conversation with them, and CREATE something? It's definitely FASTER. Maybe not easier (until you have the skills). Possibly more expensive (from a direct fund transfer perspective). But it also...

SOLVES YOUR PROBLEM.

For real.

And, to throw in some Marketing advice? You'll stand out from the crowd.

Always good 😊

So, whether you're selling services, products, projects, packages, programs, or anything else that tends to get transacted via a proposal (including collaborations, which boggles my mind), what if you tried having a simple conversation first?

A conversation not about how I can solve your problem...

But about how WE can solve OUR problems.

After all...sharing is caring 😉

And caring is what leads to REAL transformation 🎉

And if you need a sherpa to guide you on the journey of using Marketing to generate those kinds of conversations, let's chat ✨