- Not "what do you want?"
- Not "what are your requirements?"
- But what must change in your business for this project to be worth doing?
The simple question to ask at the start of each new project
The question: What business outcome must this deliver?
Watch what happens when you ask it:
Client: I need a website for our startup launch.
You: What business outcome must this deliver?
Client: We need £40-50k in pre-launch sales within 4 months.
Stop. This is no longer a £5k website project.
This is a £10k business investment.Here's why: £10k to generate £45k is a 350% ROI. That's not a cost, it's a no-brainer investment.
When you know the outcome, everything changes:
- You price against value, not time
- You measure success by their metrics, not yours
- You become a partner in their success, not a vendor of their requirements
- You're ready to transform, not just tinker
- They retain you because you delivered business results, not just design files
The alternative? The story we all know too well:
Jordan never asked about outcomes. He took requirements, delivered exactly what was requested, accommodated scope creep without adjusting price, delivered late, and never heard from the client again. He charged £5k and lost £1.5k after calculating real costs.
The math is honest but brutal:
- Charged: £5k
- Real cost: £5.5k
- Result: Lost money, late delivery, no future work
If it resonates, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
