Pay what you want
In a number of cases I work with Pay What You Want / Retrospective Valuation (Waardebepaling Achteraf) in close consultation with the client.
Pay What You Want???
An important part of my work is providing strategic advice. I help organizations achieve their objectives. My advice is based on education, knowledge, experience, intuition and analytical skills. But for new or potential clients it is difficult to estimate whether I can add anything to the way in which they achieve their objectives. An acquisition conversation alone doesn’t say much; but as soon as we get substantive, the sharing of my knowledge and skills also starts. There is also a time aspect involved, but advice on whether or not to do something, for example, can be worth much more than the hour in which I give it. To break this chicken-egg situation, I work on the basis of Retrospective Valuation or Pay What You Want (PWYW.)
What is Retrospective Valuation?
The dominant reward construct of Western society is exchanging time for money. This probably started somewhere in the middle ages as a replacement for piece wages and is therefore based on working with your hands. But knowledge work is not so easily captured in piecework and ‘exchanging time for money’. With retrospective valuation, you determine afterwards what my advice is worth to you in euros / pounds / dollars.
How does PWYW work?
No later than two days after our contact, you will send me an email, text message or Whatsapp informing me of the amount our interaction was worth to you. I will then send an invoice with VAT, which you then pay within 30 days.
So you work for free?
I’d rather not. Although that may be the outcome of the PWYW model. Equally good friends, but if you find my contribution worth (almost) nothing, it is only logical that there will be no follow-up cooperation.
Do you do all your work with PWYW?
No; for longer-term assignments and cooperation, we agree on a price in advance. This also applies to assignments that involve travel abroad. Performing as chairman, moderator or speaker at conferences, study days, etc. always carries a pricetag. If there is money for PR, room rental, lighting, sound, lunch and drinks afterwards.then there certainly should be budget available for those who provide the content.
Actually, I just prefer to know where we stand
I do understand. In that case please contact me and we will agree on a price. Organizations that need to request budget for everything in advance , usually don’t know how to deal with the PWYW model. They ‘simply’ receive a quote upon request. But for the rest: why not experiment?
