The Value of Things!
“We value most what we struggle for.”
– Unknown
This dates back to 2002!
I had just gotten into a job that wasn’t paying me enough to even take care of my daily expenses.
And I was carrying the responsibility of sending some money back home – my brothers were still studying, dad was struggling after he lost his job and we had a home loan on an incomplete house, that had defaulted payments for more than 6 months, and the possibility of being driven out of it by the lending bank.
I was not short of motivation to make extra money.
It was at this point that I first entered the world of “making money on the Internet”.
And I read blogs, watched videos, and whatnot.
But nothing seemed to be giving me the information that I so much wanted – “how to make money on the internet”.
That’s when I came across this ebook being sold online. The cost was $67.00.
The exchange rate then was around Rs.50 for a dollar. So that meant that I would have to shell out about Rs.3,000 for the book.
And for somebody earning about double that a month, it wasn’t going to be easy.
But I had no choice.
I had to do that.
And that $67, that I spent then taught me more than I had learned (not just about internet marketing but much more than that. I will keep that for some other day) through my entire school and college.
Now, let me tell you the truth!
There was nothing in that book that wasn’t already out there online, in all of those blogs that I read and the videos I watched.
Yet, that book proved to be the best thing I came across!
Why?
That is called “Input bias”.
It is that same thing that made me value the same clothing I bought on that XYZ apparel website for Rs.5,000, more than the one I bought on that other ABC website for Rs.1,000.
I cherished the first one more because I associated satisfaction and dearness with the amount that I paid. For me, “expensive” meant “better”, though there probably was nothing “better” in it.
Have you ever noticed that when you invest your time, effort, or even a piece of your soul into something, you cherish it more?
That’s the essence of input bias—a psychological phenomenon that links effort to value.
It’s the secret sauce that can transform casual listeners into dedicated fans.
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Input bias thrives on the principle that the more effort someone invests in obtaining something, the more they’ll value it.
It’s the reason why that rare collectible or a hard-earned achievement feels incredibly precious.
As content creators, you can harness this concept to hook your audience and make your content resonate deeply.
So, how can you use input bias to captivate your audience?
Here are some tips to incorporate this powerful principle into your podcasting and content creation journey:
- In-Depth Research: Invest time in thorough research before creating your content. Go deep into your topic to find valuable insights.
- Quality Production: Put effort into the quality of your content, from audio production to video editing. A polished presentation enhances perceived value.
- Interactive Content: Engage your audience by asking questions, conducting polls, or encouraging comments. When they actively participate, they’re investing in your content.
- Exclusive Access: Offer exclusive content or early access to your most dedicated followers. This special privilege enhances their sense of investment.
- Challenges and Contests: Organize challenges or contests related to your content. The effort participants put in enhances their connection to your brand.
- Learning Journeys: Craft content that takes your audience on a learning journey. As they progress, they’ll feel a growing sense of accomplishment and value.
A few weeks back I published a simple post that started with this sentence – “I spent 23 days talking to 50-plus podcasters who quit podcasting to understand the reason why they quit and here are the results for you”.
That single post got me more than 30,000 views across different social media channels.
Do you know why?
Input bias!
Telling your audience the amount of effort you put in increases the value of what you are providing.
I learned this from Mark Rober who does it so nicely, especially in his YouTube video about the “egg drop from Space”.
Input bias is not about making things needlessly difficult.
It’s about inviting your audience to invest their time, attention, and engagement willingly.
When they recognize the effort you’ve put into your content, they’ll find even more value in what you provide.
So what next?
Go out there and use this in your content. And do tell me about your thoughts!
I put in about 18 hours to create this newsletter, starting from researching to writing and editing it.
So, If you enjoyed reading this Newsletter, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could recommend it to others. You can send them to https://theloudspeakeronline.com to subscribe to it for FREE!
Found on the internet
Here’s what I found on the internet this week.
If you are a content creator then you need to hear this.
This piece of advice from Sahil Bloom is GOLD, PURE GOLD!
Do you know what is the simple secret of all of these top creators in the world?
“SHOWING UP”.
That’s it!
There is a lot of myth around Niches and “niching down”. And there is a lot of advice floating around.
I have had multiple people talking to me about how narrow their niche is and why they think they should broaden it. But the truth is that a narrower niche is always an advantage if you know how to take advantage of it.
Talking of niches, this tweet grabbed my attention this week. I am sure you too will love it. And don’t forget to read some of the comments on the tweet. They are even more valuable.
What am I reading?
This week I am continuing with my last book.
The year seems to be a little too taxing. Missed goals, stringent timelines and some challenging projects have all meant that I need to realign my priorities.
And one of the things that got sacrificed the most is my reading time.
I am still with the book that I started about 3 weeks back.
So my book recommendation continues to be the same this week. You can check it out here!
From the Podcast
This is a section I am adding from this week after I got a few emails from readers who were there on both my newsletter list and my podcast subscribers list.
They wanted to hear about my latest episodes as well in the newsletter.
So here it is.
Last week I released an episode that I have been working on for more than 30 days.
It was about the top 8 mistakes that I found podcasters make, which led to a pod fade.
I am sure you would be surprised to hear a few of them.
So, do give it a listen in here, and do let me know your thoughts!
That’s it for this week!
Do let me know your thoughts, feedback, and opinions about this newsletter.
