ZZ Top was coming to the area. Having seen ZZ Top in California the previous June, I knew first hand that their concerts were well worth attending. What do you know?, I wasn't the only one with that point of view.

Dallas buzzed with the news, and it quickly became clear that the only way to ensure a decent ticket was to be waiting at the box office when it opened the following week.

So I got together with my friends and, after a considerable amount of discussion, we determined that we should be in line the day before. We divided up the coverage and took a shift out on the hotter 'n hades sidewalk.

But it was worth it. When the next day rolled around, we had seats to one of the hottest shows of the year.

Let's think about it. I rearranged my busy schedule, drove to Austin; I stood outside for two hours in the blazing heat; I paid a lot of money for the ticket, (at the time). And, I couldn't have been happier. I felt fortunate for the opportunity.

And my point? If you ask me, ZZ Top is the model for all of us who sell a professional service.

We don't want to do work we hate with people we don't like. We don't want to feel pressed to constantly defend our fees. We don't want to cross our fingers, hoping someone will pick us out of the pile of people who offer the same services we offer.

No. We want to be ZZ Top.

We want clients waiting in line for the doors to open; rearranging their schedules to see us; and bragging to their friends that they scored a ticket to see our show.

So what do you do? Here are some things to mull over:
Only do work that you're exceptionally good at. I know it's tempting to take anything you can get, especially when you need the money. But that blurs your focus and the mediocre result waters down your reputation.

Ever met anyone who attended a lousy ZZ Top show? Me neither. That's because they don't perform other genres they might get away with in the name of earning a little more money. They do what they do, well.
Don't copy your peers. It's fine to check out the competition, but if you mimic them, all you do is blend in, not stand out.

We want to stand out. We want to set up our respective practices in a way that if we don't do the work, there's no alternative that’s reasonable. ZZ Top doesn't have an understudy ...  you get them, or there's no show.

Prospective clients who see you as the only option are less inclined to shop around, less inclined to negotiate the price and nearly always happier in the end.
Trade in the 'employee' mindset. Most people in most jobs know that if they leave, there are 100 others who can step in and do the work. That's for those who receive a weekly paycheck.

However, if you expect someone to wait in the hot sun and be happy before and after they write a check, you need to believe in yourself. People who hire you are not doing you a favor - they're exchanging their money for the value that only you can provide.

So stop talking, writing and behaving like an out of work employee hoping for the next break. Be the world class rock star and the prospects will start believing it too.