Wins above replacement

It’s baseball season in America — which is one of the hallmarks that ushers in spring.

If you’re a baseball fan, then you’ve probably heard of the statistic “Wins Above Replacement” (or “WAR” for short). If not, WAR is a statistical metric used to quantify a player’s contribution to the team compared to that of a replacement-level player.

Essentially it helps measure the value that player adds above and beyond what an average player would provide.

A phenomenal player might have a WAR of 8 for the season — meaning that the team would win 8 more games with them than they would with someone else filling their spot.

It’s a fascinating statistic — not for its complex calculations, but for its ability to capture the essence of value in a single figure… and I think we could borrow this concept for our agencies.

Like baseball players — where there are over 5,000 minor league players looking to get on a major league roster — there are plenty of agencies and freelancers to go around. Not only do our clients have plenty of choices, they are bombarded with solicitations and ads aiming to persuade them to leave us for greener pastures and lower prices.

If you think about it, it’s our WAR that brings clients in and keeps them around. It’s the things we’re doing that the average agency wouldn’t that make us the more attractive option. The higher our WAR, the more clients we’ll attract, the longer they’ll stick around, and the more we can charge.

While we may not be stepping up to the plate to face a 100mph fastball, our clients have a knack for throwing us some curveballs that keep us on our toes.

So how do we ensure a positive WAR for our agency?

It looks different for every agency, but here are 3 things I’m prioritizing in Q2 to make myself less replaceable:

1. Embracing my role as a coach. Assuming the role of a teacher is an extremely effective way to build authority and trust. You don’t even need to be the world’s foremost expert on a given subject, just one step ahead of where your clients are.
2. Narrowing down my playbook. Instead of trying to compete at every position, I’m going to hone in on the things I do best. By specializing there are naturally less “replacement-level” options.
3. Illuminating the scoreboard. Do our clients even realize half of what we do for them? If not, it’s like leaving some of our best statistics out of our WAR score.

If you’ve made it to the point where you have a reliable business that pays the bills (and maybe even has a little left over), you don’t have to take big swings every time you’re up to bat. In baseball — and in business — the best players are the ones who are consistent, smart, and are focused on contributing to the team’s success.

Which parts of your game do you think are contributing best to your WAR, and where do you think you have the most room for improvement?