Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business
In this post, we’re going to take a look at how to use reciprocity marketing in our business.
But before that, let’s take a look at what the word “reciprocity” means.
Reciprocity, taken from Wikipedia, means:
“The norm of reciprocity is the social expectation that people will respond to each other in kind-returning benefits for benefits…”
In simple English terms, it means that we, as human beings, have a tendency to respond to other people the same way how they treat us.
If Bob is kind and nice to you, you feel the need to be kind and nice to him. Barring some exceptional rare cases, it’s just human nature to react that way.
I say barring some exceptional cases because there are a few rare people out there who do not appreciate the kindness other people are showing them, and instead of returning the kindness back, they simply do nothing, or worse, they return back with ill intentions.
However, today’s post is about the former – which is to return one’s kindness back.
Let me give you an example of reciprocity in action in our everyday lives
Let’s say your birthday is around the corner, and today you accidentally meet your long-lost friend, John, whom you’ve never met in 10 years.
John still remembers your birthday, and on your birthday he gives you a birthday present.
What do you do?
If you’re like me or most people, you’ll most likely feel happy and have a sense of guilt at the same time. Happy because your friend still remembers your birthday even though you guys never met for 10 years. A sense of guilt because John has just given you a birthday present and you feel the need to reciprocate – you want to give John a present back to express your gratitude.
Reciprocity In Business
In our business, if we use the power of reciprocity correctly, we can attract more customers and hence make more sales as a result. The way to do this is to give away for FREE cool and high quality content that other people would normally charge.
Who do you give away to?
Your subscribers, prospects, customers, and blog readers.
Give away unconditionally and expect NOTHING in return. Even though deep down inside you’re expecting them to reciprocate by buying your products in the future, now is NOT the time to think about: “What can I get from these people? Will they buy my products?”
Trust me, just give away UNCONDITIONALLY and the rest will take care of itself and everything will come NATURALLY.
During the initial stages when you’re giving away cool, high quality content all the time, you’ll most likely not see any results. Your efforts will SEEMINGLY go to waste. But I promise you, your efforts will not go down the drain.
(…even if it were to go down the drain, you can still repurpose the content in other ways so your precious time and effort in creating that content will not be wasted)
Give it time and be patient
All your efforts will pay off in the future when you start to gain momentum. It’s just like a snowball going down the mountain – initially the snowball is small and moves at a moderate speed. As the snowball falls down the mountain slope, it picks up more snow and therefore falls faster. In the end, what started out as a small snowball turns into a GIANT snowball.
Your marketing efforts are the same. You need to give it time to pick up momentum. NEVER EVER expect instant results!
As a sidenote, the power of reciprocity can also be used “wrongly”. An example in the Internet marketing or Internet business world is where the marketing gurus scratch one another’s back by cross-promoting one another’s products.
I’ve talked about this before, which is called “Crazy Guru Promo Emails“.
Basically Guru A promote Guru B’s new product that has just launched on a massive scale; and the next time Guru A has a new product that is going to be released, Guru B will return the favor by promoting it.
Please note I’m not against promoting products. What I have a problem is these gurus promote products without even reviewing the product being promoted first – they just do it for one reason, and that is so that their next product can be promoted by the guru whose product they’re currently promoting.
So what’s the takeaway for today’s article?
Answer: Use reciprocity marketing in your business and give away for FREE high quality content that your competitors would normally charge. This will make your subscribers, prospects, customers, and blog readers feel indebted to you, which will in turn make it easier for you to ask something back from them in the future in the form of asking them to buy your products.
Let me know your thoughts and comments below…
34 Internet Marketing Reports
Enter your details below to get free access:
13 Responses to “Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business”
Selling to Zebras Blog » Blog Archive » Complex Sales and Selling Strategies, Sixth Edition – February 15, 2010 on February 27, 2010
[...] years experience helping companies start, grow, turn around and succeed.” Joe Revod presents Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business posted at Internet Business Make Money Online With Welly Mulia. Case Ernsting presents 3 Steps To [...]
work at home and earn online – February 14, 2010 on February 26, 2010
[...] money online can be done – find what works for you.” Joe Revod presents Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business posted at Internet Business Make Money Online With Welly Mulia. Joe Revod presents Business Tag [...]
Work from home, Make Money Online and Home Business Resources on February 14, 2010
work at home and earn online – January 25, 2010…
Welcome to the January 25, 2010 edition of work at home and earn online. The Smarter Wallet presents Online Tools For The Unintentional Entrepreneur posted at The Smarter Wallet. Alternate Income Paul Mc presents How to Quickly Build Your Own Work from…
Work at Home Part Time - February 12, 2010 | Making Money Freelance Writing on February 13, 2010
[...] at SecureMama, saying, “How to add Adsense to Blogspot blog” Joe Revod presents Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business posted at Internet Business Make Money Online With Welly [...]
Ermel Nolan Ngo on February 7, 2010
Hi Welly,
I just recently discovered who you are and what you are doing, and honestly, I learned more from you than any other ebook on internet marketing out there. It’s true what you say, do good things and good will come to you.
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Hot Posts: StrictlyOnlineBiz’s Top Blog Posts Of The Week on January 29, 2010
[...] need it or not. This in turn finally terminates in the dreaded "Information Overload".Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business by Welly MuliaInternet Marketing Product – Do You Really Need It? by Welly MuliaBlogspot Bloggers [...]
link wheels on January 18, 2010
I agree with you,the “Reciprocity” principle basically defines the human need and tendency to want to give something back when something is received.The strongest and longest lasting inter-personal relationships are based on the Principle of Reciprocity and this extends far into the best relationships between sellers and buyers.
a make money blogging carnival - January 15, 2010 : ===>> SuccessPart2.Com on January 15, 2010
[...] Revod presents Reciprocity Marketing – How To Use Reciprocity In Your Business posted at Internet Business Make Money Online With Welly [...]
Welly on January 13, 2010
@Patricia: You’re absolutely right, and thank you for following my emails and content. Glad you liked it
Best!
Welly
Patricia Christopher Aloysious on January 13, 2010
Hi Welly, I’m from Malaysia and I’ve been checking my mails from you lately and in fact following all contents and freebies with much interest.
Your blog on ‘reciprocity marketing’ has got my attention and I totally agree with you. It looks like, in this internet marketing world, we need to give first before we can ever expect anything. This is like the ‘Sower’ and his seed. Some fell onto rocks and withered. Some on good grounds but soon choked by creepers and thorns. Some fell on good grounds and produced crop in abundance.
I suppose it’s the same with marketing. We keep on doing what we set out to do not expecting anything at first, but build confidence in our members and it will eventually produce a good yield.
Keep up the good work. I have retweeted this blog so my followers can check it out. Regarding your four months course, I am very interested. Please don’t take it down soon. You have come up with a very reasonable price and I’m sure many will join and benefit from it.
All the best.
Patricia Christoper Aloysious
Welly on January 13, 2010
@Peter: Yes of course my 4 months GOLD coaching is open for enrollment.
If you’re on my list, you should have received my invitation.
Anyway, here’s the link again for my 4 months GOLD coaching:
http://www.GetProfitsFast.com
(hint: you also get $488 FREE Internet Marketing Gifts when you join my coaching program…)
See you on the inside!
Twitter Trackbacks for Reciprocity Marketing [welly-mulia.com] on Topsy.com on January 13, 2010
[...] Reciprocity Marketing welly-mulia.com/reciprocity-marketing-%E2%80%93-how-to-use-reciprocity-in-your-business – view page – cached How To Use Reciprocity Marketing In Your Business To Make More Sales [...]
peter mcgrath on January 12, 2010
hi Welly
its like the expression its better to give than receive i have done this in other things not intyernet marketing
and like you say you dont want anything back but secretly inside your self you hope the people who receive do at least acknowledge your generosity
another good post say are you still offering your 4 month training interested in it
cheers
peter mcgrath