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Section:: Miscellaneous Articles < Archives > |
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Give A Little, Get A Lot No doubt you've heard the saying, "What goes around comes around". We usually utter it in less than positive situations. Say, for example, you've circled the mall parking lot 467 times around Christmas-time and finally find a space only to have some jerk zip in, steal it, and flash a smile at you oblivious to the fact that he's sent your blood pressure skyrocketing. You grit your teeth and hiss under your breath, "What goes around comes around", all the while consoling yourself by entertaining a little fantasy of some appropriate "punishment" that's in store for him - maybe the pigeons' favorite hangout is directly above the pilfered parking space. The idea being that since he did something bad to you, he'll eventually get his just deserts. But why go through life with that negative outlook? The concept can just as easily be viewed in a positive light. If you do something nice for someone else, you've got good things in store for you. You can employ this principle when promoting your site as well. One of the best ways to gain customers for your business is to provide a free service or volunteer your time. You may be thinking, "Wait a second...I'm not giving ANYTHING away for free. I'm in business to make money." True enough, but what you may not realize is that by extending yourself in this way, you're cultivating a bond between you and the prospective customer that is very likely to pay off in a sale at some point down the road. I cannot tell you the number of customers I've acquired that way. I've had folks I've helped out on message boards or via email contact me weeks or months later and tell me, "You helped me out with a problem I had a few months back and now I need a banner designed and I remembered that you're in that line of work". I know there have been countless times you've emailed a company only to be ignored or, worse yet, treated rudely when you simply wanted the answer to a question. On the other hand, I'll bet you can remember those people who took the time to help you or encourage you in your efforts, too. Which ones are you going to give your hard-earned cash to when it comes time to purchase the product/service they're offering? There are several ways you can get into favor with potential customers:
I hope you don't misconstrue the message of this article. I'm not trying to be cynical and suggest that you help people out solely to get something in return. That's not right and you're not always going to see a material benefit from your efforts. You can, however, feel good about helping someone out when they're in need of assistance. I very much remember a few years ago when I was just starting out. I emailed Jim Daniels of BizWeb2000 with a question. I was totally shocked when he actually sent me a nice, friendly reply. After all, this is one of the "biggies" of Internet marketing. He was - and still is - one of my role models and I figured he wouldn't give a newbie the time of day, but he did and I've been more than happy ever since to send any business his way that I can in return for the favor. You have the potential to inspire this kind of loyalty in folks by doing the same for them. So, the next time you get one of "those" emails or see a newbie who needs help on a message board, take the time to respond and assist them in solving their problem. Who knows? They might just turn out to be one of your best customers in the future. If not, you can feel happy knowing you've done your good deed for the day. About the Author Jennifer Johnson owns jBanner.com. She specializes in providing high-quality banner design at a price small and home-based business owners can afford. All articles published on EthanCote.com are copyrighted by their respective author. They are not to be taken without the consent of the author. |
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