Be Helpful | The Power of Reciprocity in Marketing

I was conned by a sweet old lady.

In broad daylight. 

There I was, wandering down Tottenham Court Road on a sunny afternoon, when a tiny, elderly woman appeared out of nowhere and pushed a book into my hands.

I was in a rush. I did not have time to stop. But now I was holding this book.

I tried to hand it back with a polite, No, thank you.

But she was savvy. 

She held her hands up, shook her head and said, It’s a gift.

I felt bad. This seemingly harmless stranger had given me something for nothing. I felt indebted. I felt uncomfortable. I didn’t feel able to move on until I’d given her something back.

It’s human nature to feel this way. 

Unless you’re a sociopath, whenever someone gives you something, you’ll feel compelled to reciprocate, to settle the debt. We are social creatures after all, and doing right by the tribe is ingrained in us.

So, naturally, before I’d even had a chance to think about it, the words fell out of my mouth.

Well, at least let me give you something for it.

I was literally asking to pay for a book I didn’t want. 

She gestured to the table behind her bearing the logo for an organisation I’d never heard of. Some people like to give donations, she said.

I opened my purse to see some notes staring back at me. I asked her how much people normally donate.

She didn’t miss a beat. £20, she said.

I handed over a £20 note in support of an organisation I knew nothing about, and I walked away with a book I had no use for. 

I still have that book.

But why am I telling you this?

Because reciprocity is a real thing in marketing.  

Dr Robert Cialdini talks about it in his quite famous marketing book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. When people receive something, even if it’s just something small, they feel compelled to return the favour. 

Now, I’m not for a minute suggesting that you find a harmless-looking elderly woman and get her to stand on a street corner forcing your product into the hands of passers-by. 

And I’m definitely not suggesting you use the reciprocity principle to manipulate people (even if you can square it with your conscience, you’re not likely to get repeat customers).

But I would suggest that you think about where you can provide value in your content marketing.

Things like…

Your Blogs

Do your blogs offer real insights? Are you giving people stuff they can take away and put into action?

Like this one from Mouthy Marketing. It delivers on the promise of its headline and gives the reader clear, actionable things they can do straight away. For free.

I don’t know about you, but this also makes me like them, and it gives me the impression that, as a marketing agency, they know what they’re doing.

Your Socials

Do your social posts include helpful tips and insights?

You might think that the stuff you know is obvious. But it’s not obvious to everyone, especially the people who are looking for a service like yours. I guarantee you there’s low-hanging expertise knocking around your head that will flick lightbulbs on for your potential clients.  

And it’s not just about reciprocity.

Posts that provide this kind of value also build trust and credibility. They give people a little taste of what you could do for them.

Think of it this way, when people see your posts, you want them to stop scrolling because they think, Ooh! These posts are always useful!

Newsletter & Website

Are you offering real insights in your newsletter, or just sharing company news? (Nobody cares about company news unless it means something for them, remember?)

You know that one newsletter you get that you always stop to read? The one that, no matter how hectic your day, you know it will be useful and you’ll be seriously missing out if you don’t read it?

In a bursting inbox, be that email.

It’ll improve your open rates and trigger the reciprocity principle.

I signed up for a newsletter about a year ago, and I find it so helpful that I send business their way every chance I get. I mean, I like them, they clearly know their stuff, but I also feel like I’m settling some cosmic debt every time I recommend them. 

And as for your website, people love it when you offer free resources there.

It’s helpful, it makes you stand out, and it’s nice.

Fact is, you never know when or where your seeds will start to sprout.

These are just a few ways you can make sure you’re weaving value into your content marketing. But you don’t have to limit yourself, the principle of reciprocity is something to bear in mind throughout your marketing strategy.

It’s also generally how networking works. An introduction, a referral, or even a supportive conversation can go a very, very long way.

Because we want to help those who help us.

Like I said, it’s human nature, and it’s not a bad thing.

So, be useful. Always.

Leesa x

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