FACT: In business, and life in general, doing what this title proposes is sure to lead you to attract long term recognition and success to yourself. I employ it in dealing with every person I encounter – both online, and off the web. I strive to do it no matter how brief our interaction is. And I continually reap useful progress as a result.

This article offers 2 ways you can do the same thing and reap similar or better rewards.

1. In Business – Give Potential Clients Value Even When They Have NOT Hired YOU

This can be hard to remember, and do. I say this from experience. But I urge you to invest time and effort in doing it. Believe me, it works!

When searching for buyers for your products and services, do NOT focus on what you want (You’ve heard – or read – that before I’m sure!).

Instead, actively explore ways to immediately add value to prospective clients – using what you know, or can do.

Specific example: I always give practical ready-to-use ideas on web marketing to potential clients during discussions or meetings we have. I even create marketing resources (e.g. downloadable PDF they can give away to capture subscribers, or generate leads).

There is magic in this. Psychological magic.

It makes you look bigger in their eyes, because you come across as having so much that you confidently and readily give free samples without fear of loss.

They’ll often be impressed by your willingness to give of yourself in that manner. And that can actually attract or influence them to buy your products or services, or tell other about you.

But even if no apparent benefits seem forthcoming, do it anyway.

It will pay off eventually.

2. In General Life – Add Tangible Value to Others Even If You Have NOTHING to Gain

If you’re like me, with a passion for what you do, your personal and work life are probably difficult to separate

But all the same, distinctions exist. Sometimes you’ll have to relate with people you do not consider potential buyers of whatever you sell.

Always realize that everything you do still links back to building credibility for yourself. So, explore non-manipulative strategies to turn others into your raving fans and advocates.

We all know that people generally prefer to buy from persons they know – and trust.

By aiming to leave everyone you meet better off than when you found them, you effectively build a reliable store of goodwill for yourself.

Sooner or later, you will harvest the rewards – sometimes including positive gains in your business.

One Specific Example (A True Story)

Years ago, while working in a large multinational, I used my spreadsheet programming skills to create an automated MS-Excel-VB driven application, for use by a senior colleague in the engineering function.

It enabled him produce his complex graph based engineering reports within minutes, instead of the hours it normally took him.

I did it without his asking, while off duty from shift brewing.

Some years later, I quit the company to become self-employed. Among other services, I offered spreadsheet programming services to potential company clients.

One day I got a lengthy email from this former colleague. He had moved to a well known multinational oil service company in a top position.

He wrote asking me how much it would cost to build, for him, a similar application to the one I’d built back when we worked together.

In that email, he wrote something as follows (not exact words):

“Tayo…I know you can help me with this because I’ve seen your Midas touches from when we were together in (company name)”.

NB: If I had not used my skills to add value to him years before, it’s unlikely he would have developed this deep level of trust and confidence in my capabilities.

We eventually had two meetings and followed up with emails and phone calls. Although he was eventually unable to get funding to pay the fee I quoted, it was still a useful experience for me.

This was because our discussions had given me an insider view, of areas in which I could add value to companies in the market place.

I went on to use that knowledge in winning projects from 2 medium sized hospitals later on.

Final Words (Watch Out for Wolves!)

What I’m recommending in this piece is simple.

Aim to get even people who DO NOT buy from you, to be grateful or glad that they met you. You can do this using abilities (or knowledge) you have, that can be of use to them.

Make doing this a habit, and many good people will love having you around. They will sometimes even go out of their way to help you, should the opportunity to do so arise.

Be careful however. Don’t let yourself get exploited while doing this. There are always wolves out there!

It may take some work, but for best results, you MUST learn to use your gut level instinct to identify WHO to offer yourself to in this way.

Not all those you meet will be sincere. Some insincere people will try to exploit your “generosity” to get you to work for them without (decent) pay.

The truth is however that such people will rarely be hard to detect – especially if YOU are sincere.

Just pay attention to your sixth sense. Listen carefully to YOUR FEELINGS, and you’ll know!