Why giving is so important to me & how to make it work for you!
A marketing guide by Jim Connolly
In this article, I am going to explain how you can increase your sales, increase your client or customer retention and become the best-connected person in town – all through the simple act of ‘giving’!
The most frequently asked question I receive is a version of the following;
“Why do you give so much valuable information away for free?"
Like most people in marketing, I used to market my services in the 'traditional' way. I would tell businesspeople how I can massively boost their profits and make their business vastly more profitable and valuable. I would write to prospective clients with my ‘pitch’ and include testimonials from people who had already seen amazing results after working with me. I would then arrange to meet with these prospective clients and ‘sell’ my services to them. This system worked very well, I made a lot of money and I managed to become extremely successful.
However, there was still something missing!
In 2002 I had an idea that was to transform my life forever!
I decided to stop marketing my services in the traditional way. Instead, I decided to give stacks of extremely valuable information away for fee to everyone who wanted it.
You see, I already knew that my unique approach to sales and marketing got results. So, I decided that the best way to let as many people as possible know about the quality of my work, was to give them the chance to see it for themselves; 100% totally free of charge and with no strings attached! That's why the jimconnolly.com website was developed; as a way to stacks of valuable, free sales and marketing information to as many small business owners and salespeople as possible.
Today, I am proud to say that over 90% of everything I produce is literally ‘given’ away for free. Paradoxically, as a direct result of giving so much away, I have never been more successful; personally, professionally or financially.
How come?
Back when I used to market my services in the traditional way, the only businesses that ‘knew’ of me and the quality of my work were those I had already worked with. Others may have heard about my ability to get results, but they had no idea about the quality or value of my work – they never knew me or my work in the same way that you do, for example.
Because the readers of my newsletter are such amazing and motivated people, they have forwarded it to their contacts and friends and as a result, they have allowed me to reach thousands of people with each edition.
So today, instead of several hundred businesses knowing about Jim Connolly and what I do, literally millions of people spanning over 50 countries are aware of me and my work. As a result, I no longer have to sell or market my services to anyone. When one of my readers wants help marketing their business, they join my 12-Month Marketing Program. After all - why would you risk bringing someone else in when you already know the quality of my work and can work with me directly?
The great irony is that my commitment to giving has generated a great deal of business for me and THIS IS WHERE YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS CAN BENEFIT!
So, how can ‘giving’ help YOU and YOUR business?
Firstly, we have to understand that it is not just about giving – it’s about giving something that has a genuine value attached to it. The old, “free initial consultation” type offer is tired and ineffective. Because everyone offers a free initial consultation, no one expects to pay for it, so there is actually zero value attached to it as a free gift. Think ceatively and offer something of real value.
In my example, I have chosen to give away sales, marketing and business development information that is not available elsewhere for free. In fact, many of my readers have been now cancelled subscriptions to pay-per-month online marketing services, because of the stacks of powerful information they get from me for free - that's REAL value!
‘Giving’ - Your way to increased profits
The first place to look if you want to benefit from giving, is to regularly give something that your existing clients or customers (from here on referred to as clients) will value. This can be something as simple as passing them a copy of the jimconnolly.com newsletter or sending them an atricle from this website. (There's a box at the bottom of each article where you can forward it on to someone in seconds!)
Alternatively, you may notice something in the newspaper or trade press that applies to them or their company – if so, cut it out and post it to them with a brief note explaining that you thought they might find it interesting or useful. This kind of giving costs peanuts but shows clients that you care about them and that you are interested in helping them and their business. This is also a great way to foster closer links with them and encourage their continued loyalty.
The fastest way to improve your profitability is to reduce the number of clients your business looses, whilst increasing the number of purchases they make, the regularity of their purchases and the value of those purchases! This approach, if used with a little creativity, will help you in all four areas!
‘Giving’ - Your way to extra clients and increased sales
If you are looking to win new clients by ‘giving’, you need to find an inexpensive way to deliver something of value to prospective clients. So, rather than just write the standard type of marketing letter to 5000 people, you could write to just 150 targeted people with some free advice that can help them save money or make money or improve their productivity; based on the products or services you offer! This kind of investment in helping them will set you apart from your competitors and make it massively easier for you to differentiate yourself from the pack.
Don’t expect to see immediate results, just focus on giving as much value as possible and developing your reputation with them as a problem solver. After all, everyone in business is a problem solver – regardless of what our job title is. When prospective clients view you as the person to come to for answers, your ‘phone and inbox will see the results! I recommend that you call the person after you have sent them four lots of free material – just to ensure that they have received it and to check if you can be of any assistance to them. What a great way to prospect for new clients!
‘Giving’ - To become the best connected person in town
How useful would it be if you were to have connections with the 50 most influential buyers and business leaders in your town or city? Well, if you follow the process I am about to share with you, you can have just that!
In the above example, we targeted 50 prospects and sent them something of value as a way to develop a supplier / buyer relationship. In this example, we do something similar. Like in the previous example, get the contact details of the 50 (or 100 if you are really keen) most influential buyers or business leaders in your region. However, unlike the previous example, take just one or two contacts each week and invest a little time finding out about them, their business and their industry.
What problems are facing them? Find out and then think creatively about how you can help them solve these problems. Next, write to them and introduce yourself; letting them know that you would like to speak with them about how you can help them with whatever problem they or their industry are experiencing. The more pressing their problem, the keener they will be to speak with you.
As I mentioned earlier, you are a problem solver by profession – so it is perfectly natural for you to want to help this person solve their most pressing problems. Make sure that you let the people you write to know that you ‘specialise’ in helping people like them (via whatever it is you do). People hate problems and thus are extremely attracted to those who can help eliminate problems.
When I was a kid, I was taught that it was better to give than to receive. What no one explained to me back then was that it was also infinitely more profitable too!
More people have read and recommended this guide than any other guide on this website. To forward it to your friends and contacts in seconds, use the box below.
To your success,
Jim Connolly
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