Reciprocity
Everyone has his or her thing. Everyone is excited, energized, and dedicated to something. In a way, this fact is at the heart of business. We, the entrepreneurs, provide people with what they like in exchange for money. But that is not the only way to do business.
I have mentioned before that my first business, a game store, received a great deal of invaluable assistance from perspective customers, long before our doors even opened. We had a contractor, and architect, and a dozen volunteer workers helping us strip and remodel our store site in exchange for nothing more than a few pizzas and hamburgers and the promise that our store would become a second home for them.
Not every tool is for sale. Not every resource comes from a government agency. Some of the most invaluable assistance any business can receive is from its customers. Whether it is construction expertise, or web design work, or database management, I promise you that one of your customers is in possession of a skill you need. Offer them a discount, a freebie, or even just a smile and a handshake; the chances are you will receive their help.
If your business is successful, your customers will like you. If your customers like you, they are willing to help. More than willing, in all likelihood, they are looking for ways to help. Do everything you can to present them with opportunities to utilize their special skills on your behalf, and you will endear yourself more deeply to them even as you save big bucks on specialized improvements to your business’s assets.
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