Are you using the rule of reciprocity? I ran across this topic not too long ago, and it got me to thinking about how this rule applies to marketing and PR.
Much of what we PR people do is based upon this rule. Do something for someone else and they will turn around and do something of equal or greater value for you.
I've written about this before in a series of posts about networking and gaining new business.
Friend Brent Dees owns Focus Four, a three-year curriculum to teach business owners how to work on their business and not in their business. In the Focus Four class, Brent teaches you how to utilize this rule most effectively. Says Brent,
"You should identify the people who can do the most to assist you in reaching your personal and business goals and then find out what they are trying to achieve. Once you know this, your efforts should be directed toward helping them reach their goals. This is smart business and good public relations."
Remember, you do it because you want to help them. Expect nothing in return from them. But guess what? They always return the favor a hundredfold. That's how to put reciprocity on steroids.
How are you using this rule in your business or your life?