The more persuasive you are with your marketing materials, the more successful you’ll be at growing your audience, attracting new customers, and making sure your business is profitable. 

When it comes to harnessing the power of persuasion, there are six principles that you must master. In this post, we’re going to take a deep dive into one of the most important principles: Reciprocity. 

What Is Reciprocity?

Think about the last time someone did something nice for you. Afterward, did you feel compelled to do something nice for that person in return? Of course! It’s human nature to want to reciprocate when someone shows you kindness or generosity. 

According to the principle of reciprocity, when a brand does something for its customers, those customers are more likely to do something for the brand. Because they received something of value, they’ll often feel obligated to take action and show appreciation for that value.

How to Use Reciprocity in Marketing Content

Generally speaking, the best way to harness the principle of reciprocity when marketing your business is to provide access to free content. 

Giving generously without expecting anything in return will help you develop strong relationships with your audience. It also encourages them to reciprocate by buying your products, sharing your content, or any other action that helps to move your business in the right direction.

The following are some actionable tips you can implement to make the principle of reciprocity work for you:

• Create and give away high-quality free content (blog posts, guides, eBooks, etc.)
• Repurpose old content and convert it into a nicer format to repackage it as a free gift (such as PDF people can download when they sign up for your email list)
• Promote your free content on social media to encourage people to utilize it

Speaking of social media, this is another helpful reciprocity tool. The more you give away on social media, the more people will be inclined to actually purchase additional products or services from you. 

For example, let’s say you’re a personal trainer who offers virtual training packages. You can utilize the principle of reciprocity by posting free workouts on your social media pages or sharing tips and tricks on a regular basis. You can also host live Q&A sessions or lead a free virtual fitness class each week. 

When you give all of this away and foster strong relationships, you’ll have an easier time converting followers into clients since they’ll want to reciprocate your generosity. 

‘Tis The Season For Giving

Start giving generously to your audience today. You’ll be surprised by how many people will generously give back to you and help your business.