Hello, my friend! I’m so thrilled to have you here with me for this special episode of the Shamelessly Ambitious Podcast. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the concept of reciprocity and its incredible power. If you’re not familiar with the term reciprocity, don’t worry — I’ll break it down for you. 😉 Reciprocity is all about giving and receiving.
To give and receive is a cycle of mutual exchange that we often overlook in our businesses and, let’s be real, our personal lives, too. So, let’s have an honest conversation about how we sometimes expect things without offering anything in return.
We can relate reciprocity to marriage… Haha, what a fun topic, am I right?
Have you ever caught yourself wanting your partner to fulfill your needs without communicating them clearly or even openly? OR, without fulfilling their needs? In your business, are you constantly asking for people to buy your products or services without considering what you can give them first?
In my marriage, I’ve experimented with being extra loving and flirty, initiating sexy time, and surprising my husband with small gestures of kindness like making his lunch for work. && let me tell ya, the results were phenomenal! But why? Because when I gave first, I received so much more in return. It’s a beautiful dynamic that can be applied to our businesses as well.
When you offer something of value without any expectation of immediate return, especially monetary return, magic happens. Think of this in terms of lead magnets, freebies, or giveaways — these are opportunities to give before asking for anything in return. It shows your audience that you genuinely care about their needs and builds trust, making them more likely to engage with your products or services.
Let’s be real, we’re human so we often have hidden expectations when we give. Like when I’m feeling up on my husband, I’m cleaaarrlly wanting something in return. But, whether it’s in our personal or professional lives, we hope for reciprocity. However, something that has helped me is shifting my mentality to genuinely enjoying serving others which has made a huge difference. Do I appreciate the extra love & attention I get from Jake when I give to him first? Yes, but I also genuinely love to make him happy and I know that words of affirmation and acts of service help with that. Another example: This entire podcast! I share *free* information, week after week, without expecting anything in return because I genuinely want to provide value and a positive impact on your life.
Connecting this conversation to the last episode, episode 112, when we combine vulnerability with reciprocity it becomes a very powerful strategy and the key to a successful business. Once upon a time, I was a life coach and I was just talking with a client, who, very similar to me, was a therapist turned life coach. I was explaining to her that the work she does requires so much vulnerability from her clients, but why would they feel safe enough to share their struggles if she wasn’t being vulnerable first?
You ought to be willing to give first.
Since living in our new neighborhood and home, we’ve had plenty of sales people knock at the door asking us to buy their services. It’s been so frequent that now I’m checked out of the conversation before they even begin their pitch, but this time was different.
A guy showed up at my door, offering to give us security cameras for our new home. He explained that I could use them privately with no strings attached or consider using them alongside his service for additional benefits. His approach was a game-changer. Instead of feeling annoyed by the typical sales pitch, I was genuinely interested because he had given first without expecting anything in return. Since I felt genuinely served by this man, of course I’m going to invest in him because he approached me with the idea of giving first. Yes, he probably hoped that I’d invest in his services at some point, but he gave initially with no intention of instant reward.
In my business, we have made this idea a fundamental part of our strategy. Whether it’s through Pinterest, YouTube Shorts, this podcast, or the weekly emails we send out, we offer a tremendous amount of free content. && this has played a massive role in the success of my business because people see that I am willing to give without them having to invest in me first.
So, my friend, I encourage you to take a close and vulnerable look at the reciprocity you’re creating in your life and business.
Are you asking for things without giving first?
Are you seeking something from your audience without offering value in return?
True connection and success are born from the art of giving and receiving. Give a little bit of yourself and your expertise and watch the incredible results unfold. Trust me, this will change everything.
