What does it mean by Reciprocity?
When you think of reciprocity, think of it as mutual exchange. In the blogging world you can say that it’s an exchange of value, whether it be getting exposures, shares, or monetary value.
You want to be able to have more of a push and pull effect.
It relates to your ethics in terms of blogging etiquette.
But the real question would be how are you correlating reciprocity into your online marketing plan?
There are many bloggers/online marketers that use Pareto’s Principle of the 80/20 Rule as pushing out valuable content 80% of the time, and writing about their products/services 20% of the time. This is a great way to attract more traffic back to your blog.
So why is it that those that follow this routine do not get the traffic they need in order to build a great reputation as well as other positive results? This was something I was going through, and there’s many of you that are going through the same thing despite implementing the 80/20 rule.
So what seems to be the problem?
Well there may be some important actions that you’re leaving out of your marketing plan. Sometimes it’s not enough to just showcase your content and I’m going to dive into what could possible be missing within your marketing plan.
“To me, it really seems visible today that ethics is not something exterior to the economy, which, as technical matter, could function on its own; rather, ethics is an interior principle of the economy itself, which cannot function if it does not take account of the human values of solidarity and reciprocal responsibility.” ~ Pop Benedict XVI
When I think of having a marketing plan, I ask how am I connecting with others and how will I attract others?
Is this something you think about or are you more focus in promoting valuable content?
We keep saying “Content is King” or “Publish valuable content”, but what may be great and valuable content to you may not be so to your audience.
Here’s something you want to think about?
How will you keep an ongoing currency exchange between you and your target audience?
And I’m not just talking about Money. I’m talking the exchange of what both you and your target audience deem as valuable.
When you can come up with an Online Marketing Plan where there is constant exchange going, then you have a legit plan.
Despite all the tools and strategies there are out there, it wouldn’t be enough for you or your audience if no one is really getting anything out of it.
So let’s see how we can come up with a simple, but yet powerful marketing plan that generates constant reciprocation that will help your reputation and catapult your success.
Start With Connecting With Genuine People In Similar Niches
First you want to start off with connecting with genuine people.
When you’re able to connect with others that reciprocate the same or similar value that you give, then these are the type of people that are keepers.
Now some of you may have a hard time in finding these types of people.
You keep running into people that usually have an agenda to make money off of you. Yes, there are a lot of them out there, but if you keep attracting them, then maybe there’s something about you that need to change.
Besides that, you want to be cautious and have a set profile of who you really want to connect with.
It does take a good judge of character when it comes to finding these types of people. But you definitely want to compare them to the profile you created.
If it matches great
But how do you come up with a profile?
Easy! Make sure that your “perfect person” is the same or similar to the person you are.
Speak The Language Your Audience Desires
We all talk about putting out value when it comes to our target audience, but why is it that some can get more responses than others who share the same valuable information?
Well there’s quite a few factors behind this!
But one solution to this problem that I find intriguing is using NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) tactics
If you don’t know, NLP is a way of how we communicate with ourselves and others through the use of different words in their context and sentence structure to produce a certain behavior.
For example, when I use the word down, I can use it in 3 different sentences and yet it’ll produce 3 different reactions.
I don’t like when you talk down to me.
Can you go down the street to the corner store to pick up a bottle of milk?
I’m down for whatever you want to do this weekend.
As you can see, there’s three different sentences with different contexts but yet they use the same word to produce different responses.
Commenting and Mentioning Others Create Great Reciprocation
The one invention that I benefit from now are mentions.
Why?
Because whenever I share their blog posts on social media, I make sure I write a little something about it as well as mention their names.
As a result, not only do they respond and thank me, but also many of them will come back to my blog and do the exact same thing I did.
Can you see the power of the reciprocation here?
We both benefit from each other! Not only do we add our comments to each other’s post, but also we get social proof when we share each other’s post to our audience.
Here are great bloggers who mentioned me, liked my fan page and tagged me on Facebook of a post I did.
Also here’s mentions, shares, +1’s and adds I’ve gotten from google+
When it comes to branding, then comments are a great way to market yourself for reciprocation.
You and me both love being able to get comments on our blog posts. It’s definitely a social signal that search engines recognize, and it just makes us feel good, right?
Here’s some examples of intriguing comments I’ve gotten from some fabulous bloggers who also receive a lot of awesome ones themselves.
Imagine if you were getting comment’s like this and mentions all the time? What will that do for your blog?
Make Sure Your Social Media Profiles Reflect Who You Are And What You Do
We heard it time and time again!
Get people to know like and trust you
But how many of you are putting yourself out there for people to do this?
Yes, I know, you want to network, and talk with people everyday, and yes, you do want to follow’s Pareto’s 80/20 Rule where 80% of your content shared is on value and 20% of it is promotions on your products/services.
Your audience see’s that you’re working hard to deliver valuable content to them.
But one thing I noticed is that many people who are working at this level are still not getting the results that they want. Is this you?
Well here’s the thing? People like to investigate, and you are the one that they like to investigate.
This is why it’s good to set up your Social Media Profile to give your audience another great reason to get to know, like and trust you.
One thing I like to do is create a flow of people going to my profile file and back to my blog.
There’s 4 things I have in my profile
1. I give them a summary of who I am
2. I share how I can help them
3. Leave a link to my blog or website
4. Let people know about my email list as well as ebooks, training, etc…
5. Ask questions to find out more about my visitors
Here’s a piece of my own “About You” Profile on Facebook that may give you some ideas.
Killing A Bunch Of Birds With One Stone With Opportunity Requests
The one good thing about marketing reciprocity is that you’ll start to attract more opportunities to you.
And I’m not talking about the type of opportunities where people see your name on social media and present you with their business opportunity without getting to know you.
We’ve all been through this.
I’m talk about the opportunities where everyone benefits.
The fact that I’ve been meeting genuine people and promoting their content allowed for them to present opportunities such as Guest and Roundup Posts.
If you get asked by anyone who present these types of opportunities, then apparently you are doing something right!
If not, then you definitely want to look at how you’re branding yourself, and if you’re not being of value to others, then you’ll need to make some adjustments.
But once you have the currency going between you and other bloggers, then you are more than likely to attract these opportunities.
Once you take them on, then you will be able to double the exposure of yourself, your blog, and what you promote.
All it takes is a bit of etiquette reciprocation and you’re good to go!
Now What’s Missing In Your Marketing Plan?
When I think of marketing I think of it as “Give and Attract”.
Whatever you give tends to attract those things that are on a similar level.
If you don’t like what you’re getting back in your marketing campaign, then there is something that you’re not doing or something that you are doing that’s holding you back.
So how can you solve this?
Well I’ll give you 4 questions that I ask myself from time to time that may give you some ideas:
How are you attracting other bloggers to you?
How are you attracting influencers?
Why would others want to connect with you?
What are you doing to reach out to other bloggers?
After answering these questions, see if what you’re doing is enough to really fulfill the answers that you came up with.
You probably need to do more of what your doing, you may need to cut some of your activities out, or maybe you need to work smarter and take advantage of untapped portions of your marketing.
In Conclusion
We can put out what we consider as “valuable” continuously, but if there’s no reciprocity that comes back from what we put out, then the big question is are we coming out as of value to others?
Would it be wise to help others get what they want in order to get what we want?
Well when it comes to marketing, publishing and promoting valuable content is just one part of the marketing equation.
You want to be able to practice WIIFM in this case which is What’s In It For Me?
People want to know why they should help and promote you if you’re not willing to do the same for them.
This is why marketing reciprocation is so important!
Two important factors that comes out of marketing reciprocation is that everyone Builds a great reputation and get social proof!
So with that said, lets make sure we all collaborate together so that we all can win!
Now It’s Your Turn
So how is your marketing?
Are you just pushing out your content and opportunities instead of doing the same for others as well?
Does your personal brand need some revamping?
How is your reputation among the blogosphere?
Are you meeting the right people that practice the Law of Reciprocation?
Please share your comments below and share this post with your friends. I look forward to read them!
Subscribe to get Updates!
Learn to maximize your limited time as a solopreneur blogger by subscribing below with your email
Hey Sherman,
I can SO relate to what you’re sharing here. I know that a lot of people talk about reciprocity and they just believe that all they need to do is comment on my blog and I’ll comment on yours.
I know that’s how I started off but I was getting something from the posts I read so I was eager to go back time and time again as were they finding the same value over on my blog. Value, that’s the key ingredient here Sherman but I also believe we each need to find that connection with the other person too.
I think with as many people as there are online today and probably in our own given niches, we need to be a little picky with who we connect with. I know for me I wanted to help everyone but although those people I came in contact with were nice they weren’t willing to do the work. So that just means that you’re probably not going to get as much from them as you had hoped.
Now I know I also always say to go into this with an open heart because this is also about making great connections. We are all limited though with our time so those connections we would really hope would count for something even if it just ends up being a friendship. We all know that we can’t keep up with 50 at a time on a monthly basis which is why I say once again that you need to be picky.
As you’ve stated too, it’s all about value so stand out and make what you share for them count. Help it get the attention you know it deserves and yes, we sure as heck appreciate it and because you write awesome content we’re more than eager to do the same for you.
Make it easy for people to find you too on social media and as you mentioned your profiles, don’t ignore them. I know people still read them, I sure do.
Great share Sherman and loved this topic. You were right, it was very similar. 😉
Have a great day and rest of your week.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted…The Right And Wrong Ways To Do Influencer Marketing
Hey Adrienne,
Exchanging value is key! Not just from commenting but from all other aspects. You not only started off with commenting on blogs but also you were gaining a lot of valuable information that you implemented yourself.
We definitely have to find the connection with those people in general. And you know what? Once you do, it becomes a lot less like work and more of an enjoyable hobby. Don’t know if “hobby” is a good word since most bloggers/entrepreneurs look at it as evil LOL
With that said, we do need to be picky when it comes to connecting with others as you said. There are a lot of nice people out there, and that’s a great reason to connect, but if they’re not willing to do the work, then you won’t get as much out of them as you would hope. You want to build strong reciprocity with others who have the similar work ethic as you so that everyone wins.
Yes we do need to go in with an open heart, but there are some people that you want to just be friends with and there are others that not only you can be friends with, but also you can work with them as far as blogging and entrepreneurship.
Reciprocity leads to the exchange of value when it comes down to it. Reciprocity is the fruit that you like, but the value is the nutrition you get from the fruit. And if you’re consistently doing this with people that practice reciprocity, then you’ll end up with more success than you’ll realize.
Yes, you want to make it easier for people to find you! That’s the key! And on top of that, you can point them back to your blog and other solutions that will help them along their journey as well.
Thanks Adrienne for your insight on this topic! Yes, it was quite similar!
Have a great weekend! Stay cool in August!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Another great post Sherman! Thanks a ton.
The Law of Reciprocity is something I learnt decades ago in the offline world. My sales coach told me ‘Forget about your needs – focus on your prospective clients’ needs, and you will do just fine’.
He then told me how important it was to do things for people without any thought of getting something back. It’s funny how it works, but work it did.
But when I think of the online world I think of a different attitude – gimme gimme gimme. It’s pervasive.
That’s why it’s SO refreshing to read a post like yours. You and others are leading us to a better way to do business. It may take longer to produce a result but when it does, the results will tend to be long term, sustainable and solid.
And what a pleasant way to do business!
Thanks again Sherman – you rock!
Kim
Hey Kim,
The Law Of Reciprocity works on both offline and online and that’s great you still practice this to this day!
Your focus on the needs of people. In a spiritual sense, you’re feeding yourself as you are feeding others with value. With the mindset and implementation it usually comes back to you.
When I first came online, I saw the same thing, and as a matter of fact, I had this mentality LOL… but I have changed for the better.
I’m glad that you like this post Kim! I’m doing my best and it shows that I’m growing myself when I read comments like yours. Yes, doing business like this may take longer, but it’s definitely well worth practicing this style because you’ll end up with endless rewards!
Thanks Kim for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Wow Sherman you’ve shared a ton here!
And basically, as long as we approach our business endeavors from a
stand point of serving our customers or clients first and foremost, we will be way ahead of the competition curve.
And you have offered some excellent advice and some extremely practical and proven ways of doing so.
And while your advice clearly helps us better serve our customer
or clients, it also helps us benefit financially as well!
And that’s what it’s truly all about! Because if only one side truly benefits, then we’re not truly adding value to the market place.
And I know for me personally, I always look forward to reading and learning from your post and the added benefit of looking for others to connect with as well!LOL!
But I know for a fact, my audience will definitely get benefit from what you share as well, so I just feel compelled to share your content with them, from a service stand point first!
But if my doing so leads to some much appreciated reciprocity from you, that’s just icing on the cake!LOL!
Thanks as always, for sharing some awesome and extremely practical content!
Mark recently posted…Asset Management:How Savvy Entrepreneurs Cash In On Overlooked Opportunities!Part Two
Hey Mark,
I do have to be frank with you.
Quite a few of your blog posts gave me the idea of this post here. You’re always coming up with ways for all of us savvy marketers to do more of a joint venture with other businesses creating a win/win for all of us.
That’s what reciprocation is all about, and you’ve show how to do this with offline marketing. Just imagine how we can do this with online marketing?
And as you said, when it comes to marketing, if only one side benefits, then you’re not truly adding value to the market place.
Thanks for letting me know that you look forward to reading and learning from my posts. It looks like we practice reciprocity in our own ways. You give me ideas, and you learn from my blog as well as connect with others. Now that’s true marketing!!!
I’m glad that you are going to share this post from a service stand point. What we give is attracted back to us!
Thanks Mark for stopping by and I hope you’re enjoying the weekend! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
I’ve been out of the loop the last few weeks with moving and then a short vacation with family from out of state.
I have built my entire blogging premise on the reality of reciprocation. I’ve encountered so many businesses who say that blogging doesn’t work; and they are right – it doesn’t work for them.
Why? Because they don’t want to put in the effort, time or work to build their blog up.
In the second half of 2014 I did no other strategies than work to connect with bloggers who serve the same audience I do but in a different way.
It worked like a charm but it was a massive commitment that has paid off BIG time in 2015.
Now, my network has expanded, my opportunities are endless and my blog was even awarded as a top marketing business blog by fitsmallbusiness.com.
Reciprocity is the key to success. The more we come with an attitude of helping others the more we get.
Great post Sherman!
I hope you have an awesome weekend.
~ Don Purdum
Don Purdum recently posted…Are You Known by Your Words? Marketing is More Than Just Content or Images
Hey Don,
That’s ok Don! Your priorities and family always comes first!
I can only imagine how many businesses you encountered who said that blogging doesn’t work. I have encountered quite a few individuals that say the same thing.
And you’re right! They don’t want to put up the leg work to build their blog.
I can remember when you changed your strategy last year and yes, you were working hard LOL… But in the end, it paid off quite well for you and it would be wise for many of us to follow in your footsteps.
Look at all the opportunities that you attracted for yourself. If this is the result of blogging, then it’s well worth the leg worth, isn’t it?
Reciprocity is the icing on the cake when it comes to becoming successful in marketing! That’s why we definitely should come with an attitude to help others!
Thanks for stopping by Don! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hey Sherman,
This is another blockbuster piece! Yes, strong reciprocity is the missing link in most marketing plan. Its not surprising that most people who miss out on it are not getting any yield from their online marketing plan.
It is one thing to create ‘valuable’ content but it is a different ball game sharing this valuable content to the audience who will identify, interact and benefit from it.
Reciprocity should not be difficult when implemented in a marketing plan. It begins simply as identifying what the audience wants and creating the value that will solve their problem.
As blogger, having strong identification and relationship with fellow bloggers will ultimately help us to improve marketing.
Commenting and mentioning are great strategies for building reciprocity!
I left the above comment in kingged.com as well
Sunday recently posted…Free LSI Keywords Suggestion Tools To Rank Better
Hey Sunday,
Strong reciprocity is the missing link in a lot of marketing plans. When I started, I thought marketing was more like pushing your products/services/opportunities out to the public. This is just scratching the surface.
You want to learn how you can start a currency of reciprocation that is maintain. Once you keep it going between your inner circle of friends, you’ll start to attract great opportunities and other results that’s going to catapult you as well as your business.
It’s not enough of creating what you deem as ‘valuable content’, but also being able to identify what the audience really wants. I’m glad that you pointed this out! If you’re doing this consistently, then you’ll see yourself being pushed up the ranks.
And when you’re practicing reciprocity with other bloggers who have the same or similar values, then it will definitely improve your marketing!
Thanks Sunday for your insight! I hope you’re enjoying the weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
Another great post my friend! You continue to amaze me.
You are spot on when saying that you’re in the right place when there is a constant exchange going on. I don’t have a set profile of people I want to connect with (yet), but I feel that I am connecting with the right people and have a list of bloggers to interact with – So guess you could call that my profile.
I definitely didn’t just a couple of months ago…
I am SO glad you brought up NLP because I totally love it and used it to my advantage. I also like to help others with the things i’ve learned. It’s the freedom to choose what you think that is very liberating and can be life changing.
Also, it’s very true that people will open doors for you if you treat them well. I have definitely definitely seen how that worked out for you 🙂
Once you’ll get noticed (and liked), they’ll be more likely to read, share, comment or even work with you.
I definitely have some changes and improvements to make on multiple levels Sherman, but this post makes me feel like i’m going down the right road.
Thanks for sharing, and have a great weekend ahead!
– Jasper
Hey Jasper,
When you’re experience the exchange of value then that’s a great indicator that you’re doing something right. I highly suggest setting up a profile for each social media site you’re on, especially an About Me page on your blog if you haven’t done so. This make it easier for your audience to research you if they happen to be curious to see what you’re really about.
Yes NLP is great when it comes to copywriting. It has helped me to improve my copy along my journey, especially for the fact that it has been helping me to convey my content in a way that intrigues people as well as help solve their problems.
Reciprocation goes with that old saying that Kurt pointed out “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”, and if you make this a habit, you will definitely reap some rewards from it.
This journey is a process and we all will keep making changes and improvements, but as you go along you’ll feel that you’re doing the right things. I’m glad this post has made you see that you’re doing the right things with your marketing.
I hope you’re enjoying the weekend! Glad that you stopped by! Take Care!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head with this post.
Marketing exists to create an awareness of what we have to offer, and the best way to spread our message is by helping others. Giving our time and energy to build our online network and relationships will serve us well in the long run. Just look at Don’s example above.
Thanks
– David
David Hartshorne recently posted…How To Sell Your Own Software Product
Hey David,
When it comes to marketing, reciprocity should be at the forefront. Especially for those that are doing it all online. We will reap the rewards when we focus our time and energy by building our online network and the relationships there! Don is a perfect example of this!
Thanks for stopping by David! I hope you’re enjoying your weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
Another great post.
Reciprocity goes beyond just commenting on someone’s blog post, or worse even, commenting just when they come, or when we feel that we should, because they’ve come the last ten times in a row, and we didn’t 🙂
I don’t think we can connect with every one. Some people are just more givers than others and it’s way easier to connect with those. But I would say that reciprocity goes a long way, because we are less tempted to help someone out if they don’t ever do anything for us, and I’m sure everyone pretty much feels this way.
We need to create that valuable content, share that value with our market, but we will be stronger doing it if we have great connections that share it for us as well.
That goes both ways, we can’t expect much if we don’t give much.
PS: I tried to share you post with the tweets in the yellow boxes, but they are too long. Thought I’d let you know 🙂 I used the regular tweet button.
Hey Sylviane,
Commenting, from own experience, is just the beginning. You and me both know that it goes way beyond this and we have attracted some great opportunities that helped to build our credibility even further.
Yes it’s true that there are some people who are just givers. But for the rest of us, we will only connect and help those that help us. That’s what reciprocity is about and keep this type of back and forth currency will result in success for all of us.
Working smart is being able to connect with others that share our valuable content and as well as us doing the same thing for them.
Thanks for letting me know Sylviane about the tweets! See this is what reciprocity is about 😉
Thanks for stopping by Sylviane! Enjoy your weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
I have a question for you! What if you are writing for a niche that has no similar writers in that particular domain? In such a scenario, how do you connect with other bloggers out there?
This could be a big problem for those who end up with such rare division.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
Piyush
Hey Piyush,
I actually went through this a few years ago. What I had to do was keep looking. Sounds tedious, but now I see that it was well worth the effort. But have ran into a lot of great people who lead me into other people that were in my niche and this was through commenting, and finding blogs through their blogs, and so on.
Thanks for asking this question! Hopefully this will hope those that find themselves in this predicament.
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
Love this post. There is an old saying, “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.”
I firmly believe in that and if you incorporate that into your marketing efforts it will pay off in spades, much like Don had mentioned in his comment.
Your time is valuable and you cannot connect and reciprocate with everyone, but if you maximize that time by connecting with the right people you are way ahead of the game.
Who are the right people? For me this list is exhaustive but I will mention yourself, Adrienne Smith and Enstine Muki to name a few.
Thanks for sharing Sherman.
Kurt
Kurt Kummerer recently posted…The ABC’s of Selling on Your Blog
Hey Kurt,
That’s a powerful old saying! Especially when it comes to what we do!
Connecting with others is a start, and reciprocation is the icing on the cake. If you spend your time doing both and making it a habit, then you’ll definitely reap the rewards.
The right people, at least for me, are those the reciprocate value back to mean whether it’s sharing my content, or just learning something of value that the posted. It comes in different ways, but I feel honored that you think of me as the right person to connect with.
Thanks for stopping by Kurt! Have have great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
What an awesome blog post. I asked my self the question of your title, ” Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity? This is a great plan which I am working on. I didn’t think that I had the knowledge to help other people, but I am doing that now and it feels great, connecting and attracting others.
Give your audience the kind of value that works for yourself and others. Come up with a marketing plan that generates massive value and reciprocity. Connect with genuine people in your niche who give the same kind of value.
My profile needs a lot of work and I am revamping it. Mentioning others, creates great reciprocity. We both benefit from our comments and we do need to know ourselves. Our main goal is to get others to know, like and trust us and we do the same in return.
My profile only covers one of the five methods you use to create a flow of people going to your website so I really need to work on this. I never thought of it as you do but it makes perfect sense.
So What is missing in my marketing plan, a lot. I will take your advise and start working on it. Your four questions are awesome. I need to work smarter.
Reciprocity must come back from what we attract and give expecting nothing in return. I am just learning how to help others get what they need and it feels awesome! It’s a win/win situation for each of us.
We have to open up our hearts and give, give and give. There are two things that all spiritual teachings have in common. One is reciprocity and the other is love.
Thank you for sharing, Sherman and you have a wonderful weekend!
Linda
Linda Schrier recently posted…Importance of Blog Commenting
Hey Linda,
I ask myself this question quite a bit myself Linda. It’s a constant thing, and I try to put get to the blogs I can to return the favor for those that come to mine. But I have missed quite a few and I do apologize to all those who’s blogs I haven’t been to, or just haven’t been to in a while.
You definitely want to create a two way street when it comes to your content. You want to create the value that not only will benefit you, but also your audience. It’s as if you’re create a currency that keeps circulating between you and them and that’s a great system that you want to maintain.
When it comes to your profile, the one thing that’s many of us serious bloggers are going to do is keep revamping. You grow, your ideas change, sometimes you have to readjust who your target marketing is by narrowing it down even further. This thing called entrepreneurship is always in constant change.
Also the goal of a profile, at least in my opinion, is to make sure to not make it hard for your audience to research information about you. This is why it’s a good thing to have a good profile that’s similar to each other in each social media site that you’re a member of.
In this case of reciprocity, you want to make it a win/win. I try to learn from everyone whether they’re a beginner and a veteran. There’s always something to learn no matter what level you’re at.
Yes, when you think of it, it is a spiritual teaching, and a spiritual experience because we all are related to each other in that sense. We just have to dig for those things we have in common!
Thanks for stopping by Linda! I hope you’re enjoying the weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
Great topic and one that needs to be in everyone’s mindset while marketing online. WIIFM never works! It is so transparent that I skip right over those who are out there doing this. You can see it on the content of their blogs as well as social media.
You know me well enough that I’m a stickler when it comes to ethics. And yes….we do need them in order to communicate in every way online.
Reciprocity is one of the things I did learn first when I came on line. Going to other’s blog posts that are genuine and written to people will get me excited about the content. I’ll reply in a comment, and then share it on social media with a good introduction.
Eventually my blog grew because of this. That’s another reason why I do like to leave a good comment. And thank you BTW for featuring mine here in this post….I’m blushing lol.
All in all, anyone who follows this post will be successful.
Thank you Sherman!
-Donna
Hey Donna,
We should change our mindsets to WIIFT (What’s in it for them) instead of WIIFM. You have to have a caring heart to practice WIIFT which in turns will show the love coming back without you even expecting it.
Yes I know that you’re a stickler when we talk about ethics and that’s what we all like about you!
Reciprocity as I mentioned on my replies is the icing on the cake when it comes to blogging! When you practice WIIFT, but in a smart way, then you’ll definitely reap the rewards inevitably!
And you have seen this for yourself! You practice reciprocity with genuine people, and now you’re getting the type of results that a lot of us want for ourselves!
I’m glad that I made you blush LOL… You’re definitely well worth it Donna!
Thanks for your insight on this and sharing your experience! Your experience will definitely show people that it is possible if you’re marketing like this!
Take Care Donna!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
A marketing strategy can make or break a business. When you are putting effort into all the wrong things, you are not getting the exposure that you need to build yourself and your brand. When you have the right marketing strategy and putting your efforts into things that are bringing valuable traffic, then you will eventually get to where you want to get in terms of traffic. I really like this post because it breaks down a proven strategy that I have used for months now and my website is getting more and more traffic. Somethings may work different for others, but I think everyone should test out their strategies and see what is bringing in the most traffic over time. I think commenting can help you go a long way, but I also think building your social media profiles is the key as well. Then you want to provide as much free value as possible.
Hey Lawrence,
Having the write marketing strategy makes all the difference. Especially when your marketing involves reciprocation. When you can find people that will give back as much as you give to them, then in this sense is true marketing coming together.
That’s great that you have been using this strategy and you can see the rewards from implementing this.
We all should be testing our strategies instead of just “Working Hard”.. Habits can either make you or break you, but interrupting them by working smart will make a difference!
Commenting has helped me a lot, but doing it in a smarter way did make a big positive difference. Add on building your social media profiles to make it easier for your audience to find and get to know you, then you’re right on track!
Thanks Lawrence for stopping by! Have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Love this post Sherman, it really gets down to the nitty gritty of reciprocity, and how by using social media we can increase our channels of ‘giving and attracting’ and still work alongside our commenting friends.
Our social profiles are important, and they were some good points you illustrated from your facebook profile. Those CTA’s are likely to instigate a positive reaction in visitors since they are very clear.
Finding the right people may take time at first, but working with one person you connect with will generally set off a chain of others, it is just up to us to nourish the relationships we value and share for social proof those friends!
Thank you for all your social media examples
warm wishes
~Jacs
Jacs Henderson recently posted…How To Create, Edit, Fix & Add Effects to your Images INSIDE Your WordPress Blog…
Hey Jacs,
Those are the key words Jacs: Giving and Attracting!
When you can attract by giving valuable that people can use, then you create this circulating value that can grow!
Having CTA’s are a great way to instigate a positive reaction in visitors whenever they visit our blog. This is a great way to start the process of the know, like, and trust factors
It does take some time to find the right people. Only God knows how long it took me to start finding the right people, but the wait was well worth it. I have developed some great relationships and I definitely have room for more.
I’m glad that you stopped by Jacs! Have a great week!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Wow Sherman
what a thought provoking article! It is interesting to me that I have never even thought about this sort of reciprocation angle.
Sure I knew people talk ed about influencers but it was very airy fairy.
This is a great down to earth article that will give you the steps you need to make your blogging more successful.
I’ve gone through courses that weren’t as thorough as this article
Thanks for the inspiration
Mary
Hey Mary,
I’m really glad that you like this post!
I’ve actually have been thinking about this as I revamp my marketing. I thought, why not just focus more on people that also practice reciprocation more than just doing hard work of commenting on sharing.
This is a great way of working smarter as well as enjoying this process more.
I never thought of this to be down to earth but I definitely appreciate the compliment! It adds more to the personality of the post!
Thanks Mary for the compliments and for stopping by! It’s people like you that are a great indicator of my purpose! Have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
I can definitely agree with your take on this Sherman. Right now, I am pushing out more of other people’s content rather than mine hahah. I really have to get back to creating some content.
Great points all around. I got to meet you and a lot of our friends because of this “plan” 🙂
Dennis Seymour recently posted…Google Penalty Recovery: Identify Your Penalty and Recover from Panda, Penguin and Manual Penalties
Hey Dennis!
It’s been a while and I’m glad that you agree with me on this! That’s great that you’re sharing out other people’s content but I believe a lot of us are missing your detail content on SEO. We all look forward to your next blog post for sure!
Because of reciprocation, we met a lot of our blogging friends, and I can honestly say that I appreciate you as well as everyone else!
Thanks for stopping by Dennis! Have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
I so much love this topic that you treated here; reciprocating is something I once had to deal with in one LinkedIn bloggers group I was a member.
At first, I was loving it, and try as much as I can to touch on everyone’s blog that had done one thing or the other to help spread the word out of my little blog. Also visit those that I find interesting to my read.
But at a time, it was obvious that these thing has to be done “force”, I mean you just have to reciprocate the visit and leave comment on other people’s blog either the content resonate with you or not.
This is something I don’t subscribe to, the result……I quit visiting everyone’s blog totally, other than answering questions on the group floor, I stop visiting members blog.
In whatever we do, I think is best to just give out all we can, and don’t look back….if we do things with open mind, giving value as much as we can, and always ready to help…….I believe we will derive more than reciprocate from the host blogger from our efforts.
There are many positives things that comes along with engaging on other people’s blog if done correctly. At one time I was leaving 10 useful comments on relevant blogs each passing day, my blog witness a gradual increase in targeted traffic that move the blog from Alexa 200k to first 80k blog.
What good most about this traffic is that, the visit are not just from bloggers I left comments on their post, but from their blog readers as well.
But now, I have a little shift focus onto something else and the blog now experience a BIG drop in traffic. That’s okay, for now am unto something else.
And good to see that am just one among those that give +1 for your content, help in that little way to help tell the world about Sherman Smith.
Thanks Sherman, nice reading.
Shamsudeen recently posted…Top 4 Genesis WordPress Music Themes For DJs And Muscians
Hey Shamsudeen,
When it comes to marketing reciprocation is the icing on the cake! You want find those people that will give as much as you give in return.
You may run into content that is really helpful. Sometimes i’ll find content that’s very interesting to me, comment and share but I don’t get the same in return. That’s ok, just as long as my audience can also benefit from it.
Yes, there can be some content that’s just not interesting at all. Should you force yourself to read it? I don’t think so, because if you comment, that could also seem “forced” to the author of the post.
Giving is key when it comes to business, or life in general. Giving causes the act of receiving, and it can go beyond reciprocation as you said. But I believe giving while thinking of the benefits of others are the right variables in order to receive.
Wow, that’s great that you left 10 useful comments each day. That’s unheard of LOL.. I do that once in a while, but I really have to commend you on this feat. As a result you brought down your Alexa from 200K to 80K…your hard work paid off!
You also caused a chain reaction when you left comments. Not only were you getting comments from the blogger, but also getting comments from their readers. That tells you something right there!
But yes, when it comes to blogging, there are going to be changes. That is okay that your results dropped a little for right now, but eventually they’ll come back in full force!
Thanks for stopping by Shamsudeen and leaving an insightful comment! I love your support and I hope you have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hey Sherman,
You know, it’s funny…
I had recently watched a film (I use that term loosely because it, in and of itself totally sucked)…but the message was such a blatant form of truth that it amazed me that it really does work this way in many of the marketing techniques out there.
The film was about how these marketers, instead of changing a product to fit the needs of the public – instead changed the MINDS of the public through events and knowing how to manipulate the human condition enough so that they created a market where there wasn’t one by mind control.
The reason I bring this up…
because while this happens, often and it’s cruel – marketing, done from a place of genuinely wanting to let others know you are around and may have something to help them with a very real issue they are having is not only fine, but kind.
Like your example in your use of the word “down”…isn’t it interesting how the same thing (such as a word, concept, etc) can take on totally different meanings depending on the level of consciousness of the user?
Anyway, this is what I was inspired to write about in my comment 😉
I look at some of the people I have gotten to know in the past few years as perfect examples of how to market in a way that seems to display naturally and with integrity.
What’s inside is what comes out, right?
As usual, great post.
Dana recently posted…A Tribute to A Man Who Has Inspired Me – Dr. Wayne Dyer
Hey Dana,
You know what?
I had forget that I use the example of the word “Down” LOL
I may have to read my blog all over again 😉
But yes it’s funny how marketing a certain way can produce some type of response using the same word but in a different context. it’s pretty interested how the human mind works.
If you’re able to do this, then it shows how well you can use psychology to attract a certain group of people. And above all, once you get this certain group, it’s amazing how well some marketers know them using certain words and phrases.
You can produce the outcome just from knowing their thinking process as you said. It’s almost like magic. This reminds me of how a couple or best friends can finish each other sentences because they know each other so well.
Thanks for the insightful comment Dana! I hope you’re enjoying your week!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hello Sherman,
Great write-up Indeed!
Reciprocity works well for everyone. It’s a win-win to all. When I comment on fellow blogger’s post and share on social sites then next day I notice that the same fellow blogger has posted a comment on my articles as well with sharing on social media profiles.
I really enjoy this!
Atish Ranjan recently posted…Citrio â A fresh new Web Browser that comes with great features
Hey Atish,
I’m glad that you like the post.
Reciprocity makes it a win-win for everyone indeed.
It’s great when we can stop by someone’s blog, comment and share, then later on they do the same thing for us. This is great synergy among us all!
Thanks Atish for stopping by! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi there Sherman,
I really enjoyed this post.
Reciprocity is kind of a big deal, isn’t it?
You know, it’s funny… almost every good thing that has happened to me (as both a marketer and a blogger) has been the result of a connection I made along the way.
When we work hard, it’s natural that we want to take credit for all the good things that happen to us. After all, we worked hard… we deserve success, right?
But it’s very seldom that we achieve success entirely on our own. No man, woman, or blogger is an island, after all.
I’ll be sharing this one out. Thanks Sherman! Great job.
Brent
Brent Jones recently posted…Here’s How to Find Bloggers in Your Niche
Hey Brent,
I practice reciprocity for a while without realizing how big of a deal it is. I think you would agree with this. It’s one of those things that was instilled in us by our parents or whoever our legal guardians was, but we never realize the power it contained until later.
It’s funny you should say that all the success that you’ve been attract was the result of all the connections you made along the way. It tends to come back to you as if it was magic.
We would think it’s due to a lot of hard work. But one thing I realize is that when you make those connections, and those people see how serious you are, then those serious people will by all means make sure they push you up along your journey.
And yes it’s true, no man, woman or blogger is an island!
Thanks Brent for stopping by and sharing your experience! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
I agree with all you say about reciprocity and you covered the subject so thoroughly. I don’t think we should help others in the expectation of getting something back ourselves. I think reciprocity in life is a circle. You help someone who can’t help you, but then someone you can’t help helps you.
At the same time you can’t let others take advantage of you by expecting too much and not being willing to try to be less reliant. I learned that lesson a hard way – a few times. Some things take longer to learn than others 🙂
I’m planning on doing an NLP course next year as the topic has always intrigued me.
Thank you Sherman.
Hey Sue,
You have to pick and choose in a lot of cases. Other than that, you want to provide the type of posts that will benefit your audience as well.
You want to be smart about it. As i’ve learned, not only do I spread valuable information that my audience will benefit from, but also I make sure that I network with people that will return the favor for me as well.
Yes NLP is an interesting subject and it’s a great way to improve on copywriting. I’ve read a couple of books on it. I do recommend Michael Losier book on the Law Of Connection and Tony Robbins book Unlimited Power as well if you haven’t read them.
Thanks for stopping by Sue and for leaving a great comment! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Is Your Online Marketing Plan Building Strong Reciprocity?
Hi Sherman,
It seems you have revealed your social media success mantra in this article, Yes reciprocation mutual benefit to the both bloggers, as you said we have to know who are the people we want to connect and build relationship with them.
I am recently observing a lot of your posts in Google+ you are writing some brief summary about other bloggers articles and mentioning their name to convey the message how you are helping them.
I think most of these bloggers will reciprocate the same way how you are helping them, thanks for sharing such secret information related to your social media success.
Hey Siddaiah,
When it comes to blogging, the law of reciprocation is powerful. It helps to build synergy to where you and others benefit.
In this sense, you have to find those who are as serious as you are. It’s not about competition, but about collaboration, and most people who have this type of thinking are the ones who gain success in shorter periods of time.
Thanks for stopping b Siddaiah! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…9 Ways To Not Waste Your Time Blogging
Hey Sherman,
I love your way of writing , this is another awesome blog which i found on your blog and very useful for a newbie who wants to start his/her career in marketing field.
i am a newbie and learning marketing tips on few blogs, and in last i found yours and seems helpful comparison to others but all tried best in field.
Thanks 🙂
Hey Priya,
I’m glad that you found this helpful. It comes down to finding the right people who can reciprocate the effort you give them. When you can find these types of genuine bloggers, that’s when you start to see your blog take off.
Thanks for stopping by Priya and I hope you’re enjoying the weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…My Top 6 Posts For October and November