The Importance of Reciprocity

The Importance of Reciprocity

Reciprocity is the natural human tendency to give back when we receive something.

Some people (very few) don't have it and we call them "Users" and generally hold them in contempt.

If someone gives us an unexpected Christmas gift (or even an Easter egg) most of us are uncomfortable until we've evened up the exchange. My family used to always keep a few spare Easter eggs and small Christmas gifts as "spares" for exactly that purpose.

So that we could pretend that we'd thought of them all along.

Use It in Your Internet Marketing

You can make good use of this human tendency in your internet marketing.

Never forget that you are marketing to individual human beings!

The Lead Magnet

I've posted before about the importance of Lead Magnets and using them to attract people onto your mailing list.

It's an example of reciprocity.

But don't make the mistake of thinking it's one way.

Although you're giving them a gift (and it better have real value) they are giving you something valuable to them (and potentially worth a lot more to you in the long run).

They are giving you their name and access to the privacy of their inbox.

So from here, you need to create more reciprocity.

How do you do that?

Your Email Series

By now, you should have set up an email series that starts sending to your visitor as soon as they sign up.

The first one will be a welcome email, reminding that they signed up, what your site is all about (particularly what's in it for them) and giving them the download link to your Lead Magnet.

Then there'll be a series of emails leading up to the sale.

But in between, more valuable giveaways for them.

So that by the time you get to asking for the sale, you'll have built up the need for them to give something back to you, hopefully by buying the product.

If one or more of your emails can include a video with you speaking directly to them, the whole process is enhanced.

Of course, none of this works unless the product is something they want and can afford. But these are factors you should have already built in by now.

For Example

I have an email series at the moment that's being sent out to a list that's expressed interest in an upcoming training course.

So far, there are 10 emails in the series and, besides the initial Lead Magnet, there are 5 additional giveaways.

This, of course, adds to the probability that your emails will not just be opened, but eagerly anticipated.

It's all about nurturing your prospect.