The Law of Reciprocity
Have you ever clicked on a West Virginia auto insurance quote site with great expectation, only to find a contact form shoved in your face? Obviously the site owner is a little over-zealous to get your information. Did you, like me, exclaim: "How rude, they didn't even break the ice!" Such sites violate the Mississippi car accident lawyers of Reciprocity." Simple give and take.
Building Rapport
Contact forms and pay-per-click campaigns may generate leads, but not good ones. Quality leads are quality people who are increasingly Web savvy and skeptical. People aren't stupid. They can tell if you've taken time to figure out who they are and what they want. As with face-to-face sales, you've got to prove yourself first. Creating a useful, informative Web site that's non-salesy is a sure-fire way to build trust, establish rapport and foster loyalty.
Give Freely
If you give freely, without asking for anything in return, you trigger feelings of obligation. After all, if someone does something nice for you, it's the least you can do to return the favor, right? Trustworthy and confident people aren't afraid to give things away. I'll take a Web site that's generous and open over one that's greedy and hording info any day. Wouldn't you?
To Have a Friend, Be a Friend
Its human nature to repay others based on how they treat us. The world gives us what we give to the world. A few well-known axioms come to mind:
- I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine
- You reap what you sow
- You get what you give
What to Give
What you give online depends on what your market wants. It's a good bet that your people want to be informed about what you know best. We're in the information age where "Search engines have become answer engines." If you have unique data, insights and perspective that your target demographic needs, be generous. Put it on the Web. If you're not sure what folks want, use keyword tools to study the search habits of your target market to determine your slant. Brainstorm ways to bring value to those you serve.
Mutuality in Action
Internet marketing is a virtual face-to-face sales encounter. The same principals apply. The thought of exchanging favors creates feelings of obligation between you and potential leads. This powerful and psychologically binding expectation creates a bond between those you're trying to reach. Use the Law of Reciprocity to capture leads online, and open doors to many happy returns.
Contact Jenna Ryan at The Marketing Shop.com for a Free Web Marketing Consultation today:
972-335-9922 Dallas or 866-697-7638 US Toll Free
