Give Away Your Secrets – and Thrive

She explained: “I understand I could do this myself, but it’s not the highest and best use of my time. I was impressed that you were confident and knowledgeable enough to write this article.”

I have had many similar experiences.

The evidence

There’s considerable evidence that giving away expertise is effective in generating business. Here is how that works:

Build trust

You establish yourself as a credible authority by demonstrating your expertise and knowledge. When prospects see that you are willing to share valuable information and guide them in achieving their goals, they are more likely to trust you as a reliable source.

Establish thought leadership

When openly sharing your expertise and providing valuable insights, you position yourself as a thought leader. Prospects are more likely to seek out and engage with businesses seen as leaders and experts in their respective fields.

Showcase value

By teaching prospects how to do specific tasks or solve problems, you showcase the value you can bring as an advisor. It allows prospects to understand the complexity and effort required to achieve the desired results, making them appreciate your skills and knowledge.

Create engagement

Sharing tutorials, guides, or educational content attracts prospects and encourages them to engage with you. This engagement can include comments, questions, and discussions, providing opportunities to build relationships, address concerns, and further establish authority.

Attract qualified leads

When you provide educational content, you attract prospects genuinely interested in your services and actively seeking information or solutions. This filters out unqualified leads and ensures that those who engage with your content are more likely to be interested in retaining you.

Differentiate your positioning

In competitive markets, showcasing your expertise through educational content can help differentiate your advisory firm. You highlight the unique value you bring by going above and beyond to educate prospects.

Generate word-of-mouth referrals

When prospects find your educational content valuable, they are more likely to share it with others. This leads to positive word-of-mouth referrals, expanding your reach and bringing in new prospects.

Trigger the principle of reciprocity

The principle of reciprocity says that when people receive something of value, they feel a natural inclination to reciprocate by giving back or taking action. By offering valuable information and guidance, you trigger a sense of reciprocity in prospects, increasing the likelihood that they will be more inclined to retain you.

Key takeaway

There’s merit to the biblical verse, Give, and you will receive.

Be generous in sharing your expertise. You’ll be rewarded. Even if you aren’t, you will be sharing valuable information to benefit others.

Sometimes that’s reward enough.

Dan trains executives and employees in the lessons based on the research in his latest book, Ask: How to Relate to Anyone. His digital marketing firm makes extensive use of artificial intelligence to help advisors increase their SEO rankings and improve their marketing and helps advisors integrate AI into their practices.

Read more articles by Dan Solin