The Power of Giving (and a hidden GIFT! ??)

Merry Christmas, Linkedin family! Welcome back to the 9,210 of you opening up this morning's Personal Brand Brief. In the spirit of Christmas, I've hidden a SURPRISE GIFT at the end of today's article... it may or may not include a BIG discount code to a fun project I've been working on for the New Year! ????

The set-up for today:

?? Problem: Some of you were raised to only help when you can get something in return, and that's stunted your ability to build relationships online...

?? Solution: When you build a habit of giving value to others you don’t know, you build relationships that far surpass what you can do alone.

?? Next play: Find things you can give to others that grow their knowledge, help them with a problem, or introduces them to a new idea.

?? Christmas bonus: to help you level up your personal brand over the holidays

Let me ask you...

Who do you trust most in your life? A spouse? Your parents? A close mentor?

Either way, I can bet my bitcoin life savings that the trust you have with that person has been built on a confidence that they will be there for you in the long-term. They’re the ones to support you on a tough day or celebrate with you on a big win. They would give up anything for you and as a result, they’ll always be in your corner ??

When people give without asking for anything in return, trust is built. You don’t have to keep score or exchange favours. You just know you can count on each other.

 Giving shows you’re confident enough in your own skin that you are willing to help lift others up without needing something in return - JH

This type of giving posture also plays a key role in building trust with others we don't know online. In a digitally noisy world where everyone is trying to do their job and stay ahead of emails, giving someone a thoughtful gift, piece of advice, or new idea can have such a profound impact on their day ??

How Should this Change the Way You Build Relationships Online?

When you you're willing to give advice, email intros, or helpful tips to others, it opens the door for a relationship ??  

You build credibility online when you provide value to your community. Just like people are drawn toward “free PDF” headers on a website, humans are drawn toward givers that are always wiling to help.

I believe how we give reflect our values and it provides a beautiful foundation for future relationships down the road. When you start giving, you might be surprised at the connections that follow years after a kind gesture or connection is made. But the best part about a giving posture is that the stories only compound over time ??

If you have time on your hands, giving is also a great way to build experience because gifts are generally received with open arms. I mean, who doesn’t want a free template or workbook to sent to your inbox? 

Creative Giving Story: Act Before Asking

This week I heard about a giving tactic called “act before asking” in Jack Butcher’s newsletter. In the article, he spotlighted a random person that reached out, built him a free chrome extension after loving his content, and sent him an email to ask what he thought of the tool ??

Blown away, Jack loved the tool, promoted his work and they kicked off a whole new friendship. This example does such a great job at proving the relationship that can form when you lead with giving vs picking someone's brain... ?? 

Often we can be nervous to lend a helpful hand to others because it feels like we’re giving up a secret idea, but that’s just not how it works.

Sharing your time, knowledge, or advice to help others means MORE people are equipped to solve problems that you also care about. A connected community of like minded people working toward the same goal is much more powerful than everyone working alone on their own idea. Plus you get to make some solid friends along the way.

?? And if you need proof, look into the hundreds of subreddits, Facebook groups and email newsletters that are dedicated toward crowdsourcing the best ideas for their community.

 How to Build a Giver Mindset: 

?? 1. Think win-WIN vs win-LOSE: 

Instead of building relationships based on what you can get, build them around what you can give. 

For example, instead of taking up someone’s precious time to ask their advice on a niche topic (which is often a win for you at the cost of a loss for them), invite them to collaborate with you on a notable project or be an interview guest on your podcast/case study. Be creative and find win-win options that show a deeper level of thinking ??

?? 2. Find Out People’s Problems:

Whether it’s your favourite podcast host, a colleague, or an inspiring content creator you follow on social media. Take the time to hear what problems or ideas they bring up and drum up creative ways you can step in to help ??

Think outside the box and ask yourself: “what unique way could I help this person that would be up my alley or within my realm of expertise?” P.S. I'm still waiting on a response from Jeff below on an app I sent his way...

?? 3. Start a Giving Habit:

Put it on the 2021 calendar and brainstorm a creative way you can give back to others.   

Don’t overthink it. Just search through your email inbox or listen to conversations this next week for what signals come up. Then build something around that ?? 

Conclusion...

In our busy, self absorbed world, giving stands out. People want to build relationships with generous and collaborative thinkers.

So it's up to you to answer: what's your next move? ?

???? SURPRISE CHRISTMAS GIFT ????

As I was writing this article on the topic of giving, I thought it’d be a perfect time to give back to this community before I launch a new project in January. Over the last year, I’ve been looking for new ways to share my advice with more people in 2021...

So, after being nudged by some friends, I finally finished a Linkedin Video Course to help you upgrade your Linkedin profile for the New Year!

?? For the next 48 hours, the readers of this newsletter can pre-order my NEW Leverage Linkedin Video Course with an exclusive promo code that takes $150.00 off the retail price! Just use the discount code: “XMAS150” ??

If your goal is to develop your online voice in 2021 or connect with senior decision makers on Linkedin to scale your career, this course is for you.

Have a Merry Christmas and see you next week! ?? ??

Joel

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