I’ve written before about how I wouldn’t have a site if I were scared of sharing things, so the importance of sharing is not the point of today’s post.
Today I’m going to talk about 3 things you should be sharing with those around you. When I say “those around you,” I mean clients, colleagues, and yes, even your competitors.
Share who you know
One of the best connectors I know is Chris Lema. If you’re with him and happen to mention a problem you’re having with your web host, he’ll offer to send you the hosting company CEO’s email, because they have cigars together when they’re in the same town.
Chris freely shares his contacts with people all the time, and for that people want to stay on his radar. They come to him for advice because he’s able to connect them with greater resources even outside his 20 years in the software industry.
Chris is in no way scared about sharing his connections.
[Tweet “Be a connector, share who you know. People will want to know you.”]
Do you know two people who share a love of BBQ? Have you introduced them? Do you know two people who are getting into Grunt, or two people with similar design taste?
Introduce them!
When you do, both parties will remember that you played a role in the connections they’ve made. That simple action will keep you top of mind whenever they interact with people you’ve connected them to.
Share what you know
This is the biggest thing I share here — what I know about running a business. The practices and strategies that work for me, intended to inspire you to run a better, more profitable business. You should be doing the same for your audience.
Specifically, you should be sharing:
- insider tips and techniques
- life experiences
- everything you keep learning
Like I’ve said, it’s certainly possible that people will use the information you share to compete with you, but the fact is, no one can package and deliver the content like you will. There are lots of clients out there that fit with you the best, so sharing freely with them is the best way to let them know you’re super awesome smart, and allow them to see you’re the perfect fit.
[Tweet “Share what you know to help others and play the long game of being an authority.”]
I recently asked Beka Rice of Sell With WP if she would share with me the top sites she followed for eCommerce. She not only freely shared the list with me, but she blogged about it so all of you could know what they are as well.
That’s ‘insider’ knowledge she freely shared, which could help other eCommerce blogs, even those in direct competition with Sell With WP. But she shared it anyway so everyone could benefit.
Share how you feel
Why should we share how we feel? I mean, who really cares, right?
Our customers care. Are you more or less likely to work with me after I’ve shared with you why I write and build sites?
You’re more likely to work with me, though that’s not why I shared it[1].
Your prospects and current customers want to learn about:
- your compassion
- your empathy
- your driving factors
They want to hear about these things because they show your integrity as a business owner. These things put a human face on your business and helps prospects and clients know you better.
[Tweet “Share how you feel to put some humanity on your Internet face”]
If you can, don’t just write on these topics; but also post videos showing your passion and compassion. So much is lost in text that can better be communicated when someone sees your face and hears you talk.
Don’t be scared
Yes, sharing those 3 things can be scary. People could use your knowledge to compete with you. Customers could go with another service provider if you make an introduction. It feels pretty vulnerable to share personal feelings.
But, sharing is going to help you go further by establishing you as a connector, a thought leader, and real person.
That’s the type of person/company that someone wants to work with. It’s the type of person that I want to be, and I hope you want to be that person too.
- Chalk up my sharing to my need to just write and write and write because I’d explode otherwise. Exploding tends to be messy and my wife wouldn’t appreciate cleaning up an exploded me in our house. ↩
photo credit: pedrovezini cc
3 responses to “The 3 Things You Need to Share”
Connecting and sharing is part of helping others succeed. The ratio of our own success is proportional to how freely we are willing to help others.
Particularly sharing information…when we don’t share information, it signals fear. We fear we will be dispensable if we give away too much, and we’ll lose our edge. But this is scarcity mindset taking hold of our reason. No one can put together ideas in the same unique way that we can. Our life experiences are different from everyone else’s as is our perspective.
It’s a great idea to be a connector of people whenever possible. I don’t think there’s a better way to have positive influence out there.
The flow of the abundance is very counterintuitive. The tighter we try to hold ontosomething, the less things flow. The more we loosen our grip on the flow of prosperity. the more it flows through us to other people, and everyone around us.
Thanks for this post, Curtis.
Some business owners are not keen to share their “insider secrets”, for fear of competition; but as you and John Locke mention, sharing freely, eliminates lack. It’s almost like saying “look…there’s enough here for all of us”.
Sharing is even more valuable if it is done for those who may not be as far along, as they are unlikely to forget a kind gesture.
Connectors are some of the best people to have in one’s network.
Btw: Chris Lema, and Beka Rice rock.
Hey Curtis,
Thanks so much for the mention! (and @CJ thanks to you as well 🙂 *you* rock!)
Spot on as to why people are afraid to share; many of us are afraid that by sharing a “secret”, we’ll be hurting ourselves in some way (coming from that mentality of scarcity you frequently mention).
I think the issue is to reexamine your goal: why do I do what I do? If I’m only trying to make money, I can very well make it without sharing what I do with others or trying to learn more myself, and I can do it pretty easily by focusing on selling something in the short term. But this is the key:
If my goal is to create wealth and abundance, the best way I can do that is by helping other people. It helps to ensure their businesses generate wealth, and in turn we may end up working together in the future. Nothing will gain you respect faster than focusing more on solving someone’s problem than making a sale or closing a deal.