5 Ways to Grow Your Business by Giving from The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
Hustling is given in entrepreneurship. It’s a must if you want to succeed. But Bob Burg and John David Mann have a different perspective on who you should be hustling for. In their business parable, The Go-Giver, they share five business laws that ask you to redirect your focus from yourself and consider how much you are hustling for others.
They believe that success starts with giving and caring about others, building genuine relationships, and being someone others can depend on. Your caring should be extended to your customers, your business network, and your personal relationships. All of these people are essential in your entrepreneurial journey.
They argue that without these acts of caring, you will never build the community and support you need to succeed in business because no one succeeds on their own.
5 Ways to Grow Your Business by Giving
1. The value of what you offer should exceed the price
If you want to be the person that customers come back to time and time again, you can’t just compare yourself to your competitors and offer the same pricing and quality. When you do that, you fail to stand above the crowd.
Great entrepreneurs find ways to go above and beyond without asking for more from the customer. When your product is comparable to your competitors, ask yourself how else can I create value? It might be more convenient hours, wonderful customer service, or just getting to know customers on a personal level and making them feel welcome and valued. It may take some extra work, but treating people like more than a revenue opportunity is what creates brand loyalty.
2. Your income is only limited by how many people you can serve
It’s a hard reality to face for the committed solopreneur coach or small shop owner, but there will always be a limit on how much you can earn if you are committed to working small. If your ambition is to earn more money, then you need to find a way to serve more people*.
This can be done with better systems, more diverse offerings, and hiring more staff, but a great way to serve more people is to find ways to scale your offering. For a product business this might mean outsourcing your production, selling wholesale, or creating an online store. For a service business, options like webinars, online communities, or large-scale events can help you reach far more people.
*If you’re perfectly happy with your income and the people you serve, then that’s great too :).
3. Real influence comes from genuine relationships
If you want to be someone that people trust and want to work with, then you need to be a great friend and partner. You need to stop thinking of networking as a transactional. Relationships aren’t about keeping score; they are about genuinely caring about others. When you go above and beyond for people in your network, they will go above and beyond for you.
If you are a giver, the people in your network will become your greatest champions. When business opportunities arise, they will think of you. When someone could be a great customer, they will tell them about your business. They will be your ambassadors, spreading the word and singing your praises.
4. The authentic you is the most valuable gift you have to offer
If you focus too much on messages from TV, movies, and social media, you may have a warped perception of what a successful business person is supposed to be. You might feel as though you need to mimic media personas to succeed. But if all your interactions are contrived and inauthentic, people will see right through you.
Be authentically you whether you are meeting new customers, creating social media content, or engaging with potential partners. Have real conversations, share truths about you, and make a human connection.
5. Be open to receiving
As odd as it may seem, people who do a lot of giving often feel uncomfortable asking for and accepting help. If you can relate to this, it’s important that you find the courage to gratefully accept support from others. No one does it alone, and if you refuse help from your network, you’re going to miss out on so many opportunities in life and in business.
Small Business Book Review: The Go-Giver
When reading The Go-Giver. it’s important to remember that it’s a parable and a story. Even the authors admit that just giving to people won’t make you successful in business. You also need to have a great product and business plan.
There are also some real eye-rolling moments, when they suggest that everyone who is wealthy and successful got there by being wonderful, kind, and generous. I’m sure we can all think of a number of uber wealthy people who aren’t exactly saints.
But hey – it’s the holidays, so I’ll try to be a little less cynical 😀. The messages in this book are very useful. Networking shouldn’t be transactional. Your customers should be more than dollar signs. And the authentic you is one of your companies most valuable assets.
I give The Go-Giver a 4 out of 5 stars for small business owners. If you take this book with a grain of salt, there is plenty of great information to gain from it.
