The Power of the Flower – Give to Get

Have you ever wondered why those religious groups hand out flowers in airports?  Or why your insurance agent sends you a calendar every year?  Or why e-book marketers send you a free e-book or report? Or how about the free toy in a fast food meal?  These people are not entirely selfless.  In fact, they are playing on your sense of fair play, hoping that their gift to you will give you the idea that you should give back to them, by donating or buying.

It is called the Principle of Reciprocity, and it is as old as humans. Cave people shared the animals they killed so that other cave people would be willing to share with them. Robert Cialdini, in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, studied the Hare Krishnas who were begging in airports.  They quickly learned that giving people a paper flower and saying “My gift to you” was a stronger encouragement to people to donate.  Giving to get is practiced by most small business people.

Think of how many pens, calendars, mugs and water bottles you have received.  Did you ever receive a bent pen from a chiropractor?  Did you ever receive a free sheet of self-addressed labels from a charity? I get a calendar in the shape of a ball from a trade magazine every year.  Water bottles are big giveaways at running event.  And I will be that you have at least three pens in your pen holder, which is a coffee mug from a business.  Right?

How to Give. Giving to get is a perfectly legitimate small business marketing concept.  But to make your gift meaningful and get the most for your marketing expense, here are some suggestions:

Make it Related. Relate the gift to your business in some way.  The chiropractor’s gift of a bent pen is an example. Or the water bottle from a fitness club.  Relating it to your business purpose helps people associate you in a positive way with that item.

Make it Memorable. Many of these gifts serve a dual purpose – to encourage buying and also to keep them in your mind.  The refrigerator magnet and calendar are perfect examples of this.  If your small business is one that people might not use every day, but you want them to remember you when the time comes, give a refrigerator magnet.  I have a magnet/business card from the appliance repair guy on my refrigerator.  And the other day I needed to call my veterinarian and used the refrigerator magnet to get the phone number. Obviously, if you want people to remember where that gift came from,you will have to include your business name and phone number.  Include your slogan only if it will be visible and helpful to people (putting a slogan on a pen is probably a waste of money).

Make it Quality. Choose your gifts carefully.  A pen that doesn’t work is worse than no pen at all.   And a t-shirt that shrinks when washed sends the message that you were too cheap to buy quality.  Spending a little more for a quality gift is worthwhile.

Giving to get is a legitimate business strategy. Using it to encourage people to use your products and services is  part of your marketing program.

Image source: sxc.hu