Be Gracious & Generous With Sharing Your Information

15 Jan Be Gracious & Generous With Sharing Your Information

Many business owners are asked a lot of questions about their area of expertise on a daily basis. I can certainly relate to this being in the marketing and advertising field where things change so often. I always try to be very gracious and generous in sharing my information. It comes easy since I love what I do but sometimes I can see where it can become frustrating to keep giving out consulting advice without being paid.  Where do you draw the line and how do you draw it? I say graciously and generously.

I am more than happy to give free advice in my marketing and advertising consultations. I offer a free one hour consultation to learn about an entrepreneur’s goals. It’s a very valuable meeting where the client can interview me and I can get a idea of how we may work together. That’s right it’s your opportunity to interview the client as well.  I think it’s important for others to value your time and equally important for you to value your own worth.  Many times I’ve gotten into a good flow with a client and we are way passed the free one hour marketing and advertising consultation. At that point, it would definitely be appropriate to graciously ask for another meeting and provide consultation rates.

Don’t be afraid to recap the ideas you’ve already generously given out. I don’t think people realize they are taking up more of your time than what’s being offered. Many times consumers are excited about working with you and time passes very quickly since you’re both discussing something you are passionate about. I’ve been in retail stores where this happens all the time. Recently, I watched a salesperson get very impatient with a customer asking lots of questions. That’s a good time to take a step back.

Why do you get up every morning and do what you do? Hopefully, it’s because you love it or enjoy it. Take a deep breath and be grateful that you can share your expertise with others. What you have to say is worth a lot to customers. When times get challenging, center yourself and really listen to the customer. Most times, you will find that being mindful about your own emotions will allow you to maintain a level of calmness so you can continue to give freely. People are seeking information to satisfy a need or want. View yourself as an integral part of the process because you are!

A customer’s buying decision may very well rely on your ability to be gracious and generous with your time and information. People want you to get paid for your time especially, if you are helping them achieve their goals. Try not to be so focused on the clock and money but definitely draw the line. Set boundaries, communicate them and stick to them. If a customer develops confidence and trust in you, it’s more than likely they may buy more than what you anticipated and they will tell family and friends about their experience. Here’s to being a bit more gracious and generous with each other overall in 2015!