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Show Some Generosity

Written by: Tom Long

Article Overview: Why giving it away may be good for business.

Show Some Generosity

Being generous should be part of your business strategy. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our day-to-day business operations that we forget about this important business – and personal – practice.

By generosity, I mean being generous with:

* Your time and talent. Be generous with your time and talent, whether it’s helping one of your clients or volunteering in the community. Business is not always about the bottom line.
* Your resources and materials. When you find a great resource, tell your business clients. You can put useful links you find on your Web site or forward an interesting article.
* Your terms. LL Bean is a good example of a company that is very generous with its return policy. If a customer is dissatisfied with LL Bean merchandise at any time, the store will take the merchandise back – no questions asked. You also might alter the payment terms for a business you know is just starting. We’ve all been there before, and a little flexibility can go a long way with clients.

Besides the obvious goodwill of generosity, it also can be viewed as a subtle marketing tool. While this shouldn’t be your sole reason for being generous, people appreciate a business that is willing to step from behind the profit margin and help others.

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Article Tags: bottom line, business clients, business operations, business strategy, community business, flexibility, generosity, generous people, goodwill, marketing tool, personal practice, profit margin, sole reason



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