First, Give Value. Then, Get Value.

This is the fourth in a series of posts about the lessons I wish I’d learned earlier in life.When I was younger, I loved going to Costco with my parents for a single reason: free food. For those of you that have never been there, they have small kiosks at the end of every aisle where they gave away samples of new foods and drinks. (And, as you know, Indians love free stuff.)

The food sample is one of the oldest and most commonly employed tactics of the grocery business. Give shoppers a taste of a new brand of cookie and it’s a safe bet those customers will end up buying at least a box or two before they leave.

It just makes sense: **Let somebody try something tasty, and they’ll come back for more. **

Here’s what my friend Ramit has to say about this:

More people should be doing work for free to open up doors to the big rewards. By removing the money barrier for a set amount of time (”I’ll work for free for 3 months, but after that we need to negotiate a fair rate”), you open yourself up to huge rewards. The $20/hour or $50/hour you could get now is chump change compared to what you could with a great network and a proven track record.

Focus on making yourself valuable first, the money will come.

*What can you do to start adding value today? If you’re unsure, email me – I’d be happy to help brainstorm ideas.