"For it is in giving that we receive." - St. Francis of Assisi
"We make a living by what we get;we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill
"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." - Kahlil Gibran
"Love grows by giving. The love we give away is the only love we keep. The only way to retain love is to give it away." - Elbert Hubbard
"The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving." - Albert Einstein
"Among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver." - Maya Angelou
"The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose." - Heda Bejar
"Givers gain." - Ivan Meisner
Whether in business networking or in life, it's a widely accepted fact that when we freely give, we receive multiple benefits in return. The good news is that a business blog can help you carry out this philosophy all month long.
If you're already a natural giver, these ideas will help you spread your gifts even farther. If you've been looking for ways to give more, here are four places to start:
1) Highlight a charity or a charitable campaign that someone in your network is part of, and include links or instructions so your readers can contribute.
What this says about you: You care about your community and you value and support charitable activities.
2) Write a testimonial about someone's work and how this person helped you. Include the details of the problem you were having, why you chose this particular service and what the results were. Photos are a nice touch if that's appropriate for the situation. Be sure to include contact details.
What this says about you: Sharing your own experience shows people that you're human, and that helps them get to know, like and trust you. It also shows that you're supportive of other business owners and committed to sharing valuable resources with your audience.
3) Comment and/or build on a blog post written by a colleague. You might write a brief introduction, or simply provide a link to the blog so your readers can explore for themselves.
What this says about you: You are at the forefront of your industry and you have access to the latest and greatest news, tips and solutions. You respect your readers enough to introduce them to other service providers and let them decide for themselves who is the best person to help them solve their problem.
NOTE: If you're using my weekly blogging method, these three types of posts would be perfect for the weeks in between your monthly feature articles. And that leads us to the final way you can give with your blog:
4) Write an article that provides concrete tips, suggestions or strategies and teaches your readers how to solve one of their most pressing problems.
What this says about you: You are an expert in this area, and you have the tools and knowledge to solve the problems that are causing your readers the most trouble. If your article helps them this much, they will think, just imagine what hiring you could do for them!
Giving back in your blog helps your community and your colleagues, by drawing more attention to worthy causes and useful services. It also helps your readers solve their problems. In turn, it helps your business by revealing more about you, what you value, and how much you know.
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