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The Law of Reciprocity


The basic idea of the Law of Reciprocity is when someone does something nice for you, you do something nice for them in return. It is part of human nature. Ultimately, the customer-brand relationship hinges on reciprocity; your customers see value in what you have to offer, and, in exchange, they offer money for your services and products. 

However, marketers can take this relationship a step further and explore how the Law of Reciprocity can apply in other ways.

Understanding Reciprocity for Businesses

There are two main types of reciprocity:

  • Emotional reciprocity, which reciprocates positive emotional feelings. For example, someone hosts an enjoyable experience, and the guest praises the host’s accommodations and entertainment. 
  • Material or financial reciprocity, which typically refers to financial transactions. When one party provides something of value, there is an inherent desire to reciprocate with something of equal or lesser value.

Make the Law of Reciprocity Work for Your Business

Once you understand how reciprocity works, you will begin to see potential for cultivating stronger relationships with your customers. If you consistently provide your customers with valuable products, services, and experiences, your customers will inherently feel compelled to reciprocate.
 This can take many forms, all of which are beneficial to your brand:

  • They may reciprocate financially simply by continuing to do business with your brand.
  • After positive experiences, your customers may tell others about how great your brand is through reviews, social media posts, or simply word of mouth. 
  • Your customers will begin to feel loyal toward you. They may even choose to continue doing business with you when a competitor offers a similar product or service at a more attractive price because they have grown to trust and appreciate your company.
These are just some of the ways your customers may reciprocate the efforts you put forth. You can leverage the power of reciprocity in your business in many different ways. 

At the heart of reciprocity is authenticity; modern consumers are very discerning and tend to prefer brands that offer more “human” interactions; they want to talk to an actual person when they call customer service, not an automated menu. They want individualized attention to their problems, not catch-all answers that may not be helpful at all. Keep these issues in mind as you think of ways to use the Law of Reciprocity to build a strong marketing campaign and even stronger customer relationships.

Are you ready to see what promotional products and the Law of Reciprocity can do for your business?

Contact Advance Advertising today at (419) 389-1198 today to request your initial consultation.