A lesson in the remarkable marketing power of reciprocity

Rod Swanson, the owner of Colonel Mustard’s shop in Highlands, NC demonstrates the results of the power of reciprocity as he packs up my purchases.

In my book Return On Influence, I do a deep dive on the changing nature of power on the web. The old ways of accumulating influence through connections, wealth, and a position on an organizational chart are falling by the wayside and I talk about the amazing new realities in my book.

One of the topics I cover in-depth is the remarkable idea of reciprocity. The web is an empire of favors, as Internet influencers like Gary Vaynerchuk amply demonstrate.

One of the examples of reciprocity I used in my book is a little store in Highlands, North Carolina, that sells hundreds of varieties of sauces, jellies, and salsa products.

You can spend all day at the store if you like and sample every one of them. But what you may not realize is that every taste is creating a “favor.”

I recently re-visited the store for the first time since I wrote my book and decided to make a little video demonstrating the power of reciprocity in action. Hope you enjoy it …