How Giving Sometimes Inspires Priceless Getting
Several years ago, uber marketer Mark Joyner ordered a copy of Shel Horowitz’ eBook, The Penny-Pinching Hedonist. When Shel acknowledged the order, he added a note offering to send a gratis copy of another book, Principled Profit, that he thought would be helpful for Mark’s kind of work.
Some people give away their products indiscriminately, simply for self-promotion. Others are more selective. They first see what would directly benefit someone and select the product to give. Such selective giving shows one took the time to understand the other person.
In Shel’s words to me, here’s how a series of bountiful partnerships unfolded from that gift offer: “Mark wrote a very nice testimonial and began corresponding with me. He asked me to contribute an essay to his book The Great Formula, which I did. This brought me considerable ‘exposure’ and some valuable contacts.
Then I asked him if he’d be on a telebriefing just for my clients and also appear on my radio show. He agreed.
Later he asked me if I’d like to meet his editor at Wiley. The result of that introduction is a book I co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson. Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, will be published in 2010.
That book involves another high-satisfying partnership. I brought Jay into the deal. I thought it was a strong fit for him with his 20 plus years of experience speaking, writing and consulting under the Guerrilla Marketing brand – and I knew our book would gain visibility from that strong brand.
I have yet to meet either Mark or Jay face to face, but I’m sure when I finally do, it will be just as nice as the lovely afternoon you and I spent together at your house in Sausalito. 
P.S. Kare, I love the delicious irony in that I cite you in two of my books on a great example of making partnerships.”
June 21st, 2009 at 12:58 am
Kare, thanks so much for including my story. I’m off to Tweet it now.
One little correction: Mark provided an e-mail introduction rather than a physical one. I did, however, meet the editor in person some months later.
Oh, and the websites for Principled Profit and Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green are http://www.principledprofit.com and http://www.guerrillamarketinggoesgreen.com/
June 25th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Ah thank you Shel for the correction and the sites
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:30 am
[...] Kare Anderson featured my story of how a giving attitude led to my next book contract, on the How We Partner blog. [...]
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
[...] Kare Anderson featured my story of how a giving attitude led to my next book contract, on the How We Partner blog. [...]
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:59 am
[...] Kare Anderson featured my story of how a giving attitude led to my next book contract, on the How We Partner blog. [...]
July 15th, 2009 at 10:52 am
[...] Kare Anderson featured my story of how a giving attitude led to my next book contract, on the How We Partner blog. [...]
July 26th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
[...] Kare Anderson featured my story of how a giving attitude led to my next book contract, on the How We Partner blog. [...]