How to Add Value to Others

The biggest mistake I made in business development? (And the one I see others make every week…) Asking for the business before I gave any value. ❌ I’d pitch. ❌ I’d present. ❌ I’d try to impress. But it rarely worked, and never felt right. What I finally learned was this: You don’t earn trust by selling. You earn it by giving, long before you ever make an ask. So, if you want to become the kind of advisor clients  seek out… ✅ Start with value.  ✅ Lead with generosity.  ✅ Then let trust do the rest. Here are 8 of my favorite ways to offer value before  asking for business: 1. Make a Strategic Introduction → Connect them to someone helpful. Your network  becomes part of your value. 2. Ask for Their Perspective → Curious questions create more respect than pitch  decks ever will. 3. Send a Thoughtful Surprise → A book, a note, a resource. Relevance shows you’re  paying attention and that matters. 4. Share Tailored Insights → Generic = forgettable. A timely idea, just for them, can  open big doors. 5. Invite Them to Something Exclusive → Roundtables or niche events. Scarcity adds value.  Inclusion builds connection. 6. Host a Problem-Solving Session → Brainstorm a real issue together. Let them experience  your thinking in action. 7. Offer a Mini-Diagnostic → Spot something they didn’t know was broken. It  reframes you from seller to solver. 8. Provide a Sample of Your Service → No pressure. Just a preview. Let them feel the value  before the ask. Here’s the shift: Don’t try to close a deal. Try to open a relationship. Give first.  Then give a little more. And I promise the results will take care of themselves. 👉 Which one will you try this week? ♻️ Valuable? Repost to help someone in your network. 📌 Follow Mo Bunnell for client-growth strategies that don’t feel like selling. Want the full cheat sheet? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e3qRVJRf 

I used to think "adding value" in networking meant doing something big for someone else. But, I was wrong. I thought it had to be: • An introduction • A shortcut • A job lead Something big and impressive. But some of the most meaningful connection I’ve ever made weren’t from offering big solutions. They came from me saying: • “You crossed my mind today. How are things going?” • “This reminded me of you.” • “I’ve been there.” That’s it. Adding value isn’t about being clever. It’s about being human. It can be: • Saying something kind and specific about their work • Forwarding a podcast episode you know they’ll love • Leaving a thoughtful comment on their post • Recommending a book that helped you • Checking in, just because These don’t seem like much. But when someone’s: • having a hard week at work, or • doubting themselves or • feeling stuck Those little gestures matter more than you realize. The goal isn’t to impress. It’s to invest In the relationship. You don’t need a big favor. You just need to be intentional. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝘆. What’s one small way someone added value to 𝘺𝘰𝘶 that really stuck?

A question I often hear from leaders is: "How can I meaningfully contribute to my relationships with stakeholders and peers?" We all know relationships matter. Saying hello, sending a quick Slack message, or checking in occasionally are good starting points, but they don’t always move the needle when it comes to truly strengthening connections. Over the years, I’ve worked with leaders who excel at this, and they all have one thing in common: they focus intentionally on adding value to their relationships. Here are four simple yet impactful ways to contribute: 👉 Share Insights: Provide a thoughtful point of view, a useful resource, or an idea that helps someone in their work. Sharing insights shows your expertise and that you’re invested in their success. 👉 Offer Feedback: Specific, constructive feedback is one of the best ways to help others grow. Whether it’s highlighting what they’re doing well or sharing suggestions for improvement, feedback demonstrates care and attention. 👉 Make Connections: Relationships are currency in many organizations. Introducing someone to a helpful contact—whether inside or outside the company—can boost their network and show you’re looking out for them. 👉 Highlight Opportunities We all appreciate opportunities for growth or visibility. Sharing a project, event, or chance to showcase their skills is a great way to demonstrate support. Relationships = Bank Accounts Building strong relationships is like managing a bank account: you can’t make withdrawals unless you make deposits. These small actions—insights, feedback, connections, and opportunities—are deposits that build trust, strengthen collaboration, and lead to better results. What are your favorite ways to contribute to relationships with other leaders and stakeholders? #leadership #collaboration

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep in touch with a mentor or follow up after a networking call, this might be the only guide you'll ever need. 👇🏾 One of the most common questions I get is, "How should I follow up after a networking call?" Here's the playbook: 1️⃣ Say "Thank You" This is a non-negotiable. Pro tip? Do it fast, have some class, don't make asks. ✨ Translation? ↳ Same day, ideally within 60 minutes. ↳ Be specific, concise, and genuine. ↳ Don't ask any questions or for any favors. ↳ Bonus: Use a loom video to make it personal and unforgettable. (it's the "handwritten card" of 2025). 2️⃣ Close the Loop Have you heard of the 99/1 phenomenon? ↳ 99% of the time you have a coffee chat, the other person will mention a book, article, person, or resource to leverage. ↳ Only 1% will do something with this info. 💡 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 1% 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆. 3️⃣ Add Value You can: ↳ Find out what lights them up and help them accelerate toward it ↳ Find out what keeps them up at night and present a solution to it ↳ Amplify their work ↳ Celebrate their milestones ↳ Aggregate existing data or create new data Ultimately, the secret here is no secret at all. Offering real value demonstrates character and builds relational capital. 💰 And you need to have something in the bank before you make a withdrawal. 4️⃣ Give A (Non-Invasive) Update People 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 to see stories of growth. But people 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬 to be a part of someone else's growth story. So, what can you do? Share a quick update on your recent wins or progress. Pro tip: ↳ Keep it relevant and concise. ↳ Tie it back to their investment in you, if relevant. 5️⃣ Make An Ask This comes last for a reason. ↳ Only make an ask after you’ve provided value. ↳ Timing and reciprocity are everything. ↳ When you're done, you're back to #1. Rinse and repeat. ---- Great follow-ups aren’t about pestering—they’re about adding value, showing you care, and staying unforgettable. Master these tactics and watch your relationships transform, forever. 🌱 What’s your favorite follow-up move that I forgot? Drop it below! 👇🏾 ---------------- ♻️ Repost to finally give the blueprint to active job seekers and networkers in your community! 🔔 Follow 🔥 Chauncey Nartey, SHRM-SCP, ACC to stay on the cutting edge of modern career wisdom.

Struggling to “add value” when networking? Engagement Plans make it easy. Here’s how to craft one in 6 simple steps: 1. The Struggle To “Add Value” Every job seeker is told they need to network. Every job seeker is also told they should focus on “adding value” when networking. I’ve coached thousands of job seekers and the idea of adding value / knowing what to say when networking is one of the biggest challenges they face. I came up with the “Engagement Plan” strategy to help solve for it. 2. What Is An “Engagement Plan?” Engagement Plans are blueprints for relationships. They’re step-by-step outlines for engaging and working to build a relationship with someone. The recipe is simple: - Research your contact - Identify areas of opportunity - Brainstorm ways to add value - Map out the plan Let’s break down each. 3. Research Your Contact Start with their LinkedIn profile. Review their past roles and experience, check their education, look to see if they create content, etc. Expand to other channels too: - Google them - Look them up on other social platforms - Etc. The goal is to learn more about them and what they care about. 4. Identify Areas Of Opportunity & Brainstorm Ways To Add Value You can use AI to speed up this process: - Take a full page screenshot of their LinkedIn profile - Head to ChatGPT - Attach the screenshot and use the following prompt: “Please share 10 different ways I could add value to this person that I'm trying to network with. I'm attaching a screenshot of their LinkedIn profile.” 5. Pick The Top 3 And Think Two Steps Ahead Choose the 3 avenues you think will give you the best shot of getting their attention. Pretend it does. Now brainstorm different strategies and value-adds you could use to progress the relationship and keep the conversation going. Repeat for each one. 6. Take Action On Your Plan & Track It Start messaging contacts and test the different avenues you brainstormed. Track your results for each strategy in a Google Sheet. It can look something like this: 7. Start Slow To Go Fast In the beginning this will take time and effort. But as you repeat the process, you’ll begin to see patterns. You’ll understand what to look for, which strategies work best in certain situations, etc. Then you’ll get to the point where you can build an engagement plan for a contact in just a few minutes. —— ♻️ Repost to help make networking easier for your connections ➕ Follow Austin Belcak for more

Here's a game-changing piece of job search advice: Prove to organizations how you can add value. Your mission is to show potential employers exactly why they need you. Job searching can be daunting, especially in today's competitive market. Standing out and easing employer doubts about your fit for the job is crucial. Inspired by Josh Cohen and Christine Moorman, I've found a powerful strategy that I want to share with you: identify the organization's Job To Be Done (JTBD). Think of yourself as presenting a product on QVC - showcase how you can solve their JTBD. Start by using your network and conversations to understand their goals, challenges, and what they aim to achieve in the coming year. Example: I recently navigated a competitive recruiting process with a top organization. Despite being up against candidates with backgrounds I lacked, I didn't let me hold that back. Instead, I focused on adding value. Knowing this organization wanted to connect with energy and climate tech companies, I created industry snapshots for three key sectors. I identified a growing set of relevant companies and provided contact information for their CFOs. I offered to connect them with relevant colleagues in my network. Result: By demonstrating my understanding of their JTBD and showing my capability to add value, I reduced their doubts about my fit for the role. I advanced through the interview process, consistently asking, "How can I help you do your job better?" Does this approach resonate with you? Let me know if this framework and way of solving problems to demonstrate value makes sense and is helpful! #jobsearch #careeradvice #networking #careerdevelopment #interviewtips #valueproposition