After a recent post, I received a very kind email from a friend, telling me how he enjoys my articles, and appreciates that I am not selling him anything.  His comment really struck a chord with me, as we often tell clients to sell less and give more.  If you really want to sell something, focus first on giving.   It may seem backwards, but when done properly, the returns are much greater.

So, as we approach the season of giving (and thanks), I thought it appropriate to share some tips on how – and why – to give.  They should not only help with business relationships – but I find they work quite well in personal life too.

1. Be thoughtful
   It’s the thought that counts.  Don’t just give for the sake of giving.  Give something that the recipient will appreciate – and something that also represents you in some way.
2. Don’t expect anything in return
   If you expect something in return, it is not a genuine gift. People will give back if and when the time is right.
3. Encourage others to share your gift
   One of the best gifts you can receive is the gift of sharing.  When people share your gift with others, they are in essence telling others that they trust and value you (and that their friends should do the same).
4. Don’t be cheap
   If your gift is not of any value, it will not be appreciated.  And, even worse, people will assume you have nothing of value to offer.
5. Relish the act of giving
   While payment for services is always nice (and often a requirement for survival), there is nothing more satisfying than the simple gratitude, thank you’s and acknowledgment one receives from giving.  Simply put, it feels good to give.

In the spirit of giving, I also wanted to share some special words of thanks.  Earlier this month, we celebrated the 5^th Annual Be Bold, Be Bald! cancer event where we demonstrate that true strength pushes vanity aside – and increased our total amount raised to more than $700,000.  This success is due to the generosity of so many people.  In particular I’d like to thank:

• The entire team at Small Army, especially team lead Monica Belling, for giving endless time and energy to this amazing cause.
• President George HW Bush for joining the fight as a Be Bold, Be Bald! Ambassador.
• Lynne Montesanto and The Wall St. Journal for incredible visibility to the national business community.
• Jason Kissell and Boston Globe Media for unmatched coverage of the Boston market (and beyond).
• Craig O’Neil at Clear Channel for the huge billboard on 93 North in Boston.
• Laura West and the team at MNI for placement in some of the world’s most respected magazines.
• Melissa Lea and the entire team at Blitz Media for securing millions of online media impressions with their partners.
• Dawn Curtis, DJ Santi DeOleo (Jam’n 94.5) and The Greatest Bar for managing and hosting a great after-party for the event.
• Kayla Sweet, Andrea Robbins, Quinn Dowe, Chris Connell and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals for letting us tell their story in national media.
• Chris Brogan for tweeting about Be Bold, Be Bald! to his loyal followers, and sharing our story in his new Magazine, Owner.
• Erin Tracy, Sarah Cox, Stacy Wilbur and the entire team at Regan Communications for securing some great local and national press for the event.
• The thousands of participants who went bald to fight cancer on October 18 – and the countless generous donors who sponsored them for their bold move.
• Mike Connell, for the ever-lasting inspiration to do what we do.

As always, thanks for listening.  And if you have any thoughts or comments, please reply to this email or share them publicly on my blog.  And, of course, feel free to share this gift with others.

Jeff