1. Good Stewardship. A great deal of the work that I do involves creating accounting systems for ministries. In the process, we find ways to monitor, manage, and multiply the resources that they have. But the concept of stewardship is not limited to religious entities. It is the practice of managing with excellence the time, talent, and resources that you are in direct charge over. As a business steward (or manager) your role is to control the flow of resources that come in and go out of your company. The goal is to reduce waste, increase efficiency, and maximize resources. When applying this to how you handle free information keep in mind that the best alternatives will help you get the most out of your time, energy, and finances.
2. The Law of Sowing and Reaping. When it comes to stretching your budget there is no substitute for free. But what about the saying that, “Nothing in life is free”? And when are free resources a great idea in business? If we reap what we sow does that mean that the more we seek to get free resources, the more others will want free resources from us? Assuming that is true, the best way to approach giving value that is free comes from know how to make those requests work for you. Small business owners with limited time and budgets will always be on the look out for no or low cost alternatives to business growth. The question is at what point does free information start to be valued? Now I am not saying that everyone should start blowing their budget and look for costly resources all the time. What I am suggesting is to begin looking for opportunities where you can give back. If a free report, seminar, or article helps by adding value to your company, why not send the author something for their time? Perhaps you could stop by their website and post a testimonial on their blog or reciprocate with a free offer that you have created as a way of saying thanks. Even if you decide not to go beyond their free offer you could still send them a token of appreciation. Who knows? Maybe they'll remember you when their next paid event comes up and add you as a beta tester to return the favor.
No matter the offer it is always good to stay focused on your goal, manage your time well, and appreciate the value that comes from things that are free. What are some ways that you can return the favor to others who share no cost information that helps you make money in business?
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