I recently encountered an interesting phenomenon of how it’s easier to give than to receive. The most important part – it can be seen in every aspect of everyday life.
The Prologue
It started out with something simple. Last week my mom mentioned wanting to purchase this blush that would ultimately cost $30 at Ulta. I told her it would be best to wait for some kind of promotion as they come fairly often. The next day I happened to be wandering down the beauty aisle in TJ Maxx. (For those wondering, mind you that I’ve said that I’m a recovering makeup addict in prior blog posts – not recovered.) If the foreshadowing wasn’t obvious, before my eyes was the same exact blush for a third of the price. I happily snatched it up, excited to surprise my mom. When I came home, she was thrilled but wanted to pay me for it. She felt guilty – maybe even unworthy – of the unexpected gift. Coincidentally, she attended a conference the next day that covered the topic of showing your worth and accepting gifts with grace. In the end, my mom ended up gratefully accepting the gift due to what she learned that day. However, it got my gears turning.
The Joy in Giving?
Advice and explanations on the joy of giving are plentiful. You don’t need me to tell you that. Though, have you ever tried to give and been rejected? It’s a pretty weird feeling. I happened to find this amazing challenge of rejection therapy by Jia Jiang, and he makes note of this in his “Rejection 47: Pump Gas for Others” challenge. It’s easier for people to give than take. Sure, we all love holiday gifts in December. Yet, think of that feeling of someone giving you a gift without you having a reciprocal one in return. Not good.
It makes us feel good to give but guilty to receive, a fascinating contradiction. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to everyone as there are some outliers. Nevertheless, it’s more common than not. Is it that the person feels subconsciously unworthy? Do they want a more balanced relationship or interplay? Who knows. Likely, there are a lot of issues involved. The bottom line is that people like giving. It brings them joy whereas the opposite makes them uncomfortable.
Yeah, so what?
How does this all relate to marketing? Well, it’s an intricate balance. People might not like receiving without reciprocating, though that doesn’t necessarily translate to brands. (Although we do love a company that gives back in some philanthropic form!) You have to cater to this ‘human truth’ toward your specific case, however, it’s an interesting thing to note.
About Marissa Musings: Marissa Musings are short blog posts that derive from an outpouring of random thoughts. My brain can be a very crazy place. Enjoy with caution.