What's in it for THEM?

"What's in it for me?" is not an unusual question. If someone is trying to sell an idea, sell a service, sell anything - we want to know what we get in return.
A successful business sells a product or service that someone wants and that person believes the product or service is better than the next person's product or service. As purchasers we need to believe it benefits us in some way that is a measure of the price we pay. It is our "return on investment" - value.
We love a vehicle that gets us from point A to point B every time and with the level of comfort we expect. We will pay a price for that at the level of our ability and expectations.
At the grocery store we decide if generic or brand name is the best value. Sometimes we pay more if we think it is worth more.
Value, incentive, and some benefit are all tied in somehow. All relationships are like that - business ore personal. They are not so far apart. Through our selection we drive changes in the way people do business. Through our selection we drive changes in the way people around us behave.
Perhaps we need to sometimes ask "What's in it for them?" What are WE offering the other person? Not just in business but in all aspects of our lives.
It's easy to get in ruts of expectation. We slack a little at work. We let our family take a little more on than we do. We ask people for things. What's in it for them? Am I adding value to all that I am part of in this world?
Am I giving my employer an honest days work - greater than the value of my pay?
Am I making life better for my family - greater than the value they hold alone?
Am I making life better for my friends - giving them more than I ask of them?
If we all seek to add greater value in all we do, we will make a better world. Instead of "what's in it for me, " ask "what's in it for them?"
The next time you ask someone for anything it may be interesting to consider this question. What answer would you want the other person to give - the person asking YOU for something.