In improv, a scene works best when partners exchange “gifts” in the form of details like naming a character or establishing a location (e.g., a casino bar). If one player takes up all the space in a scene, or refuses to contribute, the scene feels lopsided and the energy fails and so does the scene.
We can learn from this. Your content strategy functions similarly within your business community. If you only post “teasers” or constantly ask for email addresses without providing full value, the balance is off. Trust is built when you give gifts—insights, entertainment, utility—without trying to strictly control the immediate return.
In this micro-episode:
- The concept of “Gift Exchange” in improv and marketing
- Why controlling the ROI of every piece of content backfires
- How to spot if your “give/ask” balance is lopsided
Resources: Find more episodes and subscribe at stereoforest.com/minute.
Transcript
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::When you perform an improv, you give your scene partner gifts. And these gifts essentially are things that
make the scene that you're building together better. Like you're naming a character, or you're
describing your relationship, like your two jealous siblings, or you're adding a detail that sets the
space where you are, like a casino bar. And if you're making podcast episodes or videos, what you make
functions in a very similar way within the community that you're in.
::you're a part of. You're adding to it in a way that makes it better, but in a way that lets you function within
the community in a really unique way. So in those improv scenes, we give and we take, in the good scenes at
least. So I might give a gift of the location where we're at, that casino bar, but I might also receive a gift,
which is some really important information about my character. Say I work in that casino and I actually
really love my job, unlike the rest of the
::the staff. So my scene partner added that as a gift to me and I didn't have to think about that. I didn't have to
work. My scene partner had to work. They had to think of it. But say if the scene is really lopsided like one
player takes up all the space in the scene or a player doesn't put anything in at all that scene is not going to
be great. Like if you try to control or force that gift exchange the energy is
::just way off. And the audience, your listener, can certainly sense that kind of energy. So that give and
that take is healthy in any transactional relationship, work or play or whatever else. And often when we
give these things without setting expectations around them, those relationships form naturally and in a
really healthy way. And you end up receiving gifts back. You provide this value to the community and that
community trust.
::you and maybe forms a relationship that benefits your business as well. So if you're worried about sharing
information or value without knowing if you will ever see a return for that effort, the thing that works for
me is don't try too hard to control that. And at least notice the balance between the gifts and the asks.
Because if you're all doing teasers and not full on value, but you're asking for people's email addresses
or something like that,
::All you did was promote in a community, then the balance might be off. So think about what you would want to
see in these situations. And sometimes it's best to lead with that. I'm Jen DeHaan, and this is a
Credibility Minute. Find more episodes or get in touch with me at stereoforest.com slash minute.