I notice a lot of bloggers and talking about generosity in the sales and marketing world. The idea is to give away your content, advice, or help while expecting nothing in return. One of my favorite articles talking about this is from Seth Godin. In this article he talks about getting something after you've given something. You give money and get lunch in return. You give time and money and get a university diploma.  

But, he says, "Online, though, I'm not sure the math is so obvious." 

And he goes on to say, "Online, the something, the quid, the this, doesn't cost cash. It takes heart and energy and caring, which are scarce but renewable resources. As a result, many people are able to spend them without seeking anything external in return. Even better, the act of generosity, of giving without expectation, makes it easier to do art, to create work that matters on its own."

Another blogger, Michael Hyatt, says the tools we use online like Twitter and Facebook are relational tools, not transactional. He suggests a 20-to-1 Rule - you give 20 relational deposits for one withdrawal.

When I think about blogs I read, people I follow on Twitter, connect with on Linkedin, or friend on Facebook, I don't respond well to those who seem to be using the platform purely to promote themselves, their businesses, or their books/blogs. I connected with them to learn, not just about their products, but about them. Otherwise, I'd just read their website and other marketing collateral. I quickly "unfollow" and "unfan" anyone who is updating their status or Tweeting a link to their book multiple times a day. I followed them to learn from them. I want to know what they're reading, who they follow, and what they think is important. 

Like Seth Godin says, it's "Santa Math." Santa flies around the world giving away presents not because he expects anything in return. He does it because he's generous. It's in his very nature to give things away for the pure joy of giving.

How do you respond to people online who are generous? What about those who aren't?