The Law Of Value: Why Serving Always Wins Over Selling

I remember the day I realized I’d been seduced by my own ambition. I was hunched over my keyboard, chasing conversion rates and margin percentages, convinced that if I just charged enough, clicked the right “Buy Now” button, or tweaked my headline one more time, I’d finally earn what I deserved.

But in that tense, fluorescent-lit moment—surrounded by open tabs on color palettes and AIDA frameworks—I felt completely blind. I was so obsessed with “getting my worth” that I’d lost sight of the one thing that actually matters in marketing: the people I serve.

The Law of Value

My mentor, Frank Andres, once admitted: “I suck at sales. I hate writing emails. My copy is mediocre.” And yet he pulled in seven figures. How? Because he lived by one secret rule: he gave far more value than he ever took in payment. His mantra was simple: your true worth equals the total value you deliver. When you focus on serving others, the money follows.

I had AIDA drilled into me—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action—the marketer’s holy grail for separating people from their hard-earned cash. I obsessed over layout grids, button colors, and power words. I tested subject lines until my eyes blurred. But no amount of design finesse could mask the emptiness of my offer. I’d forgotten that perception only becomes reality when you back it with genuine value.

Chasing Niches, Losing Focus

I tried every niche rule in the book: pick what you love, pick what you know, pick what’s trending. I produced content praising shiny features, glossing over flaws, hoping hype would cover the cracks. When I finally paused and asked, “Would I actually pay for this?” the answer was glaringly obvious: no. Because I hadn’t given people a reason beyond empty promises.

Contrast that with the burger joint down the street. I raved about its juicy patties, crisp lettuce, and secret sauce because those things truly delighted me. I wanted others to taste that same joy. They did. They thanked me. And they returned. That’s value in action.

When Margins Don’t Matter

I even dabbled in FBA—six to ten thousand dollars in gross sales sounded great on paper. Yet razor-thin margins, inventory snarls, and Amazon’s whims quickly turned profit into frustration. I was moving products people wanted, but I wasn’t creating any new value. I was just racing to the bottom of someone else’s supply chain.

Then I revisited digital offers. I invested in high-ticket courses, only to have my ad accounts shut down at the brink of profitability. It stung—but it taught me a vital lesson: no amount of flashy sales tactics can substitute for real, sustained value.

The Simple, Overlooked Truth

When you deliver more worth than you extract in dollars, marketing becomes effortless. You don’t need perfect copy or dazzling graphics—your customers become your advocates. They share your link because they believe in what you offer. They stick around because you respect their time and money.

So before you launch another campaign, ask yourself two questions:

What genuine problem am I solving?

Am I giving more value than I take?

If the answer to either is “I’m not sure,” go back to the drawing board. Dive deep into your customers’ world. Listen. Teach. Share freely. Then watch as the attention, interest, desire, and action follow—naturally, sustainably, and with real impact.

Because in affiliate marketing—and in life—what you give is what you get. Serve first. Profit will be the echo of your generosity.

—David

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