Nadja Lüders: My consulting area is definitely a niche. That's why I have to constantly educate myself and expand my expertise in order to be able to offer the small target group a lot of added value. Toy manufacturing is very important to me.
I met a lot of "helpless" people on Facebook and DaWanda, and so in 2012 I founded the association "Wir machen Spielzeug eV" (We make toys) which supports small and micro manufacturers. We are a group of over 250 toy manufacturers. At first I drew attention to the issue primarily in the association as a purely voluntary activity. Then I trained as a toy safety specialist so that I could better support the members. This is how my profession developed. I would never have had the idea of becoming a consultant in this area without my commitment to the association and the exchange on the web.
About this interview series
"Give away what you know - to sell what you can do !" That is the core twitter data message of my book and my method PRINCIPLE FREE . For the practical examples in the new edition, I let a total of twelve well-known knowledge sharers speak for themselves. The interviewees describe what drives them, what works well for them and how they became so successful. They talk about their positioning, personal experiences, and how they deal with competitors and network partners. These interviews will gradually appear here in the PR Doctor.
"Principle free of charge. Give away knowledge – increase attention – win customers", new edition August 2017, 266 pages, hardcover, ISBN: 978-3-527-50908-9, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim
Question: If you share your knowledge so generously on a voluntary basis, where do you draw the line between that and paid work?
Nadja Lüders: My willingness to share my knowledge for free has helped me a lot in my personal and professional development. Openness is sustainability. In my opinion, the law of conservation of energy can also be applied to the transfer of knowledge: knowledge comes back to you in the same amount in some form or another.
Of course, over time I had to learn how much I should pass on my knowledge in order to still have something to sell. My knowledge is not a secret, it is based on laws and standards that anyone can read up on. I translate this into easily digestible portions and bundle information from many sources in one place. My advice then includes help with implementation, encouragement and motivation, and structure.