Adding value to a relationship?

[Bryan Boulware]

How did you add value to a relationship between you and a realtor or contractor etc. without anything tangible. Before you had a pipeline of leads and deals you could offer to other people that didn't work.  

Taking the how can I help you instead of the how can everyone help me. Im trying to bring value to relationships with realtors, contractors, or other investors. Unfortunately I don't have loads of deals or connections to offer someone.  I understand and willing to do the legwork for people, but I'm also having difficulty finding ways to add value to the relationship.

So to those who have been in the game for a long time what were ways you added value to a relationship when you were first starting out. Or what did someone do for you that helped a lot when they had nothing else to offer? 

Thank you, 

Also sorry if this had already been posted somewhere.