How to save the character that needs to be cut

So... now don't get too mad with me. Alright, I don't have a good excuse, but I know this time it was a    really long time. Sorry. But, because of my absence it gave me an idea for a post.

You have that secondary character. You absolutely love them, but... you know they aren't adding to the story and they should probably be cut. "No!!! I can't cut my baby", you scream with your notebook/computer clutched to your chest. And so, your favorite Brookie ever is going to give you some tips on how to make your character worthy of staying in the story. Yay for Brookie! Now you're not so mad with her for ditching you, right? Right...?

If you haven't already, give them some backstory. This will automatically make her deeper and more important. After she has some backstory, give her a goal. Now her goal is a key thing here. Give her a goal that in some way crosses with the MC's. Maybe the MC is trying to save the world? Maybe for some reason this character can't let that happen. What if the antagonist is threatening this character's family if she helps the MC? What if she's looking for her lost father and the MC's goal distracts her from that. Use anything. Remember keep your imagination open and once you figure out their backstory don't set it in stone, SC's backstories can add immensely to the MC's. :)

The key thing I believe when creating and developing characters is to make every character the MC. Because that's what they think they are. So treat them like it. Just remember that their goals are the only things that can't be as big as the MC's. Otherwise they start to take over the story. Don't let your love for this character trump your love for your MC's or it's back to the start to completely replot everything. If you really get attached consider writing something on them later.

I am putting up a poll for you all to vote on! So don't forget to check that out before you leave. :)

Do you have any other tips to share? Are you going to tear me apart for being gone so long? Let me know in the comments!