How Does Giving Away Free Content Actually Help You?

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Content pays a great return to entrepreneurs that know how to leverage it properly. And many entrepreneurs recognize that giving free content can be one of the most effective ways to build their brands’ worth in the marketplace.

When you offer content for free, you aren’t charging the people who want to consume that content, right? But that doesn’t mean that you don’t get something of value out of this exchange. Because, when you provide free content, there’s often a undertone that this person is open to receiving future messages from you.

The Free Content Exchange

When someone sees a post or website and decide the need what you are giving away — they leave you their email address to consume your content, it should be some of your best stuff.

Why?

Well, you want them coming back, perhaps spending in future or even working with you.

With the exchange of your nuggets for their email it gives you the opportunity to follow up with them in the future. And hopefully gives you the chance to convert them into paying customers at a later date.

Free Content Gives your Audience a Taste of what to Expect from you

Most people like samples – right? And giving away free content is the best way to try before you buy. Free content for entrepreneurs are things like;

  1. discovery calls
  2. Skype sessions
  3. downloadable ebooks or PDF’s
  4. videos
  5. resources

… and so on. 

Additionally, free content positions you as an expert on the topic. When people see you creating free videos or going Live and they are packed with valuable information, or downloads with spot on advice or e-books with an abundance of actionable steps, they start to see you as the expert.

The more value you give, the more trust you earn.

Free content equates to, free marketing.

Every time you create content and give it away for free, you create another opportunity to market your business.

Free Content Creates New Opportunities

And we all want new opportunities when it relates to our prospect and audiences. Opportunity include;

  1. traffic
  2. leads
  3. start conversations
  4. collaboration possibilities

… and a whole lot more.

When you deliver free content, it helps you to create a larger and loyal audience. The best thing about it is that your followers hang on to your every word. Like it’s gospel. As you help them create more value in their lives, they reciprocate their gratitude by sharing your content, by providing you with word-of-mouth marketing, and by being your biggest cheerleaders.

Free Content Helps you Make More Sales

There you go – we said it.

Overall, free content can help your audience decide to buy from you or not. It leaves them with the perception (and an accurate one) that if you can give so much value for free, imagine how great the paid stuff must be!

Providing the value up front at no cost in fact encourages buying decisions later.

Now, some people might tell you free breeds poor culture. 

Many people will tell you that when you create content and give it away at no cost, you will suffer in the long-term. The ideology is that people will always expect free from you. These people will tell you that giving your best stuff for free will undervalue you. And some people worry others will copy them. And you know what? All of that may happen.

But we think you’re smarter than that.

We read an article recently on Yahoo! Answers where someone stated the following quote (which we LOVE!)

You know that there are two types of people: those who only want your free stuff, and those who are waiting for your paid stuff.

Everyone expects and consumes free content, that’s shouldn’t be surprising.

In fact in our last blog about the tools we love – the free versions are among the best! The people who consume our free stuff and never have any intention of buying from us, were never going to be our ideal buyers anyway. But these people are just as important. These people help us grow our network.

They help our social media accounts look healthy and busy and attract others who will buy from us. They have a greater purpose with us than a sale. 

We also can’t forget the people who are anxiously waiting to buy from you.

They are waiting for your first product launch or to join your business. Why? Well that’s east. Because YOU have spent time and heart giving them so much value. A lot of times people will buy from you simply to say thank you for the free content and time you gave them. Others will buy from you because you’ve taken the time to give, not waiting with your hand out.

A lot of entrepreneurs confuse themselves about what content to give away for free and what to charge for. Here’s a fantastic rule to stick to;

 

  • Give away why, who and what. Give away the motivational content. Share the content that shows people what is possible to create in their lives. Give away the case studies and the results. Give away the stories, your opinion and your best takeaways on the topic.
  • Charge for how. Charge for showing people how to get from point A to point B. Ask a fee for the processes that you’ve made, for showing the system you’ve set up that they can duplicate. Charge for the ‘let me hold your hand through this’.

Summary of our Thoughts on Free Content

Overall, you have nothing to lose and so much to gain by providing free content to your audience. And, it is a great way to cultivate new members to audience too. There will be some who use it, others who collect it, and then others who never think twice about it. Each of them play an important role in your marketing – we have seen it happen over and over again.

Would it be helpful to provide you a list of ideas you could use for a giveaway or download? Let us know in the comments! And, make sure you have signed up for our list – we share a TON of free goodies there, often!

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