If you’ve spent any time developing a business online, I’m sure you’ve heard from one marketing guru or another that creating free content is a must. Websites need blogs. Email lists need newsletters. Oh, and don’t forget about having a free download available to entice people to sign up for your email list in the first place. Before you know it, you’ve forgotten what it’s like to get paid for an original idea or make anything other than free content.
When is enough, enough?
I’ve been asking myself that question recently. A major reason for me starting this business is to help other small businesses and solopreneurs sift through the morass of information and find a few nuggets that actually make sense to apply to what they’re doing. For all intents and purposes, I’m in the same boat. The difference is that I’m the one sifting through all the online detritus and making heads or tails out of it.
The Road Less Traveled
I don’t want to be another knucklehead regurgitating the party line. The easy thing to do is to tell you what almost everyone else is telling you. I’m going to go out on a limb here and not do that. Let’s move away from the generalities and acknowledge the fact that it’s not one size fits all with our businesses.
Sometimes more is just more
Generating content, good value added content, takes time. Last I heard, time is money. Continually, I have to remind myself of that fact. I spend an hour writing a blog post, an hour on newsletter content, bits of time here and there posting on social networks, responding to comments, I’m losing time I could be using on other parts of my business.
Depending what you read, you’d think that if you’re not putting out fresh content online somewhere every few hours, your business is never going to get off the ground. It’s enough to make anyone apoplectic. I’m the first to say that high value and well delivered content is key to building a brand and helping convert leads into sales. The problem becomes when delivering so much free content tips the scales from adding to your business to sucking it dry.
Where are you in your business?
This is where getting really specific about goals and bottom lines comes in. I met a woman the other day who was at her wit’s end trying to figure out what route to go with integrating social media into her business. She had gotten quotes from a couple of large PR/Social Media management agencies that included services she neither could afford or thought she really needed. I asked her a bit about her business, where she finds clients and what social networks she likes to use. Her answer, “I really like to blog and use LinkedIn.” My response, “Terrific!”
She was already connecting with potential clients on LinkedIn and creating well thought out content on her own website. For the kind of business she has and the amount of time she can devote to social media, spending excessive brainpower and energy someplace like Facebook doesn’t make sense. Having some sort of presence is okay but creating lots of original content specifically for that network is not going to pay off.
Give until it hurts, then give some more
This seems to be the mantra these days. Just about everyone expects something for free. Long gone are the days of simply broadcasting a message. People can easily go online and comparison shop. The upshot is that competition is fiercer than ever. There’s always going to be someone else working for less and providing more.
Stop! Let’s put the breaks on for just a minute and think about what we’re all doing. The free webinars, the free monster sized downloadable PDFs, infographics, and the list goes on and on. So much rich content is being produced and distributed for free that it’s mind boggling.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not as if I think none of these things should be part of a small business’s marketing game plan. Something like a webinar can be a great tool in giving people actionable advice while promoting a product or service. Contributing valuable content creates trust and helps convince a prospective customer or client to try what a business has to offer. I just hate seeing small businesses fall into the trap of continually giving away the milk for free.
Just say no
I’m a huge proponent of networking, making connections, and helping people with the knowledge that I have. Giving is good. Jumping off the cliff with the rest of the lemmings isn’t. This brings us back to coming up with a plan to get your business noticed online and off that doesn’t involve feeling like a chump. Writing five blog posts a week and coming out with a new free download once a month may be overkill. Are you really generating more revenue and whatever else you want for your business from all that effort? If you are, fantastic. You’ve found you’re sweet spot. If not, don’t do it just because some internet marketing “expert” said you should.
What are your thoughts on all the free content out there? Do you feel as though you’re stuck in a revolving door of content creation with little payoff? Let me know in the comments.
I’m feeling kind of desperate with this give content for free thing going on. I don’t have a problem giving away content, I’m a woman and naturally I give my work without being paid. My problem is how to create enough free content and paid content, the day only has 24 hours already so busy.
This post of yours enlightened me.
I think you need to read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. I’m reading it now and she discusses how we as women fall into this trap really easily. I think it goes back to figuring out how much your business is getting in return for all the free content you give.
I agree that this was enlightening. I know these things, but it’s hard to resist the urge. And now I’m starting to re-think my content calendar, especially for the summer when no one reads blogs!
Yes. I think it’s important to consistently add to your blog since it builds trust and shows your expertise. It’s also an opportunity to highlight problems your clients are having and how you can help solve them. There just needs to be a balance.
I don’t have much insight to add, seeing as I give away all my content and never make money with things, but Seth had a similar post not long ago. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/06/the-free-rider-benefit.html
Thanks! I’ll have to go check it out.
Hey Jen,
I think everyone needs to organize their time and do what works best for them.
I took a course back in 2010 that literally changed me and my blog. At that time the course was about creating a business so I started a brand new blog at the same time. So I now had my main one and this new one. I still blogged twice a week on my main one but only once a week on the new one.
I followed every single thing they taught me and on my brand new blog I was giving away a free report but my backend was a $27 product. I also had an upsale of a $47 product. I was not popular online, yet, I knew no one and started from scratch.
I made sales every single month as soon as I put my blog up that December. My sales continued to grow just by what they told me to do.
If you can allocate your time by doing the right tasks and remain consistent you will get results. It all boils down to how bad you want this.
Give away the free goods so that when they opt-in they’ll be blown away by what they’re actually paying for. That’s how you keep your customers happy and coming back for more time and time again.
~Adrienne
Many thanks for the wonderful comment! I completely agree that everyone needs to do what’s best for them. And, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be putting out phenomenal content for free to inspire clients and customers to buy in to what we’re selling. I do think it’s critical in building trust and relationships.
I just worry sometimes that too many small business owners who are already feeling overwhelmed are getting sucked into thinking they have to be everywhere and put out content for the sake of putting out content even if it’s not right for them or their business. It’s all about having a good plan, being consistent and making sure that what you are producing for free does create value not only for your customers but also for your business.
My biggest problem is figuring out how to give away good value content and also selling good value content. The only way I have found that works according to Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income, is post great content, do that for a while and see which pieces are the best based on comments, likes and shares, then after a while gather those pieces and create an ebook based on that content. Another way I’ve been thinking about doing it if give them a strategy, but offering a custom strategy and some coaching along with it.
It’s a fine line. You definitely want to be sharing your best stuff with people so that they see how much value added you an provide but you’ve also got to be careful to come up with a plan to monetize all of your efforts. E-books are great. I’ve bought loads of them and have no problem paying for good information. You’ve got to be able to tap into that market who is willing to pay and go from there.
hey Jen,
This was definitely something to think about. One thing I had to come up with is figuring out what each of my subscribers willing wanted. I’m still figuring it out LOL. Once I did, I pointed them to what would be helpful for them to get going. That’s when you start getting sales. So right now I’m in the process of reorganizing my lists in my email autoresponder. So giving a way stuff for free to your target market is good. Pointing them to the offer that they’re most interested in is a different story.
You are absolutely right. You need to know who you’re talking to and how your content is going to work for you. Sounds like you’re getting that figured out.