Will Creating Free Content Get You More Clients?

Photo by Tamarcus Brown on Unsplash

(Originally written on Feb 28, 2018. Updated on Aug 27, 2019.)

Someone posted this comment on my Facebook page:

“Just unsubscribed from a group which I had been a member for only 3 months. She was sharing free content, and did a couple of Facebook live videos. A few days ago she posted that people are taking advantage, not hiring her as a coach after consuming her content. Literally she said ‘If you don’t want to move forward, just leave.' So I left, because I sensed anger and lack.” 

First, I have to say that I can relate from both sides, the consumer, but also as the seller. I’ve been there — thinking that just because I’ve shared a lot of free content with my audience, that I'm entitled to having them buy from me. And when they didn’t, I felt resentful.

​In other words:

Resentment builds when we pretend to be generous, with an ulterior motive of expecting our audience to buy, and then discover that they have their own timing.

Perhaps what I share with you here, learned through my difficult experiences, may save you some future pain…  

I now advocate for creating free content as a service to others, and as an exploration of your own calling and voice. 

...and not from this attitude: “If I create free content, I should expect X return in a Y timeframe.”

In the long-term, you will get enormous benefits by being generous and service-oriented. But it’s not realistic to expect what (or when) the exact return will be.

This is one of the problems with funnel-type of launches. Example: Create a free Facebook group for a 30-day challenge, and then try to convert them into buyers.

The participants innocently join what they perceived to be an exciting free thing… yet the host has ulterior motives and tries to sell and convert the members within a specific timeframe. In this case, almost everybody will experience some kind distrust or resentment.

It’s been said by spiritual teachers that “Expectations ruin relationships.”

I think that especially in content marketing, expectations coming from an attitude of entitlement will ruin the relationship with your audience.

If you look at your content marketing as building a friendship with your audience — a perspective  shift that I often discuss— then if you feel entitled to having your audience buy (“since I’ve given them so much already!”) your actions will tend toward manipulation, and erode the very relationship you hoped to build.

Always remember: We are not entitled to anything, not to our audience’s attention, let alone their purchases.

The Great Purpose of Creating Free Content

If you create "free" content with the motive of getting a clients within a certain timeframe, you will eventually want to manipulate your audience. This creates negativity on all sides: your audience senses your ulterior motives, and your conscience will bother you for being out of integrity.

The deeper purpose of creating free content  —  a purpose you can feel great about  —  is to to clarify your own message and to gather and serve an audience of kindred spirits.

There is no "end" or final stage to that purpose. In my experience of coaching hundreds of content creators, it is not possible to one day "finally" have finished clarifying one’s message or exploring one’s voice.

It is an ongoing journey of deepening clarity, resonance, and precision.

Similarly you can never “finally” build an audience  —  your audience will continue to evolve. Some who are less aligned with you will leave, and more kindred spirits will discover you. You'll keep being found by people who are even more resonant with you and your message.

Then how do we create content and make sales?

Back to that resentful coach mentioned at the beginning (with whom I can empathize!), my advice is:

1. Remind yourself of the bigger purpose of creating free content. Make that purpose deeply engrained within yourself by reflecting on it —for example  journaling, meditating, praying, or talking with a friend or coach about it.
   
   
2. Create and share your authentic free content consistently, in the spirit of exploration and service.
   
   
3. Make sure that your ideal audience is seeing your content. My favorite techniques for reaching audiences are Facebook Ads and Authentic JV’s. (I teach an online course on Facebook Ads, as well as Authentic JV’s.)
   
   
4. As you start to gather an audience that engages with your content, recognize how lucky you are that these people are willing to pay you their precious attention, when there are so many other articles they can read, other videos they can watch, other podcasts they can to listen to. The spending of time is the one currency that they won't get back. Appreciate your audience’s attention. Feel and express your gratitude for them. Focus on the people who resonate with your content (and don't worry about the others who don’t.)
   
   
5. Get really curious about what your audience wants from you. Notice what pieces of content they respond to, and make more stuff like that. Do this to serve your audience, and to further explore your Calling — the intersection between your passions, strengths, and what your audience wants from you.
   
   
6. Talk to your audience about what services, products, and programs they have bought, and what they are looking for. What have they bought (related to what you might offer) that didn’t satisfy them and why? What are they still seeking that they can’t find? Recognize how fortunate you are to have an audience that you can talk to, for clarifying these things! This kind of market research is incredibly valuable.
   
   
7. Create those services/products/programs that they seek. Alternatively, you can also find another seller who provides those, and earn a commission in sharing those products with your audience.
   
   

Keep repeating these 7 steps to build an audience, and grow in your understanding of them, as well as of your own Calling.

In this way, you build a successful, authentic business.

Remember, your audience isn’t there for you to manipulate sales out of. You are blessed to have an audience, no matter how small at the moment.

Over time, as you follow the steps above, you’ll grow your audience and deepen your relationship with them. Eventually, you’ll have plenty of grateful clients and customers as well!

Just don’t be fixated on an exact time it “should” happen.

Keep returning to a focus on creating content from an attitude of service, curiosity, and gratitude.