Will Creating Free Content Get You More Clients?

Yes it will.

However, problems arise when you are attached to when, or from which group of people, the clients must appear.

A reader 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. And as a mindset coach, I thought she had some work to do on herself.” 

First, I have to say that I can relate to this coach. I’ve been there too — thinking that just because I’ve shared a lot of free content with my audience, that they’re supposed to buy from me. When they didn’t, I experienced some level of inner suffering, depression, cynicism.

​In other words:

Resentment builds when we pretend to be generous — with an ulterior motive of expecting our audience to buy.

Through difficult experiences, I’ve shifted my perspective. Perhaps by sharing these lessons I might save you some pain, and support you along the road to true success.

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

Not: “If I create X content, I should expect Y return.”

It is true that in the long-term, you will get enormous benefit by being generous and service-oriented… however it’s not realistic to expect what the exact return will be.

This has been wisely said by various spiritual teachers that “Expectations ruin relationships.”

More accurately:

Expectations which result in an entitlement attitude will ruin relationships.

If you look at your content marketing as building a relationship with your audience — a wise perspective — then if you feel entitled to having your audience buy (“since I’ve given so much already”) your actions will move into resentment or 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 purpose of getting a certain number of sales, you will be tempted to manipulate your audience. This creates suffering on all sides: your audience senses your ulterior motives, and your conscience will bother you with an integrity problem.

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

There is no "end" 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.

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

Similarly you can never “finally” build an audience  —  your audience will be ever evolving, as more kindred spirits find you... and as you your message evolves.

…then how do we create content and make sales?

Back to that resentful coach (with whom I can empathize because I’ve been there!) mentioned at the start of this article, my advice is this:

1. Remind yourself of the bigger purpose of creating free content. Make that purpose deeply integrated in yourself by reflecting on it — journaling, meditating, praying, or talking with a friend or coach about it.
   
   
2. Create and share free content consistently, and in that spirit of exploration and service.
   
   
3. 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 many other articles they can read, many videos they can watch, many other podcasts they can to listen to. The spending of time is the one currency that none of us get back. Appreciate your audience’s attention. Feel the gratitude deeply.
   
   
4. Get really curious about what your audience wants from you. Notice what pieces of content they respond to, and make more content like that. Do this to serve your audience, and to further explore your Calling  —  which is the intersection between your passions, strengths, and what your audience wants from you.
   
   
5. Talk to your audience about what services, products, and programs they have bought, and what they are looking for, to further develop their knowledge. Recognize how fortunate you are to have an audience that you can talk to, for clarifying these things! This market research is incredibly valuable.
   
   
6. Create those services/products/programs that they are looking for —  or have bought from others but weren't fully satisfied. Alternatively, you can also find another seller who provides those, and earn a commission in sharing those products with your audience.
   
   
7. Keep repeating these steps to build deeper understanding of your audience, and 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.

By following the steps above, you’ll grow your audience over time, 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 consistent content, from an attitude of service, curiosity, and gratitude.

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