February 11, 2008
If I Give Too Much Content for Free, People Won’t Buy My Info Products
We’re all told that providing content freely can be a great lead-generator for our businesses…but what if we’re trying to sell our information? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
The short answer is no.
Here’s just a few reasons why:
1. Sharing useful information is what establishes you as a trustworthy source that people will readily buy from and recommend to their friends.
2. Having content out there is an amazing source of free traffic; whether it’s from search engines, links from other sites, repeat visitors or word-of-mouth.
3. Gives people the idea that if you’re free information is already that good, your paid stuff must be AMAZING (and it is, isn’t it?!).
4. Content doesn’t always have to be informative. People use the Internet not only to find information, but they also like to be entertained. You can share videos, funny stories and all kinds of things that connect you with your target customer. You don’t always have to play the role of teacher.
5. Your paid information can have a number of benefits which aren’t as readily provided through free content. For example, it is highly-focused information on a specific topic, saving your buyer a lot of research time. It is more step-by-step stuff that will guide your reader the whole way through what they want to accomplish. If you provide any consultation or additional support, it’s worth it to those that need that extra helping hand.
But what if you still think you can’t divulge your good stuff?
I can see in many cases where you’ve focused ALL your marketing on a very narrow market, you might corner yourself where you can’t freely share information.
For example, if your business is centered around Yorkshire Terrier owners who want to learn to tie bows in their dogs hair then you might limit yourself as far as what information you can freely provide. I mean, you don’t want to give away all of your bow tying secrets for free if you’re selling an ebook. 
But seriously, if your target market is that narrow, you’re really limiting yourself and the ability to grow your customer-base. Instead of bow-tying Yorkie owners, you can widen your market to focus on all issues/challenges of owing a Yorkie.
Remember that although your INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS will have a very narrow focus (ex. bows for Yorkies)…your content marketing plan can include all Yorkie owners, allowing you to reach far more prospects. It also has the added benefit of being able to sell them all kinds of products instead of just bows, brushes and ebooks on doggy hairdos. You can sell products related to breeding, health, showing, training and the list goes on and on.
In short, when you think of marketing with content…go wide and you’ll expand the horizons of your readers AND expand your profits too.
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I don’t mind giving good info on my blog… it lets people know about me and my services and products, and it also lets them get an idea if my services will be a good fit for them. What bothers me is when people email me with questions, especially detailed questions that can’t be answered without some research on my part. Do people really expect me to give away free advice? I mean, how can I make a living if I don’t charge for my services?
Another thing I tend to do is write a quick/short article including just a few ideas/tips - all taken from a particular ebook. In my bio of the article, I make note that “the above article is an excerpt for such and such ebook”.
Yeah Kristine, it happens. Even if you just sell an information product without offering anything free, you’re bound to get requests for help. The Internet Marketing Sweetie course goes into detail on keeping this under control.
I get requests all the time. People reply to my newsletters or just send in emails with long (and sometimes short) stories and ask for help. It’s just the way it goes, but here’s how I deal with it:
1. I don’t receive these emails/replies. They go to my assistant and thus, I don’t feel so guilty/frazzled/annoyed (depending on my mood) by them.
2. I have a place to submit questions and a FAQ where I publish those answers. This is where my assistant can direct people to search and submit.
And because it’s my assistant who replies, it keeps the communication to a minimum (sorry to sound like a snob, but I like to help as many people at once…so what I do, I try to do for the greater good) and they find a resource to help them. Benefit to me - those answers further my reputation and also promote my products.
3. Sometimes my VA will send some of those requests for help directly to me if she feels like it might be something I’m interested in answering. Then BAM…instant blog content which comes in handy when I’m feeling short on ideas.
Overall, the point is to make sure your readers understand that you’re not a help-line they can call/email 24/7 with any problem they have. However, you want to show them that you DO listen and help…but make sure that the help you give is to maximum benefit of ALL your readers/customers and yourself.
Good tip, Anita. If they like part of the content…they’ll love the whole thing!
Great tips Alice, thank you! Especially about creating a place to submit questions and a FAQ section. I think that would help a lot. I guess I need to dig out my copy of Internet Marketing Sweetie and re-read it
thanks again
I love having an FAQ section, but unlike Alice’s mine is a category on my blog so I try to schedule one answer every week on the blog. Reduces pressure to fill the blog every week.
Anyhow Alice, point #4 was kinda like a DUH I-knew-that moment for me. Thanks for the reminder
I’m in the process of creating a FAQ section on my site for my readers - and to give my VA a helping hand.
I too get bombarded - more often the long ones asking for detail after detail to start from the very beginning. If I answered all requests fully - I’d never get anything done and would probably never sell a thing.
So, I do one of two things - Alice, I often use them as blog content OR I also send them to my message boards. I and my message board members answer them publicly. This in turn helps out the person asking and anyone who is lurking around the boards. It also gets other members involved to share knowledge.
Plus, later if I get another question the same - I can send them to the boards to read the already answered questions. And of course ads quality content to the message boards.
It works out very well for everyone involved. But, you’d be surprised as to the people who refuse to bring the questions publicly to the boards. I don’t know if it’s embarrassment or what but … as you, I don’t mean to be a snob but, I’m limited on my time as it is
Oops! Sorry for rambling! It’s just a topic that I deal w/ on a regular basis.
I don’t mind giving information away. Yes, there have been times that it has taken some research on my part, but I figure, if it helps, why not? I learn something in the process too.
What DOES bother me is when I do put some time and effort into an answer, and then I never receive any “thank you” back or even an acknowledgement of my reply.
- Laurie
That does bother me but not nearly as much as the ones who consistently ask question after question after question. This is okay to a point but, there ends up being a point where it’s more than obvious that they’re not helping themselves at all.
I will help anyone - anyone who’s willing to help themselves some too
Great discussion! I’m really enjoying it!
I really don’t mind helping people, but sometimes I get the impression that most people are still looking for that “magic button” that’s going to make them into an overnight success. They just don’t get it that it takes work, sometimes hard work, to make a living online, especially when you’re just getting started.
Not long ago I took the time to answer questions from three different people. I emailed them with step by step solutions of what they needed to do to solve their problem.
Anyway, a couple days later one of them emailed me back telling me what a dirtbag (that’s being kind) I was for asking him to spend $8.00. I have a product offer in that autoresponder series that costs $8.00 and this guy was fuming that I would “DARE” to ask him for money.
Ironically, within three days the other two people unsubscribed from my list.
I’m seriously considering just setting up inexpensive memberships from now on (ala The Rhoades Brothers & Jimmy D. Brown). That would definitely weed out all of the tire kickers.
Any thoughts?
Joe
I do love to help others too, but…
The ones who want everything for free rarely invest any money in their business anyway…so more than likely no matter how much you help them they probably won’t become a paying customer of yours. You have to remember your time is also a valuable asset of your business.
I like to plan in advance the kinds of information I’m willing to give away for free…that way I have a funnel system in place for people who are interested in the topic just enough to get their feet wet, and others who are willing to dive in and get the “full meal”. So I do reserve some of my goodies for purchase only.
It truly amazes me how some people will never anything but always want everything free. I don’t get it but — I’m learning to ignore it. Seems to me that if they don’t buy, how in the world can they ever expect to have customers who buy from them?
I help people ALL the time and really don’t mind it but sometimes enough is enough
Great post Alice, thanks!
This is a terrific discussion. I give out a free coloring book [link removed] and it has been a terrific source of traffic and list-building!
I, too, get way too many emails and questions- what help-desk system would you recommend?
Thanks everyone for your input…I know it’s helpful for everyone, including myself, that is reading.
Laurie, that upsets me too. And you know why I think a lot of people don’t say thank you is because they have no intention of truly following your advice. They wanted that magic button Joe mentioned and you instead gave them solid advice they could follow.
Joe…and no loss on those people, right? You can’t help them, so focus on those people you can…and I’d avoid doing it on a one-on-one basis for free to save yourself a headache.
Absolutely Rhonda. However, I do think their is one bonus of freebie seekers (but I don’t cater to them privately!). If you have good content, they are often your biggest cheerleaders and can be a great source of word-of-mouth. Just don’t let them drain your time or make you feel guilty for asking a fair price for your products/services.
Regina very poignant: “Seems to me that if they don’t buy, how in the world can they ever expect to have customers who buy from them?”
Ellen - Are you asking me for free advice? Ha ha…I’m just joking.
I’ve used a few and the most reliable and client-friendly to me has been Kayako. It is a little more expensive than other solutions and often has more features than the average online business needs, but it was well worth the purchase for me.
Oh Demetria, I missed your comment in my reply. ABSOLUTELY great tips and having a STRATEGIC plan is definitely important.
What synchronicity! Your email about this blog post arrived in my Inbox at a time when I was just wondering how to handle requests for help, and feeling guilty about not responding to most of them. You know, the ones that want you to make their business work for them.
There are some great tips here, particularly the one about creating blog posts around common questions.
I feel much better having read this thread, because it has reminded me that I should not feel guilty about putting a high value on my time.
And it’s definitely true that the people who have the most questions and take up the most time account for the least amount of your sales revenue.
80/20 in action! The people that (try to) take up 80% of your time account for only 20% of your income, or less!
Like Alice side, thats not to say that those people are not valuable as referred but you gotta draw the line somewhere I guess.
Best of luck to you all ladies!
“Like Alice side, thats not to say that those people are not valuable as referred but you gotta draw the line somewhere I guess.”
Erm, what I meant to say was:
Like Alice said, thats not to say that those people are not valuable as referrals but you gotta draw the line somewhere I guess.
Yeah, I have to admit at times it IS very frustrating when they ask question after question and never sink a dime into their business. Sometimes you HAVE to invest into your business/education to succeed.
Sure, you can soak up all the free info you want but you’re not going to go far very fast. How do I know this? I used to one of those people. I used to think I could do/get everything for free. I did this for a while too - and it took me forever to get anywhere. Luckily, I finally got smart and started investing.
Yes, I’m out to make money - if not, I might as well come up w/ a new hobby. And no, I don’t help just in hopes that they’ll buy my stuff but yes … it does get very frustrating when someone can’t even invest $9.99 into their business.
I use that price in specific because I have a product that answers a lot of my “regularly asked questions”. I’ll answer a few of the question and yes eventually I will throw in that I have a product that answers all this plus more. A little shameless plug because you came to my boards to ask me these question - I think I can do that. (And I don’t do it that often.)
And since the product is so inexpensive, I get frustrated that they’ll continue asking more and more questions and don’t bother investing that little bit of money.
Oh yeah, this subject is very near to me and something I’ve thought about a lot lately!
Me again … Sorry, don’t mean to make this my personal soap box!
Joe-
I can’t say I’ve ever had to deal w/ anyone that rough but wow. Some people just never cease to amaze me! I have to agree w/ Alice - no love loss there and you should actually be happy they unsubscribed because it’s quite obvious they weren’t going to do anything more than suck you dry!