Giving Away Free Information as a Marketing Strategy

“Content is king.” You’ve heard this a dozen times over the last few years. But what does it mean to you as an entrepreneur, and for your marketing strategy?

People hate advertising.

People love free information.

Today, there is virtually unlimited information on any given topic. But do you realize how much of it comes from businesses trying to get exposure for their company? A lot. Information is becoming the new foot in the door for small businesses who don’t have a big marketing budget.

Why? People need information. When they find resources that they deem valuable, they trust the source. If that source is you, it means you will get sales as a result of the information you give away for free.

What Can I Give Away that People Want?

Think about your business and the topics surrounding your field. If you have a cleaning business, you could offer information on organic cleaners and why they’re better for your home, quick tips on keeping your house cleaner in less time, or on the unseen enemy: bacteria.

The idea is to offer useful information to people who are looking for it. It doesn’t have to be a novel. Some ways to get your information in the hands of your reader include:

• E-Books
• Articles in monthly newsletter
• Free reports (downloadable on your website)
• Blog posts

For my own marketing firm, Egg Marketing, I send out a monthly newsletter with a useful article on marketing. I also post my marketing and entrepreneur articles on websites like associatedcontent.com and ideamarketer.com. Obviously, I also post blog entries!

This establishes me as an expert (or at least someone who remotely knows what she is talking about) in my field of marketing and small business. I write what I know, which shows that I have first-hand experience in marketing. As a result, my website traffic and SEO have increased!

Don’t Forget

Don’t forget to mention your business and link to it! Otherwise, you have lost a valuable opportunity to convert customers. At the end of your e-book/article/blog, include a profile on you and your business, as well as your website link and contact information. Pay attention to results, and tweak your marketing strategy accordingly.