By Mike Rogers
The phrases "Free", "Free Trial", "Buy One Get One", "Freemium", and "Money back guarantee" are time tested in the world of traditional marketing. The same concept has been popular in the online world in the form of free trials, beta software and free content. AOL built their business with free internet access for a limited time. How can your company boost consumer awareness, brand reputation and attract new customers? Free Content.
More and more companies are getting into content driven marketing as it allows a more measurable and impactful way of promoting and/or selling products and services to prospective clients. It can help improve your company brand and increase the number of your customers. If you are interested in driving more qualified traffic to your web properties, you have to offer people significant value. One way of doing this is to offer SOME of your knowledge. This marketing technique has been tried and tested for many years. It provides a lot of benefits to your customers and more so, to your business.
What good does "giving away free content" do for your business?
It generates leads
Publishing free content can attract people to visit your site and sign up for the free offers. This is a good way of getting your prospects' contact details (email address and phone number), increasing your net value, and generating leads.
It develops your brand's credibility
Word of mouth can create a great impact to your brand's credibility. By giving away free samples, you provide your prospects with an excellent impression of what your business has to offer. In return, if they were satisfied with your content, they will recommend it to or discuss it with others, building your brand's reputation.
It builds your thought leadership
Thought leadership is another important factor for successful marketing. When you give away free content, you contribute your ideas to people and give them something of value and in returning they will view you as a thought leader. Of course, the most important thing about the content you develop is that it must be outstanding and unique otherwise you will drown in the sea of mediocrity. Once you've been identified as a credible source of useful content, people will look forward to more of your writings and will most likely be more open to purchasing your products and services.
It encourages sharing
In Seth Godin's Blog, he discusses about the significance of offering free samples to one's business. His statement, "In a world of free, everyone can play", confirms the increasing number of opportunities for brands to develop fantastic content focused on their keys audiences and why more and more of them openly provide that content for free. This promotes their sensibility and credibility via online communities, blogs and social networks. Great content will be shared among friends and colleagues, driving you and your brand's visibility.
Your customers will judge your content by its quality, relevance and uniqueness. They can easily tell if you are sincere or if you are just using another marketing gimmick. As a result, approach your content development and communications with authenticity, creativity and consumer value in mind. Treat your prospects and customers to new and interesting content and they will be attracted to your brand.