Writer Tess Wittler‘s most recent blog entry: “Why are you giving away too much content?” asks and answers the question about the value of generosity in marketing, especially if you are promoting your expertise in a specific field. Wittler shares Ted Williams’ perception referenced in my recent posting: “The ‘why’ of construction marketing — You don’t need to sell so much'” that generosity and sharing based on expertise and focus can truly be the most effective approach to building new business in the AEC community.
Wittler offers some worthy resources, including free e-book, “52 Content Ideas for Residential Contractors“ and she explains why here:
Having said that,?providing useful tips and information doesn?t equate to lost business. I actually think it is the opposite. When you provide great content (blog articles, videos, photo journals, info-graphics, podcasts, etc.), you actually increase your chances of attracting new business. Let me explain.
In my own business, I?ve given away all kinds of information. In addition to the over 200 blog posts that are accessible on my website, I?ve written many ?guest columns for?Blogging Painters?and for my local home builders association.
Recently, I released a free e-Book on my website,?52 Content Ideas for Residential Contractors, and many have already told me, ?Tess, are you nuts? You are giving away too much GREAT information! You need to sell that eBook, not give it away!?
Furthermore, just a few weeks ago, I spent 3.5 hours creating a?step-by-step blog post on how to protect photos with a watermark using PicMonkey. Again, I could have sold this information in a small DIY guide, but instead I posted it on my blog for the entire universe to use.
So why am I giving away so much content?
Time and time again, I?ve heard from many smart business people, including Michael Hyatt, Gary Vaynerchuk and Pat Flynn, say that if you give away some of your best content, people will be attracted to you and reciprocate your generosity.
And it?s worked. In the four weeks since releasing the eBook, ?I?ve grown my subscriber list by nearly 50 percent! Word about the good resources I am providing is spreading.
People share my content via social media and when that happens, they are introducing me to their connections.
In turn for her generosity, she builds her reputation — and attracts clients who appreciate the wisdom of reallocating money that might be dumped into expensive advertising or wasted on overhead into worthy content for blogs, websites, social media and other promotional material. After all, not too many contractors are also great writers.
I believe you should truly take Wittler’s advice in developing your own information-generous marketing strategies, while bookmarking her blog for insights, including this worthy posting which shows you how to protect your photos from content thieves and scammers, who fail to appreciate that generosity doesn’t equate with a license to steal others’ creative work and pass it on as their own.
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