There’s no question that content marketing is one the most effective means of growing your online business. Personally, I say it’s the best. It grows your authority, your trust and wins customers who already know they want what you can sell them.
But there’s a right way and a wrong way to spread your content online.
I could pick 100 different tips about giving away free content to drive email list subscribers, but I think it’s more helpful to take them on one at a time and give you two real life examples. First, I want to show you a company that turned me off before I even had a chance to love their content, much less their product. Then, I’ll show you a guy online who’s doing it right. He gives huge value content and won me over as a fan with it.
The Wrong Way
I’m not going to name the offending company here, but let me tell you a story. I use Aweber for my autoresponder and I’m perfectly happy with them. I’m not thrilled, so I’m open to a new pitch, but not actively looking for a new provider. So when a friend and fellow entrepreneur pointed me toward a helpful eBook from another autoresponder company, I was more than happy to take a look and let them win me over.
That is, until I saw this:
For those of you playing along at home, that ten (count ‘em, 10!) required input fields. Including the one that really suprised me: “Purchasing Timeframe.” As in “When can we have your money?”
Now I have no idea how good or bad a company this is. I have no idea how good or bad their eBook is. Unfortunately for them, I don’t really care. They had their one chance to show me their value, to win me over. Instead they made me jump through hoops for an eBook I wasn’t that interested in to begin with.
This other company might be able to provide me with ground-breaking email services that Aweber can’t even spell, and one day I might switch to them. But it won’t be today and it won’t be because of this eBook that someone obviously spent a lot of time, effort and company money on.
Swing and a miss.
The Right Way
Contrast that story with the right way. Dave Navarro has the right way down pat.
If you’re not on his mailing list, you ought to be if you plan to launch your own product. But even if you don’t sign up, go check out his method.
Dave offers you four eBooks that you can download instantly. And they are killer.
But the truly important thing I want to point out isn’t the quality of the books — it’s Dave’s process. He asks only for an email address to instantly let you download his content. He makes it quick and simple to gain access and then overdelivers the crap out of his content, giving you the best he has to offer and winning you over as a fan. He doesn’t ask for a sale, he just asks for the chance to show you the great things he has to offer.
It’s a simple, but easily repeatable formula:
Low barrier to entry + Ample reason to stay = Content marketing success.
There’s nothing wrong with getting lots of information about your customers and asking questions about their “Purchasing Timeframe,” but first introductions aren’t the time. Just imagine the sales guy down at your local Best Buy greeting you with the words “What’s your name and when are you going to buy from me?”
Content marketing is about spreading your best stuff far and wide. It’s your “foot in the door” moment for gaining new customers — don’t make them work for it, no matter how good that free content might be. Get just enough information to follow up with them later, like name and primary email, then let your content speak and convert for itself.
