In content marketing, we talk a lot about giving away free value: investing time and resources into creating content that your audience actually gets something out of--quality information they can actually use to their benefit.It’s one of the best ways to build credibility and create relationships with your target audience.But here are two interesting questions I’ve heard:

1. Can you give away too much free value and risk devaluing your services as a result?
2. Can you cross the line between offering free value and giving away your secret sauce?

I would suggest not.Giving away free value does not equate to picking your own pocket. Sharing your expertise might make your target audience feel like they could do it without you. But it’s more likely it will just show them that it’s something they don’t have the time, resources, or expertise to do on their own.Sharing your expertise might show your competitors what they could do better. But I believe that, if the expertise is valuable enough to be revolutionary to their business, it’s either going to take them ages to implement it or it’s going to be too big of a pivot for them to bother with anyway.And in the meantime, you’ll already be using that insight to position yourself as a thought leader and build awareness of the challenges you solve for your target audience.As Brian Clark says: “These days, people want to learn before they buy, be educated instead of pitched.”Giving away free value doesn’t diminish your value. It doesn’t make your services any less necessary. It’s just a new way of pitching a savvy audience that’s wary of and worn out by being sold to.I work with coworking operators from across North America to craft and implement content strategies that deliver results. If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you, get in touch with me today.Or subscribe to my mailing list below.