If you run a small business, the approach you take in your marketing will be different from the way a large corporation spreads its message. When it comes to popular brands, people know the type of quality they can expect when making a purchase. As a result, those corporations can simply display a product, logo and price, and people will gladly spend their money. But as the owner of a small business, not everyone knows who you are or how much you care about your market.

When people don’t trust you, you won’t be able to charge the same prices as companies that have already been established. The problem, however, is that building a name for yourself can take years, and you need to generate revenue right away. The good news is that you can overcome this problem by focusing on giving value before you ask for the sale. Doing so will work wonders for your small business.

Although many people are reluctant to take this step, offering free value to your prospects is one of the smartest investments you can make in your business. To understand how this approach can help your profitability, you need to focus on your long-term goals so that you will get a clear picture. People see ads asking for their money all the time, and without a reputation, you are just another face in the crowd. But if you create something interesting or valuable to give away, people will take notice. Some business owners try to rush through the process, but that is a mistake that will likely cause them to fail. If you want to enjoy the best possible results, do market research to find out what your target audience wants.

At this point, you are likely wondering what you should give to your prospects to get their attention, earn their trust and make a sale. Ebooks, audio courses and consultations are things that any business owner can offer. If you can provide free consultations, you can get vital market data that would otherwise cost a lot of money to obtain. During each session, work to discover what your prospects need that no other company is providing, and you can use this gap to attract more customers than ever. Also, offering free information products and consultations will give people an idea of how you operate your business, so it will force you to stay on top of your game. If the products that you give away are useful to your audience, they will start to trust you, and they will become much more interested in premium products.

Now that you have a basic understanding of why it’s important to offer value, you are ready to put everything together. To grab attention, create an article or video that teaches people something useful, but don’t give everything away on social media or your website. It’s vital you only give away enough to generate interest; you can then promise to provide the rest of the content to those who sign up for your mailing list or give you a phone number. After your prospects provide you with their contact information, email them or direct them to a membership page on your site. When you build trust, you can inform your prospects that they can purchase your product or service if they want to get even better results.

If you create a free digital product, you can keep giving it away for years without any additional investment, and your market will start to view you as an expert in your field. Loyal customers, increased sales and enhanced profitability are what you can expect when you learn to give before trying to receive.