Content marketing can terrify businesses which sell knowledge and expertise as a commodity.

I’ve lost count of the times business owners have questioned my decision to publicise my marketing secrets free of charge when I’m usually paid for what I know.

So why am I – or many other businesses for that matter - giving it all away for free? The simple answer is because it wins business.

For decades, manufacturers have given away gifts and free samples of products to entice consumers to buy. It can take a great leap of faith to switch from one brand to another but if you give away something of value in advance you will gain trust and credibility.

How many of us crazed our parents as a child to switch to a new cereal because of the free toy it offered?

The strategy hasn’t changed much but the prize has. In modern marketing, we are giving away knowledge.

Businesses can become very precious about the knowledge and ‘secrets’ they possess. Many feel uncomfortable about divulging them for fear that it will give their competitors an advantage. Such reasoning is extremely foolish.

Because it is incredibly arrogant to believe that you’re the only business in the world that possesses that information. One click on a Google search will show you an altogether different picture.

There are literally thousands of sites which offer free marketing tips and advice. They’re all giving away their secrets for success in business because their customers respect authority and credibility. There are no pioneering approaches to marketing that nobody has tried before.

Sharing insight and knowledge is not going give your competitors the recipe for success. It’s also unlikely to be used by potential customers on a DIY basis. Consumers who are searching for DIY tips are never going to buy anything from you in the first place.

What it will do, however, is provide your potential customers with something of value which will enhance their lives. This in turn will promote credibility, trust, brand awareness, and brand loyalty.

Like it or not, consumers are being trained every day to expect trade secrets to be given away freely. Businesses across every industry are making their secrets, knowledge and expertise available to everybody free of charge.

Even fast food giant McDonalds has posted video clips showing customers how to make their favourite burger sauce.

Consumers expect every business to offer an unrestricted customer service portal whereby all their questions are answered. Giving away content is not to be feared but embraced. It is the best way of establishing meaningful, long-lasting and fruitful relationships with the people you need to be a success.

I hope this article has made you feel a little more confident about sharing your business secrets. Giving really does translate into receiving as far as inbound marketing goes and is something every business should grasp.