Give Free Value That Matters
Forty practical ways to give free value that matters, without giving away your living.
Free value proves your worth. Give what helps; keep what pays.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from The Go-Giver (Bob Burg and John David Mann), Give and Take (Adam Grant), They Ask, You Answer (Marcus Sheridan), and The Checklist Manifesto (Atul Gawande), and everyday practice. The first six help the most. Pick one and try it today.
Free value that opens doors
A stranger who gives you something truly useful is remembered. Free value opens doors that advertising cannot. When you help first, customers listen in a different way.
Think of one useful thing you could give a prospect for free this week, such as a tip, a link or a short review. Send it with a kind note.
Give a quick win in week one
The first days with a new customer matter most. One small, real benefit in the first week makes doubt fade. It does not need to be large, but it must come early.
For your next new customer, plan one small win that you can deliver within seven days. Tell them what it will be at the start.
Make it so helpful they forward it
The best test of a free gift is: would the customer forward it? If they would, it is truly useful. When they send it on, they put their own name behind yours.
Before you send your next free resource, ask, ‘Would they forward this to a colleague?’ If not, improve it until the answer is yes.
A gift with no strings attached
A gift with a hidden price is bait. A gift with no strings says, ‘I wanted to help.’ The customer feels free and grateful, and may offer something back by choice.
Send one useful thing to a prospect this week with no ask in the same message. Add ‘No need to reply’, and mean it.
The free audit that wins clients
A free audit gives a customer an expert’s eyes on their own situation. They see real problems and ideas, specific to them, and they see how you think.
Offer one prospect a thirty-minute free review of their plan, site or process. Set a clear limit, do it well, and send three honest findings.
Find the one thing they need most
Customers have many needs, but one matters most right now. Help with that one and your gift is remembered. The secret is to ask, ‘If you could fix one thing this month, what would it be?’
Ask one customer, ‘If you could fix one thing this month, what would it be?’ Then offer one small piece of help with that.
Make it personal, not generic
A generic gift says, ‘I give this to everyone.’ A personal gift says, ‘I thought of you.’ A few personal touches turn something forgettable into something remembered.
Before you send your next resource, add two lines that show why it fits this person, using something they told you.
Templates that save them an hour
A good template is a gift of time. If it saves the customer an hour, they will remember you. You have probably made many that are ready to share.
Choose one template you use every week. Remove any private details, add a short note on how to use it, and send it to one customer.
How much to give away, and when to stop
Giving is wonderful, but you have a business to run. Decide in advance what you give freely and what is paid work. Then you can be generous without worry.
Write two lists: what you will always give for free, and what is paid work. Keep them in your notes, and use them when you are unsure.
Keep it simple and quick
Busy customers do not have time for long gifts. A one-page summary or a three-minute video will be used. Simple and quick says, ‘I know your time is precious.’
Look at your last free resource. Cut it by half, put the main point in the first line, and test whether a busy person could use it in five minutes.
Introduce helpful people
Your contacts are some of the most valuable things you own. Introducing a customer to someone who can solve their problem is a gift that saves weeks. People remember who opened a door.
Think of one customer with a problem you cannot solve. Ask them if they would like an introduction to someone who can.
Send relevant articles
Sending an article is an easy gift, but a random one is ignored. A relevant article with one line of context turns a link into a kindness.
When you read something good this week, think of one person who would benefit. Send it with one line on why.
Track the reaction
How do you know your free value works? You watch the reaction. Do people open it, reply, share it or ask for more? Tracking helps you give more of what helps.
For one month, note who replies to or uses each thing you give. At the end, list the two gifts that got the best response.
Follow up gently
After you give something, a light follow-up can double its value. ‘Did that help?’ shows you care about the result. The key word is gently.
A week after you send your next gift, ask, ‘Did that help? Is there anything else on this topic?’ Keep the tone warm, never pushy.
Reply fast: speed is a gift
In a busy world, a fast reply feels like a gift. A customer who gets an answer in an hour notices. Speed costs no money, only attention.
For one week, reply to every customer message within a set time, such as four hours. Tell them if you need longer, and give a time.
Give a free sample of your thinking
A free sample of your thinking shows how you would solve their problem. It could be a short note or a few lines. It shows the customer what working with you feels like.
Write a half-page note on how you would approach one prospect’s problem. Send it with no pitch, and ask what they think.
Give a mini-audit in ten minutes
A ten-minute audit is a quick free look at one small part of a customer’s situation. You spot two or three useful things. It is small enough to do often, and big enough to matter.
Pick one prospect, and spend ten minutes looking at one small item of theirs. Send two findings in a short, friendly note.
Give a one-page plan
A one-page plan turns a vague wish into a clear path. It takes away the fear of where to start. It shows that you listened and can think ahead.
After your next conversation, write a one-page, thirty-day plan with five steps for the customer, and send it with no sales message.
Give a clear checklist for their situation
A checklist turns what is in your head into something the customer can use. One made for their exact situation shows that you thought about them, and helps them avoid hidden errors.
Create a seven-item checklist for a typical decision your customers face. Send one version tailored to a specific customer’s situation.
Give a benchmark
Customers often wonder how they compare with others. A benchmark gives them perspective: where they stand and where they could go. It is honest, useful and calm.
Collect one simple benchmark from your field, with its source. Share it with a customer to help them see how they compare.
Give a simple calculator
A simple calculator lets a customer see the numbers for their own case. A small sheet with three boxes and a result turns a vague idea into something real.
Build a small spreadsheet with three input boxes and one clear result about a question customers ask. Share it with one customer, free.
Give a warning about a common trap
Almost every field has traps that catch newcomers. When you warn a customer about one, you give them your eyes. It shows you care more about their safety than the sale.
Name the one trap that catches most newcomers in your field. Share it with a customer with a simple way to avoid it.
Give an honest second opinion
A second opinion from a trusted expert brings calm, and confidence if it confirms the plan. If it finds a problem, it may save a great deal. Either way, it builds deep trust.
Offer one customer a free second opinion on a quote or plan they received from someone else. Be fair, and only say what you truly believe.
Give a short call with your expertise
Sometimes the best gift is twenty minutes of your time and your brain. A short call can be worth more than a long report. You give real value and hear the customer’s world.
Offer one customer a free twenty-minute call this week to talk through a challenge. Bring one question and one idea.
Give a useful contact list
You have met many good suppliers, advisers and specialists over the years. A short list of trusted contacts can save a customer weeks. You are lending them your reputation.
Make a short list of five trusted contacts in areas related to your field. Ask each if you may share their name, then offer it to customers.
Give a free talk or webinar
A free talk or webinar lets you help many customers at once. A clear topic, a friendly manner and honest answers are enough. People remember what they learned, and who taught it.
Plan a thirty-minute online talk on one problem your customers have. Invite ten of them, and leave ten minutes for questions.
Give a short course by email
A short email course teaches one skill in five small lessons, each a five-minute read. Once written, it can help hundreds of people. Every lesson builds a little more trust.
Outline a five-lesson email course on one problem customers face. Write the first lesson this week, in under three hundred words.
Give data you collected
If you collect information in your work, you may hold data others would love to see. Shared carefully, it helps customers see their market more clearly. They cannot get it anywhere else.
Look at the records you keep. Pick one simple pattern, such as an average or a trend, and share it with customers in a short note.
Give them a ready-made draft
A blank page is the hardest page. A ready-made draft of a plan, brief or letter saves the customer the hardest part. It shows you understood their need.
Offer to write a first draft of one thing a customer must produce, such as a brief or an email. Send it with ‘Change anything you like’.
Give a fair review of their options
When a customer is choosing between paths, they often feel lost. A fair review that includes options that are not yours shows that you want them to choose well.
Write a one-page comparison of three options a customer is considering, including one that is not yours. Say where each is best.
Give updates on changes in their industry
Rules, prices and tools keep changing, and busy customers miss it. A short, clear update acts as an early-warning system. It protects them from surprises.
When you hear of a change that affects your customers, send a three-line note: what changed, what it means and one thing to do.
Give early notice of a good deal
Sometimes you hear of a good price or offer before most people. Telling customers early gives them a real advantage. They feel valued, and what matters is that you thought of them first.
When you learn of a good offer, even one from a partner, tell the customers who would benefit before you tell anyone else.
Give feedback on their draft
Many customers have drafts but no one to ask for an honest view. Thoughtful feedback takes your time and care. Because it is personal, it is remembered.
Offer one customer a short, honest read of a draft they are working on. Give two things that work, and two that could improve.
Give help in a crisis
A crisis is when help matters most. If you help even in a small way, the customer never forgets. They remember who said, ‘Let me see what I can do.’
Decide in advance how you will respond if a customer has an urgent problem, even one outside your work. Write down your first three actions.
Give a map of the options
Customers often face a maze of choices. A simple map shows where each road leads. It does not decide for them. It shows the territory, so they choose with a clear head.
Draw a one-page map of the main options in a typical decision in your field. Share it with a customer who is choosing.
Give a decision guide
A decision guide helps the customer to decide with a few clear questions. ‘If this matters most, choose A. If that matters most, choose B.’ It puts the power in their hands.
Write a short guide in ‘if this, then that’ form for a common decision. Test it on a colleague, and share it with a customer.
Give them questions to ask other sellers
Teaching customers to question other sellers is one of the most trusted things you can do. ‘Here are five questions to ask any seller, including us.’ It shows you are not afraid of comparison.
Write five questions that a smart buyer should ask any seller in your field. Share them with prospects, including the ones that test you.
Give free value and ask for nothing
The strongest free gift is given with a quiet heart. You help, and do not ask for a reply, a meeting or a sale. Goodwill does its own work, in its own time.
Give one gift this week with a genuinely open hand: no ask, no follow-up pitch, no score. Notice how it feels.
Give what only you can give
Everyone has something that is truly their own: a skill, an experience or a way of seeing. If you give what only you can give, your gift cannot be copied.
Write down three things you know or have learned that most people in your field do not. Choose one to share with a customer this week.
Make your gift easy to open and use
A gift that is hard to open is not much of a gift. Think of the customer on a phone between meetings. Can they open it in one tap and use it in two minutes?
Test your last free resource on a phone. Cut every step between the customer and the value, and make the first line useful.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many sales conversations.
“I made a short checklist you can use right away.”
“I am happy to look at it for ten minutes.”
“Here is a quick fix for that problem.”
“This article answers your question well.”
“The full audit is part of our paid service.”
“Glad it helped.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Choose one free asset to create
Write a one-page guide
Offer a ten-minute review
Set your free and paid line
Share one free tip today
Track what leads to conversations
Refine the asset
Further reading
- How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
- The Go-Giver (Bob Burg and John David Mann)
- The Trusted Advisor (David Maister and others)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
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Start freeThese lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.
More lessons in “Build Trust That Lasts”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Be an Expert Who TeachesNext: Recommend What Is Right, Even If It Is Smaller →
- Smile Like You Mean It
- Use Their Name the Right Way
- Find Common Ground Fast
- Match Their Pace and Energy
- Small Talk That Opens Doors
- Be Interested, Not Just Interesting
- The First Five Minutes Checklist
- Do What You Say You Will Do
- Be Honest About What You Cannot Do
- Share Bad News Early
- Admit a Mistake and Fix It Fast
- Give Before You Ask
- Show Proof Instead of Making Claims
- Keep Promises Small and Real
- Be an Expert Who Teaches
- Give Free Value That Matters
- Recommend What Is Right, Even If It Is Smaller
- Tell Customers What You Would Do
- Be Independent and Honest
- Think Long Term, Not This Month
- Make Customers Smarter
- Open Posture, Open Mind
- The Right Amount of Eye Contact
- A Voice That Feels Safe
- Mirror Without Mimicking
- Dress for the Customer You Serve
- Make Video Calls Feel Personal
- Read Signs of Discomfort
- Remember the Small Details
- Send the Unexpected Thank-You
- Check In Without Selling
- Celebrate Their Wins
- Introduce People to Each Other
- Build a Simple Relationship System
- What to Do When You Make a Mistake
- A Sincere Apology That Works
- Turn an Angry Customer Into a Fan
- Rebuild Trust After a Missed Deadline
- When a Customer Doubts You
- Rise Above Gossip and Reviews
