In fact, the cool thing about sharing content like we do at Buffer is that we get to share it with so many more people than just our existing users.
Empower them. When I say “empower them” I mean empower them for free, with “no strings attached.” Because when companies make people sign up and register to download their content, we all know they’re about to feed us into the automation meat grinder.
The softer approach may cost us in terms of subscriber numbers, but it’s proven to be a better way to establish trust over time.
And after all, if people are handing over their email address when they don’t really want to, those are just vanity metrics anyway, right? What a waste of our time. Better to spend our time surprising our existing customers with more and more great value and building trust with them over time.
The bottom line: Give your customers more than what they pay for, even if they haven’t paid for anything yet. Surprise them by giving them more all the time. And don’t ask for anything in return. If you’re really generous towards your customers, they’ll return the favor without you needing to ask for it.