$100M Leads Audiobook Part 4 – Post Free Content Ep 589

In this podcast, Alex Ramosi shares his insights on leveraging free content to build a personal brand and generate leads. He reflects on his initial skepticism towards content creation and how witnessing the meteoric rise of personalities like Kylie Jenner and Conor McGregor shifted his perspective on the power of audience building. Ramosi emphasizes the importance of producing consistent content across various platforms, with a focus on engaging the audience through value-driven posts. He outlines the "content unit" strategy—hook, retain, and reward—as the foundation for growing an audience and discusses the balance between providing value and making offers. By investing in knowledge and learning from those more successful, Ramosi grew his audience to over 1.2 million in 24 months. He advocates for the "give, give, give, then ask" approach, stressing the importance of patience and persistence in content marketing. With actionable steps and personal anecdotes, Ramosi's narrative underscores the transformative impact of content on business growth and personal branding.

• The podcast discusses the importance of posting free content across multiple platforms to build a personal brand.
• The speaker shares their experience of growing a personal audience of 5 million in 24 months while working only two days per month.
• They emphasize the significance of free content in generating engaged leads and growing an audience.

"I've got post free content, the cornerstone of how we built all of the free personal branding stuff that we do across LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, this podcast itself, YouTube, and my email list."

The quote explains that free content is the foundational strategy used by the speaker to build their personal brand across various platforms.

• The speaker recounts their initial skepticism about the success of young entrepreneurs like Kylie Jenner, Huda Kattan, Conor McGregor, and Dwayne Johnson.
• They attribute the financial success of these individuals to their strong personal brands and the ability to leverage their audience.
• The speaker acknowledges that their ego initially prevented them from recognizing the value of building a personal brand.

"I saw Kylie Jenner, Huda Katan, Conor McGregor, and the rock become billionaires overnight. My famous friends said a massive audience was crucial to his success."

This quote highlights the speaker's observation that having a massive audience was a key factor in the success of other entrepreneurs, leading to a change in their own approach to business.

• The speaker decides to invest in learning how to build a personal brand by paying for knowledge and experience from others.
• They share how they paid for calls with a big influencer and learned the importance of posting regularly and frequently on all platforms.

"Buying someone else's experience saves the time it would take to figure everything out yourself."

The quote emphasizes the value of leveraging others' experience to accelerate the learning process and achieve quicker results in audience growth.

• The speaker discovers that the content itself is not the compounding asset, but the audience that grows from it.
• They explain the process of posting free content to reach more people, which leads to a larger warm audience and, eventually, more engaged leads.
• The concept of a content unit is introduced, consisting of three components: hook, retain, and reward.

"The content you create isn't the compounding asset the audience is. So even though the content may disappear in time, your audience keeps growing."

This quote conveys the realization that the true value lies in the audience that remains and grows over time, not in the temporary nature of the content itself.

• A content unit is the smallest amount of material needed to hook, retain, and reward attention.
• The speaker breaks down the process of creating a content unit into hooking attention with interesting topics, retaining attention through compelling storytelling, and rewarding attention by satisfying the audience's reason for consuming the content.

"The smallest amount of material it takes to hook, retain, and reward attention is a content unit."

The quote defines a content unit and its purpose in the context of audience growth, highlighting the necessity of each component in engaging the audience.

• The speaker provides an in-depth explanation of how to create content that hooks, retains, and rewards the audience's attention.
• They categorize topics into five types: far past, recent past, present, trending, and manufactured, and elaborate on the strategies for each to effectively engage the audience.
• They emphasize the importance of differentiating oneself by sharing personal experiences and insights.

"The easiest way to differentiate is to say something no one else can say and no one else has lived your life but you."

This quote underscores the uniqueness of personal experiences as a means to stand out and create content that resonates with the audience.

• Content creators can either document their experiences or manufacture new ones for content creation.
• Manufacturing experiences can have significant potential for growth and monetization.
• It allows creators to engineer content for maximum reward.
• Documenting experiences is more sustainable over a lifetime.

"Example manufactured experience I lived on $100 for a month. Here's how. Now I don't live that way, but I could manufacture that experience, then make content about it."

This quote exemplifies the concept of manufacturing an experience for content purposes, which can be more engaging for the audience than simply documenting daily life.

• Headlines are crucial for capturing audience attention.
• They communicate the value of the content and help the audience decide if it's worth their time.
• News headlines are the best study subjects for understanding effective headlines.

"A meta-analysis of news revealed headline components that drove the most interest in stories."

This quote introduces the idea that analyzing news headlines can reveal the components that make them effective, which can be applied to content creation.

• Recency: Newness of the content.
• Relevancy: Personal connection to the audience.
• Celebrity: Inclusion of well-known figures.
• Proximity: Geographical or emotional closeness to the audience.
• Conflict: Presentation of opposing ideas or forces.
• Unusual: Content that is odd or rare.
• Ongoing: Stories that are still developing.

"Example normally, we wouldn't care about what another human has for breakfast every day, but if it's Jeff Bezos's, we do."

This quote demonstrates the 'Celebrity' component, highlighting that the involvement of a famous person can make ordinary content interesting.

• Matching the format to the platform's popular content increases interaction.
• Content should look familiar to the audience to meet their expectations.
• Proper formatting can make content more appealing than competitors.

"Bottom line, you've got to make your content look like what they expect will reward them."

This quote emphasizes the importance of formatting content to align with audience expectations and platform norms to maximize engagement.

• Curiosity is a powerful tool for retaining audience attention.
• Embedding questions, whether explicit or implicit, keeps the audience engaged.
• Lists, steps, and stories are effective methods for embedding questions.

"My three favorite ways to embed questions are lists, steps, and stories."

This quote outlines the speaker's preferred methods for creating content that piques and retains audience curiosity.

• Content must fulfill the promise made in the hook to be considered good.
• Rewarding content matches or exceeds audience expectations.
• Audience growth is an indicator of content that rewards effectively.

"Rewarding your audience means matching or exceeding their expectations when they decided to consume your content."

This quote encapsulates the essence of rewarding content—it must satisfy the initial reason the audience engaged with the content.

• Both forms of content aim to hook, retain, and reward the audience.
• Longer content links multiple content units together.
• Skill is required to maintain interest over longer pieces.

"So to create a longer piece of content, we simply link content units together."

This quote explains that longer content is essentially a series of connected content units, each needing to maintain the audience's attention.

• Content should be created for a new audience to facilitate growth.
• Avoiding inside jokes and assuming no prior knowledge makes content accessible to newcomers.
• Making content for strangers encourages sharing and audience expansion.

"Make every piece of content assuming the person has never heard of you before and everyone already knows, you won't mind."

This quote advises creators to design content as if it's the audience's first encounter with them, ensuring it's inclusive and has the potential to reach a broader audience.

• The chapter aims to teach how to monetize a warm audience without spamming.
• It will cover offer strategies and how to scale content output for a larger audience.
• The speaker shares personal lessons learned in audience building.

"Post free content part two monetize your audience give, give, give give until they ask the point of this chapter is to show you how to monetize your warm audience."

This quote introduces the topic of monetizing an audience by emphasizing the importance of providing value before making offers.

• Gary Vaynerchuk's "jab, jab, jab, right hook" concept is about giving value before asking.
• Depositing goodwill with the audience leads to more attention and compliance.
• The goal is to build as much goodwill as possible before making offers.

"So I try to under ask my audience and build as much goodwill as possible."

This quote reflects the speaker's strategy of prioritizing the provision of value to the audience before making any asks, which is crucial for successful monetization.

• Mature platforms like television and Facebook have established ratios of content to advertisements.
• Television has a give-to-ask ratio of 3.5 to 1, while Facebook has a ratio of 4 to 1.
• Growing platforms tend to overgive and under-ask to expand their audience.
• To grow an audience effectively, one should give more than they ask.
• Patience is key; many fail to make money because they can't wait long enough.

"Television advertises 13 minutes of advertising per 60 minutes of airtime. That means 47 minutes are dedicated to quote giving and 13 minutes are dedicated to quote asking. That's roughly a three and a half to one ratio of giving to asking."

This quote outlines the give-to-ask ratio found in television advertising, illustrating a model that mature platforms use to balance content and monetization.

"On Facebook, it's roughly four content posts for every one ad on the newsfeed."

This quote provides an example of the give-to-ask ratio on a social media platform, indicating that even digital platforms follow a similar model to television.

"If you want to grow an audience, give far more than you ask."

This quote summarizes the strategy for audience growth, emphasizing the importance of providing value before making requests or asks.

• The "give until they ask" strategy is based on overdelivering value without directly asking for money.
• Trust is built when audiences receive more than they expect and are not pressured for money.
• Audiences that feel they receive a lot of value are more likely to initiate transactions.
• This strategy leads to acquiring customers who are generous and perceive high value in what they receive.
• Advertising should be done in a way that allows for continued growth without soliciting publicly.

"Give until they ask. People are always waiting for you to ask for money. And when you don't, they trust you more, they share your stuff more, you grow faster, et cetera."

This quote explains the principle behind the strategy, where providing value without asking for money leads to increased trust and organic growth.

"If you give enough, people start asking you."

This quote suggests that if you provide sufficient value, people will naturally become interested in supporting you or purchasing from you.

• Asks should be well-timed and sparing to avoid stunting audience growth.
• Integrated offers within content maintain a high give-to-ask ratio and can be effective without being intrusive.
• Intermittent offers involve occasional, direct asks after a series of content that provides value.
• Whether to use integrated or intermittent offers may depend on the platform and content type.
• Clear, compelling offers and lead magnets can convert audience members into customers.

"Bottom line, the moment you start asking for money is the moment you decide to slow down your growth."

This quote highlights the trade-off between asking for money and continuing to grow an audience, suggesting that timing is crucial.

"Integrated you can advertise in every piece of content. So long as you keep your give to ask ratio high, you will continue to grow your audience and get engaged."

This quote explains how integrated offers can be included in content without overwhelming the audience, thereby maintaining growth.

"Intermittent the second way you can monetize is through intermittent asks. Here's how it works. You make many pieces of content of pure gives, then occasionally make an ask piece."

This quote describes an alternative strategy where asks are less frequent but more direct, following a series of value-adding content.

• Scaling involves either maximizing a single platform before moving to another (depth, then width) or expanding to multiple platforms early on (width, then depth).
• Depth-first approach focuses on building a strong presence on one platform before diversifying.
• Width-first approach aims for a broader reach from the outset, with content tailored to fit multiple platforms.
• Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages, including resource allocation and the risk of platform reliance.
• Consistent content creation is essential, and simplifying the process can help maintain a regular posting schedule.

"Depth, then width. Maximize a platform, then move on to the next platform."

This quote outlines a strategic approach to scaling content by focusing deeply on one platform before expanding to others.

"Width and depth get on every platform early, then maximize them together."

This quote introduces an alternative scaling strategy that emphasizes a broad presence across multiple platforms from the beginning.

• Content creation is vital even if it is not the primary advertising strategy.
• Free content nurtures demand and can significantly contribute to converting leads into clients.
• Paid advertising should not receive all the credit; content plays a crucial role in warming up potential customers.
• Starting content creation as soon as possible is recommended for better returns on all advertising methods.

"78% of all clients had consumed at least two long form pieces of content prior to booking a call."

This quote demonstrates the significant impact of content on the customer journey, revealing that a majority of clients engaged with content before deciding to book a call.

"Start making content relevant to your audience. It will make you more money."

This quote emphasizes the financial benefits of creating content that resonates with the target audience, suggesting that it is a worthwhile investment.

• Discussing personal experiences can shield one from criticism and appear less arrogant.
• It's important to frame advice based on one's own experiences rather than telling others what to do.
• Personal anecdotes are more engaging and can be seen as sharing value rather than preaching.

"Talk about what you've done, not what others should do, what you like, not this is the best when you talk about experience no one can question you."

This quote emphasizes the importance of speaking from personal experience to avoid coming off as preachy and to make the advice more credible and relatable.

• Audiences don't always catch every piece of content, so repetition is key.
• Posting content regularly even if it feels repetitive can ensure it reaches more people.
• Repetition helps in reinforcing messages and keeping the content fresh for new audience members.

"For example, I post about my book every day. I surveyed my audience and asked them if they knew I had a book. One in five that saw the post said they didn't know."

The quote illustrates the necessity of repeating content because not everyone in the audience will see or remember it the first time.

• Start with a narrow focus in content creation and gradually expand.
• Beginning with a specific niche can help establish authority before branching out.
• Growth in content scope should be strategic and aligned with building an audience's trust.

"If you have a small local business, you probably shouldn't make general business content. Not at first, at least."

This quote suggests that small or local businesses should focus their content on their niche before expanding to broader topics as they grow.

• Quality content can be used by sales teams to address prospects' concerns.
• Creating a 'greatest hits' list of content helps in pre and post-sales engagement.
• Content that solves problems and provides benefits is particularly effective in sales contexts.

"Label each quote hit with the problem it solves and the benefit it provides."

The quote advises on how to organize content for sales purposes, ensuring each piece is linked to a specific problem and benefit.

• Free content can enhance customer loyalty if it provides value.
• The quality of free content can impact how customers perceive paid products.
• Customers are more likely to engage with free content, influencing their overall satisfaction.

"If your free content is valuable, they will like you more and stay loyal to your business longer."

This quote highlights the direct relationship between the value of free content and customer loyalty.

• People are willing to engage with longer content if it's interesting.
• The issue isn't short attention spans but the competition for engaging content.
• Content creators should focus on quality to meet the higher standards of audiences.

"There is no such thing as too long, only too boring."

The quote dismisses the myth of short attention spans and instead points to the importance of creating compelling content.

• Manual posting may lead to better performance due to the immediate feedback loop.
• Prescheduling can lessen the perceived pressure to create high-quality content.
• Posting content manually can ensure a final quality check and improve engagement.

"When you manually post, you know that within seconds you will be rewarded or punished for the quality of the content."

This quote explains the psychological impact of immediate feedback when manually posting content.

• Growth can be measured in terms of total followers and the reach of content.
• It's crucial to measure both the size and speed of audience growth.
• Consistency in content creation and engagement strategies is key to long-term success.

"Remember, we can only control inputs. Measuring outputs is only useful if we are consistent with inputs."

The quote advises on focusing on consistent actions (inputs) while using growth metrics (outputs) to gauge success.

• The first post should be an attempt to provide value and can include an 'ask'.
• Early content might not be perfect, but it's important to start and show courage.
• One should not fear judgment and instead focus on providing value to their audience.

"If someone won't speak at your funeral, you shouldn't care about their opinion while you're alive."

This quote encourages disregarding the opinions of those who don't significantly impact one's life, especially when starting out with content creation.

• Posting free content builds a warm audience for further engagement.
• Warm outreach should be complemented with free content, not replaced by it.
• Consistently posting valuable content can lead to a substantial business growth.

"So free content gets engaged leads on its own, and keeps getting engaged leads through warm reachouts."

The quote explains the dual benefit of free content in generating leads and supporting ongoing warm outreach efforts.

• Encouraging readers to leave reviews can help other entrepreneurs.
• Giving without expectation can lead to personal satisfaction and business success.
• Reviews can have a significant impact on the success of others.

"Your review could help one more small business provide for their community, one more entrepreneur support their family, one more employee get meaningful work, one more client transform their life, and one more dream come true."

This quote underlines the power of leaving reviews and the ripple effect it can have on the entrepreneurial community.