Wouldn't it be great if you could build a base of interested buyers who return to purchase your amazing materials over and over again? Well, I have some news for you – this scenario is not too far off from reality! While starting out selling your materials to others in the community can be a bit of a challenge, there is a way that you can attract new customers quickly. The secret lies not in paying for advertising or mass sharing your content on instagram, but rather in the way that you price your materials. Yep, I’m talking about uploading some free content! Website users can use the filter system on our website to search for materials by price. Many new users and tutors who are unsure of what they’re looking for are not as willing to purchase materials they haven’t seen themselves and will use the function to filter for free materials. This is your time to shine – by making some of your best materials free, you are giving your potential buyers a generous preview of your whole library of materials, allowing them to familiarize themselves with your style before taking the leap and purchasing more. Still not convinced that this is a surefire way to retain buyers? Maybe the numerous reasons below will change your mind.

1. Gives potential buyers a preview of your work.

No matter how great you’re gotten at creating ppt slides on google docs, potential buyers can still think twice about purchasing from a seller they hadn’t previously bought materials from. While the preview may be enough in some cases, it’s always better to have a full demo, don’t you think? Giving your customers (and fellow tutors!) the opportunity to actually engage with some of your work before deciding to commit to purchasing more is a great way to earn their trust. Who knows, maybe this will be the determining factor that pushes a user to actually come back for more (this time, paid) content!

2. Great way to build loyalty

As a tutor yourself, you probably know the value of a good source of resources. Sure, you may experiment with different websites and textbooks, but you’ll still have that one trustworthy grammar site or vocabulary textbook that you can always return to, come rain or shine. If you have a consistent style and generate a lot of content that is similar in design and format but on different topics, your marketplace might just be that dependable source that buyers always return to. Yet, in order to build that sort of relationship, you must first give – after all, loyalty starts from reciprocity! You can even go ahead and point out that the free material is a gift in the description, but that you normally charge for materials of this quality. Existing users will be grateful for free content that they have already validated, and new users will be more likely to buy materials in future. Everyone loves a freebie!

3. Free content = free marketing

Yep! This one’s a shocker. Rather than spending money on instagram ads, you can simply reshare your own content (specifically, a link to your store along with a preview and hashtags). You’ll be surprised at how effective this can be. Potential future buyers who see your content will be prompted to access and download it (it’s free, after all!) and if they like it, they may be back for more!

4. Own your expertise

By sharing free content, you are essentially demonstrating that you are expert enough in your field that you aren’t afraid to get out there and share your products with the community. It shows that you know what you’re doing as a tutor and are happy to lend a helping hand to tutors who might be struggling. By doing this, you are positioning yourself as an expert and adding to your credibility as a tutor and community leader. Now isn’t that great news for personal branding?

Offering free content can be a powerful tool to attract new customers and retain existing ones. By providing a preview of your work, building loyalty, and leveraging free marketing, you can grow your reputation as a trusted source of educational resources. So why not give it a try? Upload some of your best materials for free and see how it can help you build a base of interested buyers who return to purchase your amazing materials over and over again. Good luck!