Last week, I was reviewing a marketing strategy with a client who runs a communication agency. Their content plan was packed with detailed tutorials, step-by-step processes, and “ultimate guides” to communicating better.
“This looks comprehensive,” I told them. “But there’s a problem you’re not seeing.”
They looked confused. After all, isn’t educational content the gold standard for building authority? Isn’t “teaching everything you know” what every guru recommends?
“Give it all away and they’ll pay you for implementation.”
Not exactly. And here’s why.
The Education Paradox
The thing I’ve noticed within service providing industries is this….The more you teach people to do what you do, the less they need to hire you.
Think about it. When you publish that detailed walkthrough on your core service offering, you’re essentially creating a DIY manual for potential clients. You’re training them to solve their problems without you.
I call this the “education paradox” – the better your how-to content, the more you’re potentially undermining your own service business.
I’ve watched countless service professionals fall into this trap:
- The consultant who shares their exact client onboarding methodology
- The designer who teaches every step of their creative process
- The copywriter who reveals their complete sales page formula
- The developer who publishes code templates for their specialty
And then they wonder why leads contact them for quick advice rather than paid engagements.
The Value-Authority Balance
Now, I’m not suggesting you should hoard your knowledge. That approach doesn’t work in today’s transparent digital economy.
The key is finding the right balance between demonstrating authority and preserving your value proposition.
A friend of mine runs a successful Ghostwriting agency. His most engaged content doesn’t teach “how to write better posts on LinkedIn” Instead, it focuses on:
- How he maintains the client’s voice when writing for them
- How he extracts specific content ideas from clients
- How he measures ROI for ghostwriting
He demonstrates deep expertise while still preserving the complexity and value of his service offering.
Reframing Your Content Strategy
If you’re a service provider, here’s how to adjust your content strategy:
1/ Teach “what” and “why” more than “how” – Show people what matters and why it matters, rather than giving them a complete DIY roadmap.
2/ Spotlight complexity and expertise – Don’t oversimplify your craft. Highlight the nuances that make professional help valuable.
3/ Share results, not just methods – Focus on outcomes and case studies rather than detailed procedural guides.
4/ Create decision frameworks, not instruction manuals – Help prospects understand when to DIY and when to hire a professional.
We’ve shifted from how-to content to strategic insights, and saw our consultation requests increase by 40% within three months. Our content still delivered value, but it positioned us as the guide rather than the instruction manual.
Don’t Build a DIY Audience
Educational content has its place in your marketing mix, but as a service provider, you need to be strategic about what you teach. Building an audience of DIYers might grow your following, but it won’t necessarily grow your client list.
The most successful service businesses don’t sell their knowledge – they sell the application of that knowledge to a specific problem. Before you hit publish on another detailed how-to guide, ask yourself:
Does this position me as the expert they need to hire, or the guide they’re learning from for free?
That’s all for this week.
See you next week!
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