I don’t know why…

… but it still surprises me when so-called “business people” get their underwear in a wad when they see an offer.

You’d think they would realize the whole point of having an email list is to run a business, and not just give away endless amounts of free content forever.

Take, for example, my last email/blog post about copywriting joint ventures.

I basically gave away some extremely valuable information that has been worth well over $10,000 to me personally.

And yet, here’s an email I got almost immediately after sending it:

I hate these misleading articles that lead to a pitch. Pretty cheap. I’m unsubscribing. – M.

Apparently, the fact I put an affiliate link in the email that sends people to a website with nothing but MORE free content (there’s nothing even for sale there right now) hurt poor “M’s” delicate sensitivities.

And while I found his email amusing (hey, don’t let the door hit you in the arse, M)… it was also kind of annoying, too.

Of course, I have nobody to blame but myself.

I probably give as much “for real” useful free content as anyone. The interviews alone are worth more than many products you can pay for on those particular subjects.

And yet, I am no longer sure giving all this away is a good thing.

There are two reasons I say this:

1. My site is like “catnip” to people who only want free stuff.

This doesn’t make them bad people, by any means. But they tend to complain an awful lot and make for lousy subscribers.

And, even more important than that…

2. All this free stuff I give away doesn’t help you as much as if you paid for it.

Now, your first reaction to that may be, “NO BEN! It DOES help!”

And, in some ways, I am sure it does.

But rest assured, free is NOT better.

I’ll give you a “real life” example.

Once upon a time I bought the late Gary Halbert’s “Boron Letters” (back when he charged $97 for them — and didn’t give them away free on his site).

And because I bought those letters (and it kinda stung my pocket book to do so), I studied them night and day for several months.

In fact, I read them at least 20 times (probably more, but lost count).

I even sat down and copied the book out by hand just to get inside Sir Gary Of Halbert’s “head.”

This experience was invaluable to me.

I cannot put a price tag on how much it was “worth” — but I do know my income went up significantly after that.

And yet, I never would have studied them like that had I got them free on his site.

Which brings me to the point:

Free is costing you money.

It is NOT saving you money.

Especially long term.

And if seeing a sales pitch bothers you — even though you are in marketing and/or copywriting — then it could be you’re in the wrong business.

I mean, how can you possibly be a good seller… if you’re not first a good buyer?

Just something to think about.

P.S. Like anyone online, I often get hate mail (or “dork mail” as I consider the one I quoted above).

But I also get a lot of good mail, too.

In fact, right after the email I got above, the following response — to the exact same email the other guy was crying about — came in:

“Ben, I am continually amazed at the wealth of information and the imaginative nature of your e-mails on copywriting, etc. Even when I can’t use one of your e-mails, which is often because of the nature of my writing, I am so very impressed by the thoughtfulness of the content — and how spritely it’s written. Thanks for strong writing and strong ideas! Best, Tim”

Thank you, Tim.

Coming from you that means a lot (Tim happens to be a “for real” business professional, by the way, with the career history to prove it).