Eric Yim: Why I give real work away for free

I’m Eric Yim, and my approach to marketing at Protocol Text starts with spending time with people. Right now, I’m going out in person, learning their stories, and writing articles about them completely for free. I want to give them something useful without asking for anything back, and understand what might actually move their business.

Why I want to give someone a finished article

It would be easy to send people Zoom links, put them into email flows, and make the conversation about money. What matters to me right now is showing up in person, talking face-to-face, and actually learning about someone.

That can mean driving an hour to see somebody or having a four-hour conversation about how their day was. You spend that time because you want to hear their story. Then you do the work of telling it.

When I talk about giving “infinite free value,” I’m talking about that willingness to give advice and do useful work. An article takes attention. I have to listen, understand what someone is saying, and put their story into words. The person gets something beyond a conversation about what I might do for them later.

I think that human connection is much more impactful than an email that makes everything monetary. That’s my belief about how I want to work, not a promise about how many customers an article will bring.

What “not asking anything” means to me

I described this in my interview as writing articles for people “completely not asking anything.” The work has value on its own. I don’t want its usefulness to depend on someone becoming a paying customer afterward.

That distinction matters if you run an independent service business. When someone offers help, you should be able to understand the offer without having to guess what you’ll owe them. Calling something free while leaving an expectation hanging over the conversation makes that harder.

I’m also in a specific scenario where I’m able to give this time right now. I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet every person in person forever. That’s part of why I talk about what I’m doing now rather than presenting it as a model every business should copy.

You don’t have to give away four hours, travel, or a finished piece of work to care about someone. If you want to try giving useful work away, choose something you can afford to do without needing a sale to justify it.

The conversation may show that marketing isn’t what you need

I’ll spend time with someone to find out what’s going to move their business. Maybe my service isn’t the thing that moves the needle. Maybe there are things outside the business that need attention, and I can’t help with those. Maybe they’re simply not ready for my services.

That possibility has to stay open. If every conversation ends with the same recommendation, there isn’t much room for what the person actually needs.

At Protocol Text, I see value in combining that personal connection with the technology we use. Technology belongs in the work, but I still want to shake someone’s hand, look them in the eye, and learn about them. Those conversations help me understand whether what I offer fits the moment they’re in.

A practical exercise for giving useful work away

If you’re considering this for your own service business, here’s an exercise I’d suggest. This is guidance, not a description of a client project.

Write down one useful thing you could finish for someone without a purchase afterward. Define what they’ll receive, how much time you can spend, and where the work stops. Then ask yourself: would I still feel comfortable doing this if they never hired me?

For example, you might offer to review one paragraph describing another owner’s service and suggest a clearer version. Keep the offer that specific. You’re helping with a paragraph, not promising a full website rewrite or ongoing marketing support.

Ask what customers tend to misunderstand before you start writing. Give the owner the suggested wording and explain your reasoning. That makes the help usable without requiring another meeting.

If that amount of work would leave you needing something in return, make the offer smaller or charge for it. The point is to give freely within a limit you can keep.

Frequently asked questions

What should I ask a marketer about how they’ll learn my business’s story?

Ask what they need to understand before writing, who will speak with you, and how you’ll check the story for accuracy. You can also ask how they handle details you don’t want shared. Listen for a clear process that gives you room to explain your business in your own words.

Does meeting over Zoom mean a marketer won’t understand me?

No. I prefer going in person right now, but the meeting format alone doesn’t tell you how carefully someone listens. Notice whether they ask follow-up questions, understand your constraints, and can explain your priorities back to you before recommending work.

What should I clarify before accepting a free article?

Ask what’s included, where it might appear, whether you’ll review it before publication, and whether anything is expected in return. Clarify how you may use the finished piece, too. Those are practical questions to settle with any provider rather than assumptions to make from the word “free.”