"Information wants to be free," as the saying goes. Yet it's also true that the best way to sell information is by giving some away free. You can apply this to fiction, and particularly to nonfiction, where every bit of exposure helps build your reputation.
Most people don't purchase a book the first time they hear of it, but the sixth or seventh time they're exposed to it. The more frequently you can pop up in front of your potential audience--providing valuable, free content--the larger your audience becomes. When Internet searchers discover valuable content, they become prime candidates for buying a book from someone regarded as an expert.
The benefits of posting free sample content online grow by the day. Not only can consumers find you, but reporters and news producers increasingly turn to the Internet to find expert sources and story ideas. This can lead to exposure and credibility that can't be bought at any price.
Here are some good ways of providing sample content to burnish your reputation and achieve expert status: