I used to think that to make sales, I needed to write content for the 3% of people who are ready to buy from me — my potential clients. As a developer, when I wrote technical content, I always thought it was meant for other developers like me, people who were looking to learn and grow in the same way I was.

But I was missing something important: It’s the 97% of the audience who admire and engage with your content that helps bring those 3% buyers to you.

I didn’t realize that, while the 3% are the ones who will convert, it’s the larger group — the 97% — who will help spread your credibility, share your work, and ultimately guide the right clients to you.

So, instead of focusing just on writing content for the people ready to buy, I now see the bigger picture: Content is also about building trust, adding value, and nurturing relationships with the audience that will eventually lead to those 3% finding you.