Give More, Ask Less | Ep 892
In this episode of The Game, Alex Hormozi explains how content creators can build trust and success by maintaining the right balance between giving value and making asks of their audience. Using examples from traditional media and social platforms, he breaks down the optimal ratios of value-to-promotional content across different formats, from television's 3.5-to-1 ratio to his recommended 98% value versus 2% asks for content creators.
The episode focuses on the importance of prioritizing audience growth over immediate financial gains. Hormozi outlines strategies for building and maintaining audience trust, including when to make promotional asks and how to structure free offers. He emphasizes that an engaged audience, rather than content itself, represents the true asset for creators, making it essential to consistently provide value before requesting anything in return.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the May 23, 2025 episode of the The Game w/ Alex Hormozi
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1-Page Summary
"Balancing Value: The 'Give to Ask' Ratio"
The podcast explores the strategic importance of providing value before making asks of your audience. Using the boxing metaphor "jab, jab, jab, right hook," the host explains how consistently delivering valuable content builds goodwill with your audience before requesting anything in return.
Alex Hormozi emphasizes that an audience, rather than content, is the true asset. By providing genuine value over time, creators can grow their audience organically, often generating demand for their offerings without explicit asks.
Content-to-Promotion Ratios Across Media
Hormozi references standard content-to-ad ratios across different media platforms: television maintains roughly 3.5 to 1 (47 minutes of content to 13 minutes of ads per hour), while Facebook averages one ad per four posts. For content creators, he recommends a ratio of 98% value to 2% asks, with variations depending on the format. Long-form content can follow the television standard of three-to-one, while short-form content should be even more restrained, limiting promotional content to one in every 11 posts.
Building Long-Term Success Through Audience Trust
Hormozi advocates for prioritizing audience growth and goodwill over immediate financial gains. He suggests a giving-to-asking ratio of 30 to 1, explaining that offering substantially more value than you request in return ensures sustained growth and brand development. To maintain audience trust, Hormozi recommends starting with free offers and strategically timing asks, such as using exclusive offers to generate interest in live events or future projects.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- The "give to ask" ratio may not be universally applicable, as different audiences and industries may have varying expectations and tolerances for promotional content.
- Overemphasis on providing free value could potentially devalue a creator's offerings, leading audiences to expect high-quality content without ever intending to pay for it.
- The recommended ratios of content-to-promotion might not be optimal for all business models, especially for those that rely heavily on advertising revenue.
- Focusing too much on organic growth might cause creators to miss out on opportunities for paid promotion that could accelerate growth and reach.
- The strategy of building goodwill before making asks assumes a linear relationship between value provided and audience willingness to reciprocate, which may not always hold true due to various psychological and market factors.
- The idea that the audience is the true asset over content could be challenged by the perspective that content is what initially attracts and retains the audience, making it equally important.
- The 30 to 1 giving-to-asking ratio might not be sustainable for smaller creators or businesses that need to monetize their audience sooner to remain viable.
- The strategy of starting with free offers and timing asks might not be suitable for all types of products or services, particularly those that cannot be easily segmented into free and premium offerings.
Actionables
- You can deepen audience relationships by starting a "Value Journal" where you jot down daily or weekly ideas that could benefit your audience, without any immediate expectation of return. This habit ensures you're always thinking about their needs first. For example, if you're a graphic designer, you might share quick tips on color theory or design trends that your followers can use in their own projects.
- Create a "Goodwill Calendar" to plan out when you'll share free resources versus when you'll make an ask. This helps you visualize and maintain the recommended giving-to-asking ratio. For instance, if you run a fitness blog, you might schedule weekly workout plans and healthy recipes for free, and then once a month, introduce a paid coaching service.
- Develop a "Value-First Checklist" to evaluate your content before sharing it with your audience. The checklist should include questions like "Does this provide a clear benefit to my audience?" and "Have I offered enough value recently to warrant an ask?" Use this as a guide to ensure you're consistently prioritizing your audience's needs. If you're a musician, before releasing a new song, you might check if you've engaged with your fans recently through free performances or Q&A sessions.
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"Balancing Value: The 'Give to Ask' Ratio"
The podcast explores the strategic value of giving before asking in order to build an audience's goodwill and brand value, which is essential for sustainable engagement.
Mastering the Value-To-ask Ratio For Audience Goodwill and Engagement
The host emphasizes the principle of prioritizing the provision of content before making asks of your audience. By giving consistently, you avoid the discomfort that comes with too frequently asking for something in return for your service or product.
Consistent, Valuable Content Builds Goodwill Before Making Asks, Rather Than Frequently Interrupting With Asks
The concept of "jab, jab, jab, right hook," derived from boxing, is used as a metaphor to describe the strategy of giving multiple times before asking for something in return. The idea is to first establish a relationship by consistently providing valuable content at scale, which builds goodwill with the audience and prevents the awkwardness of constantly making asks.
Audience as the True Asset: Grow Through Reliable Value
Alex Hormozi stresses the significance of giving genuine value to your audience over an extended period before proceeding with a subtle ask, such as requesting support for a business. ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
"Balancing Value: The 'Give to Ask' Ratio"
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- The "give to ask" ratio may not be universally applicable across all industries or audience demographics; some audiences may prefer a more direct approach or have different expectations for the value exchange.
- Overemphasis on giving can potentially lead to audience entitlement, where the audience expects high-value content for free and becomes resistant to any form of asking, undermining the business model.
- The strategy assumes that all given content is perceived as valuable by the audience, which may not always be the case; misjudging the audience's perception of value can lead to ineffective engagement.
- The concept of "jab, jab, jab, right hook" might oversimplify the complexity of audience engagement and the nuances of building a brand-customer relationship.
- There is a risk of content saturation where too much content could overwhelm or disengage the audience rather than build goodwill.
- The idea that the audience is the true asset may overlook the importance of the product or service itself ...
Actionables
- You can start a weekly email newsletter to share insights, tips, or stories related to your field of interest, ensuring you're providing consistent value without any immediate expectation of return. By doing this, you're nurturing a relationship with your subscribers, and when you do have something to ask or offer, they're more likely to be receptive. For example, if you're passionate about photography, your newsletter could include photo editing tips, reviews of budget-friendly gear, or highlights from your latest projects.
- Create a series of free, downloadable resources that address common challenges or questions your audience might have. This could be in the form of checklists, templates, or guides that they can use to solve a problem or improve their workflow. For instance, if you're knowledgeable about personal finance, you could offer budgeting templates or a guide to reducing monthly expenses, which demonstrates your commitment to adding value and builds trust.
- Engage with your audience by regularly asking for their input on the content you create, making them feel like active pa ...
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"Give to Ask Ratio: Integrated Vs. Disruptive Asks"
Alex Hormozi explains the importance of balancing value with promotional content and how best to integrate asks within different forms of media.
Content to Ad Ratio Best Practices From Major Media
Hormozi references research on the ratio of content to advertising, mentioning that television typically adheres to a 3.5 to 1 content-to-ad ratio, equating to roughly 47 minutes of content to 13 minutes of advertising per hour. On Facebook, the standard is about one ad for every four posts.
Integrating Promotional Content With Valuable Content
An integrated approach to promotional content involves seamlessly combining it with the provided value, rather than interrupting the content flow. Hormozi proposes a ratio of 98% value to 2% asks, suggesting content creators should maintain a focus on offering consistent value. This strategy encourages natural curiosity and interest in a business’s offerings without relying on disruptive promotional techniques.
Adjusting "Give to Ask" Ratio: More Promotion in Long-Form, More Restraint in Short-Form
The "Give to Ask" ratio should be tailored to the content format. Hormozi recommends that long-form content—such as PDFs, books, videos, podcasts, and blog posts—can int ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
"Give to Ask Ratio: Integrated Vs. Disruptive Asks"
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- The "Give to Ask" ratio is a principle that focuses on balancing the value or content provided to an audience with the promotional or advertising requests made to them. It suggests maintaining a high proportion of valuable content (the "Give") compared to promotional content (the "Ask"). By offering consistent value and minimizing promotional interruptions, businesses aim to keep their audience engaged and receptive to occasional promotional messages. This ratio can vary based on the content format, with different recommendations for long-form content like videos and blog posts compared to short-form content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Integrating promotional content with valuable content seamlessly means blending marketing messages with valuable information in a way that feels natural and enhances the overall content experience. This approach aims to avoid disrupting the audience's engagement by ensuring that promotional elements complement and enhance the value provided. By seamlessly integrating promotional content with valuable material, content creators can maintain audience interest and trust while still promoting their products or services effectively. This strategy involves strategically placing promotional messages within the content flow to create a cohesive and engaging experience for the audience.
- In the context of content creation, the "Give to Ask" ratio suggests the balance between providing valuable content and making promotional asks. For long-form content like PDFs, books, videos, podcasts, and blog posts, the recommended ratio is three parts valuable content to one part promotional content. In contrast, for short-form content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the suggested ratio is more restrained, with promotional content limited to one post in every 11. These ratios aim to maintain audience engagement by en ...
Counterarguments
- The 3.5 to 1 content-to-ad ratio on television may not be applicable to all types of TV content or channels, as some may have more or less advertising depending on their business model or audience engagement strategies.
- The one ad for every four posts on Facebook might not reflect the current algorithm changes or user experience, as social media platforms frequently update their content delivery systems.
- A 98% value to 2% asks ratio might not be optimal for all types of content or audiences; some businesses may find that a slightly higher percentage of promotional content works better for their specific market or that their audience tolerates more direct selling.
- The recommendation for long-form content to maintain a three-to-one ratio of value to promotional content may not suit all topics or formats; some educational or informative content might naturally integrate more promotional material without detracting from the value provided.
- Limiting promotional ...
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Benefits Of Patiently Building and Maintaining an Audience
The episode discusses the long-term benefits of patiently building an audience and maintaining their goodwill, rather than focusing on short-term revenue generation.
Prioritizing Audience Growth and Goodwill Over Short-Term Revenue for Greater Long-Term Returns
The critical message underscored by Hormozi is to give precedence to audience growth and goodwill, with the understanding that these aspects are more beneficial in the long run compared to immediate financial gains. Hormozi conveys that the real cost of any commercial effort is not monetary but rather the goodwill it costs with the audience. He asserts that it is essential to under-ask to preserve this goodwill and sustain audience interest.
Avoiding Overextension in Revenue Asks to Preserve Audience Trust and Engagement
The episode emphasizes the careful balance between providing value and making revenue-generating "asks" of your audience. Hormozi advises to be cautious with promotional content, indicating that overextending in terms of revenue asks could potentially lead to a loss of audience trust and engagement. By sharing his stance on rejecting short-term lucrative offers, Hormozi illustrates the significance of fostering a positive and trustworthy relationship with the audience over immediate profits.
Optimizing Timing and Structure of Asks for Growing Audience and Business
Discussing giving versus asking, Hormozi proposes a ratio of 30 to 1, suggesting that offering significantly more value than you ask for in return can ensure maximized growth and brand compounding, while still earning revenue. By continually providing value and delaying the asks, one can preserve audience goodwill, which can be advantageous ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Benefits Of Patiently Building and Maintaining an Audience
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- Prioritizing long-term audience growth over short-term revenue can be risky for businesses that require immediate cash flow to sustain operations.
- Goodwill is important, but it does not directly pay the bills; businesses must find a balance between maintaining goodwill and ensuring financial viability.
- Under-asking might lead to missed opportunities for revenue that could have been reinvested into providing even more value to the audience.
- While avoiding overextension in revenue asks is prudent, some audiences may be more tolerant of frequent asks if they perceive the value exchange to be fair.
- The 30 to 1 ratio of giving versus asking may not be optimal for all business models or industries, and some may require a different approach to be successful.
- Delaying revenue-generating asks too much could result in a lack of monetization and financial sustainability for the business.
- Offering free value upfront can attract an audience, but it can also attract individuals who are only interested in freebies and may never convert into paying customers.
- Timing and structuring as ...
Actionables
- You can create a feedback loop with your audience by regularly sending out surveys or polls to gauge their interests and preferences. This ensures you're offering content or products that provide value without overwhelming them with sales pitches. For example, after releasing a series of free educational videos, send a survey asking which topics they'd like to see more of and if they'd be interested in a related, reasonably priced course.
- Start a "value-first" blog or social media series where you share insights, tips, or stories related to your field without any immediate expectation of a return. This could be a weekly blog post that helps solve common problems or a daily tip on social media. Over time, this consistent giving builds a reservoir of goodwill, and when you do make an ask, your audience is more likely to respond positively.
- Implement a "give to get" strategy by offering a high-qua ...
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