A useful piece of advice can change the quality of a sales conversation. The customer learns something, sees how you think and has a better basis for judging fit. That is already valuable without treating the gift as a claim on their attention.
Make the value stand alone
Cialdini's reciprocity principle concerns the tendency to respond to what others give. In practice, I would rather design a resource that earns trust through usefulness than one that tries to create a feeling of obligation.
A checklist can help someone avoid a common implementation mistake. A sample can let them assess quality. A short diagnostic can clarify whether they need your service at all. Each has a complete purpose before the sales conversation begins.
Match the resource to the next decision
A generic ebook may attract people who have no reason to buy the service. A focused planning tool can be more useful to the right person even if fewer people download it. Start with the decision your audience is struggling to make.
Keep the exchange clear. If receiving the resource involves joining a mailing list, say so. If a consultation includes an offer at the end, explain that. Surprise follow-up can undo the trust the resource was meant to build.
Review what happens after the gift
Ask whether the resource is being used and what remains unclear. Improve the content from those answers. A download count alone does not show whether it helped anyone.
The old mint-and-tipping story in my script library is an invitation to study reciprocity, not a sales forecast. The practical standard is simpler: would this still be a useful thing to give if the recipient never bought from us?