We work a lot with companies who are just getting started with HubSpot, and one of the first things we always try to establish is a great content offer to generate leads. Often times, we’ll try to get this set up before we devote a lot of effort to social media or blogging, since without something to convert on, increased traffic can’t turn into leads.

Content offers on websites can run the gamut in terms of what they offer, but here’s some tips on how to make sure you’re getting the most out of the process:

1. Have a clear audience in mind

   When you’re trying to put together your first offer, it might be tempting to hit multiple birds with one stone. While it’s possible, there’s no bonus points for playing on hard. Pick one persona*, preferably the one that’s most valuable, and write something with them in mind. Be explicit about who the ebook is for. Put in on the landing page. Put it on the cover page if you want. Ever noticed all those HubSpot ebooks say what audience they’re written to on the second or third page? If you’re clear about who the offer is for, you can be more certain in tagging them as such on the download form.

   *you have a persona right? If you don’t have a persona, start there, not here.

2. Be able to explain the value proposition

   What will someone get when they download your offer? Be able to explain 3-4 clear takeaways for the person you’re targeting. When you’re thinking about your persona, imagine them saying “what’s in it for me?” Don’t go too far on your offer until you can answer that.

   One of the best ways to handle this is to write the CTA before writing the offer. Be able to boil down the value of your offer into something that can fit on a button or tweet.

3. Make sure the offer benefits you

   After you make sure you have something your prospects will want, make sure it’s going to attract the types of prospects that you want. There needs to be a connection between the content offer, the types of people it attracts, and the types of prospects you want. If it’s too focused on your company, not many people will download it. If it’s too focused on the prospect, you end up with a bunch of contacts that may never be interested in what you offer.

4. Define a Next Step

   Once someone has read through the offer, what’s the next step you want them to complete? Be clear what you want to happen. Consider including it in the email that goes out to them when they download it. Not everyone gets around to reading all of the ebooks they download, so don’t count on them just seeing it on the final page.

5. Plan out blog posts in advance to promote the offer

   Try to have 2 or 3 post ideas that will pull people in to your offer. Remember, each post can act as a mini-funnel, pulling people in with an exciting headline, and then converting them on the offer. Deciding on 2-3 up front forces you to capitalize on the offer you created, and prevents you from putting a bunch of work into an offer and letting it languish.

6. Think about ways you can transform the offer later

   Once you’ve had something up a while, there may be ways you can use it more. Consider revamping your existing offers with a version 2 and resend it to the people who originally downloaded it. It can be a great way to gauge how interested people still are in the topic.

Content is the fuel for the inbound marketing engine, so make sure that you’re using great offers to attract people into your funnel. Follow these steps when you’re creating an offer and you’ll be well on your way.