Content Value Exchange

by Syrup | May 19, 2020

One of the fastest ways to dilute your product, service, and/or company is to deliver a first impression that doesn’t drive value for the end user. Yet, many, and I mean MANNNNNNYYYYYY, companies allow this to take place every day within their marketing execution.

And most often the culprit is in that “lead magnet,” or what we call a “Lite CTA.” 

There are often, and should be, multiple options for visitors or prospects to engage on your website. There are “Deep CTAs” – things like buy, book a demo, contact us…those deeper-down-the-funnel activities. But there are also “Lite CTAs” like we just mentioned – a download, a whitepaper, case studies, etc.

Here is the issue: Most of those Lite CTAs suck.

And here is why: They were not created with a value exchange mindset.

Most companies do not respect and put the right level of value on a visitor or user’s personal information. They don’t stop and say, “that email address they are giving me is important to that person. It is very valuable.” And therefore, they think they can throw together any piece of content, hide it behind a form, and as long as the person hits submit, they win.

There is irreparable damage done by executing that kind of strategy.

If you are not providing a valuable piece of content in exchange for that person’s valuable contact information, you are sabotaging your first impression opportunity.

So here is our quick definition of a value exchange when it comes to content pieces.

In order for a content piece to have value, it must cost you some, or all, of:

1. Time – Are you willing to give away your team’s time to help, add, or deliver the value?
2. Money – You had to pay to have the content/tool created at a professional level.
3. Resources – You are devoting part of your team, your technology, or your materials to ensure the content is valuable.
4. Expertise – You are willing to give away information that is precious or unique to you.

If your Lite CTA does not have one or more of those elements, then you are not offering a fair value exchange and are likely setting a poor impression of what it would be like to work with you.

I challenge you to evaluate the content you are creating in exchange for personal information and be honest on who is, and should be, getting the better the deal.