Lead Magnets 101
(Almost) Everything you need to know about lead magnets to build your email list and turn strangers into subscribersGrowing companies that crave more customers face the same challenge: transforming web traffic into potential customers. Sure, it's great to see that people are landing on their site, but unless I can actively promote those people, well, it's pretty much on the sidelines. Lead magnets are the best way to generate leads and grow your business online.
What are lead magnets? - A lead magnet is anything you give away in exchange for someone's email address / contact information.
They come in all shapes and sizes and are used by world-renowned brands, as well as by small businesses that have just started with digital marketing.
Having web traffic on your site is excellent, but it is not the ultimate goal. To build your business (and actively market your products / services) you need to transform traffic into potential customers by collecting email addresses.
But ... when was the last time you gave your contact information for free? ... how are you, never?
Your audience will not give it away for free either. It must offer an incentive, and that's what a lead magnet is about.
Getting someone's contact information is what makes anonymous web traffic into prospects or potential customers, because (1) you can be reasonably sure you are interested in your offer and (2) you have an (active) way to stay in touch .
In general, lead magnets take the form of downloadable content (e-books, PDF guides, worksheets, etc.), instructional videos, free consultations, webinars, etc. But we'll see later.
How do lead magnets work?
The mechanics of how a lead magnet works is really very simple: you have to give something away to get something in return. In this case, high quality free content in exchange for an email address.
A lead magnet often works like this:
La mayoría de las pequeñas empresas utilizan páginas de destino para presentar su imán principal. En ese caso, las personas que visitan su página de destino ingresan su dirección de correo electrónico para acceder al imán principal. Cuando envían su dirección de correo electrónico, reciben automáticamente un correo electrónico que contiene el imán principal. Ahora puede contactarlos con ofertas e información futuras (apropiadas, no abrumadoras).
Why use lead magnets?
Your email list / database of potential customers is your number 1 resource to market your product or service. You need potential customers and high quality (relevant) subscribers that you can reach with content (not overwhelming) when you want it. Lead magnets are the way you increase your email list and fill your marketing / sales funnel with people who want to receive what you have to offer.
What are the common types of lead magnets?
From free video courses to a checklist or downloadable e-book, there is an almost infinite amount of lead magnets that you can create for your lead generation campaign.Here are some common examples of lead magnet to consider:
> E-books
> Checklists / cheat sheets / resource guides / tip sheets / frequently asked questions sheets
> Worksheets / workbooks
> Email courses
> Slide files / templates
> Webinars / webinar reps
> Calendars / action plans
> Industry reports
> White papers / case studies
> Live demonstrations / tutorials
> Courses / courses on video on demand
> Contests
> Tests
> Product samples / free trials.
> Queries / 1: 1 calls
Which lead magnet is right for your audience?
Sure, the sky is the limit when it comes to what lead magnets you can create. But what type of leader magnet is suitable for your audience and for your specific campaign to generate leads? How will you ensure that the traffic sources on your landing page are well targeted to attract visitors who become involved with your main magnet?The most successful lead magnets are those that are carefully designed to attract a very specific audience and satisfy a very specific need at a particular point in that audience's experience with their business.
There are a handful of variables that you will want to consider:
Before deciding what format your lead magnet should take, first consider:
Who is your audience? How committed are they to your business? To what extent are they willing to work to obtain value from your offer?
What problem (specific) are you trying to solve for your audience? What solution do you propose?
What is the ideal content format to deliver that solution?
What do you have the ability to create? (text, video, audio, graphics, etc.)
New for lead magnets (maybe still confused as to what lead magnets are) and not sure how to make your lead generation take off from the ground. Not to worry. You have probably seen subscription offers all over the internet and now that you are tuned to this marketing technique, you will see even more!
Keep your eyes open to learn from other companies and inspire what is possible for your company. But in the meantime, here is our checklist for the lead magnet so you can get started.
# 1 - Focus on a single problem
Do not try to "boil the ocean" or solve all problems with a single downloadable spreadsheet. He will go crazy! Keep it specific.
In this lead magnet example of Bold and Zesty, they keep their highly specific offer: 3 drip email campaigns that they must have in 1 PDF.
# 2 - Connect the dots
Ideally, your lead magnet is linked to your primary offer / service. Think of this as the first step in the pyramid of your product. You can (subtly) mention your products or services, but definitely, do not try to use your lead magnet as an advertisement.
At Leadpages, we build this strategy on everything we do. Here is an example:
We used to offer many free landing page templates to download and follow up with invitations to put them into practice in a free 14-day Leadpages trial.
# 3 - Say it in a straight line
In most cases, you will not have much room to be poetic about what your lead magnet is and why people should download it. You should go straight to the point and answer 3 key questions in as few words as possible:
Why should it matter to your audience?
What are you offering?
What steps should you take next?
In this lead magnet example, the 3 key questions are addressed: why your audience should care (How to triple site traffic in 6 months), what it is (free live webinar) and what action you are asking take.
# 4 - Do not be greedy: ask for the minimum
The more information you request in exchange for your primary magnet, the less likely it is that your target audience will act. Keep your form fields to a minimum. If possible, stay with your name and email address.
This form of participation in the lead magnet of AuthorityHacker.com is a great example of keeping the required fields to a minimum.
# 5 - Make it small
If you are in the market to generate new leads from strangers, you should make it very easy to say "yes" to your offer. Cold traffic (those who are not familiar with your business) will not be willing to work so hard to get to know you. That means you must keep your offer short, sweet and simple.
# 6 - Tie it with a bow.
The packaging of the product is everything and the design of the lead magnet is important. Make an attractive model of your product or create a striking header image that will take you through your ads, landing pages and email delivery.
# 7 - Remember: A newsletter is not magnetic. (And the "updates" are not attractive)
Most companies think that their "regular newsletter" qualifies as a leading magnet, but no, it is not. Unless you have done everything possible to sell your email newsletter as a valuable information product by yourself, when you add subscription points like these to your site, your visitors are likely to see and see them: free sales releases . As if people generally pay for the privilege of receiving marketing emails. Instead, offer a bonus that excites people to subscribe and then give them the information they will devour.
A better way to promote your free newsletter would be to focus on the values and benefits instead of offering free updates via email. Source: themodernentrepreneur.com
# 8 - Use thought leadership to capture potential customers.
A lead magnet strategy can often help establish you as an authority in your industry (or even as a place to go for great things). Be benevolent and generous with your experience, do not stop! As soon as your audience trusts your credibility, they will be ready to pay for greater value and greater access.
This lead magnet example from Neilpatel.com puts your experience there in the headline. Thanks to the powerful copywriting, you just can not help but trust him and love him as a mentor.
# 9 - Keep your promise
Double check, triple check and quad check that your lead generation tool is integrated with your email service provider (ESP) so you can instantly deliver your free content. Do not leave a single cable hanging!
In this example of lead magnet, Gouchev's Law gives your free guide directly into the thank-you page and makes an invitation to sell.
# 10 - Back up with some love: do not neglect your nutrition sequence
Think of your newly captured leadership as a new acquaintance. Do not start this new friendship by neglecting the follow-up for months. Take immediate steps to (1) deliver what you promised and (2) offer the following steps. You can suggest that they review a blog post related to the topic, send another free offer that takes the topic a step further or invite them to share their comments with you.
What is the best (and easiest) way to create a lead magnet?
There is no one easy lead magnet format that works best for everyone, but many entrepreneurs find success by offering a PDF lead magnet download of highly useful content, such as an e-book or a single-page resource guide. You can also start with a lead magnet template and quickly connect your own copy and content.
How should I deliver my lead magnet?
You want to be able to promise instant gratification when you offer a lead magnet, so you should make sure it is delivered automatically when someone signs up.
If you use Leadpages, our lead magnet maker system is incredibly easy. You can use our built-in lead magnet delivery system to upload your lead magnet files and link them to your Leadbox subscription forms. Then, when someone signs up, they get what they promised immediately.
If you do not use Leadpages, you will want to set up an automatic reply email at your email service provider. Receive the first email that is sent when someone sends the corresponding form to your email service that contains a link or an attachment to your lead magnet file.
Either way, of course, you'll also want to make sure that the subscription form is connected to an email tracking sequence of your choice.
Does a lead magnet have to be a digital product?
No, not necessarily! If you are a retailer or a brick and mortar business, you can have great success by giving away a coupon, a free pass or a discount code in exchange for someone's email address.
Here is a great example:
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