This is an ULTIMATE guide to create a lucrative lead magnet that your customers actually want. Most of the time people create lead magnets that nobody needs. They make a boring ebook or checklist that nobody even opens.
The problem is not just creating a lead magnet, your focus must create a Lead Magnet that your customers are hungry for.
Your lead magnet is just like a cherry on the top of a cake. Unless your customers have greed for that cake, you cannot make a sale for your business. So, in this article, I will tell you how to create lead magnets that create temptations in your audiences’ minds to grab your offer.
WHAT IS A LEAD MAGNET?
Even if you don’t know what lead magnets are, I’m sure that at some point, you came across that, and you’ve likely even downloaded one yourself.
A lead magnet is something that is given free of cost in exchange for your customer’s email address.
A common example you might have already seen “a free ebook”, or “a free guide”. Bloggers and entrepreneurs generally offer ebooks or guides as a lead magnet.
However, a lead magnet can be anything that offers value so that later your customers will purchase from you.
A lead magnet can a strong weapon in email marketing for list building if you know how to create it properly.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF A LEAD MAGNET?
It doesn’t matter whether you are a blogger, entrepreneur, e-commerce shop owner, you must have a lead magnet that your customers want. Your lead magnet must be something that aligns with your product or content on your website.
For instance, if you see on my website, I offer a “Free Business Planning Template” that aligns to my niche that is “online business with digital products”.
I know what my audience wants, as my content is around online businesses so my audience also wants to start their online businesses.
Therefore, I decided that a “Template” as a lead magnet for me would be best.
Later on in this article, I will show you how to create a valuable lead magnet that aligns with your niche by giving some best examples.
WHY DO YOU NEED A LEAD MAGNET FOR YOUR BUSINESS?
As the name itself suggest that you need a magnet to get leads for your business. A lead magnet helps in setting a journey for your customers from a viewer to a loyal audience.
It is necessary for every business because today, people are smart enough, they will not be ready to purchase until they know your brand.
But sometimes, it’s too complicated for small business owners to market because they have a tight budget. So, to sell and stay engaged with their customers, they need email marketing.
Email Marketing helps businesses to stay engaged with their customers by sending regular newsletters or valuable tips.
I have also seen great responses from my customers whenever I send them something valuable in my newsletters.
HOW TO CREATE A LEAD MAGNET?
Now, I would like to give you a step-by-step guide on thinking, planning, and creating a lead magnet that your customers actually want.
Step 1. Specificity for Lead Magnet
The first and most important thing about creating your lead magnet is SUPER-SPECIFIC and clear about your offering.
Remember, that your lead magnet must align with your business and what products/services you are providing. I have seen a hundred times that people don’t have the right targeted audience and this is why they say that email marketing doesn’t work.
Let’s take an example that you are selling online courses for blogging. Then who is your targeted audience?
Your targeted audience is those people who are looking to make passive income online. You can create lead magnets like:
- Ebook for Step-by-Step Roadmap to a Money-Making Blog
- Checklist for Setting-up your Passive Income Blog
- A 30-Page Printable Planner for your Blog
- Checklist for the essential tools for Newbie Bloggers
These are some provenly effective lead magnet ideas that you can use it on your website. And this is only an example to show you how you can create a SUPER-TARGETED Lead Magnet keeping your customers in mind.
You can create whatever you like but remember the above points to get the best results.
Step 2. Value Proposition
This is a crucial step because if you haven’t decided what value you offer to your customer, you will not make any sales. So, first of all, define the value proposition of a lead magnet for your customers.
We don’t do anything in our lives without any reason, so it is crucial to give your audience a reason to become your subscriber. For example, you go shopping because you want to buy new clothes, and it ultimately gives you a feeling to look more fashionable. You buy gifts for your loved ones because you care for them.
If you see anything in our life, there is a strong reason behind what we are doing. Therefore, give people a REASON to download your lead magnet.
And to make a reason, you have to decide what value you want to give to your customers. The best approach to create a lead magnet is to fulfill the needs of your customers.
Instead of just thinking about what you can give, go around and check what people are offering (later, we’ll discuss with examples).
Ask people on social media or quiz to know what they exactly needed.
Step 3. Stick to Short & Crisp Lead Magnets
Try to create a lead magnet that looks sweet and instant.
Don’t try to create a 6-Week Email Course directly as nobody wants that. You might think that you are overwhelming your audience, but that’s not true. People want instant solutions and gratification.
I have suffered because once I tried a 4-Week Email Course, I got only 5 -10 subscribers out of over 2000 followers.
What I’ve learned from this?
Never try to create a long-form of lead magnet. The more short and crisp your lead magnet is, the HIGHER the chances of conversions are.
Step 4. Choose your Lead Magnet type
Now, you have a good idea of creating a Lead Magnet, and it’s time to choose the type of lead magnet. There are several kinds of lead magnets you can offer –
- Ebooks
- Planner
- Cheat Sheet
- Discount Coupons
- Quiz/Survey
- Tools or Resources List
- Roadmap Guide
- Swipe Files
- Stock Photos
- Canva Templates
I will share more examples with you later in this article.
Your Lead Magnet must align with your product/services (as discussed before). For example, if you are selling online courses, the most suitable lead magnet must be an Ebook, Cheat Sheet, or Roadmap Guide.
If you sell fashion products, then your lead magnet should be a Discount Coupon. If you are a blogger, you can provide Ebook, Quiz, Cheat Sheet, Tools, or Resources kit.
By now, you got an idea of how to create a lead magnet by industry categories.
Step 5. Choose a tool to Create your Lead Magnet
There are several tools that you can choose from, available on the internet. But my favorite and I suggest you to go for Canva.
With Canva, you can create any lead magnet you want. I create eBooks, PDFs, Checklists, Templates, Planners, Cheat Sheets, and the list goes on and on…
There are also other tools to create lead magnets like:
TOP FREE TOOLS TO CREATE LEAD MAGNETS
These free tools will not cost you anything but you can earn more email subscribers.
CANVA
The most popular tools for bloggers, entrepreneurs, and designers for creating ebooks, PDFs, workbooks, checklists, and cheat sheets.
PIKTOCHART
It offers you 400 read-made templates for lead magnets. You can customize according to your needs.
SMALLPDF
Smallpdf is a tool where you can convert all your Word documents, Powerpoint Presentations, Excel Spreadsheets, Images directly into the PDF file.
DON’T HAVE TIME TO CREATE YOUR LEAD MAGNET?
I have good news for you. If you think that you don’t have time to create your lead magnet, you can simply buy a “Lead Magnet Templates” from here.
This 70 Page Lead Magnet Canva Template already contains those pages that you generally need. You can find:
3 Cover Pages
8 Charts and Diagrams
2 Content Pages
Goal Planning Worksheet
Resource Library Pages
2 Testimonial Pages
1 FAQs Page
Copyright Pages
3 Call to Action Pages
3 Thank You Pages
In this way, you don’t have to spend hours creating and designing your lead magnet; you just have to customize it according to your requirements.
Try it now!
19 LEAD MAGNET EXAMPLES
There are plenty of lead magnet examples you can take inspiration from. I believe that any digital product can be a lead magnet. Still, I will give you 45 Lead Magnet Ideas so that you won’t get out of ideas.
1. Ebooks
This is the all-time favorite lead magnet for the internet entrepreneurs out there. These are the preferable lead magnet for bloggers and small business owners.
Ebooks are very easy to create and download.
2. CheatSheet
CheatSheet is a quick solution guide that includes quick tips and tricks. This usually includes a short form of content.
A cheat sheet only contains information that is straightforward and to the point.
Example: Checklists, Tool Lists, Mind Maps, etc.
3. Planner
A planner can be anything like a personal organizer, personal planner, datebook, year planner, etc.
It allows people to become more productive in managing their work routine. By using a planner, you can schedule your event, appointment, errand, and task, so that you know what to expect and don’t run out of time.
4. Canva Templates
If you are running a blog or a template shop, you can create templates as your lead magnet. Social media templates are very useful if you are selling social media services.
Canva Templates are helpful for Instagram lead magnets as well. I have seen some Instagrammers giving Canva Templates as a lead magnet, and people feel happy to sign up.
5. Audio Files
You can create audio files by reading out your blog posts. Sometimes, people don’t want to read a long form of content because if they are traveling, they prefer to listen rather than read. And if that so, all your efforts can go waste.
So, what you can do is, you can create an audio file of your own content so that they may download and listen to it whenever they want.
6. Give Away your Products
Sometimes, its better to let your customers taste your products for free. This increases the chances of conversion.
Imagine there is an ice-cream shop, and they are giving free ice-creams to taste. Would you like to taste it before buying it? Yes, of course!
This is what you can also do online; you can give away free products. This will increase the chances of conversion.
7. Discount Coupons
Discount Coupons are very popular and common in e-commerce stores. Companies give coupons in exchange for email addresses.
These are profitable if you are selling clothes and merchandise online.
8. Email Templates
Email Templates are pre-made transcripts that anyone can use. It has all the necessary content which you can use to send as newsletters weekly.
It can be a great lead magnet if your customers are online coaches.
9. Video Training
Video training are very amazing to attract your audience because through videos that can see your face and see who is behind the company.
The conversion rate increases by 20% when you use videos as lead magnets. This strategy works really well if you want to sell online courses.
10. Quiz or Survey
Quizzes for lead generation are a powerful lead magnet, with an average conversion rate of 50%.
Most people would be happy with a lead magnet that converted at the rate of 10% – 15%, so the conversion rates that you get from quizzes are outstanding!
11. Stock Photos
Free Stock Photos are useful for stock photography websites. There is a website “Styled Stock Photography” which gives you 20 Free Feminine Stock Photos.
And if you like them, you can join their membership.
In my opinion, this is an amazing tactic because later I also joined their membership because I loved their lead magnet and products.
12. Calendar
Calendars are useful in managing the productivity. For example, if you are in cooking industry, you can offer a meal plan calendar to your subscribers. Or if you are in fitness industry like Blogilates, you can offer a workout calendar.
13. Printables
Printable can be a great lead magnet, especially for creative fields. I love printables because I can make them my grocery list or daily task lists to use at any time.
Just like “The Rustic Redhead”, you can offer printable as your lead magnet.
14. Infographic
These can be used as educational lead magnets, especially if you’re selling an online course. You can simply create an infographic from Canva and then customize it, make it more valuable.
You can illustrate about your online course, like what value people will get by purchasing your product.
15. Webinar
These are the second-most common lead magnets for the ed-tech industry. A webinar is a kind of virtual seminar where people generally talk about their specialized things.
I have seen that Webinars as a lead magnet are popular among online coaches.
Usually, they ask people to sign up for their free Webinar, and after giving value, they sell their online courses.
16. Swipe Files
Swipes file is a collection of writing examples — email subject lines, landing pages, banner ads, breathtaking blog posts, headlines, etc. — that can be used to inspire your writing and boost your skills.
17. Free Trials
If you have an online program, you can give a 30-day free trial to your customers. Free trials have always been a wonderful lead magnet, the word “FREE” is itself a lead magnet.
Free trials are everywhere, if you remember closely, you definitely must opted-in with your email address to receive the free trial.
18. Private Facebook Group
If you know already, I also have a Facebook Group for Future Entrepreneurs interested in businesses. So, it’s basically a like-minded community.
You can a Facebook group which you can use it as a lead magnet. If you have a strong community then people would be happy to sign-up.
Those leads would also be super high-targeted and warm audience because they are already interested in what you’re selling. So, there is a high chance that they convert.
19. Case Studies
Case Studies can be a good option if your audience loves to know the in-depth information.
People like to see the results whether these are your own results you’re highlighting or someone else’s, it’s always better.
It can be on anything related to your niche that can help people tremendously.
OVER TO YOU
So, by now, you got an idea of how to create a great lead magnet that people actually want. You can now create any lead magnet related to your field.
As you know that lead magnets are one of the best methods to generate leads, gather data, and the easiest way to nurture your audience to become paying customers.
Try to create lead magnets as valuable as you can. The more relevant and valuable your lead magnet is, the higher the chances of making money online.
I hope this article helped you. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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Ultimate blog…Nancy can you share tips of writing blogs like you..your explanation are too good…I want to learn tips..pls write an blog about it..
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Hello Nancy,
What a wonderful breakdown of the different types of lead magnets a business could use. I love that you give examples of which lead works best for which type of business. For example printables are great for the creative niches, coupons for e-comm etc. That is really helpful if you don’t have much experience with creating lead magnets.
SharlaAnn
Thank you so much:)
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