When building an email list, you need to offer something of value in exchange for people opting in. You can give away a variety of items, such as reports, checklists, and webinars/events.
Any item you give away in exchange for the person’s contact information is known as a lead magnet.
What to Know About Lead Magnets
When creating lead magnets, make sure they connect to the customer journey.
For instance, if you are working with a client who has a course on growing Beefsteak tomatoes, then the lead magnet could be a Checklist: 10 Steps to Grow Mouth-Watering, Delicious Beefsteak Tomatoes. The course could then provide the details of the 10 steps.
Often I use something directly from the course as the lead magnet. This ensures both the lead magnet and course are congruent.
Congruency is one of the keys if you want people to ascend to the next level of the customer journey.
Also, if someone reads a blog post, watches a video, or listens to a podcast, then what is the next step? Often, it is a lead magnet.
If someone consumes a piece of content, they are interested in the topic. How can they receive even more value and learn more? Often, the next step is to get them to opt-in to learn more.
Ideally, you want people to keep moving forward in the customer journey, no matter where they are in the process.
Whether they are consuming a piece of content, have just opted-in, or are long-term customers, what is the next step that deepens the relationship and leads to becoming a more valuable customer to the business?
Moreover, you want the lead magnet to be ultra-specific, unique, and easy to consume.
I design most lead magnets to take less than 10 minutes to consume. People do not have to consume the entire lead magnet to move to the next step; however, if they do, it often helps them ascend quicker.
Also, the best lead magnets deliver on their initial promise. However, by solving the original problem, it creates the next problem, which the paid product solves.
Types of Lead Magnets
Here is a list of things you can give away as a lead magnet.
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• Infographic • e-book • Course • Email course • Webinar registration • Contest registration • Spreadsheet • Template • An answer to a question • Survey • Software trial |
• Product catalog • Free coaching call • Free mini-course • Checklist • A case study • A free guide, report, or white paper • A process map • Free video • Free consultation |
Three of My Favorite Lead Magnets
I have given away most of the items listed above to build a list. But the three I’ve listed below are the lead magnets I give away the most often, along with the reasons why I use them so often.
1. Reports
Reports are one of my favorite items to give away. They work for several reasons.
Leads Readers to the Next Step of the Customer Journey
Most of the reports I create are between seven and 12 pages.
Reports are long enough to begin to share concepts, thoughts, ideas, and beliefs you need someone to understand before they move to the next step in the customer journey.
Ultimately, we want to serve our customers to the best of our knowledge, skills, and abilities. We want to educate prospects and customers and help them solve their problems.
Normally, we can provide the most value through a course, a membership, a done-with-you service, or a done-for-you service.
But we may not have earned the trust of someone for them to purchase higher-priced products yet. A report can be a way to begin to establish that trust.
A report can deliver value, build trust by solving the problem that it promises to solve, and then lead readers to the next step.
Hang Around on Hard Drives
Another aspect of reports is they hang around on hard drives to be rediscovered later.
Recently, I watched a webinar from an author. After registering to attend the webinar, she provided a FREE report to prepare for the webinar.
As I saved the report to my hard drive, I began creating a new folder for the author. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was already a folder with her name on my hard drive. Once I opened her folder, I discovered a report she wrote in 2016. I had forgotten about this author and her previous report.
Now, because I already had a report from her on my hard drive, instead of this author being someone I had just discovered, it was more like reconnecting with someone I already knew.
Versatile
Reports are one of my favorite lead magnets because they are very versatile and topic specific. They can be used anywhere along the customer journey to solve prospect or customer problems.
Reports can range in length and content. They deepen the relationship with the reader and ultimately lead subscribers to the next step in the customer journey.
Reports are a fantastic and versatile tool for lead magnets.
2. Checklists
Checklists are great for lead magnets because they are easy to create, provide value instantly, and flip the reader’s view on time.
First, checklists are easy to create. All you do is make a list of the number of steps for a specific topic.
Make the list and then add a call-to-action at the end of the checklist. Next, open Canva or any other graphic design program to format the checklist, match the brand colors, etc. Save it as a PDF, and the checklist is finished, in theory.
There are other steps; this is just a brief synopsis for creating a checklist, but you get the idea.
The biggest benefit of using checklists as lead magnets is how they change the value of time.
For instance, with most lead magnets, people assume that it is going to cost them time to consume the lead magnet.
A checklist does not cost the reader time; instead, it saves them time by not having to figure out what the steps are. Plus, checklists do not take long to consume, saving even more time.
The biggest benefit for using a checklist as a lead magnet is time. It saves you time because checklists are easy to create. It also saves readers time by delivering value that is quick and easy to consume.
3. Webinars/Events
Webinars and events are another one of my favorite ways to build a list.
Webinars can be delivered in different formats. They can be PowerPoint presentations, talking head videos, share screens, whiteboards, or a host of other hybrid models.
What I love most about these types of lead magnets is that often events create very original content that is difficult to replicate. It is hard to duplicate two or more people talking about a specific topic when both are sharing their unique perspectives.
These types of events create unique experiences that are difficult to reproduce by other people or by AI.
Webinars can be like reports and can be on ultra-specific topics. They can deliver value in ways other media cannot.
For instance, video can connect with people like few mediums can, bringing concepts to life. People can use their senses to process information and get to know someone.
Video naturally has many of the elements of meeting in person. Plus, webinars can be interactive by engaging and connecting with the audience.
Communicating back and forth with attendees can help establish trust.
Over the last several years, I have hosted and attended more online events than I have in the previous 20 years. One reason is simply the technology we have today compared to 15 years ago. The second reason is that people are becoming more comfortable attending online events, engaging online, etc.
Webinars and online events are a great way to engage prospects and customers throughout the customer journey. They are also fabulous for building a list and cultivating trust.
Establish Trust and Lead to the Next Phase
Lead magnets are one of the most important components of building a responsive list that identifies people who are interested in specific topics.
Remember, the best lead magnets deliver on their initial promise. However, by solving the original problem, they highlight the next problem, which the paid product solves.
If you understand your audience, their topics of interest, and their problems, you can create lead magnets that build a list, establish trust, and lead people to the next phase of the customer journey.
