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The holy grail of inbound marketing is the lead. Leads are just one step away from a purchase and are therefore important to your business. But how do you execute lead generation successfully? One proven method is to offer a “lead magnet”: a digital gift in exchange for that coveted e-mail address. As specialists in converting websites, we almost always work with these lead magnets.
One proven method is to offer an effective lead magnet: a digital gift in exchange for an email address. As specialists in converting websites, we almost always work with these clever tools.
But how do you create such a lead magnet? And perhaps more importantly, where do you get the time? Good news! With a little creativity and existing content, you can get started within a day. Below we list 7 types of lead magnets that are relatively easy to create and that offer clear added value to your target group.
Examples of lead magnets
1. E-book
An e-book is generally a nicely formatted PDF containing neatly arranged information that appeals to your target audience. Sometimes you may choose to dig a little deeper than you normally do, but it is not unusual to simply put together the best blog posts, slightly modified if necessary.
This works best if you have a series of blog posts around a particular topic. A carpenter who has devoted several articles to tiny houses, for example:
- What skills do you need to build your tiny house?
- 10 mistakes people make when building their tiny house
- 3 ways a tiny house changes your life
- Self-sufficient living: here’s how to get water and light
- 5 places to park your tiny house
2. Checklist
One of the easiest lead magnets to create is the checklist. If you’ve already published a blog post where you give instructions or offer a plan of action (think titles that begin with words like so, how, what) you already have all the input for such a checklist ready to go. List all the steps to take and group them into smaller steps to make the end result even more achievable.
Bonus points if you choose a nice design where the actual checklist fits on one page. This allows readers to check off items “in the heat of the moment” and quickly see if -and if so, where- there is work to be done.
3. Cheat sheet
A cheat sheet, in proper Dutch a cheat sheet, is almost as short as the checklist: one page. If you cover a topic that is complicated and has a lot of prerequisites or steps, a cheat sheet like this helps people stay on task. It serves as a reminder and is preferably printed out and pinned to the wall. Take this opportunity to incorporate your logo and/or slogan, so that the user will always (subconsciously) think of your organization when consulting the cheat sheet.
4. Webinar
The webinar proves that not every lead magnet has to be a downloadable one. Using one of your blog posts or your brochure as a guide, you can use it as a springboard for a webinar that you can present by yourself or with a colleague.
For example, if you’ve written about the latest subsidies around electric cars, you can turn that into a PowerPoint presentation that you walk through during a webinar. Give people a chance to ask questions via chat during the webinar and you can immediately see which leads are more qualified than others. You can then also offer the presentation as a download to ask for even more relevant personal data.
5. Workbook
A workbook is particularly appropriate for service organizations. It is a document that readers fill out so that they actively engage with your tips. This provides not only valuable content, but also clear added value.
Examples:
- Business coaches: Workbook ‘Discover your saboteurs and grow’.
- Training platform: create your own online course in 5 steps.
This is how you engage people with your product or service, and show that you are really helping them move forward.
6. Free templates
Free templates are irresistible to anyone who wants to create something quickly without starting from scratch. Consider:
- A quotation template for freelancers.
- A social media calendar.
- A presentation template for entrepreneurs.
Templates add a lot of value, save time for your target audience and show that you are thinking about their success.
7. Case study or white paper
A slightly more serious, but highly effective lead magnet, is a case study or white paper. In it, you show how your product or service solved a problem for a customer, including results and insights.
This is ideal for attracting quality leads who are already at a later stage of the customer journey. They want to see proof that you deliver what you promise. And they get that proof in the form of clear numbers and examples.
How do you choose the right one?
Now that you know what options you have, it’s important to choose the right lead magnet. Ask yourself:
- What do my potential customers need?
- What existing content can I reuse?
- How does my lead magnet connect to my product or service?
Make sure the content is always well aligned with your expertise and a logical step toward purchase.
Reuse makes it valuable
We mentioned it a moment ago. Reuse existing content. Many entrepreneurs think they have to develop something completely new to create good lead magnets. But the power lies precisely in cleverly reusing existing content. Think of a popular blog post, a customer case study or a concise explanation from a presentation. By turning this into a compact PDF, checklist or mini-course, your lead magnet becomes valuable and quickly deployable. This way, you respond to questions that your potential customers already have, without taking much time.
From download to email list
An effective lead magnet ensures that you collect email addresses from people who are truly interested in your product or service. Couple your lead magnet with a good landing page and an automated email flow and you have the foundation of successful email marketing. By adding these leads to your email list, you build your own audience that you can reach again and again, without relying on social media algorithms or ads.
Don’t forget the promotion
You can have such a great lead magnet, but without promotion, it won’t yield much. Make sure downloadable pdf files, webinars or no-obligation templates are highly visible on your site, in blogs, on social media and in your newsletter. Place them in logical places and link clear call-to-actions to them.
How we generate leads
We at 2manydots also offer several lead magnets including checklists and white papers. In doing so, we help readers a little further with their Internet marketing issues, such as branding and lead generation.
Show your expertise, without pushing
A good lead magnet helps your potential customers move forward without selling directly. By sharing valuable information in the form of practical tips, formats or step-by-step plans, you show that you know your stuff. This form of giving without obligation builds trust and invites more contact. This is exactly why a strong lead magnet ensures more qualitative leads and a better start of your email marketing.
A lead magnet is more than a free giveaway
A smart and well-thought-out lead magnet gets you more than just an email address. You show that you can provide valuable content and that you are willing to share your expertise. In this way, you show that your product or service is worthwhile and you build a relationship with your potential customers.
Want to get started with an effective lead magnet and generate more quality leads? Then get in touch with our team. We will be happy to help you!
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