Irresistible Lead Magnet Ideas for Entrepreneurs
When it comes to lead magnets, saying that the ‘free’ bar has been raised would be an understatement. Gone are the days when visitors to one’s website would hastily type out their email address just to get a freebie. Your irresistible lead magnet must help you to grow an audience and build a list of prospects.
People are far more web savvy these days and tend to be reluctant to divulge their email address because they know that they’re going to be receiving promotional emails in the future.
So your lead magnet (freemium, freebie, opt-in gift, free giveaway – or whatever you want to call it) must be highly tempting and offer a solution to their pressing problems. This is key to increasing your opt-in conversion rate.
Get These Rules Wrong and No One Will Want Your Lead Magnet
There are 3 unwritten rules when it comes to putting a lead magnet in front of your audience:
1. It must grab attention and be something that your audience desperately needs. Your mantra here is this, “Targeted, specific and relevant!”
It should have a compelling value proposition that encourages your audience to quickly type out their email address in the opt in form because they can’t wait to access your freebie.
2. It should share information that will help your subscriber – but it shouldn’t give away the farm. Remember, focus on creating an irresistible lead magnet, not one that teaches and shares everything you know. It’s simply too much for someone to consume.
The lead magnet must be useful enough for them to implement (to some extent) … but it must also tempt them to consider purchasing your complete product so that they can enjoy the full benefits that they’re potentially missing out on.
3. The opt in page needs to look professional, there should be ease of access and a clear call-to action.
Avoid asking for too many details such as the visitor’s home address, cell phone number, blood type, mother-in-law’s name, etc. Just kidding, but I wanted to make a point here!
Just their first name and email will do. In many cases, you may choose not to even ask for their name. The more fields they need to fill out, the lower the conversion rate will be. This is important!
Now that we’ve covered the basics and highlighted the importance of having a lead magnet that people truly want, it’s time to look at 9 different types of freebies that you can offer.
This is not rocket science. All the freebies mentioned below have been proven to convert visitors into prospects. It’s important to note that just because it’s a free gift, that doesn’t mean you can do it perfunctorily and release a shoddy product.
You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. In fact, your lead magnet should be so awesome that it makes your subscriber think, “If their free gift is so good, I wonder how much better their paid offer will be. I need to go get it!”
Your lead magnet is almost like an affiliate working round the clock to get sales for you. It’s a calling card that highlights your expertise, attention to detail and professionalism.
9 High-Converting, Irresistible Lead Magnets
1. Short Reports – Generally, a short report should be about 8 to 15 pages long. Give a quick introduction, talk a bit about the mindset required and share 1 to 2 tips that the reader can implement immediately. It should be concise, targeted and informative.
Keep things simple and straightforward. If it’s a new subscriber, that will mean they barely know you and will have no time for drivel. By giving them useful and helpful information in a simple format – they’ll appreciate the guidance and consume your content easily.
I teach an online course on how to create really simple short reports that may be exactly what you need right now.
2. Infographics (or posters) – A simple infographic containing the key points for a topic can prove very useful for your reader.
For example, a copywriting infographic may highlight the different components a sales page will need.
With this image, the subscriber will know with one glance what they need on their sales page – and this handy reference makes their life much easier. Of course, once you’ve delivered the infographic, you can try to sell them your outstanding copywriting course that everyone is raving about.
This is how a lead magnet opens the door to other promotional emails. By giving them an appetizer, you’ll leave their mouths watering for your main course.
3. Templates – Fill-in-the-blank templates are very popular for sales letters, videos, blog posts and much more. With a proven template, it’s easier for your subscriber to create content without being intimidated by the prospect of starting from scratch.
Email templates, style guide templates, content calendars, social media post templates, etc. are all examples of templates you could create.
4. Checklists – A checklist is INVALUABLE when a process has multiple steps to follow.
For example, if you’re selling a course on creating profitable niche sites, a checklist will be a list of tasks that needs to be completed in the right order to build a functioning site that ranks well.
Since checklists are often bullet points (with checkboxes), despite being useful to the subscriber, they’ll need to buy your complete course to really understand and nail down the process.
Guess what? Yup! Many of them will buy what you’re selling just to get the most out of the checklist.
5. Case Studies – People love true crime shows, gossip magazines and videos about celebrities’ lives. There’s a reason for this – they love real-life scenarios and enjoy watching the consequences of people’s actions.
Similarly, many marketers, beginners, and experts alike love case studies because they reveal the marketing actions taken and the resulting wins (or losses). A real-life case study is a lesson on what to do and what to avoid.
Your subscribers will find case studies extremely useful because of the step-by-step and honest nature of it all. This lead magnet builds trust and credibility, if you can show what you did and the positive results you achieved.
6. Videos/Webinars – Videos are easy to create. Just record a 15-minute video highlighting a few key points that your viewer can implement. Below the video, you should add a link to your full course which is on sale.
If you use a webinar as a lead magnet, make sure it’s interesting, concise and believable. These days, many people are wary and cynical about webinars which are just pitches with long-winded stories about the presenter going from eking out a dismal homeless existence under a bridge to now feasting on caviar in some penthouse in Dubai – all because of his ‘push button’ viral marketing system. Less is more when it comes to videos.
7. Mini-Courses – A mini-course is a great way to introduce new subscribers to your style of teaching. It goes without saying that if your mini-course is outstanding, your subscribers will view you as an authority.
And they’ll be more likely to buy from you.
So make it an outstanding mini-course. Give them some of what they need to know… but NOT everything.
The truth is that most subscribers won’t even complete the free course. But they’ll still believe that they received value, and many will purchase from you in future.
8. Free Trials – If you have a membership site or a paid software tool that has a monthly fee, offering free access for a week or a month in exchange for their email will get you a lot of subscribers.
They have nothing to lose and can get free access to see if they like what you’re offering. Once the free trial is over, they’ll have an option to pay and stay on, or leave.
This is extremely straightforward. Those who stay will go on to become fans of your service… and those who leave can be remarketed to or deleted if they’re not interested. Your email list will be ‘cleaner’ and more targeted.
9. Resource Lists – A resource list is basically a list of tools, services, products, etc. that you use.
If you’ve achieved success in your niche, people will want to know exactly what products you’re using so that they can model your actions and replicate your success. It doesn’t matter what niche you’re in. Champion bodybuilders are always asked what supplements and training routines they follow.
Successful marketers are asked what tools and services they use. Fiction writing beginners ask the pros what books they need to read. Travelers ask for recommendations on which hotels to stay in and so on.
Resource lists are like personal recommendations. So only recommend what you’re using. A PDF or web page with a list of links to the resources you’re using will be advantageous to your subscribers who are looking for reputable products/services.
You can add affiliate links to all the products you’re recommending. Just ensure that you add an affiliate disclaimer to your PDF/page.
Time to Magnetize Your Irresistible Lead Magnet!
Now that you know the different types of lead magnets you can create, it’s just a matter of choosing one and creating it. Sometimes, you may wish to create a few different types and split test them.
You may discover that checklists resonate with your audience while videos have poor conversions. From here, you’ll just need to focus on driving traffic to your checklists opt-in page.
Besides the tips mentioned above, you may wish to use a reputable page builder such as OptimizePress or Elementor to create your landing page.
You’ll also want a proven autoresponder with satisfactory deliverability rates such as AWeber. This will ensure that you build your list efficiently and your emails land in your subscribers’ inboxes instead of languishing in the spam folder.
Start putting out your lead magnets into the marketplace and you’ll attract targeted, fresh leads into your business in no time at all.
Keep It Simple
When it comes to lead magnets, less is definitely more. You want your lead magnet to be easy to understand and consume. If it’s too complicated or dense, potential leads will be turned off and will move on to something else. Keep your lead magnet simple and to the point!
Use an Irresistible Offer
Your lead magnet needs to offer something that your target audience cannot resist. It should be something that they need or want, and it should be valuable to them. If your offer is not compelling enough, potential leads will simply ignore it.
Make Your Irresistible Lead Magnet Easy to Consume
Nobody wants to spend hours reading a long, dense eBook or watching a lengthy video. Make sure your lead magnet is easy to consume by keeping it short and sweet. Provide value up front, and make it easy for potential leads to digest your content.
Be Clear about What Your Lead Magnet Is… and What It Isn’t
Your lead magnet should be very clear about what it is and what it offers. Don’t try to be too clever or cute with your title – be direct and to the point. Your potential leads should know exactly what they’re getting when they sign up for your lead magnet.
Use an Attention-Grabbing Headline
Your headline is the first thing that potential leads will see, so it’s important to make a good first impression. Write an attention-grabbing headline that accurately reflects the content of your lead magnet. Get to know the buzz words that will resonate with your target audience.
Use High-Quality Visuals
If your lead magnet includes visuals, make sure they are high quality and eye-catching. Poorly designed visuals will reflect poorly on your brand and will turn potential leads away.
Use Good Grammar and Spelling
This one should go without saying, but it’s important to use proper grammar and spelling in your lead magnet. typos will make you look unprofessional and could turn potential leads away. Make sure your lead magnet is error-free before you publish it! Use a tool like Grammarly or ProWritingAid.
Promote Your Lead Magnet
Your lead magnet won’t do you any good if nobody knows about it. Make sure to promote your lead magnet on your website and social media channels. You can also use email marketing or paid advertising to get the word out.
Test, Test, Test Your Irresistible Lead Magnet!
Finally, don’t forget to test your lead magnet before you launch it. Try sending it to a few friends or family members to get their feedback. You can also A/B test different versions of your lead magnet to see what works best.
Keep Your Lead Magnet Updated
Your irresistible lead magnet should be evergreen, meaning it should be relevant and up-to-date for a long time. But that doesn’t mean you can never update it! If you make changes to your product or service, be sure to update your lead magnet accordingly.
I’m Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur Connie Ragen Green and would love to connect with you. If you’re new to the world of online entrepreneurship please check out my training on how to make your first income online at 3 Day eBiz (Use Code: MAKEITHAPPEN to Save) and learn how to gain an unfair advantage when it comes to building a lucrative online business.
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