In this post, you will learn why you should consider implementing a Lead Magnet into your marketing and why they are a proven strategy for businesses.
What is a Lead Magnet and why should I be using them in my business?
A Lead Magnet is a marketing tool that helps businesses generate leads by offering a downloadable resource in exchange for a potential client’s contact details (name and email, for example).
The term ‘downloadable resource’ typically refers to guides, cheat sheets, design templates that can be downloaded or accessed once the potential client has provided their details (more on this later).
If you are looking to grow your business, a Lead Magnet can help you attract your ideal clients. It also has the potential to position you or your product as the solution to the problem they are trying to solve.
Why you should start creating Lead Magnets for your business
If you are reading this article, you are probably already creating content for at least one Social Media platform.
I love Social Media as it allows all businesses – no matter what their budget is – to promote themselves online.
Many people often fall into the trap of spending time creating content for the sake of creating content and fail to have a way to measure the desired goal of their content – a sale, new followers, brand awareness, email submission, for example.
A Lead Magnet will help to give your content strategy purpose. You will create an asset that offers value and it will help you to build an email database of desirable clients that have expressed an interest in what you do.
Lead Magnet ideas for service-based businesses
If you own a service-based business, you will need to strike a balance between what you give away for free and what content is behind a paywall.
As a service-based business owner, you want to attract more clients without giving away all of your knowledge, so try creating a cheat sheet or checklist that will help to solve your ideal clients’ problems. It will help to position you as an expert and will help you to build a relationship with potential buyers.
Yoga teacher – The best yoga poses to kick-start your morning
PR specialist – 5 things to check before submitting a product pitch to a journalist (checklist)
An accountant – How to set up a Limited Company/how to become a Sole Trader (guide)
Real estate agent – Questions house hunters should ask before buying a home (cheat sheet)
Marketing consultant – How to create a Lead Magnet (guide)
The main takeaway is that you create a downloadable asset that provides value to your potential new client while positioning you or your company as a knowledgeable source of information.
But what if you have a product-based business?
I know what you are thinking, ‘I have a product-based business and I can’t afford to give things away willy-nilly’, and that is totally OK because I am going to give you a few ideas to help you come up with a Lead Magnet that won’t eat into your profits.
Let’s say you have a food-based product, a supplement, or a nutritional powder. Your Lead Magnet could be as simple as creating a free PDF that contains 2/3 tasty recipes that include your product as the star of the show. Or a cheat sheet to show clients how to use your product in a recipe instead of a more traditional ingredient.
If you have a beauty-based product, think about a Lead Magnet that will emphasise the problem it is solving on the market. For example, let’s say you have a hair styling product that reduces heat damage to hair. You could create a Lead Magnet that has a step-by-step guide to creating beach waves without damaging your locks. Or, for a more seasonal approach, instructions on how to create wedding-day beach waves or the best way to make waves with your hair on New Year’s Eve.
Maybe you are selling products in the fitness industry. Create a bespoke PDF of 5 simple ways to use [insert fitness product] at home or 10 ways to build strength using a [insert product]. Again, you can create seasonal Lead Magnets and a great option for fitness products will be to release a guide in time for New Year’s resolutions. For example, 5 ways [product] will help you to reach your fitness goals this year.
For some product-based businesses, you might need to get a bit more creative and think outside of the box.
Let’s say you sell candles. You could create a PDF that explains the unique properties of each scent and team them up with a home activity. For example, a lavender-scented candle is best to create a relaxed, ambient feeling for an at-home spa experience, an uplifting citrus scent used for staying focused in your home office, and finally, warm vanilla to light to relax in front of the TV after a long day after work.
These are just a few ideas but I am sure you get where I am going with this one. For a seasonal approach, you could create a Christmas gift guide and match up which candle is best for the recipient (mum, sister, new homeowners, secret Santa, etc.).
Quick wins
Lead Magnets that offer quick wins are a fabulous way to build trust. After all, if someone can take action off the back of a resource you have created and they see an instant result, they are likely to remember you and come back to your site or subscribe/follow you on Social Media.
The quick-win approach works for both service and product-based businesses as it allows you to solve a problem, answer a question, or provide instructions.
So when you are creating your Lead Magnet, try not to overcomplicate it. Just think about the problem your business or products solve and how you can provide a resource that amplifies your message.
Types of Lead Magnets
The type of Lead Magnet you can create will depend on your business and the resources you have available to you.
To begin with, consider what assets you already have. Do you have professional photos or video content? Do you have lots of blog copy on a topic or content on social media that can be repurposed into a guide?
When it comes to creating a Lead Magnet, you don’t always have to start from scratch. If you are already established in the marketplace, you could repurpose your top-performing existing content to attract new clients.
Here is a list of the types of Lead Magnets ideas for your business:
- PDF guide or brochure
- Monthly/quarterly digital magazine
- A single-page cheat sheet or checklist
- Workbooks
- Templates
- Whitepapers
How do you create a Lead Magnet?
Depending on what you are creating, you may be able to customise an existing template in Canva to create a Lead Magnet for your audience. If you need help on this, you can download the Complete Beginner’s Guide to Canva here.
Canva is a great option for smaller downloads such as cheat sheets, checklists, and guides.
If you have the budget, you could consider investing in a designer to put together a template that you can edit to create multiple Lead Magnets. A professional’s touch will help your Brand to stay consistent and stand out online. Plus you can use the same template across multiple Lead Magnets.
What to do after you have created a Lead Magnet?
You are going to need a way to collect client data and build an email list.
If you haven’t already done this, you can seek professional help from a company like Bright Leopard Marketing, who can provide you with all the information you need to create a successful Lead Magnet and set up a mailing list to automate the process, and manage your client data.
For more information, check out the Bright Leopard Marketing Services page and discover how I can help you implement a Lead Magnet into your marketing strategy or fill out the form below.
