Have you been putting off creating a lead magnet? Are you unsure of what a lead magnet even is? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Thanks to Melanie Herschorn, founder of VIP Digital Content, we’ve got all the ins, outs, and how-tos of lead magnets. As a leading expert in content marketing, Melanie specializes in helping businesses identify their ideal clients and attracting them with strategic content.
What Is a Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet is a marketing tool that is given away in exchange for contact information. A lead magnet can take many forms. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- Checklists
- Cheat sheets
- E-books
- Recipes
- How-tos
- Challenges
- Quizzes
Whatever you choose as the basis of your lead magnet, make sure that it contains real value. Remember, this is often the first interaction you’ll have with this person and if you provide them with something that truly helps, they’re going to want to become part of your community.
Why Use a Lead Magnet?
- They help you grow your email list
- They position you as an expert in your field
- They help nurture your leads
Lead Magnet Best Practices
Here are some guidelines to follow when you sit down to write your next (or first) lead magnet.
Talk about yourself (briefly).
Make sure to include at least a line about who you are. This is likely the first time this person has come across you and now it’s your chance to make a great first impression.
The Challenge
Before you launch into the meat of the lead magnet, it’s a great idea to describe the challenge that your ideal client faces.
Tell them that you understand their struggle on a deeper level and then provide an easy solution.
You’re showing this new lead not only that you are an expert in what you do but also that you understand their plight and can help them achieve results.
A Quick Win
The lead magnet doesn’t have to divulge every way that you help your clients or all your proprietary secrets. It should focus on answering one question or solving one problem that your client avatar faces. The solution you’re providing should also be pretty simple and one that doesn’t take too long to complete.
Call to Action
This is arguably the most important part of your lead magnet. You don’t want to provide amazing info and then slip away…You should always be leading people to the next thing. Whether you ask them to join your Facebook community, follow you on Instagram, connect with you on LinkedIn, or book a call with you, make sure you invite them somewhere to continue along the customer journey with you. And, if possible, make the invitation clickable right from the PDF.
Time Well Spent
Often people wonder if spending valuable time creating a freebie is worthwhile. To me, the answer is an emphatic YES! If you create an opt-in that’s evergreen – meaning that it’s not tied to a specific time or date – you can continue to use it to attract leads for months and even years to come!
Get in Touch
Curious if your content is attracting the right customer? Click over to VIP Digital Content and take the “Winning Content Quiz” to see how your content ranks. And get in touch with Melanie here.
@vipdigitalcontent
Check Out Hammersmith Support’s Lead Magnets
Hammersmith Support is pleased to offer our readers two valuable lead magnets:
- “10 Tips for Website Maintenance.” Download your copy to learn all the steps to keep your website running smoothly.
- “10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Website Designer.” Download your copy to learn what kind of questions you should ask when looking for a website designer.