A lead magnet is a free provide given to guests to a web site or social media channel in change for an e mail handle.
You might have heard lead magnets known as by different names like…
- Bribes to subscribe
- Content material upgrades
- Bait
Don’t be concerned about semantics; these all refer (kind of) to the method of giving one thing in change for private data that can be utilized to contact guests sooner or later.
On this article I’ll present you…
Earlier than we go any additional, let me remind you why it is best to spend time creating FREE content material and going out of your solution to give it away.
Why Do Lead Magnets Matter?
Why do folks like me PAY to present away issues to folks we do not know?
Right here is why…An e mail handle is the lifeblood of a superb on-line enterprise.
Lead magnets are key to constructing an viewers that you simply “personal” and might contact everytime you need.
At any time when you’ve a brand new piece of content material, a brand new product, or are a part of a brand new promotion, you may ship an e mail to your subscribers without cost.
When you’ve ever paid for visitors on Google, Fb, or different social media channels, the idea of free visitors ought to make your mouth water.
One e mail broadcast to subscribers may end up in lots of or hundreds of clicks. When you have been to pay for that kind of engagement elsewhere, it provides up . . . quick.
I am not towards paying for visitors by any means (I spend loads on paid promotions myself), however I’m the largest advocate of e mail advertising and retargeting you’ll ever discover.
Don’t be concerned, paid visitors and e mail advertising aren’t mutually unique. E-mail advertising simply permits you to get extra out of every customer that lands in your web site.
For instance that you simply pay $0.25/click on to ship visitors to a weblog put up. Every customer reads a specific amount of the put up, possibly they purchase one thing, possibly they do not.
If they do not, they’re doubtless gone without end. If you’re gathering their e mail addresses by providing them an attractive cause to fork it over (a lead magnet) you may then retarget them till they unsubscribe.
Now, that $0.25 click on you paid for may be price exponentially extra!
Giving freely attractive freebies is likely one of the most profitable strikes you may make on your web enterprise.
You need to common $1+/subscriber per thirty days on my e mail listing. Let that sink in. That quantity is extraordinarily conservative.
When you get 1,000 e mail subscribers, try to be producing $1,000/month in income!
- 10,000 subscribers = $10,000/month!
- 50,000 subscribers = $50,000/month!!
- 100,000 subscribers = $100,000/month!!!
Listed here are some e mail advertising statistics it is best to take into account…
- A message is 5x extra more likely to be seen in e mail than through Fb – Radicati
- E-mail advertising has an ROI of 3800% – DMA
- 72% of customers choose e mail as their supply of enterprise communication – Advertising and marketing Sherpa
- 61% of customers take pleasure in receiving promotional emails weekly – Advertising and marketing Sherpa
That is why I am prepared to spend large cash to GIVE folks nice stuff.
Despite all of the hype round social media platforms, your e mail listing is the one factor that may’t be taken away from you.
“ ...your e mail listing is the one factor that may’t be taken away from you…
You possibly can spend years constructing a following on Twitter, Fb, or YouTube simply to have all of it taken away. There are numerous horror tales of web companies that have been decimated once they have been booted from their solely platform.
So, how do you get e mail subscribers? It begins with giving worth. You possibly can’t get e mail subscribers with out giving one thing of worth in return.
Each time I see a weblog that claims one thing like, “Be a part of our e-newsletter,” I can not assist however roll my eyes. It is unhappy to assume how a lot cash these websites are leaving on the desk!
Convincing sufficient? I hope so.
Let’s go on…
What Makes a Nice Lead Magnet?
First, keep in mind that e mail addresses aren’t handed out freely like they as soon as have been. A clear inbox is a excessive precedence for most individuals so your readers/viewers don’t need emails that they do not care about.
Because of this your lead magnet must be nicely thought out, extraordinarily attractive, and of the best high quality.
An ideal lead magnet ought to meet the next 6 standards.
#1 Present Speedy Gratification
Your lead magnet must be one thing irresistible and instantly relevant. Somebody is more likely to obtain your lead magnet if they’ll use it within the close to future. If it isn’t one thing they want proper now, they doubtless will not hand over the e-mail handle.
Your lead magnet cannot be obscure. It must be extraordinarily focused to your readers and their present wants.
I’ve made the error many instances of associating complete worth with complete opt-ins. The reality is that readers care extra about fixing their speedy issues than they care about amassing much more data on subjects that are not but on their thoughts.
So, in case your area of interest is bodybuilding, as a substitute of making a lead magnet like “Final Information to Constructing Muscle,” take into account one thing rather more easy like “My Easy Treatment for Muscle Soreness.”
The latter is much less overwhelming and solves one particular drawback (muscle soreness) that might relate to your matter of curiosity.
I can virtually assure that every one issues being equal, the shorter, focused lead magnet would outperform the large “final information” magnet.
A superb lead magnet must be one thing that subscribers can entry rapidly.
The most effective lead magnets are downloadable and may be opened by the subscriber rapidly and simply. Providing lead magnets that require large commitments of time (consider one thing like a “40 week coaching course”) does not entice subscribers like magnets that present the content material instantly.
#2 Entice Your Dream Buyer
Many entrepreneurs make the error of making freebies that do not outline their person base. I’ve seen folks do issues like, “enter to win a free iPad!” The issue with that is that everybody likes free iPads! If somebody joins your listing as a result of they wished an iPad, they don’t seem to be more likely to be good prospects sooner or later.
Your lead magnet ought to relate on to what you’re providing your subscriber sooner or later. Do you propose on selling a product regarding weight reduction? If that’s the case, your lead magnet must be associated to weight reduction!
Lead magnets enable you skim the best prospects from the plenty and section them in a manner that permits you to promote to them extra simply sooner or later with out being “salesy” or annoying. If they’ve already expressed curiosity in one thing, you selling one thing associated to that curiosity sooner or later is completely pure and welcomed.
#3 Have Actual Worth
The lead magnet is a good likelihood so that you can create rapport along with your viewers.
Consider it this fashion: in case your lead magnet offers large worth, the subscriber will ask themselves, “if that is the FREE stuff, what do I get if I purchase one thing?!?” All the things you promote sooner or later will promote higher once you’ve already constructed belief and given worth freely.
#4 Demonstrates Your Experience within the Area
The free content material should not be one thing you simply whip collectively with none effort. That is your likelihood to showcase your experience and impress your new subscribers. A lot of lead magnets find yourself damaging the fame of the particular person or firm giving them away as a result of they have been put along with little thought or effort.
Now, some lead magnets will not test off every of these things. That’s okay, however the additional you deviate from these pointers, the decrease your conversion charges will develop into, and you’ll get subscribers of lesser worth.
Creating Your Lead Magnet
So the place do you begin?
I’ve excellent news, if you have already got created content material, you doubtless haven’t got to begin from scratch.
A few of the finest lead magnets are simply repurposed content material from weblog posts, movies, podcasts, webinars, and so on.
Are you fearful that folks will really feel cheated because the data is freely obtainable on-line? They will not care…
Nobody cares the place it got here from; it is about worth. Simply be sure that your magnet offers tons of worth.
When you really feel unhealthy getting emails for content material that could possibly be discovered elsewhere, you may at all times take away the unique content material after you’ve made your lead magnet.
An ideal piece of content material can usually result in extra income in the long term for those who use it as a lead magnet versus making it freely obtainable anyway. Simply ensure that you do not depart your web site barren of the content material that makes folks go to it within the first place.
By no means take away a bit of content material that’s driving loads of natural visitors by itself. I am certain that for those who’ve created loads of content material there’s something that’s vastly underrated that might serve higher as a lead magnet than a stale put up or video.
In terms of creating lead magnets, begin with the tip in thoughts.
Ask your self the next questions:
Query #1 What’s it you are hoping to promote these subscribers sooner or later?
Even when you do not have a precise product in thoughts, it is best to have a normal thought of how you are going to monetize your listing sooner or later. Keep in mind, creating and distributing free content material prices you time, vitality, and cash, so it is best to have an finish in thoughts for the way you may justify these bills after which some.
Query #2 What lead magnets might you make to focus on individuals who would purchase this product sooner or later? For instance that you’re hoping to promote one thing to weight lifters, what kind of lead magnet would work to draw and section individuals who could be fascinated about merchandise within the weight lifting area of interest? How a few free report displaying learn how to acquire 1 inch in your biceps in 3 weeks? How a few recipe for the proper put up exercise meal for muscle progress? Each of those concepts would assist entice people who find themselves most definitely to spend cash with you in a while within the weight lifting area of interest.
Lead Magnet Greatest Practices
Listed here are some suggestions that can enable you get extra leads.
1. All the time Be Testing
“By no means cease testing, and your promoting won’t ever cease enhancing.”
– David Ogilvy
At scale, small proportion will increase in conversion charges can result in large will increase in subscribers, which implies extra income.
Higher optimized lead magnets additionally imply a greater person expertise in your web site. If extra persons are opting in, it’s doubtless annoying fewer folks.
You’ll by no means make the proper lead magnet (even with testing), however you may at all times enhance it.
You should definitely take a look at one ingredient at a time, so that you perceive what’s inflicting adjustments in conversions.
In terms of lead magnets, the extra the merrier!
I attempt to create lead magnets that cowl each doable sub area of interest that my weblog attracts, and I attempt to create totally different media varieties to resonate with probably the most readers doable. I do not care if a subscriber prefers PDFs, audio information, or workbooks simply so long as they’re within the issues I share and could possibly be a worthwhile member of my e mail listing.
Extra lead magnets additionally means higher segmentation and concentrating on later. I can create segments and tags that make sure that I do not ship emails to individuals who would not care about them. The extra emails I ship that are not related to the recipient, the extra unsubscribes I get and the much less cash I make in the long term.
2. Section, Section, Section!
We wish to be sure that our show guidelines are optimized.
This implies displaying the proper lead magnets to the proper readers on the proper time.
3. Be Aggressive
Of Your Guests Will By no means Return to Your Web site
Whenever you notice how slim your likelihood is of turning visitors into long-term followers you may spend rather more time and vitality in your lead magnets and optimization.
When you’re afraid of pop-ups and annoying your readers, do not be.
“However Nate, I HATE pop-ups. Why would I exploit them on my web site in the event that they annoy me a lot?”
I struggled with this at first, too.
Keep in mind this: you are not your readers.
What annoys you may not annoy them. Many individuals love pop ups if it sends them to one thing that helps them ultimately.
Need your pop ups to be much less annoying? Create higher lead magnets!
Need your pop ups to be much less annoying? Create higher lead magnets!
Individuals neglect all about intrusive pop-ups in the event that they obtain one thing superior.
The Homeless Man and the Pit Bull Analogy
I exploit this analogy when explaining the artwork of giving in advertising and why it’s the solely solution to truly ever discover lasting success within the enterprise.
Faux you are strolling down the road, and a homeless man pops out of nowhere and says,
“Hey! Can I’ve some cash!?!?”
That will be tremendous annoying proper?
The percentages of you giving him cash are subsequent to zero. When you do give him cash, it is doubtless since you’re afraid of him, and you are going to keep away from strolling down that avenue sooner or later . . .
Now, fake that the identical homeless man pops out once you’re strolling down the road and says,
“Hey! You do not wish to maintain strolling this course, there is a pit bull unfastened down the road.”
You gaze over within the course he is pointing and certain sufficient, there’s a pit bull with out a collar devouring an alley cat and barking wildly at vehicles passing by . . . (sorry for that imagery, I wish to make some extent right here).
Wow . . . This man might need simply saved you from getting mauled to dying like that cat!
Now, you see the homeless man and he has a cup with “homeless and hungry” scribbled on it with a crayon . . .
Are you now extra fascinated about dropping a buck or two in there?
The reply (for those who’re a human being, which I feel you’re) is sure.
We do not thoughts being interrupted if it helps us, and we’re more likely to present to individuals who give to us first. It is fundamental reciprocity and it is wired deep into our DNA.
That is how lead magnets work.
That is how advertising works.
4. Deal with “Cash Pages” Fastidiously
A few of your pages ought to deal with the content material first and the opt-in second. If a put up is driving severe conversions, you wish to maintain readers on the web page for so long as doable.
Contemplate sticking to exit intent pop ups for pages with excessive purchaser intent.
5. Do not Present Choose-Ins to Current Subscribers
Instruments like Thrive Lead’s sensible hyperlinks permit us to stop e mail subscribers from seeing pop ups to issues they’ve already opted into.
The very last thing we wish to do is annoy readers by displaying them issues they already acquired!
6. Take a look at Show on Cellular Units
I made the large mistake of not cross checking an early lead magnet pop up on cellular and pill. I used to be annoying my guests, AND they could not even opt-in due to a formatting error.
Getting Your Lead Magnet in Entrance of Your Viewers
There are a selection of how to place lead magnets in your web sites to get emails.
Notice: If you do not have a weblog (though I like to recommend everybody begin one) you may nonetheless get leads from touchdown pages. When you have a YouTube channel or giant following on different social media, making a touchdown web page (extra within the subsequent part) and linking to it in your posts/movies might be your essential methodology of producing e mail signal ups. Not having a weblog isn’t any excuse for not gathering emails!
1. Inline Type
This kind of opt-in is embedded into your web sites content material and permits readers to opt-in with out leaving the web page.
Right here is an instance of an in-line opt-in I exploit right here at EntreResource.com…
ATTN Bloggers: Get a FREE copy of my latest ebook!
Learn How to Make Serious Money Blogging WITHOUT Writing Hundreds of Posts
Users can simply enter their name and email, and they will be emailed the ebook.
These are my favorite types of lead magnets because they flow well with the content. If the opt-in is related to the topic of the webpage (blog post), you can get a lot of subscribers this way.
2. Pop Up
This sort of opt-in pops out above the fold of the site and makes the user opt-in or exit the pop up. There are many types of pop-ups, and you can control things like when they are shown and who sees them. They can ask for an email directly on the page or redirect the visitor to a separate landing page.
3. Slide In
These are the smoother, less aggressive brother of the pop up. Scroll boxes slide in from the sides of web pages and are easier to ignore. Like pop ups, these are set with display intent rules. They can be set to appear immediately, appear after a set number of seconds, or appear after a user has scrolled a certain percentage of the page.
4. Welcome Mat
These are the big brother of the pop up. They are bold and take up the entire page.
Users have two options: Opt-in or exit.
They force a decision and temporarily remove all other distractions.
The conversion rates on these sorts of pages are very high, but they are also the most intrusive method.
5. Content Lock
Hide content and require an email opt-in to view it.
I have huge conversion rates on these. Click here to read more about using these bad boys.
6. + 7. Header and Footer Bar
These hover above or below the page and follow the readers as they navigate the site. These are very popular, but the conversion rates aren’t as good as some of the other options.
8. Side Bar Widget
These are embedded onto the side bar of posts and pages. They are minimally intrusive, but I’ve never found they convert nearly as well as other types.
9. Click Trigger Pop Up
This sort of pop up is triggered when a link is clicked. It appears as a hyperlink and isn’t intrusive in anyway. These won’t usually convert as well as other methods, but they are great to have if you’re timid of annoying your readers (again, I don’t think you should be).
Landing pages for Lead Magnets
These are stand alone web pages that showcase the lead magnet. Theperfectblogpost.com is an example of a landing page that I made with Clickfunnels.
If you’re giving away something more complex or that costs money ($1 trials, free + shipping etc) landing pages will be required.
If you don’t have a blog, you will need to create landing pages to get opt-ins.
There are a number of tools to build landing pages, but I make almost all of mine in Clickfunnels.
If you’re interested in using Clickfunnels, check out this tutorial I created for making simple 2 step opt-ins.
50 Lead Magnet Ideas (with Examples!)
Lead magnets can come in many forms.
There are 49 types of lead magnets that I want to share with you here, and I have included the best examples I could find across the internet.
Some of the examples are relevant to internet marketers like yourself, so feel free to go and download anything below!
Some of these lead magnets are time sensitive (events, coaching calls, etc), so I couldn’t provide examples for every single type. You will have to use your imagination for some of these.
These aren’t all created equal, and what may work for one business may not work for yours.
Some of these lead magnets wouldn’t work for my business or I know wouldn’t perform well.
I have included EVERY type of lead magnet I could think of, so don’t think I am suggesting you should go write an ebook, create a full membership course, or anything extravagant.
Many of the highest converting lead magnets are drop dead simple. Don’t associate complexity and length of the lead magnet with opt-in rates.
Remember the 6 point checklist for lead magnets I shared earlier.
You want your lead magnet to be easily consumable and provide immediate gratification. If you already have a large freebie to giveaway (like an ebook or course) go for it, but don’t think you have to have something epic to get conversions.
In many cases, simple lead magnets like 1 page reports out perform epic giveaways like eBooks and 5 hour long web courses.
Note: These are in alphabetical order and not in order of most effective or most recommended.
There isn’t a one size fits all solution for lead magnets, so approach this list with an open mind and find what works for your business.
1. Audio File (audiobooks or lessons)
A high quality, value dense audio recording of content relevant to your readers.
MP3 files are great because they let you connect with your audience on a more personal level, and you can give away a ton of value without tons of writing, editing, or formatting.
I created a guided meditation MP3 for entrepreneurs that performs well for me. I wrote the script myself and hired a voice actor for less than $100 on Fiverr to read it.
2. Calculator
A simple tool that allows your subscriber to enter data and get immediate insights of some kind.
I have had success with simple calculators I built with Microsoft Excel. You can also pay a developer to create a simple calculator widget for your website that requires an email to operate.
3. Case Studies
Documented examples that show something of interest to your subscriber. Ideally, these case studies show someone who achieved the desired end result that your subscribers want for themselves.
For example, a case study showing how someone added 1 inch to their biceps over 4 weeks would be an enticing lead magnet if you’re in the fitness niche.
Case studies are a great opportunity for you to connect back to a product you are promoting or selling and showcase the results that someone achieved by using the product, service, or method.
These make great blog posts on their own and repurposing them into PDFs can make great lead magnets.
4. Catalog
Digital catalogs or physical magazines showcasing all of your available products.
If you run a store (online or brick and mortar), creating a catalog can be a great way to get emails, physical addresses, and sell products.
5. Cheat Sheet
A reference tool that summarizes larger processes into easily digestible points and steps.
This is one of the most common lead magnets you will find.
6. Checklist
Quick, bulleted guides showing subscribers how to do something of interest to them.
Checklists are extremely gratifying and easy to digest and therefore make great lead magnets.
7. Coupon
A discount for a product or service you offer.
This are another example of a lead magnet that can lead to sales while simultaneously growing your list. If someone doesn’t use the coupon, you now have their email and can remind them to come back and complete a purchase.
Also, there is something powerful that happens when a subscriber has paid you any amount of money. If you use a coupon to get a sale, you’ve created an extremely valuable subscriber who will be much more likely to buy from you again in the future.
Ryan Deiss explains that there is something very powerful about getting that first sale, no matter how large or small it is…
“ The conversion of a prospect to a customer, even for $1, is magical. – Ryan Deiss
8. Desktop Wallpaper
A simple, attractive high resolution image that your subscribers will set as the backgrounds on their computers or mobile devices.
A high resolution image can be a great lead magnet.
Pro Tip: Include branding of some kind, so you stay top of mind. These are great for artists, bands, and creatives.
9. Early Bird Access
Access to a new product or service before the public.
If you’re selling a product, early bird access is a viable option that will also make immediate sales. This is a great way to reward your most loyal customers.
10. Ebook
PDF, ePub, or MOBI versions of books you have written related to the topic relevant to your audience.
Ebooks convert very well as lead magnets, but don’t feel like you need to publish novels to get emails. If you have a book, that’s awesome. If not, I don’t recommend that you make one just for a lead magnet until you try other, quicker methods first.
11. Email Course
An automated sequence of emails that trains a subscriber to achieve some desired end result.
This is a genius lead magnet idea for multiple reasons.
First, it nearly guarantees that your subscribers will confirm the opt-in (which is important for future deliverability).
Second, you will stay top of mind while they are on your sequence, and you’ll be able to build deep rapport with them. You can even promote multiple products to them organically during the sequence if they are relevant to the topic.
12. Event Tickets
Free admission to an event either in person or online.
If you’re doing a free meet-up or live webinar, event tickets are a great way to get opt-ins.
Local businesses that make sales face to face can benefit from this sort of lead magnet.
Gathering information beyond just name and email is perfectly normal when giving away tickets to an event, so don’t be afraid to ask deeper questions that better segment your subscribers.
13. Facebook Group Access
Access to a secret Facebook group where you share exclusive content.
Facebook groups are insanely underrated. Create a private Facebook group and give the access link only to people who opt-in via email. This kills two birds because it helps you grow a group AND your email list.
I call this, “audience hedging.” The more mediums you can get your followers on, the better.
14. Free Book + Shipping
A printed book sent to subscribers on the condition that they cover shipping (which usually costs $4.95-$7.95). This sort of offer generally requires some paid traffic to work, and you will likely lose money on the front end after the cost to print the book and run ads to the offer.
I learned this method from Russell Brunson of Clickfunnels. If you have a book and can afford to spend some money on the front end, giving away a book can be steroids for your brand.
Since these require a credit card (you have to pay shipping), these work fantastically as part of sales funnels. If you created a sales funnel, you would sell another product that is related to the book as an up-sell immediately after someone purchases the book.
For the sake of basic lead generation, sales funnels aren’t in the spirit of this article. I recommend you use a sales funnel like this AFTER you have indoctrinated your new subscribers to your brand.
15. Free Chapter
1-3 chapters of a popular ebook you’ve written or have rights to promote.
If you have a book that has confirmed value (sales on Amazon for instance) you can create a very enticing lead magnet by offering just 1-3 chapters.
You might also end up selling some books as a byproduct!
16. Free Coaching/Consultation
Free 15 min – 1 hour consultation covering a topic relevant to your audience.
If you offer high end paid coaching, training, SAAS (software as a service), or other professional services you can practice “guerrilla marketing” and really get hands on with your potential clients.
This is an amazing lead magnet because it allows you to build rapport at the highest level.
High dollar sales require lots of engagement, and this method is only ideal if you have something big to sell. It just isn’t scalable if you’re doing 15 min to 1 hour calls just for an email address.
Neil Patel sees the value in getting on the phone with his audience, and he offers free consultations to people after they provide some basic information about their websites and business goals.
Note: If Neil Patel is doing something, you can bet that he has tested it, and it is working.
17. Free Quote
Free pricing estimate for a product or service that can be done via a software or through an actual 1 on 1 conversation.
This is a great option if the quote leads interested people to purchase from you. I can’t think of a high end service offering that wouldn’t benefit from offering free quotes to prospective buyers.
Note: The example above doesn’t actually require an email address to use the tool, but it does encourage users to take the next step and contact them to find a team of developers to have their app created.
They aren’t looking to get tens of thousands of emails; they are trying to find their ideal, high value customers, and this tool accomplishes that.
18. Free Shipping
Free shipping on a product you offer (can have a minimum cart size or not).
If you sell physical products, offering free shipping in exchange for opt-ins works very well. Free shipping opt-ins allow you to retarget possible customers and give them the nudge they need to make a purchase.
Keep in mind, this is not the same as a “free + shipping” offer. A free shipping offer is traditionally a coupon that can be redeemed immediately or at a future date whereas a free + shipping offer requires the subscriber to cover shipping costs to get something else “free.”
19. Free Trial
Free access to a paid product or service in exchange for personal information.
You can ask for credit card information and begin billing after the trial expires or offer the trial for free with no billing information required. The former will lead to more sales, but the latter will lead to more trials.
If your product is fantastic, getting more people to try it might result in more revenue. Keep in mind though, when people don’t have an ultimatum to actually use the product (they will have to proactively cancel their trial or they will be billed), they aren’t nearly as likely to try it.
Yes, many people will use the tool and bounce without ever paying, but they have expressed interest, and they are much more likely to buy from you in the future if you retarget them properly.
Note: I know a traditional lead magnet is supposed to be free, but I find something special with $1 trials. Why do I like $1 trials so much? Yes, you will experience fewer opt-ins, but you’ll get people who are much more serious and more likely to actually continue using and paying for your software. There is a mental barrier that is broken once someone has trusted you with any amount of money, no matter how small. That $1 isn’t going to make you rich, but it is going to make selling to your trial users much easier. Also, asking for just $1 will reduce the number of fraudulent trial abusers (people who just keep using the tool and opening new accounts with fake emails).
20. Gated Content
Premium content only available to subscribers.
Many bloggers have grown their lists by creating posts that require an email to unlock.
This is a gutsy move since gated content isn’t going to rank in Google, BUT it can be a clever way to generate leads from the traffic that is already on your site. Thrive Themes gives users the ability to lock down certain blog posts or parts of blog posts (even better IMO) with some simple HTML code.
21. Generator
A free resource that creates some sort of data valuable to the subscriber.
This is an expensive approach relative to the others, but I have seen businesses built around simple generators on their websites. Creating one of these could cost anywhere from $1,000 – $50,000+ so it is most likely a long shot for newer marketers.
22. Giveaway
A promotional campaign in which you award a prize that is relevant to your subscriber.
People love giveaways and contests. If you have something that is RELEVANT to your audience this can be a huge source of email subscribers.
Keep in mind, your giveaway needs to help segment your audience further. You can’t give iPads and expect to collect great leads. Yes, you’ll get a lot of leads, but they won’t be targeted, they won’t open your emails often, and they aren’t likely to buy from you.
When running a giveaway, don’t worry too much about the monetary value of the product your giving away. Interesting case studies have actually shown that giving away something simple like cupcakes might actually outperform something like iPads!
The logic is that people can see themselves winning something small like cupcakes, but they “never win,’ big contests like iPads. The odds can be exactly the same, but people are more likely to enter contests they feel they could realistically win. The human mind is a strange, strange thing.
23. Guide
A simple document showing subscribers how to accomplish something.
I love making guide style blog posts, and many of them can easily be repurposed into PDF guides that capture emails in hoards.
24. Infographic
Information gathered in an appealing visual manner and shared as a PDF or web page. You can create infographics in the form of a poster by using a poster maker and share them online.
People love infographics, BUT there are a couple of reasons I don’t like them as opt-ins.
Reason #1: They are amazing backlink bait. People love linking to infographics.
Reason #2: They make blog posts look fantastic, and I think they are worth showing to everyone, not just opt-ins.
If you choose to give them away, there is no harm in that; it just isn’t my style.
Infographics are also great for backlinks, so spending a little bit of money to have a great infographic created might be a great investment. If you want a premium infographic created, I recommend you check out 99designs.
25. Membership Area
A private area with content and a community environment.
Access to a membership area is a great way to get leads and build community. This is a serious investment of time, energy, and money, so I don’t recommend this as your first lead magnet.
26. Mind Map
Diagrams breaking down a process and showing how different steps relate to one another.
Mind maps are easy to create and provide that “instant gratification” that your visitors crave.
There are plenty of free tools to help you create mind maps.
27. Newsletter
A simple opt-in promising periodic emails relating to a certain topic.
The most basic type of lead magnet, the newsletter opt-in, is my least favorite opt-in because it doesn’t check off most of the boxes for what makes a great lead magnet.
These do still convert of course, but unless you have a huge fan base and have been creating world class content for years, these won’t convert well.
Someone like Tim Ferriss can get away with this sort of opt-in because he has written best selling books and has one of the top podcasts on iTunes.
Even Tim has more lead magnets though than just this simple newsletter opt-in.
28. Plan
A simple document showing how to do something efficiently.
People love plans. They are straightforward and gratifying.
If you have a simple plan to share, this could easily become your highest performing lead magnet.
29. Predictions
A simple document showing an educated guess to future happenings.
If you’re serving the financial sector, this sort of lead magnet can be fantastic.
30. Quiz
A short test with questions relevant to the niche the subscriber is interested in.
People love quizzes. The secret to generating leads with quizzes is to request the email address after the participant has completed the survey.
Is this an underhanded tactic? I don’t think so. Ask yourself when you take a quiz, are you caught off guard that you need to provide an email to get the results? It’s very standard.
There are a lot of tools you can use to create quizzes for lead magnets. Check out Interact first, but there are plenty of other options.
31. Recipe
A plan for cooking something (usually offering some sort of health benefit).
If you are in the food or fitness niche, recipes make fantastic lead magnets. They are quickly digested (pun intended) and highly actionable.
32. Replays
Recordings of webinars or trainings relating to the topic of interest.
Webinars are great lead magnets on their own, but you can get a ton of mileage out of just one value packed webinar.
I recommend using a tool like EverWebinar from Webinar Jam to host your replays, and visitors can view them as if they are live.
Kissmetrics has a massive database of past webinars you can watch by opting in to their mailing list.
33. Resources/Tools List
A document containing a collection of the tools and resources that help subscribers achieve better results in a topic of interest.
People love things that make their lives easier. Humans are tool using creators, so play to the primal desire to make things easier.
34. Roundup
A collection of comments or links from influential people or blogs in a niche.
A roundup lead magnet is a piece of content that you crowd source from others in your industry. These are great because they leverage the expertise of others and create credible, interesting pieces of content.
35. Script
Scripts work great in the B2B market. The best example of this would be a sales script for people in sales selling high ticket items or cold calling.
36. Slack Group
Access to a community relating to a topic of interest on Slack.com.
Slack is a communication platform that allows communities to engage with each other. This is a great way to build a sense of community and work toward growing your 1,000 true fans.
37. Slideshow
A powerpoint file showing showing a user something relating to a topic of interest.
Powerpoint slides are a great way to share information quickly with your readers.
38. State of the Industry
A report showing data from a certain field of interest.
Everyone is curious what is happening within their industry. If you can gather great data on the state of your industry, it can make a great lead magnet.
39. Summary
Short, simplified explanations of larger processes.
Quickly summarize large concepts. If you have an “epic post” you can create a summary of the post as a lead magnet.
40. Survey
Similar to the quiz except there aren’t right or wrong answers. The purpose is to collect data that would be of interest to your subscriber.
Create a survey and then share the results in exchange for an email.
41. Swipe File
Swipe files are collections of proven marketing materials that are used for reference when creating new copy. If you’re in the marketing niche, these are great lead magnets.
Neville Medhora has created a great resource called swipefile.io (although he isn’t collecting emails, which I think is a missed opportunity) if you’re curious what a swipe file is.
42. Template
Something that helps a subscriber complete a task in less time. Templates often leave some room for customization (names, dates, etc).
Do you have something that you have simplified into a fillable template?
People love this sort of “paint by numbers” content.
43. Transcript
Typed text of the words spoken in audio or video files.
If you create a lot of audio or video content, transcripts can be great “content upgrade” lead magnets.
If you already have something that is transcript worthy, check out Rev.com to get that audio turned into a written transcript.
Pro Tip: Transcription services are good but not perfect. You will want to read over the final transcription to check for errors. Often times terminology is misheard or misworded by transcriptionists who aren’t familiar to the industry jargon.
44. Tutorial
Clear, step by step explanation of a task that could benefit your subscriber.
Tutorials are great lead magnets for a number of reasons. My favorite use of tutorial lead magnets is to drive affiliate sales AND increase the odds that your buyers actually keep paying for the product or service if it’s a recurring type.
Many marketers make the mistake of assuming that once a sale is made, their job is done. You need to continually improve the buyer’s chances of getting value out of the tool they purchased. When they don’t, they stop paying for it. It’s a perfect win-win opportunity, and in internet business, this is where real money is made.
If you have your own product or service to sell, tutorials are just as valuable.
PS: If you are this far into this blog post already, the playbook above should be your next read. Opt-in to that!
45. Vault/Library
Access to a locked area of premium content.
If you have a blog, locking some of your premium content can be a tremendous way to get leads.
This is a very extensive process and might be considered overkill for a simple lead magnet.
There are a number of ways to create a vault/library. I recommend that you create a simple membership site with Clickfunnels. You can also make a page with a Thrive Leads content lock. This allows you to show the contents of a page only after someone provides an email address.
46. Video File
Short, value packed video files giving quick wins to your readers.
47. Waiting List
Confirmation that someone will be able to purchase something once it is released.
If you have an upcoming product or service creating a waiting list is a great way to get leads and also build hype for your launch.
48. Web App
A simple web based tool that helps subscribers complete some sort of task relevant to your topic of interest.
Similar to the generator, a web app attracts subscribers like nobody’s business.
49. Webinar
Live video showing something of value in the topic of interest.
There are few lead generation methods more powerful than webinars.
I create my webinars with Clickfunnels and Webinar Jam, but there are many other options as well.
50. Worksheet/Workbook
Offline tools (calculators or fillable templates) that help users accomplish something related to their topic of interest.
This is quite possibly my favorite type of lead magnet. I am an Excel nerd, so making these worksheets comes easily for me.
Have an idea that isn’t on this list? Go for it!
Anything you can give to get legitimate, targeted emails is a good lead magnet.
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How To Turn a File into a Downloadable Link
Many new marketers are unsure how to convert their files (lead magnets) into a format that can be downloaded by their subscribers.
The answer to this question depends on the service you are using to collect emails and the
I haven’t run across a professional email opt-in tool or
All of the tools (in the next section) will allow you to convert files into URLs that can be shared with subscribers.
Usually these services utilize 3rd party program like Amazon AWS to host the files for you.
Here is what this process looks like in ConvertKit (my email marketing software of choice).
If you aren’t ready to commit to an
The file will be turned into a URL that might look something like this (click on it and see what happens).
It should trigger a download of one of my lead magnets (feel free to use that as well. I think it’s pretty cool!)
Tools for Lead Magnets
There are a number of tools you can use to distribute your lead magnets.
This is my email marketing provider of choice, but I really dislike using ConvertKit for forms and opt-ins. They just don’t look great, and I don’t know enough CSS to make them look great.
Yes, you can edit them if you know CSS, but why would you when there are so many other (low cost) alternatives that integrate with ConvertKit seamlessly
When I first wrote this article, I was using Clickfunnels for nearly every landing page I created. I’ve since transitioned to predominately Thrive Themes for landing pages, but Clickfunnels is still a valid option.
I created my financial freedom calculator opt-in with Clickfunnels. I integrate Clickfunnels with Convertkit for most of the actual email broadcasts I send.
This is what I used predominately for my pop-ups, welcome mats (full screen opt-ins), and some in-line opt-ins when I first wrote this article, but I no longer use it.
It is still a solid option, but I highly recommend Thrive Leads (mentioned next)
Formerly known as “SumoMe,” Sumo is a powerful and affordable suite of tools to help you get more email subscribers.
Thrive Leads comes with the Thrive Themes suite (which is what I use for my blogs).
It is all I use for opt-ins now.
This was the first email opt-in tool I remember using. It is good, but I didn’t fall in love with it like I did Thrive Leads.
Currently, I don’t use OptinMonster on any of my sites, but over 11 million people do!
It certainly has everything you’d need to create great looking lead magnets.
I recommend that you test out the solutions above and then decide which one is best for you.
You don’t need them all.
I drive a Mercedes, but I’d also drive a Lexus or BMW… but I can only drive one at a time! That is how email opt-in softwares are. You don’t need them all.
Segmentation
77% of ROI comes from segmented, targeted, and triggered campaigns. – DMA
I have written at length about organizing your email list, but it is very important to mention here briefly.
#1 Each lead magnet you create should aid in segmenting your list and helping you better serve them going forward.
Every quality
#2 You should contact each subscriber ASAP every time you get an opt-in
You don’t have long to make a good impression on your new subscriber, AND you don’t want to have to go back and organize your list long after a subscriber signed up.
Every quality
Alright, there you have it! Now go and create some lead magnets, build your list, and make some money!
Did I miss something? Comment below and let me know!
