What’s a lead magnet and why should you create one?

John Murray

Whether you have a website or a physical store, it’s a fact that many visitors will stop by without buying anything, so how do you convert those people who have shown an interest in what you do into fully fledged customers?

A lead magnet can help, so today we’re going to look at what this is and how to go about creating one.

What is a lead magnet?

A lead magnet offers a way to get hold of an existing or potential customer’s contact details in exchange for something that has real value for them, usually at no monetary cost to the customer.

Often, this will be a free booklet or course that gives special tips and advice relevant to your sector. A customer would be able to get hold of it by filling in a form, perhaps with their name, email address, contact number and physical address. Having agreed that these details can be used for your own marketing purposes (and do remember the importance of GDPR compliance here), the person filling in the form would then be sent the lead magnet via email.

How to create a lead magnet

It’s a good idea to start by brainstorming on what you do, and what useful advice you can give to potential customers based on your expertise.

‘Useful’ is the operative word there, and for that reason, a lead magnet shouldn’t just be a sales pitch that goes on and on about what you do. It should have helpful, actionable advice that’s of value to the reader. Ideally, they will refer back to it time and time again, each time being given a subtle reminder that you created it and are an authentic source of advice on the matter.

If creating something like that sounds daunting, consider this – you probably have a lot of the material already written. Don’t be afraid to repurpose content. Think about internal training guides you might have, or blogs you might have written. Could any of this be tweaked and presented to a new audience?

You might think that your industry is a little dry and that a guide to how to do it would be a chore to read, but you can bring some colour to it by using a theme. If you mimic or parody a certain style of writing, this approach can inject some life into the matter. Generally, designers like working with a theme too, so it gives scope for your finished project to be more visually appealing, as well as consistent from the front cover to the back page.

How to follow up on your lead magnet

The most obvious follow-up is in the form of email marketing. Consider putting together a chain of five or six emails, each highlighting a different aspect of what you can offer, and ending with a call-to-action.

The beauty of this is that you’re not sending blind emails. You’re reaching out to people who have already approached you, trying to convert their lukewarm interest into a long-term partnership.

At Engage Web, we’ve helped our clients put together email sequences that help draw in those people who have requested their lead magnet. To find out how you can get more leads and sales online, get in touch with our team today.