A powerful magnet has the ability to drive things to it. Likewise, an effective lead magnet brings people to your website. In fact, lead magnets, when done well, can compel people to come back to you again and again.
Lead magnets are tools that every brand or business should include in their marketing strategy. In fact, there is a chance that you are already using some lead magnets without realizing it. This marketing tool is a great way to attract people to your business, convert them into customers, and, if done well, can keep them coming back to you as loyal brand ambassadors.
We’ll give you the details you need to know about what lead magnets are and how to make them an effective part of your overall marketing plan.
What is a lead magnet?
Let’s start with the basics: What are marketing lead magnets? A lead magnet is a tool or resource that offers a possible customer some type of benefit in exchange for providing their contact information. The key thing to remember is that lead magnets provide value to the lead or customer who is providing their information or, in some cases, their money. These can come in the form of courses, e-books, downloadable PDFs, templates, and other real-life examples of lead magnets that we’ve listed farther down.
Where lead magnets work their magic
Effectively using this marketing tool requires the creation of an asset that offers something to the audience, such as new information or a helpful next step in their journey. This is why they are leveraged often in the early stages of the customer journey. They can also be used to retain existing customers.
Lead magnets can help convert leads into customers, as you establish your expertise in your industry, increasing the credibility and authority of your brand or business.
5 examples of lead magnets
We can talk about the effectiveness of a good lead magnet, but it is helpful to see some of the best ones in action. Here are some real-life examples of lead magnets that you can use:
1. Short or long-form video content
We can all agree that videos are a powerful attention-grabber. Both short and long-form video offerings can be used as lead magnets. Using engaging graphics or visuals, the video format is easier to absorb with a user’s full attention or just by listening.
Example: The RMCS Short Form Virtual Video Workshop provides more information on creating short-form video content that you can incorporate into your strategy.
2. E-books
Made for entertainment or teaching purposes, e-books are electronic books that can be provided as downloads to your audience. Unlike regular books, marketing e-books can often be on the shorter side and may focus on one topic, teach a certain subject, provide a statistical analysis on something, etc. This can be great for an audience looking to have a resource they can reference repeatedly and easily after the initial download.
Example: The RMCS Social Media E-Book is a downloadable e-book that gives readers a guide to social media community management so they can engage with their online audience in a professional and on-brand capacity.
Example: The HopScotch Freelancer Service Pricing E-book offers an e-book on how to properly price services without going under or over the mark.
3. Quiz Results
We love quizzes. That’s why Buzzfeed continues to thrive! But clickbait aside, quiz results serve as highly enticing lead magnets. You can provide an answer to a question that your audience hadn’t even considered. You can either have them provide their email to gain access to the quiz or provide the quiz results via email.
Example. The Wearwell Style Quiz offers a chance to better understand your clothing style.
4. Infographics or templates
These are some of the most common lead magnets because they are often easier to create and share. Infographics can offer a visual guide to present information or statistics. Templates provide an outline that the user can populate with the appropriate information, often giving them a starting line or next steps for their project or goal.
Example: Hubspot’s Social Media Content Calendar Template provides a downloadable template that can be used to create a content calendar for a brand’s social media posts.
5. Limited-time deals
While not a downloadable asset, a limited-time offer that provides a deal after gathering customer information is a very intriguing lead magnet. If you are providing a sale or a promotion, you can offer to provide it to people only after they’ve relinquished what you asked of them. Examples may include a photographer promoting a discounted photo session or a free vase provided when someone signs up for a seasonal flower delivery.
Important factors to remember when building lead magnets
Creating a lead magnet won’t get you far if no one is interested in what you have to offer. That ends up being a waste of your time and effort. What’s more, people are, understandably, reluctant to give up their email so they won’t be willing to give you their information if your lead magnet doesn’t meet their needs or wants.
You need to make sure that the asset you are creating is worth people’s interest and their information. Make sure to take these factors into account when you are creating a lead magnet:
- Ensure you make an asset or resource for a certain buyer persona. This is not the time to cast a wide net! It is better to know the patterns, likes, and dislikes of the people you want to reach. Remember that lead magnets are meant to bring your target audience to you. In order to be effective, they need to acknowledge that group’s interests and pain points and show them how you can solve their problems by providing benefits and value.
- Choose what you want to offer and how to present it. There are many different types of lead magnets to work with, which we explored above. But not every format works best for what you are trying to accomplish and what your target audience needs. A 2020 study found that marketers got the best results from lead magnets that were in video form, such as a tutorial, and written form like an e-book or reference guide. Based on your resources and the interests of your target audience, choose one to three types of assets you can create to use as lead magnets.
- Decide how you are promoting that lead magnet. Creating a lead magnet without promoting it minimizes the chances that it will generate leads. It is like planning a party but never sending out invitations. Make sure to strategize how you are going to present your lead magnet to your target audience, such as through social media posts, paid ads, emails, or blogs.
Lead magnets can easily be one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal to increase your leads and help convert them into one-time and returning customers. No pressure!
If you are feeling a bit at a loss of where to start when creating and planning your lead magnets, we’ve got you covered. When you sign up for a 1:1 high-level marketing consultation, we can help you plan blog topics that will serve as ongoing lead magnets.
Contact RM Creative Services by sending a message to rachael@rmcsofficial.com or visiting our Contact page.
Written by Brianna Fries, a California-based writer, editor, bookworm, and mother of two. You can contact her at brianna@rmcsofficial.com and discover more of her work at brigibbsis.wordpress.com.